When Generosity Changes Everything: Stories of Faith and Finances
There's something profoundly uncomfortable about talking about money in church. Hearts race. Palms sweat. Eyes dart toward the exits. Yet within this discomfort lies one of the most transformative invitations God extends to us: the invitation to trust Him with everything—including our wallets.
The question isn't whether God needs our money. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, after all. The real question is whether our hearts are fully His, or whether they're still choked by the deceitfulness of wealth and the grip of fear.
The Beautiful Transformation of Becoming a Servant
There's something profoundly countercultural about choosing to serve others in a world that constantly tells us to prioritize ourselves. Yet, when we look at the life of Jesus, we discover a revolutionary truth: greatness isn't found in being served, but in serving others.
Jesus himself said it plainly: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Putting Down Roots: Finding Purpose in an Unfamiliar Land
In a world that often feels unsettling and foreign, how do we find our place and make a lasting impact? This question resonates deeply with many of us who have experienced the discomfort of being in unfamiliar surroundings, whether it's a new city, country, or even a shifting cultural landscape.
The story of the Israelites in Babylon offers profound insights into this dilemma. Taken from their homeland and thrust into a foreign culture with different values, languages, and customs, they faced a crisis of identity and purpose. Yet, in the midst of their exile, God gave them a surprising directive through the prophet Jeremiah: