Bev Sterk

Since 2008, I've been praying into "God's economy", which i think will look a lot different than what we are seeing in our culture, even our "Church" culture.  I encourage you all to pray asking Him to show you His ecomony.  I think it would be amazing to share insights rec'd through the Holy Spirit and put the pieces together that He might give to different people in His body, for what He intended for His economy.  I believe one of the scriptural insights is Malachi 3:10-12.  Our family has experienced this many times over, where we have been gifted with far more than we need!   We're not buying it!   "stuff"/food just pours in from people/friends/family giving and we do not have enough room to hold it (which is another discussion).

An interesting "fast" that I had several years ago, was a buying fast, where for an extended time,  i would only buy basics, food, gifts for others and 1 book/month that would feed the soul (now for some of us, the book realm might be where we need to fast =).  Only my husband knew about the "fast" at the time.

Anyway, the second day of the fast, my sister brought me 2 bags of her clothes, that she didn't fit in.   I'm still wearing them, even though some have holes now, so i call them my holy pants, because they represent a shift in our family's spending and giving.

Then a few days later, a sister in law brought 4 bags of kids clothes.  I saw these "gifts" as confirmations of the fast.  There were other confirmations as well, and i would have to go find my journal, because I don't remember them all.

Ok, I'll  share some ideas from an email we rec'd, encouraging us to think about how we can "invest" our $ a little more locally over this Christmas giving season, with tomorrow being support local, small business day. 

Give gift certificates for: hair cuts, lawn mowing, house cleaning, vehicle detailing, or oil change, golfing, gym membership, locally owned restaurants or coffe shops, computer repairs, local theatre or bands, local high school sports, plays or other activities, locally grown flower baskets,  local garden businesses and landscapers.  these are just a few ideas that will support business right in our communities. 

Add your own thoughts.  I'm sure we could have some very creative Spirit led ideas.  One suggestion I will share would be to hire a house cleaner for someone (maybe your wife =).  I know a lot of moms, that this is the extra they make so they can keep their kids at Christian school.  (i see this idea is mentioned in the email)  and one more thought, support your grandkids with Christian school tuition =)... now that's investing. 

I am not anti-walmart, God has giving me some beautiful insights/epiphanies there, so I'm not sure what that means about His economic view on Walmart ;), but He has had me in tears with thoughts He has shared while I was shopping there - and that's an entire discussion again. 

I believe we (America -  including Canada) are blessed so we can bless others.  I think that was one of the concepts we had mostly missed prior to 2008.  so with tithing/contributions at about an average of  2-3% of income, somewhere i read this was true for Christians as well, we have some work to do =).  So I encourage us all to think about how we are investing our resources for Kingdom purposes.

This is reminding me also of the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, and he challenges us/Americans to live the Acts 2:42-47 way.   So what would that look like for us today?  Is it possible?  Is that part of God's economic plan for us still? =)  

I encourage you all to share some stories/testimonies of how God has worked in your life when you did "economic"/financial things God's way, instead of leaning on our own understanding.  I will share some more of ours, if you share some of yours!

Hey Ken... good to see you back on here...  thanks for pointing us back to the basics of loving God 1st, and then neighbors.  Amen, Amen!

I loved Doug's comment that he was "richer" for staying, and obviously not referring to his portfolio value, but richer in relational love for his neighbors and richer in experience (I'm thinking in trusting God and His ways is part of that), and in being obedient to God's call for his family.  That's God's economy.   It's eternal treasure.

I think what Doug shared is one way Acts 2:42-47 looks in today's culture.

I also had to think about going against everyone's advice some more.   I got a kick out of it because it is going against conventional "wisdom", and it made sense in a higher than the heavens God way (Is.55).  But it was also interesting and unusual because generally (but not always) the Holy Spirit will confirm significant decisions like that through other (generally Spirit led, but not always the case) people.  So as I'm studying guidance by the Holy Spirit, and His ways of confirmation, I will admit that that is unusual, and I'm glad you felt compelled enough to follow through.  I am curious about the process of your decision 10 years ago as well.  that fascinates me!  That helps me understand how the Holy Spirit "prompts"/guides us in many different ways.  I know what I've experienced, but i enjoy hearing and learn from listening to the "process" others went through as well.  Again, the 2008 timing is very interesting to me as well!

I know each of these specific testimonies are not what everyone or even many are called to, but I hope that by sharing them, it will inspire other believers to take that step of faith, whatever it might look like in their life that the Spirit is putting on their heart at this time, and these stories and God's goodness through them, will encourage whomever it might be, to possibly be a little more (do i dare say) "radical" about their faith and lifestyle.  =).   To go beyond human wisdom, man's understanding (Prov. 3:5-6) and walk in step with His Spirit, to follow that prompting that you are pretty sure is from the LORD!

Doug, again, thanks for sharing!  Like Karl shared, your post(s) continues to triggers thoughts =) for me as well!   I'm chuckling as I think of Ps. 37:4 - Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart in connection with you (a farm boy)  having the "opportunity" to buy a tractor and then using it for Kingdom purposes =).   I get a kick out of God's sense of humor =) and giving us a win-win opportunity.   I know how much fun I have driving tractor in our berry field after being in the professional "field" for about 20 years.    Oh, LORD, open the  eyes of our hearts to see how You want us to use the abundant blessings/talents you have given us for Your Kingdom purposes.

Another testimony that I was reminded of was, how the LORD has given my husband jobs where the people he is working for pay him almost immediately.  We have a construction business, and since 2008 (and before too, but it has been much more obvious since then), we  have seen God do amazing things with lining up work for him, and bringing clients that pay within minutes of getting the bill.  Every person we have worked for since last summer has paid in less than 2 weeks, and usually in less than 2 days, and several times the same day!  Since 2008, when construction businesses took a significant hit, he has been without work for only 1 hour (which was our fault).  We have not advertised, it has all been "word of mouth" so to say.  We have seen God's incredible provision and have experienced the wealth God tells us about in Prov. 3:13-18 through living Prov. 3:5-6.  Having said that, I think the next several months we are going to be tested again, on whether we will continue to trust in God with all our heart, or be tempted to lean on our own understanding.    As many of you might be experiencing yourself, cash flow has been a bit more difficult over the last several years, and we have been at the end of our liquid resources several times, after several years of decreased profitability .  Last fall, when we are at a similar place with cash flow concerns, (as I was re-reading this, I just caught the connection, that was about when we had a significant cash flow concern and it was about since that point everyone (construction related) began paying us in less than 2 weeks, thank You LORD! - hindsight is amazing =), anyway, when we were at a similar place with cash flow concerns last Sept., i remember telling God, "I can make cash flow happen 7 different ways" and so we went through my list, and each one was in some way leaning on our own understanding.   So, I shared this with another believer and the question was, how do you know that God doesn't want you to use any of those ways?  I replied, because each of the reasons He "gave" me trumped mine, and His made more sense in a super rational way.  But, as I walked away from that conversation, I prayed, "LORD, if these thoughts are really from You, please confirm it in some way."  That was about 4:30 in the afternoon.  At 6:30 I received a call from my husband.  His parents had just blessed us with a sizable gift to help with the kids' tuition!  That was our confirmation.   in 2 hours!

So, here we are again, about 14 mos later, looking at a cash flow concern.  Somehow God has helped us get through these last 14 mos, and we are going to trust Him to do so again, but my mind is already thinking, well if He doesn't, we can always do "my cash flow plan"....  Arghhh!!!  I think the LORD is helping me remember how He has come through again, and again, (and I haven't even shared some of the best ones with you yet!) to give us the courage to continue to trust Him with all our hearts! 

ok, the other concept that I keep going back to from Doug's post, is that he went against all advice.  Because of several other "conversations" I had in the last month and the concept of intentionally seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance being something the LORD is putting on my heart over the last several months, I went to Acts to read about Paul's "decision" to go to Jerusalem.   I had been thinking about this story for several reasons,, and thought  Paul had to be very compelled to go against prophetic warnings, knowing he would be arrested and possibly killed.  So Saturday, I read several chapters of Acts in the NKJV, and the phrase "Paul purposed in the Spirit" (Acts 19:21) caught my attention.  This phrase " happened' to catch my attention in a segment of an online sermon i "happened" to come across about 4 weeks ago.  That is the only time I recall every having heard this phrase before.  I mentioned it  yesterday  to a believer who has been a part of the crc for 60+ years, and they didn't remember ever hearing it before.  Another version stated he was "determined in the Spirit" and one was "compelled" by the Spirit.  So, not sure how that ties in with "stuff", but I always find it interesting how the LORD will use someone's thoughts to trigger other thoughts that He wants us to possibly pursue =).  A rabbit trail or the Spirit?  So I would love to hear anyones' thoughts on intentionally seeking the Spirit's guidance or what "purposed in the Spirit" might look like for today!   As well as more testimonies and insights on how Acts 2:42-47 looks like for us today!

Thank you Rich, for digging into the Logos/Word some more on this =) and sharing your thoughts and insights...

there's a time for each  - quiet, meditative worship, and loud, exuberant worship, and every level on the continuum between the 2...  it's like you said, we/crc seem to hang out on the quieter end, other than maybe when we hear the organ =)

here's something I posted somewhere on the network last year some time, but I'll post it again, because it is a beautiful example of high praise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KX2-J6uS-o 

Worship is primarily about God, but because He's a generous and loving God, He makes it about us too.    He longs to bless us when we spend time with Him.  He ministers to our hearts through music, sermons, prayers, people...  I have found when I've gone into worship with no agenda of my own, other than to praise Him and be open to what's on His heart, He will bless my heart many times over.

I do look forward to worship with Him, because He often will give insight or confirmation or encouragement, but that's not the primary purpose.  It's primarily for His glory, but because He's God, it will also be for our good, that's His promise and we can bank on it!   I love 2 Chron 20.  The people starting praising God, and  He responded by orchestrating an ambush between the enemy, and the enemy killed each other instead of the people of Judah.  Yep, He often/always will bless His people when we worship Him.  Will we always realize it?  that's another question =)  I do often joke that sometimes at church I'm praising Him with one hand and "threatening" my kids with the other =). 

I don't know if I've said it here on the network, but God can use any song, any style to minister to us if He wants, it can be 1000 years old or just minutes old, it can be spiritual or secular.   I remember in 2006, i was at a women of faith conference and had a "bad" attitude about the concert that was suppose to be at the end.  God didn't let me keep that attitude for very long and would not let me worship Him with it, because it wasn't even one minute into the concert (so no emotional manipulation through music) and He melted me, I was undone!  and basically what the "lesson" was, is "don't limit Me, I can use anything, anytime to minister to you".  That encounter was so deep and powerful, that up to a year later, whenever I heard the songs that were played there, on the radio, tears would immediately begin.

and one other "side effect" of worship, is it's a weapon that brings down the enemy and his strongholds (Ps. 149:6-7; Ps. 8:2, 2 Cor. 10:4)  again, not a primary reason we worship and praise, but encouraging to know!