Elizabeth O'Connor on Money, Giving, and Charity

From Letters to Scattered Pilgrims

Many have struggled with the minimum giving, and some have turned away. Others have broken lose and showered our community with riches.... Sometimes the giving has been excessive and ecstatic, and sometimes impulsive -  a diamond engagement ring dropped in the offering plate, a silver service set appearing at the door, a check for several thousand dollars representing the total accumulated wealth of a young couple.

It was not that our souls we so quickly converted, but that we sensed that something important was going on, and we wanted to be a part of it. We had been captured by a man's vision of what community might do if it really cared about the oppressed and the suffering.

In a recent sermon on money Gordon said as forcefully as ever that to give away money is to win a victory over the dark powers that oppress us.... He went on to say that the poor suffer because they are not able to give.

We still wrestle with fear when we consider abandoned giving. Our wills, with rare exceptions, look like the wills of those who have never been committed to the building of a faith community, or who have never had the poor in mind.... In any case, most of us would probably say that we are not as free as we would like to be where the material things of this life are concerned.

When we begin to take Scriptures seriously, "You cannot serve God and Money" (Matt. 6:24, NEB) becomes a personal address. One would expect God to applaud our small efforts at faithfulness; instead a Spirit comes and takes us where we are not yet prepared to go.

The First Commandment and all the Scriptures on the worship of idols begin to lay bare our own primitive selves. some of us have looked into the face of our idols and found that one of them is money.

Though we along with millions of other churchgoers are saying that Jesus saves, we ask ourselves if we are not in practice acting as though it were money that saves. We say that money gives power, money corrupts, money talks. Like the ancients with their molten calf we have endowed money with our own psychic energy, given it arms and legs, and have told ourselves that it can work for us. More than this we enshrine it in a secret place, give it a heart and a mind and the power to grant us peace and mercy.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. - Matthew 6:19-24

From:

Elizabeth O'Connor. Dealing with Money. In Devotional Classics: Selected Reading for Individuals and Groups (Revised and Expanded). ed. Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, 251-55. New York: HarperOne, 2005.

Works by Elizabeth O' Connor:

Letters to Scattered Pilgrims
Call to Commitment
Journey Inward, Journey Outward

~ Daniel Brockhan

Jeremy Taylor: Exercises for Holy Living

The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

(01) Do not think better of yourself because of any outward circumstance that happens to you.

(02) Humility does not consist in criticizing yourself, or wearing ragged clothes, or walking around submissively wherever you go.

(03) When you hold this opinion of yourself, be content that others think the same of you. If you realize that you are not wise, do not be angry if someone else should agree.... You would be a hypocrite to think lowly of yourself, but then to expect others to think highly of you.

(04) Nurture a love to do good things in secret, concealed from the eyes of others, and therefore not highly esteemed because of them.

(05) Never be ashamed of your birth, of your parents, your occupation, or your present employment, or the lowly status of any of them.

(06) Never say anything, directly or indirectly, that will provoke praise or elicit compliments from others. Do not let your praise be the intended end of what you say.

(07) When you do receive praise for something you have done, take it indifferently and return it to God. reflect it back to God, the giver of the gift, the blesser of the action, the aid of the project.

(08) Make a good name for yourself by being a person of virtue and humility. It is a benefit for others who hear of you to hear good things about you.... Use it an instrument to help your neighbor, but do not use it for your own gain.

(09) Do not take pride in any praise given to you. Rejoice in God who gives gifts others can see in you, but let it be mixed with a holy respect, so that this good does not turn into evil.

(10) Do not ask others your faults with the intent or purpose being to have others tell you of your good qualities. Some will speak lowly of themselves in order to make others give an account of their goodness. They are merely fishing for compliments.

(11) When you are slighted by someone, or feel undervalued, do not harbor any secret anger, supposing that you actually deserved praise and that they over-looked your value, or that they neglected to praise you because of their own envy.

(12) Do not entertain any of the devil's whispers of pride.

(13) Take an active part in the praising of others, entertaining their good with delight.

(14) Be content when you see or hear that others are doing well in their jobs and with their income, even when you are not. In the same manner, be content when someone else's work is approved and yours is rejected.

(15) Never compare yourself with others unless it be to advance your impression of them and lower your impression of yourself. St. Paul encouraged us to think more highly of others than we do ourselves.

(16) Do not constantly try to excuse all of your mistakes. If you have made a mistake, or an oversight, or an indiscretion, confess it plainly, for virtue scorns a lie for its cover.

