Investment Strategy

This is the time of year some people are afraid of the mail in their mailboxes.

December is the month for overindulgence. We overeat and we overspend.

January is the month for “facing the music.” It’s the “moment of truth” when the credit card bills arrive and we realize we spent more than we could afford on Christmas. Again.

For many it’s a vicious circle. In January we vow we’ll never do it again. Then the Christmas season hits and we get caught up in the spirit of buying. Before you know it--it’s January again and we’re miserable when the bills arrive. Why do we do it?

Well hold on just a minute. If it happens every year, make this the year you do something about it!

Pay off the credit cards and come up with a reasonable investment strategy.

If you start now, you can save a little each week. And when the 2008 Christmas catalogs start arriving you’ll have cash. No credit cards needed! Just think of the wonderful January you’ll have in 2009!

Unfortunately Americans aren’t very good at thinking ahead and making a plan. We like to live for today. Part of the reason we live for today is fear of the future.

Some people are too afraid to invest. They don’t trust the bank or the stock market. And if they save cash at home they’re afraid someone might break in and steal it.

Others “invest” in possessions. Their motto is “Buy it now because tomorrow never comes.” But depreciation can make that a bad deal. And here’s the worst part: one day you’ll leave it all behind. Permanently. Then who will benefit from all your hard work?

So what can you do?

Jesus Christ gives us advice that makes sense both financially and spiritually. He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

It makes sense to plan for the future. It’s also good advice to put your treasure in something (and somewhere) that will last; something you can care about.

Most people plan to retire some day. Many have a retirement or savings program in place. But what about forever? We’re all going to spend forever somewhere. It makes sense to think about it now and send something ahead.

First you need a plan to get to heaven. Jesus took care of that when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Trust in him.

Then invest in things with eternal dividends. The only thing you can bring to heaven is people. Find and support organizations that help people with their physical and spiritual needs. Especially those agencies that bring people the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

Don’t kid yourself. One day your wealth will be gone. What will you have to show for it?

Christmas Clubs and savings accounts are good. But don’t settle for just a temporary investment strategy. One day, if you plan ahead, you’ll have “treasure” that will last forever.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Forget About It!

Most people don’t like to forget.

I had a great idea last week, but I forgot it before I could write it down. Does that ever happen to you? It’s frustrating, to say the least.

Then, in the Sunday paper, I read an article about forgetfulness. It said forgetting is a normal part of aging. For everyone. And that’s supposed to make us all feel better.

I feel better already, don’t you? Wait. What was I supposed to feel better about? I forgot.

For a number of years I’ve used a Palm PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) to help me remember events, birthdays and information. It was a great help until its hard drive crashed before Christmas. So it can’t remember either. Bummer.

Now I walk around wondering if I’m forgetting to do something important. I don’t like to forget what I’m supposed to remember!

So it struck me when I learned of someone who forgets things on purpose.

Now hold on just a minute! Why would anyone do that?

Well he didn’t actually say he forgets things on purpose. He said he remembers them no more. So it’s kind of like forgetting on purpose--but not exactly. Let me explain.

There are some things we hope people will forget. Like our failures. Or “great” ideas that flopped big time. Or times we let our family down—especially those.

Have you noticed how people remember our failures more than our successes? We know we failed. But some people have to remind us about it. They must think they’re doing us a favor. Some even seem to enjoy it.

So it’s a surprise to learn that God is the exception. He forgives and forgets. Really.

When a person comes to Jesus Christ and trusts in him as their Lord and Savior, the Bible says God forgives all their sin. All the failures. All the things they wished they’d never done.

Now being forgiven is an unusual experience for us humans. Usually people want revenge. So we’re not sure about this forgiveness deal. God knows that so he keeps it simple.

The Bible says God separates us from our sin, “as far as the East is from the West.” It says he has thrown our sins “into the depths of the ocean.” We start to get the idea. He’s not planning to bring it up again and rub our noses in it.

But the best part is when he says, “I will never again remember their sins.” That’s even better than forgetting. How? Forgetting is passive. It’s something that happens and we didn’t plan on it. We intend to remember but forgot instead.

However, to “never again remember” is active. It’s like God is saying, “I know about your failure but I don’t plan to think about it again. I will not remember it. I will not remind you of it. Ever.” Now that’s amazing. God is the only one who does that.

