Margin Study – Something More

Building Financial Margin – Week 5, Day 5

Daily Scripture Reading:

John 8:36 – “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 10:10 – “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

“Are you in debt so as to embarrass you in your work?”*

Since the beginning of Methodism, all ordained clergy have been asked this question when they stand before the clergy session for approval to be ordained. Sometimes the question gets smiles but the response should always be no. As a matter of fact, it’s the only question that should get a negative answer of John Wesley’s Historic Questions – all 19 of them. Everything else is supposed to be YES!

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, knew that debt could be a problem for his preachers. Today every preacher that is ordained in the UMC not only goes to seminary, writes papers, has a health screening and a multitude of other steps, he or she also has a credit check.

Why this strenuous examination of finances? Because debt is a burden that can pull us away from serving God freely and fully.

But it’s not just the clergy. Raise your hand if at any time in your life, you’ve worried about your finances. I see your hands. My hand is raised also.

Worry over our finances takes the energy that we could use for serving God. Instead of worry and anxiety, God desires us to live freely and abundantly, without burden. He stands ready to help us. We just need to take the first step.

Prayer: Holy God, you promised us an abundant life, filled by Your grace and glory but too often I’ve let my worries and anxieties overshadow that abundance. Forgive me, Lord. Guide me to make changes in any area of my life that will increase my financial margin and help me serve you more fully and faithfully. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Reflection/Application Question for the Day:

What do emotions do you have when you think about your financial picture? Are you at peace or are you anxious?

What can you do today to move towards a life of peace and abundance? If needed, who can offer you guidance?

What do you need to do increase your financial margin?

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* The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2012.

Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Building Financial Margin – Week 5, Day 4

Daily Scripture Reading:

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.”

James 1:5 – “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”

It happened when I was a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill. My first credit card! The application came in the Student Stores shopping bag and I thought: why not? If everyone shopping was getting a credit card, then certainly I needed one too!

Oh the joy of the $200 credit limit. (Back then you could get a lot of “stuff” with $200.)

And so it begins – the card that gives you the freedom to have a little “retail therapy” whenever you want it, the card that only needs a minimum monthly payment of $10, the card that has an interest rate of 19% . . . and on it goes.

If only I had been wiser, if only I had stopped to think about the future, if only I had thought about my actual needs as opposed to my wants. But our culture seems to run on the financial plan of: “buy now, pay later”. Oh, we pay later, don’t we? And pay and pay and pay.

God has promised us that He will give us wisdom whenever we ask for it. He has promised to direct our paths. But first we need to turn to Him. He is the One that will whisper in our ear “do you really need this?” He is the One who will help us re-order our priorities. He is the One who will give direction in all things – including our finances.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you that you are the God of all wisdom. Direct, guide and speak to me regarding my finances. Forgive me when I’ve turned aside from you and gone after my own wants and desires. Help me re-order my financial life starting today. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Reflection/Application Question for the Day:

How would you describe your financial situation?

Are you in debt? If so, are you managing the debt or is the debt overshadowing your life?

If you are struggling in your debt, stop and take a realistic picture of what needs to change. Write down your expenses, set a budget, explore ways you can pay more than the minimum payment, or get help from a Christian financial program like Financial Peace University. Make a plan!

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Building Financial Margin – Week 5, Day 3

Daily Scripture Reading:

Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Luke 21:2-4 – “He (Jesus) saw a poor widow put in two small coins. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’”

Jesus sat down opposite the offering plate. He watched as folks came and put their offering into the trumpet-shaped container. Not only did Jesus see what was being given, everyone else heard the coins drop into the container.

The offering of the rich made lots of noise as it was dropped it. Some offerings made only a little noise. However, the offering that Jesus pointed out was the smallest – the offering of the widow. Most folks would not have noticed or even cared about the two small coins. But Jesus knew that this offering meant far more. The widow was giving everything she had. She was sacrificially giving.

Maybe she should have given one coin and saved the other – just in case she needed it. But she gave all she had. Her gift was a tremendous statement of trust and surrender. She surrendered her fears of not having enough and she trusted the God whom she served to take care of her needs.