(17) Give God thanks for every weakness, fault, and imperfection you have. Accept it is a favor of God, an instrument to resist pride and nurse humility.

(18) Do not expose others' weaknesses in order to make them feel less able than you. Neither should you think on your superior skill with any delight, or use it to set yourself above another person.

(19) Remember that what is most important to God is that we submit ourselves and all that we have to him. This requires that we be willing to endure whatever his will brings us, to be content in whatever state we are in, and to be ready for every change.

From:

Taylor, Jeremy. The Grace of Humility. In Devotional Classics: Selected Reading for Individuals and Groups (Revised and Expanded). ed. Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, 244-50. New York: HarperOne, 2005.

Works by Jeremy Taylor:

The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

Holy Living

Holy Dying

The Great Example

The Worthy Communicant

~ Daniel Brockhan

Fear No More: Forsaking Fear-Based Living

In my previous blog entry I wrote about facing our darkness, how we must move into and through the darkness. Our darkness, whatever it may be, is not something we can just ignore; it must be something we work through and by doing this we grow.

Alongside this darkness is our fear. What do we fear? What do I fear? I remember when God called me to lead and minister at a young age, I was fearful, like Moses I said I couldn’t speak, like Jeremiah I said I was too young. The truth was that I was fearful, despite having giftedness in areas of leading, ministering, writing, singing, and playing guitar.

These fears are not gone, but they have softened over the years as I have used these abilities and received encouragement and confirmation over time. Even in the midst of my fears of not being interesting enough, cool enough, extroverted enough, or funny enough, I have found God telling me over and over to just be myself.

Just like we cannot ignore our darkness, we cannot ignore our fear.

Oftentimes our darkness and our fears are related but not always.

What are you fearful of today? What are things you know you should do, need to do, but have been to scared to do? Perhaps there are friendships or a relationship you need to begin or end. Perhaps you are at a job you despise but are fearful to find something else; perhaps you might then have to start from scratch.

Maybe you find yourself always saying yes to everyone and everything because you don’t have the confidence to say no, because you fear what it might mean. Maybe you have gifts and abilities but you are too afraid to share them with others, thinking others will only confirm the negative thoughts you hide inside.

Maybe you are fearful of being vulnerable, of sharing yourself with friends, with family, thinking if they knew the real you they might run or laugh or be in shock. Maybe you have been projecting an image to everyone, hiding your true self, because you do not want to disappoint others but hope to please them to the detriment of yourself.

Aren’t you tired of being afraid? Tired or cowering when God has made you a unique and wonderful person. This week, I want to start something new on my blog. I want responses. Ideally, I’d like to share these responses in a blog.

What do you fear? What are you fears?

Have you been ignoring them or pushing forward though?

How will you confront your fear(s) this week?

Please comment below or feel fee to send me an e-mail:

Let me know how you want to be identified or if you’d prefer to be anonymous.
daniel_brockhan@hotmail.com

Let’s stop being Afraid,
Let’s start Living Life Abundantly.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – John 10:10

#FearNoMore

~ Daniel Brockhan

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Fighting Against the Darkness

If we are honest with ourselves, we would all admit we struggle, we fight against the darkness. When we were young we didn’t understand it, comprehend it, or see it. Then, as we grew, as we got older, we began to know our darkness, we became aware of our sin, our desires, our inclinations that are not always inclined towards the good and turn towards the worse. Sometimes we do not mean to go into that darkness, but we are tempted by it, teased by it, surrounded by it.

Sometimes the darkness hovers over us like a cloud, encloses around us and sucks us dry, taking away our energy and our life. When the darkness comes some of us retreat, go into isolation, and hide ourselves from others. We don’t know how to express what we are feeling or why, don’t know how to understand or comprehend what is going on. For others of us the darkness is held at bay by distracting ourselves, by making sure we are busy with activities, schedules, and people; for if we are left alone it seems to come at us, not leaving us alone.

This darkness is real, every person, every Christian will face this darkness for as long as we stand in this world, because our struggles of the flesh, against Satan, against our desires will still cause us to struggle and stumble until the day when Christ comes and those chains are let loose. Until that time we all struggle, but the good news is this... We struggle because we are good, struggle because we care, struggle because we are growing and maturing. If we were not fighting against this darkness, we would only be giving in, giving up, letting ourselves be enslaved by the darkness. But Christ has something else for those of us who chose another path.

