🦃🍁🥧 Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁🥧

Happy Thanksgiving, New Creation Family!

We pray that you have a wonderful day with friends and family and that you are able to take a moment to be grateful for blessings in your life today.

If you missed this past Sunday, you missed a great message from Pastor Keith. Unfortunately, our Facebook feed cut off, so we don’t have a recording, but we do have notes to help us catch up! Keep reading to find out (or review!) what Keith taught our community last Sunday. Today is a perfect day to think about the gifts you have and your posture toward them.

The Cliff Notes (aka SparkNotes) of Sunday’s Message

Jesus tells the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 and even interprets it for the disciples (why?). A farmer would note that the scattering of seed was a pretty reckless act, especially with the varying soil types. Early church theologians taught that the soils don’t represent four different people, but four parts within each of us. We all have hardened, shallow, crowded, and even fruitful areas of our lives. The issue for us is not the opportunity or the resource (we can’t blame someone or something else)—the issue is our heart.

Traditionally, our hearts lean toward one of two mindsets: Spender or Saver.

Spenders -Those who pursue the greatest possible present consumption.
When they think of wealth: custom homes, new toys, exotic vacations.

Savers - Those who limit consumption to focus on increased wealth accumulation.
When they think of wealth: lasting family wealth, early retirement, greater security.

Both have pros and cons:

• Spenders struggle with contentment.

• Savers must recognize that it takes no faith to give to kingdom causes only in your will.

Which one are you? Ask yourself:

• “Where would I focus my thoughts and efforts if my income began to dramatically increase over time?”

• “What is the purpose of money?”

But there is a THIRD WAY: Servants

Servants—rare as they are—orient their lives around limiting both consumption and wealth-building, focusing instead on giving as much as they can to bless the kingdom.

When they think of wealth: they begin with gratitude for material blessings, then naturally drift toward the impact they could have on their church and on lifting the spirits of the poor.

• Servants see that they are blessed. At New Creation, we sit in the top 8% of the world in wealth.

• Servants are comfortable with financial transparency. Does anyone have full access to your finances?

• Servants believe in their mission. Have you ever invited others to invest in what you give to?

  
  From God and Money by John Cortines and Gregory Baumer 

Jesus not only talked about giving—He was a careful observer: “See how she gives!” (Luke 21:2)

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