TimHowey.Com

Lose the Monkey Fist!!

If you missed this weekend's message because of a spring break trip or sleeping in, YOU MISSED OUT!!! :-) I did impressions of:

• A slick TV preacher
• A chanting monk
• A greedy baboon

In fact, check out the baboon example I referenced by clicking here.

The message was FILLED with VITAL stuff that YOU NEED.  If you missed it, that's ok.  You can catch up here:

Watch live streaming video from gracevideo at livestream.com

WWJB & What We Can't Afford Not to Do

Yesterday, we closed out our personal finance series called "Lie$".  Since I didn't have the chance to blog about it last week, we'll touch based on both weeks:

• WWJB (What Would Jesus Buy) -- From Luke 16:1-13 where Jesus says definitively that our earthly financial management matters to God
• What You Can't Afford Not to Do -- From 2 Corinthians 8-9 where Paul addresses giving from the perspective of the grace of the New Testament

Where should we start?

• God's Money Manager -- As we said 2 weeks ago, we don't own a thing.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zippo.  We're all just "stewards"...people that God entrusted with HIS resources.  This does two huge things for us:  (1) It gives us a clue on how we start to manage it...by accomplishing the goals of the owner.  (2) It's always easier to be generous with someone else's money.  :-)
• 10-10-80-Maybe -- This bears repeating.  Jesus would give us some version of this money management plan.  (10) Put the first 10% to giving to God through your local church.  (10) Set aside the next 10% to save for the future.  (80) Pay for life-needs like food and clothing...or food and clothing...or food and clothing.  (Maybe) If you have money left over, enjoy it.  (P.S.) Stop the madness of getting into slavery debt to credit card companies.  Instead, be absolutely RUTHLESS about cutting every unnecessary cost.
  
• Bonus Verses (Said) -- Here were the verses I threw out to everyone verbally 2 weeks ago.
• • Matthew 25:14-15 -- Diversification of investments is a wise financial strategy
  • 1 Timothy 6:8 -- Technically, our "needs" are (1) food & (2) clothing...that's it
• Sweet Specs -- Those sweet specs, I wore two Sundays ago were from Ryan.  I think he got them at a dollar store.  That's not the first we've heard about him though.  A while ago His parents shared his amazing story of God healing him from leukemia as a little boy.  His story was listed here & here.
• Bonus Book -- The book I referenced yesterday was The Wealth Conundrum by Ralph Doudera.

I might as well include another answer we gave yesterday to the question, "What role does tithing (giving 10%) play in the New Testament?"

• Was Commanded -- Under Mosaic Law in the Old Testament, you CAN find tithing commanded (Deuteronomy 14:22)
• No Longer Commanded -- Under the grace of the New Testament, you CANNOT find any "Thou shalt tithe."
• Give a Percentage -- Under the grace of the New Testament, you CAN find us called to give based on percentage (2 Corinthians 8:12-15)
• In the Beginning -- In the Old Testament, long before there was any law about tithing, followers of God were practicing tithing as a form of worship (Genesis 14:20)
• Freed...to be LESS Generous??? -- I don't ANYONE thinks for a moment, that God would offer us a better covenant, based on better promises, freeing us from the curse of the Law, offering us a life of grace, by allowing His own Son to murdered...all so that WE...the people of God...the beneficiaries of His grace...would become LESS generous!!!  That somehow God's hope was that the grace of Christ would prompt us to become the LEAST generous people in history.  :-)  His LIKELY hope was that grace would prompt us to become the MOST generous people in history.

L8R.

Time Flies

Wow.  Time has absolutely FLOWN this week.  And there was absolutely NO WAY I could blog.  I'll try to catch up tonight.