It is never the amount that we give that makes Jesus jump up and down. It’s always the spirit and the heart in which we give. Are we giving sacrificially or are we giving IF there’s enough after WE’VE taken care of all of our needs?

Prayer: God of all grace, You are indeed the One that can meet all of my needs. Teach me to give to You sacrificially, trusting You in all things. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.

Reflection/Application Question for the Day:

Think about your giving. Would you gladly welcome Jesus to watch as you gave your offering?

Are you giving sacrificially or are you taking care of your wants and needs first, and then giving out of your leftovers?

God calls us to tithe (10%) of our income. If you are doing this already, is God calling you to increase your giving more sacrificially? How can you do this?

If you are not tithing yet, what can you do today to move toward tithing? Maybe giving incrementally – 2%, 5%, 8%?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Building Financial Margin – Week 5, Day 2

Daily Scripture Reading:

Psalm 37:3-5 – “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act.

I’ve always loved this verse, particularly the part about God giving me the desires of my heart. Anything my heart desires? Wow! Let’s see. I’d like some new jewelry, a new wardrobe and well, while you’re at it, Lord, how about a new car?

Oh, wait, God didn’t mean that?

I always seem to skip over the part about “taking delight in the Lord”. IF I seek the Lord and listen to Him, there will be a change in my priorities.

How do we know our priorities? Christian financial counselor, Larry Burkett, once said “If we look at our checkbooks, then we know our priorities.” Ouch!

What does our bank statement say about our priorities? House payments, car payments, educational loans, dining out, new clothes, giving to the church . . . what could we learn from our financial statements? Sometimes our statements show the evidence of past financial mistakes. Sometimes they show the charitable giving that blesses others.

The good news is that whatever they show now, can be changed when we build financial margin into our lives. God desires to be our guide in all things, including our finances.

Prayer: Gracious God, guide me this day to seek you in all things, especially in my finances. Rearrange my priorities. Help me to be faithful. Guide me with Your grace. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Reflection/Application Question for the Day:

Take some time today to look at your bank statement. Categorize the debits to your accounts.

What do you observe from these categories?

Is there room for improvement in the way you are spending the resources that God has given you?

What can you do differently today to take a step towards these improvements?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Building Financial Margin – Week 5, Day 1

Daily Scripture Reading:

Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”

Psalm 145:16 – “You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.”

Psalm 104 :27-28 – “These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.”

I really don’t like to talk about money at church. It’s my least favorite topic to teach or preach on in any church I’ve ever served. Folks squirm, we hear whispers like “all they talk about is money”, or people decide to skip out on this week’s sermon – just because the topic is money.

Wow! Jesus would never have had anyone listening to his sermons. He talked about money more than any other subject other than the Kingdom of God. He talked more about money more than heaven and hell combined. Eleven of 39 parables were about money. One out of every 7 verses in the gospel of Luke was about money. * That’s a lot of preaching and teaching about money.

Maybe the dilemma is ownership – deciding who really owns our money. I’d like to think it’s me but I would be wrong. I’m a steward of all that God has given. We are all stewards. We’ve been entrusted with God’s world and all His riches. It’s up to us to use them wisely.

Building financial margin into our lives helps honor God and helps us be good stewards of His resources. What kind of stewards are we?

Prayer: Gracious God, You are indeed the Source of all life and the Provider of everything. You have given me the gift of being Your steward. Forgive me when I have been unwise. Give me the strength and the wisdom to honor You in this responsibility. May I be faithful to use Your gifts for You and Your kingdom. Through Christ our Lord I pray, Amen.

Reflection/Application Question for the Day:

What kind of steward are you? How are you managing the resources that God has given you?

Is there room for improvement?

Ask God to show you places that need growth.

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* Financial Peace University study materials

Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Building Margin for Sabbath – Week 4, Day 5

Daily Scripture Reading:

John 4:13-14 – “Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”

Let’s be honest. Everyone has times – moments, days, maybe even weeks – when they feel far from God. It doesn’t matter if we’ve been following Jesus for years or for months.

