#HBCwhatsnext [in youth ministry]: 1 see the vision

it wasn't my intent to frame our church's pivotal summer series in such a light. it wasn't. in fact, God didn't place this frame in my mind until week two...and i'm not even sure how it popped up. i feel like you HAVE to know this or else it almost just seems pompous of me to make things about youth ministry...again. it's not because that's where i'm at. it's not because that's where i think YOU should be. it just...is. God's movement just is. #sorrynotsorry take it or...well...actually, please don't leave it. that's not a road i want to go down.

#HBCwhatsnext [in youth ministry]

last week we were challenged to read luke 6 in light of "seeing the vision" for our church's identity and future; and i must admit, i've been struck by the same section of this chapter before (years ago while reading the irresistible revolution), but i have always seen it in light of physical wealth. (and i'm not saying i've even mastered that interpretation AT ALL.) but today, as i re-read my notes on luke 6 with the new [in youth ministry] frame, i saw the WHOLE of giving (time, emotion, hobby, legacy, money, etc)...not just one part. you should try it out. #frt

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give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
luke 6:30

give. "sell all that thou hast [YOU stuff], and *distribute* unto the poor [think koinonia -- more on this word later]...and come, follow me" (luke 18:22).

give. "sell that ye have, and give alms (mercy, pity, compassion)" (luke 12:33). and boy do our youth need our alms. "not only give to the poor till you pinch yourself, but even pinch yourself to do it." - c.h. spurgeon #whatthewhat?!

yes, GIVE. "...open thine hand wide unto him, and...lend him sufficient for his need...because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto" (excerpts from deutoronomy 15:8-10).

and i have to give BEYOND my safety-net measure...just like the churches of macedonia. "...hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith" (james 2:5). a once wealthy and blessed people now COMPLETELY destitute, by God's grace "in great trial of affliction...the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality (generosity, sincerity, simplicity...openheartedness toward one's possessions)"(2 corinthians 8:2). "The macedonians gave not just as much as they were able (literally "according to their ability") but beyond (v3)." recklessly. "they urgently pleaded (begged) to be involved (v4) [despite their dire situation]...[but] macedonian generosity was possible because they gave themselves first to the Lord and only then to Paul (v5)."

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and [there is] that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it tendeth] to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth (satiate abundantly, satisfy, soak) shall be watered also himself.

proverbs: 11:24,25

i love that 'watereth' visual...ESPECIALLY when i picture ministry to souls. #allthefeels

if you have any desire to be a "little Christ" (Christian), you MUST give...because once you do, only THEN "shall thy light break forth as the morning; and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward" -- only THEN "shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]" (isaiah 58:8-9).

And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:

isaiah 58:10

light in the darkness only through our reckless abandonment to Him.

give. not because you HAVE to. not because you SHOULD. but because His grace within you begs nothing less. "God [is] able to make all grace (charis -- divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in one's life) abound toward you; that ye always having sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:" (2 corinthians 9:8). if for no other reason, y'all: give because IT TURNS OTHERS TO CHRIST: "whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for [your] liberal (koinonia - partnership, contribution, joint participation, fellowship) distribution unto them, and unto all [men]" (2 corinthians 9:13,14). "[give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" to others (2 corinthians 4:6). plain and simple. and this grace (charis, again!) that fuels our selfless giving is provided "that i should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches [good treasure] of Christ" (ephesians 3:8). 

a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

luke 6:45

so lastly, give. give to EVERYONE. because the Highest "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (luke 6:35,36). and i sincerely don't know anyone more unthankful than kids. #Godblessthem

thank Jesus "the excellency of the power (dynamis...virtue!)" to do all this is of God, not us (2 corinthians 4:7)! and not only does His charis fuel our godly dynamis...His WORD does: "let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom" (colossians 3:16a). This is HOW we have good treasure of the heart to give in the first place. THIS is the way the Lord says he will "put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts" (hebrews 8:10) so that we can be HIS people. Not necessarily ownership "his" (that, too) but LIKENESS "his." #lesigh

#helpmeholyspirit