Going to church during the Monsoon season can be a challenge. This last Saturday the rain came down in buckets causing the washes to flood and close parts of Old Spanish Trail. It is good to call ahead on days like this, so we can let you know if the road is open.
Psalm 37:21 “The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.”
How a person handles their money says a lot about that person. It shows if a person has integrity, is honest, or principled and wise, or if the person lacks integrity, is fraudulent, and corrupt. It shows the character of a person. At times people act with stupidity concerning their fiances and they find themselves way over their head financially, but an honest person will try and work it out, make payments, or be upfront about it. The unscrupulous person borrows money or sign leases having no intention of paying back a loan or keeping a lease. They lie and cheat people intentionally. The Bible calls them wicked in this verse. It is so sad that these people who claim they are Christian, go to church, pretend that they are preachers, and then rip people off. They are a disgrace to the name of Christ. I have had the sad experience of dealing with some of these losers, and the best policy is not doing business with them and warning others about them.
A person of integrity will always do their best to keep their obligations, to repay their debt, to make arrangements to fulfill their word. Notice the second part of the verse above, “But the righteous is gracious and gives” As apposed to the wicked who rip people off, the righteous is gracious and gives.
When we lie, we lose a part of our soul. If we continue to lie and live a lie we lose our souls completely and no longer have an authentic relationship with God or his Kingdom. (Rev. 21:8) Over time a liar becomes “seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (I Tim 4:2). This means that certain people can lie so often that it doesn’t bother them anymore. They can lie without batting a eye and never feel bad. In fact they become experts at dishonesty and deceit. They are pros at selling their lies, covering their lies, living their lies, and then they go to church and pretend that they are children of light. It’s important that as children of light, that we be people of truth and complete honesty. In the long run it pays off. People in business over time, when they lie and cheat and steal, will be found out, and will “reap what they sow” (Gal 6). They can live in their million dollar houses, drive their expensive cars, and act as if they are successful businessmen while ripping you off, and then pretend that they are fooling everyone, but in the end, the scriptures say that they will “reap what they sow”. Live with integrity. Live in such a way that when Christ comes back again, that you will not shrink away from Him in Shame (I John 2:28) as all your lies are finally exposed.
We begin a new Sermon Series on July 19th, on the Book of Malachi, called “You Can Not Out Give God”. Malachi is the last book in your Old Testament, and is only four chapters long but it has a lot to say to our present generation. God challenges us in this book that if we follow His commandments he will open up to us the windows of heaven. In other words, you can not out give God. He will beat you every time.
Chapter 1 Giving God our BEST
Chapter 2:1-12 Giving God our LEADERS
Chapter 2:13-16 Giving God our MARRIAGES
Chapter 2:17 - 3:5 Giving God our BODIES
Chapter 3:6 -18 Giving God our GOLD
Chapter 4 Giving God our REVERENCE
Don’t forget that this Tuesday (July 7th) is the beginning of the Financial Peace Class by Dave Ramsey. If you have not signed up for the class, you may still attend, by showing up at the church by 6:30 PM for the class.
Fellowship Dinners are always a pleasant time together. At Saguaro Buttes we schedule monthly fellowship meals, on the second Sunday of each month. The church provides the main dish and members bring a side dish. Everyone is welcome, whether you are able to bring something or not, we just enjoy the fellowship. Tim and Sandy Skaja are to be thanked for their hard work in putting this together each month.
Our new sign has been spruced up a little with some decorative bricks on the side columns. The work was done just before the July 4th weekend.
Each month after our pot luck dinner at Saguaro Buttes, the kids enjoy playing basketball while their parents are visiting.
One of the jobs on Sunday morning is giving people rides from the parking lot, up the hill to the church’s front door. Thomas is our golf cart driver and has been doing the driving for the last year. He is doing a great job, and if you ask him, I think he enjoys doing this “difficult” job.
The 2009 Pastor’s Retreat was a welcome break from our busy schedules. (Dave, Cindy and Tyler made the trip.) It was held on May 4-5, 2009 at UCYC in Prescott, AZ. It is a time of prayer, preaching, fellowship and learning (we also played golf). It is also a time to see the progress that the camp has been making over the last year with it’s facilities. They continue to improve the camp and add additional features to it. Last year (2008) the camp had close to 5,000 youth in camp from Arizona as well as neighboring states. Saguaro Buttes financially supports United Christian Youth Camp (UCYC) in Prescott and has done so for many years. It is a camp that we believe is very beneficial to those attending the camp, and it has one of the best programs for the children at a very reasonable cost. Brian Hallstrom is planning again to be a part of the Staff this year, and will be there throughout the Summer. He is currently attending Central Christian College in Missouri, working on a Youth Minister’s degree. The picture to the right shows one of the cabins at the camp, it is a beautiful place to visit.