How can he do it? He can do it because the Bible says Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin in full.

God doesn’t want you to feel dirty, grovel or be ashamed any longer. There’s no need. Once he forgives you, you’re clean. He gives you a fresh start.

Only it’s not automatic. God did his part by sending his Son, Jesus, to take the rap, the punishment for our sins on the cross. All he asks us to do is believe. To trust him. He will forgive and forget. And once God forgives you, you’re at peace with him.

Your sins? “Forget about it!” Now go make things right with others you’ve hurt.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Change for Good

If you’re reading this New Year’s Eve, now’s the time to make some changes in your life.

First, if you're in the area, go see the movie, “Flywheel” (9 p.m. tonight) at First Brethren in Buena Vista. Fun family-friendly celebrations on New Year’s Eve are in short supply. But this is an exception! And admission is free—so you can afford to bring the whole family! (If you're not in the area, go buy or rent it and watch it.)

“Flywheel” will not only entertain you, it will challenge you to change your life for good. Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said “Flywheel” is “entertainment that packs a message right where we all live and work.”

In the movie, Jay Austin is a used car dealer you hope you’ll never meet. Even his wife and his son don’t trust him! What’s worse, all his dreams are crumbling around him.

This movie will get you thinking about how today could be the beginning of a new day in your life. As Jay Austin learns, “In every man’s life there is a turning point.”

Movie critic Ted Baehr said Flywheel “Totally captures and entertains.”

But wait, there’s more! There will be free popcorn, door prizes and you can “Ring in the New Year” with the church bell at midnight! The whole family will enjoy it.

That being said, what about 2008? Some of you are reading this in the New Year.

Well hold it right there for just a minute. Before you take another step into 2008, look at where your life is headed.

If you’re not completely happy with where life is taking you, why not change direction? Remember the dreams you once had? Now’s the time to dream again about what could be.

Whether you’re just starting your life’s journey, halfway through or near the end—make a turn toward something better soon or another year will be gone before you know it!

Remember that life is temporary. Eternity is forever. So Jesus asked, “How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process?”

And what good is it to finish “at the top of your game” if you lose your family?

Wherever your relationships are with God and your family, it can be better. Why settle for less than the best? Your life and your relationships are worth whatever it takes to save them.

The message of the Bible is that the outcome of your life is not determined by your income. It is decided by your priorities. Whether you realize it or not, what you spend your life pursuing becomes your god.

God intended for life to be about so much more than money, power, influence, sex, drugs, possessions, fame or anything else on this earth. Even giving your life to a great cause, like saving the planet, will ultimately leave you feeling empty inside.

The secret to a full and meaningful life is not tied to your riches but to your relationship with God. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”

History is strewn with the wreckage of famous people who spent their lives pursuing personal pleasures, fame and “success.” Do you really have to go down that road to prove again that it leads nowhere?

Now’s the time to change for good. Ask God to take the “steering wheel” of your life. To give you a life that is not just good or better--but best. Make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.

The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will direct your paths.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Christmas Explained

If an alien from another planet showed up today and asked you to explain what you celebrated yesterday for Christmas, what would you tell him?

Would you say that Christmas is about Santa Claus, sleigh rides, silver bells, lights, presents, going to grandma’s house and getting what you want under the tree? --NOT!

Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that what everybody gets excited about?

Yes, but those things are just traditions that were somehow attached to the celebration. Now that all the hoopla is over, this favorite holiday deserves a closer look. To understand what really happened on the first Christmas, think with me for a moment about a man who liked ants.

A naturalist once studied an ant colony. He was amazed by the way the ants worked together. Over the days and weeks the anthill grew along with the man’s fascination.

Soon the man developed a concern and then a love for the little creatures. He was impressed with the way they cared for each other. He respected their industry and unity.

One day a survey team arrived to work in the area. The man asked what they were doing and he learned that a new road was being constructed. To his horror he discovered that the ant colony was directly in the path of the new road. What could he do?

He tried moving a group of the ants some distance away hoping they would establish a new anthill. But they just returned to the colony.

He shouted at them but they couldn’t understand his warning.

Finally in desperation he exclaimed, “If I could just become an ant, then I could warn them of the danger and save them from destruction!” The words were no sooner out of his mouth than he realized what he had said.