• Time Change Anyone? -- I wonder how many people will remember to set their clocks back for tomorrow. I guess we tried something different this go around...not mentioning the time change to anyone.  :-)
• What Up??? -- So...what in the world has been taking all my time?  Well, I've not been running.  My MRI won't be for another couple weeks!  (The x-rays I got were negative.)  Right now, I'm slowly but surely turning into a tub of goo.  :-)  However, my work-world been all about 4 things...
• • Weekend Lie$ Series -- This has been a fun series.  I've learned a ton about how God views money recently and it's been a BLAST teaching everyone.  We're just trying to set people free from the INSANITY of the OVER-spending, UNDER-thinking, and using CREDIT cards as a form of volitional slavery...errr...a crutch.
  • Wed Numbers Series -- We're in the 2nd half of the book now, walking through events that happened near the end of the 40 years of wandering.  It seems like every week we are seeing the RICHES of the word, the FORESHADOWING of Christ, and incredibly PRACTICAL lessons for OUR life's journey.
  • Essential Studies Rewrite -- I am PUMPED about this one.  We are in the process TOTALLY rewriting the 5 essential classes we desire everyone to take at Grace.  They will be Grace Vision (formerly Prospective Members), Grace Mission (formerly Purposes), Grace Beliefs (a brand-new class), Personal Worship (another brand-new class), & Personal Gifting (formerly SHAPE).
  • Job Interviews -- In the last week, I've also been interviewing people for the Youth Pastor & Assistant Children's Director roles.  It's exciting!  We're praying for them & they're out there.  We just need to discern who God's ALREADY chosen.
• Tim Hawkins Night - Last night, Cathy & I surprised Jacob & Karina with tickets to the Tim Hawkins show at Lee's Summit Community Church.  He is a RIOT & we loved it.  If you haven't heard him, you've GOT to check him out on YouTube.
• Mmmm...BBQ -- Before that, we noshed on Dickeys.  BBQ -- all-you-can-eat whole pickles -- all-you-can-eat ice cream.  :-)

L8R.

Web Bonus - Lie$ Money Will Tell You

Yesterday, we kicked off our personal finance series called "Lie$."  Week 1 was "The Lie$ Money Will Tell You" based on what Jesus said in Matthew 13:22, "the deceitfulness of riches."

• Money Lie$ -- The list of money lies that I read came from Diana Clement here.
• Ponzi Schemes 1 -- As we heard yesterday, Bernie Madoff was just a modern version of Charles Ponzi, from whom we get the name "Ponzi Scheme" though he didn't invent it.  I guess Harry Markopolis has a new book coming out about him TRYING to blow-the-whistle on Bernie.
• Ponzi Schemes 2 -- Also, did you know that a failed "Ponzi Scheme" was the cause of a REVOLUTION in Albania back as recently as 1997?
• Ponzi Schemes 3 -- Jack Laptad caught me after services and said he thought the biggest Ponzi Scheme in history is Social Security.  He told me people aren't saving for their future in the program.  New investment money is being used to pay the old investors.
• Who Painted That? -- FYI, the artwork we used for Matthew 13 was Van Gogh's "The Sower".
  
• Now You Know -- Did you know that you can turn any word into a title for a financial series, as long as you find an "S" to convert to a dollar sign?  :-)
• Love Me Love Me -- As I was prepping this week & thinking through the Lie$ money will tell us ("Trust me. Serve me. Love me"), the Cardigans' song "LoveFool" came to mind.  "Love me, love me, say that you need me..."  I had more than one person tell me that the song is insidious...they can't get it out of their minds now.
• Tell Me Lie$ -- Jason Henderson, our Worship Director, said he was thinking about a different song with today's topic:  "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac.

Web Bonus - Hold Loosely

I'm a little late on posting thoughts on last weekend's services.  This has been one full week!

Anyway, the topic last Sunday was incredible rich & challenging for me personally.  It was week 3 of our January "Ultimate Resolutions" series for 2010, called "Hold Loosely" from Mark 10:17-30.  Specifically, we were talking about Christ's call to hold loosely to (a) our possessions, (b) our plans, & (c) our lives.

There are a number of things bumping around in my head & heart from this week.

• Zeroing In -- Did you notice that the 5 commandments that Jesus did not repeat to the rich, young ruler all dealt with his relationship with God & covetousness (his 2 weaknesses)?  Did you notice that Jesus' new commandment focused on both of those?  Jesus told him to sell all he had re:his covetousness) & follow Him (re:his relationship with God).
• Sell My Home? -- Dean Callison gave me a heads up about the Parade Magazine article on Sunday entitled, "Why we gave up our home."  That's exactly what we were talking about...would you do it, if God asked it of you?
  
