Our Intersting Approach to Tithing

This article comes from Christianity Today. It offers an interesting perspective of a couple's 24 year journey together through tithing. Follow the link for the Complete article: Click Here

Cleaning Up

On Thursday I set aside some time to clean some clutter from my desk. It has been a few months since I took on this task. What surprised me was how much junk and trash had accumulated in such a short time. I quickly filled up my trash can and this after just one drawer. I already set aside some time each month to look ahead and plan my broad activities over the coming month. I now realize, I need to set aside a regular time to declutter and clean my desk. If I don't pay attention, the junk builds up and gets in the way of my productivity.

If the junk in my desk can build up so quickly, how fast can the junk in my life build up? The best solution to cleaning out the junk in my life is to spend a regular time with God reading His Word and talking to Him through prayer. Through these disciplines it is easier to keep the trash from building up in my life.

When was the last time you decluttered?

Book Review

Our staff has been reading Richard Foster's book , Celebration of Discipline, The Path to Spiritual Growth. This is a refreshing book which takes a different approach to the practice of the spiritual Disciplines. The very term discipline, brings up thoughts of things we have to do instead of things we desire to do. My favorite quote after having read 2/3 of the book is, "God has ordained the Disciplines of the spiritual life as the means by which we place ourselves where he can bless us." (p. 7) When we practice the Disciplines in the proper manner and truly desire to practice them, we do open up ourselves to receive the blessings God has intended for us.

The Disciplines as identified by Foster fall into three categories:
I.The Inward Disciplines
Meditation
Prayer
Fasting
Study
II. The Outward Disciplines
Simplicity
Solitude
Submission
Service
III. The Corporate Disciplines
Confession
Worship
Guidance
Celebration

If you are looking for a good book to read and challenge you, I encourage you to get a copy of Celebrations.

If you have read this book or if you read it in the future, please send me your comments.