For the first time in his life he understood the meaning of the Christmas story he heard as a child. Suddenly he realized that God had to become a man to communicate with us in a way we could understand. Only then could God tell us how he loves us and warn us about the consequences of our sin. Only then could he show us how to escape destruction and live.

I like what author C.S. Lewis said about Christmas in his book “Mere Christianity.” He said, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

And here’s the best part: You don’t have to work yourself to death keeping religious laws and ordinances hoping to be good enough to attain godhood or sainthood.

The Bible says salvation is “not by works of righteousness which we have done.” The best part of the gospel is that Jesus did it all for you. Salvation and adoption into God’s family is a free gift from God to you. It is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. And it’s yours by faith.

Faith means that you trust God to do what he says he will do. To do for you what you cannot do for yourself. He saves you from the penalty for your sin (death) and gives you a new life. It’s a new beginning; a clean slate that starts the day you put your trust in him.

To become a son of God is very simple. Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

It goes on to say, “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons…. and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” All you need to do is trust him and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Christmas Crazy

Are you Christmas crazy yet?

The craziness has been going on for weeks now: special sales, shoppers packing the malls, parades, school plays and concerts, presents to buy—and the list goes on.

Soon last minute panic will set in and some will feel like they really are going crazy.

To make matters worse, some family members even ASK for specific gifts. Then they let it be known they won’t be happy if they don’t receive exactly what they want!

What happened to the joy of giving? Somehow it’s been turned around to the joy of getting. So we stress out trying to get everybody on our list something they will like. We even ask our children, “What do you want for Christmas?”

We do it because we want to be good parents and give them the desires of their heart.

Then we drive ourselves crazy and bust the budget trying to get them everything on their list. We hope for a big smile on Christmas day and an excited, “Thank you, thank you! It’s what I always wanted!” --As if Christmas was just about exchanging gifts.

Well take a break from the stress and think about what you do for just a minute. Why not try something different? Consider the plan one dad came up with for his family.

This father still wanted to celebrate the tradition of gift giving that honors God’s gift of his Son, Jesus. But he also wanted to save the budget and stop the Christmas craziness.

His plan was simple: to buy his children four gifts for Christmas each year. That’s right—FOUR gifts. They were “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.”

If the children complained, he asked them, “Whose birthday are we celebrating?”

Once he started buying just four gifts for each child, the children began to appreciate every gift they received. They insisted he label them. There was no more comparing who got the most gifts. No more whining amidst the piles of torn paper and boxes--“Is that all there is?”

It also helped focus on the true meaning of the Christmas gift giving: That we give gifts, like the Wise Men, to honor the Christ Child. And we do it to remember God’s gift of love to us.

Remember what the Bible says: “For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Teach your children that one of the reasons you give them gifts is because you love them. And because God loves us, he gave us his greatest gift at Christmas: a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. Don’t let Jesus get lost under the tree. He is the reason for the season.

The four gifts are just a suggestion. But I’ll bet if you tried it, it just might get rid of the craziness trying to find and buy gifts you can’t afford. And trying to make everyone happy.

Then don’t forget that the real Saint Nicholas is remembered for giving gifts--not to those who had more than they needed but to those who were poor and had almost nothing. Maybe you could get your family excited about finding a family in need and making Christmas about giving instead of getting.

Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do your children and grandchildren know that?

The choice is yours: Christmas craziness or bring back the joy of giving. If you’re the parent, why not take the lead? You might just restore some sanity to your Christmas.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

The Real Christmas Present

Frosty the Snowman’s first words when he came to life were “Happy Birthday!”

The TV show is an annual favorite for many during the Christmas season. I guess the writers thought that Frosty’s first day of life was naturally his birthday. And it makes sense in the world of cartoons.

In a video I watched the other day a small child was asked why we celebrate Christmas. Her answer? “Because it’s Santa’s Birthday!”

At least the TV show and the little girl got it half right. Christmas is about a birthday, but not Frosty’s or Santa’s! The fact that some children may think so shows that we need to do a better job teaching them about Christmas.

No doubt some kids even think Christmas is about them since they get all the presents. Many children receive more presents at Christmas than they do for their own birthday!

Well hold on just a minute. Whose birthday is in anyway? And why all the presents?