My dear brothers and sisters, do not ever feel like you have to deny this darkness. Understand this is a part of your life, of your journey, and the fight, the struggle is part of your story, part of what will make you grow up and mature. Every time you fight against the darkness and turn towards the light you are choosing goodness over evil, light over darkness, and Christ over the evil one.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. - Ephesians 6:12

You may have thoughts or addictions you cannot get over. You may have anger in your heart, tell lies, or feel the need to gossip. Perhaps you are bitter or negative, life seems dull and gray. Know that this is not the end, this is just a part of your story. Indeed, this will not be the only time you deal with darkness but each time you overcome, each time you choose the light, you become stronger and the devil loses another foothold in your life.

This past week Robin Williams died. He fell into the darkness and took his own life. People are stunned by this, hurt by this, shocked by this. The reason it hits us so hard is because he brought us laughter and enjoyment. Darkness; however, does not discriminate, the reality is there. Previously Rick Warrens son also committed suicide. This is sad, people wonder why, they wonder if they can fight against such darkness in their own lives.

What I can tell you today my dear friend is that Christ made a way for us to leave this darkness, and that while at this time we will still struggle against it, one day the struggle will end, light will be unleashed, and his Kingdom will be made real and darkness wiped clean.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” -Revelation 21:3-5a

I look forward to that day.

That is my hope.

That is why I fight.

Christ is what keeps my darkness at bay.

Close your eyes and listen to the song/video below.
Remember... there is a Light my friend!

Related: My Dark Night of the Soul

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~ Daniel Brockhan

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Michael's Sacred Story: On Forgiveness and Moving Forward

Michael* came into the hospital with breathing problems. He had similar problems when he was a child but now in his forties is seeing them resurface. Through the course of our visits, Michael admitted that his medical problems were a consequence from his years of drug and alcohol abuse, that he had been addicted for years.

Michael has a girlfriend who is supportive of him, as well as a family who stands behind him but does not help him continue in his addictions. While Michael has been drug-free for years, he is just a month sober after previous years of going without alcohol.

Though he has faith, Michael says he has not been to church in a while but it is something that he sees now he needs to do as he has been thinking about his life during this time. We also spoke about his dependency on drugs and alcohol as a way to escape, to deal with anxiety and stress. Michael desires to pursue productive ways of dealing with life; yet admits his default is to turn back to drinking.

We also talk for a while about forgiveness, because one day he asks me to pray that God and others forgive him. He tells me he feels that perhaps God is punishing him and I ask him if he feels he deserves to be punished. At this thought he cries and says part of him does, for all the horrible things he did in the past and the way he use to live.

I speak to him, stating that there are consequences for our actions, but God’s arms are always open to him, waiting for him to come back fully from the life he once lived. While he is currently living his life as someone who defines himself by his horrible past, God offers him a better future, one with goodness and meaning. This does not mean he will not face the possible physical consequences on his body from his past use, but it does mean he can live better moving forward.

Michael cries a little during our visits, shedding tears for all those past atrocities in his life; but part of me cannot help thinking he also sheds tears that God, after all the things he has done, would still love someone like him.

On Friday, before the weekend, we meet one last time. He is more peaceful now and doing better, likely going home soon. We have conversed multiple times about his past, his resources, and options that can help him to get better. He knows in his mind the good he needs to do but it remains his choice if he will pursue the right course for his life.

We pray together and I ask strength, wisdom, and perseverance for him during this time. As I leave I say another personal prayer by myself that God may help this man put actions to his thoughts and words; that he may finally be free of the past that so easily entangled him and is so hard for him to leave behind.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us – Hebrews 12:1 9 (NIV)

~ Daniel Brockhan

* Information has been changed to protect patient privacy.

Short Blog: On Loving Your Enemy

Scripture:

Matthew 5:43-45a, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven."

Thought:

Enemy is defined as “a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engage in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.”* We often think of the enemy as the person acting out against us. What about how we treat others? Do we have ill thoughts towards those who are different from us? Is someone too rich or too poor? Maybe we do not agree with their beliefs or politics. Maybe we find them annoying or we are envious.

Action:

Examine your speech and actions towards others this week. Seek to find out where you are at odds with others, harboring negative feelings and thoughts. Then, pray to God to change your heart. Talk to that person and see them as a child of God. Pray God gives you wisdom in your daily interactions with that person this week.

Prayer:

This week Lord, help us to see with Your eyes and love with Your heart. We can name those who have wronged us easily, but can we take the next step. Help us to take the step from merely praying for them on our knees to having a conversation with them. Help us to love as Jesus loved. Challenge us in this, to truly love our enemy. A-men.

---

* http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enemy

This is something I wrote for work and wanted to share on my blog.
Have a good one!

~ Daniel Brockhan