• Jim Elliot -- Someone reminded me of Jim Elliot's quote, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, in order to gain what he cannot lose."
• What about You? -- So...what would you give up or change if you became aware that Jesus had a different direction for you?  Would you give up your possessions/stuff?  Change your plans/dreams?  Let God do WHATEVER he wanted with your life?
  
• Where's Tim? -- So, I'm out near the information center, talking to Merideth Niztel & her in-laws an anonymous family, when I hear the most sickening thing I could...nothing.  Our praise music had stopped & I immediately thought, "Oh NO!  Should I already be in there?"  I ran in to see no one on stage.  I was motioning to people to ask, "Am I on?" but I wasn't able to get that question across well.  So I just started speaking from the back, explaining what I had done.  Ben said he was about to head back on stage to sing "something".  :-) That's a first for me!

If you've can swing it, you've GOT to join us live or online tonight from 6:45-8:00 p.m. to see the AMAZING ways God provides for us in Numbers 18-19.  We're also going to talk about the significance of the extremely rare "Red Heifer" and it's implication on the End Times.

L8R.

Web Bonus - God in the Corporate Sector

Yesterday, we stormed slammed moved ahead with our series on the life of Joseph called "Average Joe." We talked about how we can see the MIGHTY hand of God -- at work -- in OUR lives -- in "The Corporate Sector."  We hit the highlights of Genesis 39-41.

Here are a few "thots" from this week...

• Take 10 -- Take 10 minutes right now, and read the rest of Genesis 39-41.  It's a GREAT story.
• SBO Week -- It was SBO week...we had all the kids lead us in singing.  They were too cute.  And I was cracking up at my kids.  I remember laughing, "WHAT is my son doing?"  (Apparently my son was inventing moves up there!)
• SBO Story -- I got this email from someone in my small group about their daughter after Tuesday's SBO day:
  • "On Tuesday, [my daughter] says to me, 'Mom, it's only the second day of SBO and I already have my verse memorized.  Wanna hear it?'  'Sure!' I reply. Then she starts: 'Let no one despise your youth, but be an example of the believers in word, in a condo, in love, in spirit, in faith, and period.' After I quit laughing (in my head), we went over those words [in 1 Timothy 4:12] and what each one meant. :-)"
• Web Bonus -- I didn't have the chance to get to my FAVORITE sections on "How to Be a Success in the Workplace."  So here they are:  Ephesians 6:5-10 & Colossians 3:22-4:2.
  
• Salvations -- I don't know if I saw everyone's hand (I probably missed some, in fact), but we probably had a couple people receive Christ in the 1st Service, 12-14 in the 2nd, & a couple in the 3rd.  Got some stories too...
  
  • A young man named Brian had been attending Grace for a few month.  Yesterday, he left the building, but "felt compelled" to come back & talk to me.  I got the chance to sit with him & his girlfriend as he gave his life to Jesus!
  • Someone else emailed saying their relative had prayed to receive Christ with me yesterday & happened to mention it to them in passing later that day!
• New Worship Leader??? -- Did you guys in the 3rd Service like the new worship leader who started singing at the end of service?  SHOCKINGLY, It was me!  :-)  What happened?  I was introducing the offering & glanced around...no band.  I kept delaying talking...no band.  I prayed for the offering...no band.  So, I jokingly started the MOST PITIFUL rendition of "Just As I Am"...then everyone started praying for DELIVERANCE (from me)...then the band appeared.  (Whew!)
  

Next week, we are going to talk about "Our Very Best Days" with God.  If you want to read ahead, check out Genesis 42-47.

Web Bonus - Final Four

Yesterday, we closed out our "Madne$$" series, where we addressed the "full-court economic pressure" our society is under today.  Yesterday's topic was "The Final Four" -- 4 final principles for personal economic success.

A few thoughts...