The Encarta World English Dictionary defines Christmas as “an annual Christian festival on December 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.” It says that it’s also become a secular holiday when people traditionally exchange presents and greetings.

We practice many of our Christmas traditions without ever giving thought as to why we do them. Exchanging presents is a good example. Why do we do that?

One reason we give gifts is to help us remember that the birth of the Savior was God’s great gift to the world. Talk about a surprise gift! Most people don’t think they need a savior. They don’t feel like they’re drowning or trapped and need to be rescued. Why a savior?

Two thousand years ago Israel was hoping for a savior to deliver them from the rule of the Roman Empire and Caesar. What they got was One who offered spiritual salvation instead of political deliverance. And the nation’s leaders rejected it.

But God turned the rejection and death of Christ into an offer of salvation for the whole world. The Bible says that faith in Christ brings deliverance from sin and judgment to come.

What a gift! Salvation that doesn’t depend on being born into the right family or belonging to the “right” religion. Salvation that is free. What a Christmas present!

Today many people are drowning in failure and the consequences of bad decisions. In the Bible God gave us standards to live by. Those who break his rules often suffer the consequences in their health and in their relationships. The Bible calls that “sin.”

Unable to fix our broken relationship with God, we need someone to save us. And that’s where God’s great gift comes into the picture. God’s purpose in sending Christ was for him to become the Savior of the world. To save us from sin and its consequences that lead to death.

The angel told the shepherds, “Today in the town of David [Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). People who heard Jesus and personally experienced his ministry recognized that he was “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

So this Christmas, before you put down your credit card to buy those presents, pick up a Bible and turn to the Gospel of Luke. Read about the first Christmas in chapter two. Join in the wonder the Shepherds felt when they saw Jesus, the Savior. Worship him with the wise men.

When a person recognizes who Jesus is and puts their trust in him to save them, God gives them the ultimate gift, eternal life. That’s the real present of Christmas.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

The Samson Syndrome

When it comes to muscles, Americans believe bigger is better.

We like our athletes big and strong. Strength matters. On the sports fields and courts, strength and stamina win the day. Scrawny types just don’t cut it.

And when you’re the biggest and the strongest, your friends treat you like a god. That fact is not lost on athletes who are tempted to bulk up with illegal drugs that destroy their health.

But if your confidence is in your strength, it becomes your greatest weakness.

Now hold on just a minute! How can strength become a weakness?

Strength leads to pride. Eventually you run into someone bigger and stronger. And when your strength and your ability are your only resource, you’ve set yourself up to lose.

Have you ever heard of Samson? He was a national hero. He was the strongest man alive and proud of it. His story is in the Bible book of Judges, chapters 13-16. Read it sometime.

Samson was so strong he killed a lion with his bare hands. Bound with ropes, he snapped them like threads. Attacked by a thousand warriors, he destroyed them single-handed.

But one day, in a moment of weakness, he revealed the secret of his God-given strength. His enemies took advantage of his weakness and made him a slave.

You have the Sampson Syndrome when you depend on your strength alone and not on God. You forget that all that you have, your strength, your talents and your intellect—everything—is a gift from God. And when you do that, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

So is it wrong to be strong? Not at all. The problem is pride.

Pride makes us think we’re invincible. Pride is the seed we sow that leads to a harvest of self-destruction. That’s why God warns us against becoming proud.

If pride is the problem, humility before God is the solution. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”

If a person humbles himself or herself, lets God use them and trusts in him, God’s power will make them strong. Look at Jesus.

Jesus was crucified in what appeared to be a moment of weakness. But God’s power brought a resurrection. And Jesus walked alive out of a solid rock tomb. How’s that for strength?

Maybe you face overwhelming odds in your life. Your health, your finances or your reputation have been crushed. You feel weak, defeated and humbled. Take heart.

When humility brings you to God and you put your faith in him through Jesus Christ his Son, it changes everything. Suddenly you are connected to the power of God. Your failures are forgiven. And you can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

Put your confidence in God. He can and will save you. He alone is able. Trust in him.

That attitude led the psalmist to write, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” And it led the Apostle Paul to exclaim, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Samson learned this lesson the hard way. Tortured and humiliated by his enemies, he finally humbled himself and cried out to God. God restored his power and gave him victory.

Take a lesson from Samson and put your trust in the all-powerful God today.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!