It might be a difficult time in your life and you wonder: “Where are you, God?” It might be a busy time in your life and you’ve skipped a few days of prayer time. Now you wonder how you will make your way back to God. It might be a time when you know that you’re not in God’s will and you feel unworthy or guilty. It’s just easier not to open your Bible or talk to God.

Sometimes you reach a point of giving and giving until you have nothing left to give. Too often this happens to God’s servants. We serve and serve but we do it on our own strength. Our resources become depleted.

Think about the difference between a canal and a reservoir. A canal allows water to flow through it – as water flows in, water flows out. A reservoir waits until it is full before the water flows out. If we operate our spiritual lives as canals, we are in danger of depleted resources. Instead God calls us to operate as reservoirs. It’s out of the overflowing fullness of God’s power that we give. God’s water gushes forth as a spring of life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that sometimes I feel a little lost. I am not as connected to You as I want to be or know I should be. Forgive me. Help me remember, Lord, that You are always there ready to fill me again. Come and quench my soul so that I will never thirst again. In Your name I pray, Amen.

Reflection Question and/or Application for the Day:

Be honest. How close to God do you feel today?

If there is room for improvement, what can you do to come back to God? More time in prayer and/or in reading your Bible, asking forgiveness of someone, asking forgiveness of God for some way that you know that you are out of God’s will?

Whatever the reason, what will be your next right step towards a deeper relationship with Christ?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

©Tim Reaves and Trish Archer

Photo by Will Archer

Building Margin for Sabbath – Week 4, Day 4

Daily Scripture Reading:

Mark 1:35 – “In the morning, while it was still very dark, he (Jesus) got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.”

Luke 11:1 – “He (Jesus) was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray;”

Luke 22:39 – “He (Jesus) came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives . . .” –

They are simple phrases: “deserted place,” “in a certain place,” “as was his custom”. Simple but packed with meaning and instruction. Jesus prayed often. He prayed alone. He prayed with others. He went to a place or aside from the other activity going on around Him.

And so I wonder: If Jesus, Son of God, Savior of the world, thought it was important to take time to pray, don’t I think it’s probably a good idea for me to do likewise?

The practice of Sabbath renews and refreshes us and the practice of daily prayer gives us strength from day to day. Praying is not meant to be difficult – just talk to God. He listens. But don’t stop there. Be quiet before God and listen to him speak to you. If you find it difficult to pray and/or to listen, read the Psalms. Every human emotion is found in those verses.

Building margin into our lives for Sabbath, sabbath moments, and prayer will change our lives. God promised and He is always faithful in His promises.

Prayer: Holy God, thank You for hearing my prayers. Thank You for knowing my heart. Thank you for understanding my concerns. Speak to me, Lord, this day and guide me in Your perfect peace. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Reflection Question and/or Application for the Day:

When do you pray? Where do you pray?

How do you listen to God?

Is time with God your “custom”? If not, what could you do differently today to build margin for prayer?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

Building Margin for Sabbath – Week 4, Day 3

Daily Scripture Reading:

Read Psalm 139

vs. 1-3 – “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.”

Have you ever been riding down the street, maybe in your own neighborhood, and noticed a house that you’ve “never seen” before? Oh, you’ve ridden by the house hundreds of times but you’ve never NOTICED it? I mean really seen it.

We do this in life too often. We just go along our way, oblivious to the world around us. We don’t notice the person in need, the sunset or the smell of the flowers. Children often notice the world around us so much quicker. “Mom, don’t step on that ladybug!” “Mom, look at that bunny in the yard!”

Practicing Sabbath increases our margin to live lives of “notice”. We are more conscious of God’s world around us. We also more readily see those “sabbath moments” when God’s presence breaks into our ordinary world and brings us back to the source of our strength.