• "They're Playing Ba--sket--ballllll" -- Lil' Bow Wow said it all. This series was cool.  How often do I get the chance to combine my (unequal) love of basketball & the Bible???  :-)
• Our Text -- We walked through 1 Timothy 6 yesterday.  A way cool passage.
• Another Book?  -- My wife often jokingly accuses me of quoting from the book of 3 Timothy.  (FYI, that book doesn't exist.)
• Hitting Home -- We talked about 4 things that hit home with almost every person I know:  (1) being content materially/financially, (2) never being content spiritually, (3) trusting that God WILL provide for you when you put His kingdom first, and (4) giving...generosity that reflects Jesus.
• Slam-Dunk Example -- FYI, Doug Howey gave me the best example for the message in our 6:30am review.  It was from Malachi 3:10-11, where God tells us to "test Him now" by giving.  We talked about the example of a father beckoning to his child in a swimming pool..."Just trust me & jump into my arms...it's MORE FUN in the pool...and I'll keep you from drowning."  Doug slam-dunked on that one!!
• Didn't Mean to Say THAT!!!" -- I didn't mean to describe all the people who freak out about giving 10% to being children on the side of the pool, with their Dad calling them to jump to Him, wearing their "inflatable floaties" on their arms, whining & crying & peeing on themselves...needing "spiritual Pampers."  Didn't mean to say it at all.  (But wow was that good!)  :-)
• Cutting Room Floor -- Here are some key cross-references I axed before the message...
  • Proverbs 11:28 -- What's the problem with trusting money?  It's a "house of cards" that will eventually fall.
  • Proverbs 23:5 -- What's the problem with money?  It tends to "sprout wings" and fly away to heaven.
  • Ecclesiastes 5:10 -- What's the problem with loving money?  We'll never be satisfied or "have enough."
  • Ecclesiastes 5:11 -- What's the problem with getting a raise?  Most of us don't have the self-discipline to not raise our standard of living.  Instead, we wave "bye bye" to our raises as they "pass thru" our hands.
• My NCAA Bracket -- I got 39 out of 48 right so far.  My final 4 teams have survived.  We'll see what happens next week, though...
• The Cardinal -- As of right now, my Stanford Cardinal is still in post-season play...a lot of teams can't say that.  (Yes, I know it's not the NCAA or even the NIT...it's just the 3rd string CBI tournament...but hey!!!).  Tonight, we hope to CRUSH Wichita State in Wichita.  But I think our fan base is underwhelmed by being in the CBI.  Only 1000 people showed up for our 1st round game against Boise State.

Next week, we kick off one of THE - MOST - POWERFUL series we've ever done (see Romans 1:16 for why I'm saying this).  It's called "3 Days."  We're taking the 3 weeks leading up to Easter to unpack the 3-part gospel story:

• Death of Christ (3/29)
• Burial of Christ (4/5)
• Resurrection of Christ (4/11 & 12)

Financial Peace University

Financial Peace University (FPU) is getting ready to start at Grace!

Are you ready to stop living with guilt, frustrations and headaches that come with trying to manage your personal finances?  You owe it to yourself and those you love to find true "Financial Peace!"  Everyone will benefit from this 13-week program, regardless of your age, income, marital status, or church involvement.

• Who:  You!
• What:  Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
• When:  Sunday, March 29, 6-8 p.m. (for 13 weeks)
• Where:  Grace Church, 159th & Antioch
• How Much:  $100 registration fee per family
• Childcare:  Nope

Click here to register now for FPU at Grace!

Web Bonus - Cinderella Story (Part 1)

A "tip-of-the-cap" to Jim Brown, who posted the following video to his Facebook page, and Tom Herzog, who brought it to my attention.

This video captured our "Cinderella Story (Succeeding in the Corporate Sector)" topic perfectly.

Web Bonus - Survive & Advance (Part 2)

I forgot to mention the KEY passage that hit my "cutting room floor" last weekend.  But you've got to check it out.

It's Matthew 6:19-34.

In that passage, you find:

• "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth" (v.19)
• "Do not worry about your life" (v.25)
• "Which of your worrying [improves anything]?" (v.27)
• "Why do you worry?" (v.28)
• "Will God not much more clothe you?" (v.30)
• "Do not worry [about]...eat...drink...wear" (v.31)
• "Your heavenly Father knows your needs" (v.32)
• "Do not worry about tomorrow" (v.33)

N-uff said.

P.S. I had my men's small group tell me that their minds were STILL spinning about the comment on Sunday, "SO WHAT if your 401(k) goes to ZERO?  Do you think that has ANYTHING to do with whether God will provide for your needs or not?"