Ministers Desk 6th May 2012

At our congregational meeting last weekend we adopted a budget for 2012 that provided a $27000 deficit from a total budget of $380 000.  Our Church Council have considered this budget, prayed over it and determined that this represents an accurate financial picture of the ministry of Emmanuel now and into the future. 

As I have prayed about the budget I have been reminded time continually that this is more than just a financial issue.  Our stewardship of money, both as a congregation and individual disciples, is always a spiritual matter.  Last week in our Prodigal God series we considered the sin of the younger son and that he loved the father’s money more than he loved the father.  We were challenged to think what it is that we value, honour and worship before God.  One of the greatest temptations that we face is to worship the god of money, the god of the things our money can buy or the god of being in control of our money.  After all this is what our society teaches us, the primary importance of money.

I shared at the congregational meeting last week that our financial situation will only resolve when we see address it spiritually.  In his annual report our Treasurer makes a similar comment, I encourage you to read/reread his report.

I would like to challenge each of us to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit through engaging in a discipline of prayer and fasting.  Combining prayer and fasting has been a spiritual discipline that God’s people have used throughout the ages. We see examples of it in the Old and New Testament and in the history of the church. Through this discipline our desire is to grow closer to God and to more fully participate in his mission and stand in his will. It is not about proving how good we are to God (or others) nor is it about earning God’s favour.

Each Monday during the month of May I ask you to abstain from eating between breakfast and dinner and commit to fervent prayer seeking God’s leading regarding our finances.  As we fast and pray we will have a heightened awareness of God’s presence generally and deliberately replace times of eating with times of prayer.

Please be very aware that not everyone can do this.  Especially consider your health needs, the medication you take and your need to eat to give you energy for strenuous work.  If you believe this is not beneficial to your health please either see your doctor, or commit only to praying without fasting.   

I firmly believe that God will provide the resources that we need to fulfil the mission he has entrusted to us.

Please feel free to speak to me about this more.