We can also practice sabbath moments by allowing some ordinary occurrence be a reminder to stop and offer a prayer. Every time you hear the siren of an ambulance or a fire truck, pray for the workers and the people in distress. Every time you wash your hands, use the time to ask for God’s peace and strength in your life. Allow God to bring you back and renew you through the simple sabbath moments of your day.

Prayer: Holy God, thank you that you know me. You know my joys, my concerns, and my every need. Help me, O Lord, to know You in the little moments throughout the day. May those sabbath moments bring me back to You and give me strength. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Reflection Question and/or Application for the Day:

Do you notice the world around you? What is one action you will do today to better “see” God’s people and God’s world?

Are you aware of God’s in-breaking throughout your day? What one action can you do today that will make you more aware?

Choose one common occurrence in your day and pray a simple prayer. Examples:

Lord, help me see you.

Jesus, speak to me today.

God, be my strength.

Lord, I choose to trust you.

What will you do today?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

Photo by Jon Strother

Building Margin for Sabbath – Week 4, Day 2

Daily Scripture Reading:

Psalm 16:8, 9, 11 – I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure . . . You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Like some of you, I grew up in the dark ages, when there were no stores open on Sunday. Our routine as a family included Sunday School, worship, home-cooked lunch, and then the afternoon drive to Grandma Ella’s house. My brother, Gene, and I always hoped that some of our many cousins had also made the journey to spend the afternoon. If the weather was good, we’d play outside. If not, we’d sit around the living room, baking from the heat of the wood stove, freezing if we had to make a pit stop to the bathroom. There was no TV, no cell phones, nothing electronic – only stories, laughter, the Sunday comics (in color) and lots of family time.

My, how things have changed.

Today, it’s an oddity that something is closed on Sunday. No chicken sandwiches from the restaurant in red. However, if you need groceries, lumber or new shoes, you can find it! Plenty of stores are open for your shopping pleasure.

How can we take time to stop and rest – to practice Sabbath? All of us need time for spiritual renewal and re-creation. Sabbath can also be practiced in different ways. For some, gardening or cooking is a renewing, refreshing activity and for some, it’s work. The goal: don’t do anything that you might put on a to-do list. All of us need to find a place of rest that can draw us back to God and fill us with joy and peace.

Prayer: Holy God, you have created us to need rest and renewal. Help us to make room for Sabbath rest. Show us ways we can be faithful to You as we rest. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Reflection Question and/or Application for the Day:

Name 3 activities that are renewing and refreshing for you.

Name 3 times when you feel closest to God.

What can you do differently in your life and/or your family life so that you can spend more time in Sabbath rest?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series

Building Margin for Sabbath – Week 4, Day 1

Daily Scripture Reading:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.” – Genesis 2:1-3

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall do no work . . .” – Exodus 20:8-10a

I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that most of us have heard or said these words: “because I said so.” Since the beginning of time, children have heard parents give this reasoning for expected actions. Or at least I have. My parents said it and their parents before them.

The practice of Sabbath is grounded in this reasoning: because God said so. He practiced it in the creation of the world. He made it one of the Ten Commandments. He talked about it in the Old Testament. Jesus talked about it in the New Testament.

Think about it: If the God who created the universe in 6 days needed to rest on the 7^thday, don’t you think us puny humans might need to do the same – rest from our labors?

The fundamental reasoning for Sabbath may be God’s commandment but it is also a matter of trust. We are called to trust that we are not in control. The world will continue if we rest. It is in our practice of Sabbath that we acknowledge our trust in God who rules and reigns over this world and even more importantly, our own personal world.

Prayer: Gracious God, You tell us to rest, to stop, to cease but too often, we just keep working. We don’t take time to truly worship You. Forgive us, Lord, when we think it’s all up to us. Teach us to trust You in all things but especially in the practice of Sabbath.

Reflection Question and/or Application for the Day:

When do you take Sabbath? Do you truly stop from your labors?

If so, what are you learning as you practice Sabbath?

If not, why? Why do you continue to work? What can you do to move toward the regular practice of Sabbath?

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Devotion from Building Margin for a Balanced Life, devotional book, small group study and sermon series