Joseph Fehlen – The Spiritual not done through the Natural – March 14th, 2010

From the multi-part series “The Book of Acts”

We have been looking at the book of Acts at church for the last couple months and we are at the part just after Peter and John get out of jail for healing a man that has been paralyzed for 40 years. The whole church is so excited about the miraculous things that are happening.  Then we get the following section of verses that seems so ‘unspiritual’.

Acts 4:32 says “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had”  and later on in verse 37 we find that, “Barnabas sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

This is a great story of sacrificial giving and the body of Christ coming together to help those in need. There was of course no mandate from the leaders for everyone to sell there stuff and bring the proceeds to the church. From time to time some were prompted by the Spirit to give of what they had. This was a very spiritual undertaking.

The thought that was most intriguing to me was that Barnabas just gave the money to the apostles. We would think that he would give it to those that were in direct need of his assistance.  This made me think, ‘you haven’t really given until you have given up the control’. So many times in our American culture we give with strings attached. But is it giving if we tell the recipient what we want them to do with the money?

Some times people have given me $100 and said, “Now go have some fun with this, don’t spend it on your bills”. I received something, but has that person truly given it away? Maybe the most fun thing would be to have my bills paid! Or if you give your kids an allowance and then proceed to tell them all the things they need to spend that money on.

This is why special offerings or when specific disaster strikes we awaken and start giving generously, because we want to know specifially where those funds are going. General giving is not as glamorous to us.

How about we just give and give liberally to organizations or people that have proven themselves to be good stewards of resources and then step away.  Don’t tell them what you want them to do with it. Don’t have strings attached to your giving. 

Because, have you really given if you still want to have control?

Joseph Fehlen – United in Heart and Mind – March 7th, 2010

From the multi-part series “The Book of Acts”

So I was watching one of my favorite movies the other day with the kids. Actually they were watching it with me. I was the one that started it with no one else in the room and they all gathered together within minutes of hearing the theme song. You know how it is when you have an urge to watch something. So there I was on the couch watching “The Incredibles” One of the best movies ever.

The essence of the story as you remember is that you have a super hero, ‘Mr. Incredible’, who has been asked along with the rest of the ‘Supers’ to integrate back into society and not do there superhero work anymore. So we find Bob Parr (aka Mr. Incredible) relinquished to the cubicle world of an insurance agency. He dreamed of being back out on the street helping people and was hating his new job and living in a cookie cutter neighborhood. Why would someone not care for a stable family, job and house in the middle of the suburbs?

Because he had been ruined for the ordinary. He used to be a crime fighter, lifesaver, and front page news. Once you have experienced something really great you do not want to go back to just everyday living.

Ever had really good sushi? You have no desire to buy that party platter at Costco ever again.
Have you have ever been to a really great water park? The kiddy pool seems so anti-climatic after that.
Been to Powell’s bookstore? There doesn’t even seem to be a need for a Borders anymore.
Have you swam the water in Hawaii or the Caribbean? Nothing else compares.

You get ruined for the ordinary once you have experience some the of the finer things of life.

This reminded me of the story in Acts chapter 4 and 5. Peter and John just healed a guy that had been paralyzed for several decades. Because of that, they get in a bit of a pickle with the religious establishment. They are imprisoned and told not talk about Jesus or heal anymore. They are told to just be normal, like the rest of the loyal citizens. They were faced with being excommunicated from the church, being imprisoned and possible being put to death.

But on their day of freedom they prayed for more boldness, more healings, more miracles. They pray for the same things that got them in trouble. (or better said) They pray for the finer things of life. They had been ruined for the ordinary way of going about their day to day life. They just saw a man get healed and you can not go back once you have seen that. They had been ruined for the ordinary.

As I was watching Bob Parr transform back into Mr. Incredible I wondered why he would want to put the work in to getting in shape. Why would he forfeit making an actual salary? Why would he want to put his life and families life back into danger? Oh that is right, he was ruined for the ordinary.

What things have you experienced that make you not want to go back to the ordinary?