Darryn Scheske

40 Days of Faith: Day 33—God Provides to the Penny

Today's Scripture
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:3-7

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." Malachi 3:10

"Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth that He may show Himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards Him." 2 Chronicles 16:9

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

Be encouraged today with this powerful testimony of God's provision when He is put to THE test.

------ Forwarded Message
From: Greg Bowman
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:16:25 -0500
To: Darryn Scheske
Subject: "No More Cain" Follow up Story

Darryn:
 
These last few months series taught at Heartland have really convicted my and Gail's heart in many areas.  One of the main areas of my life that the Holy Spirit has convicted me the most is in the area of tithing.  I am very embarrassed to say that my wife and I haven't tithed in over 10 years!!  God has been so good to us over the years and blessed us with much more than we deserve or could ever ask for yet we have never been "truly blessed" as you have described in your teachings to us.  Growing up, this topic of tithing was presented in a very legalistic way.  Until this last few weeks, you have shown to us that it is not legalistic at all.  Like you said, "it's simple, it's instructed to us in the Bible, it's cut and dry."  We have never looked at it the way you have presented it and therefore the Holy Spirit has really spoken to us in a way never before.  We have been so fortunate all these years with 2 good jobs, our good health and "material" things, but very unfortunate in the most important part of our lives - the "spiritual blessings".   

You have been teaching about US the last few weeks.  I have been Cain, so to speak, most all of my life and wanted to control everything myself.  That has gotten us nowhere fast.  We have always had "stuff" but we have been slaves to debt, therefore living without real peace or joy in our lives.  The true desires of our hearts is to be able to help others in need and we have been unable to do that because of the debt.  We want to bring God our 1st fruits not our left overs from now on.  He is going to be #1 in our lives, not 4th, 5th or 6th place like before.  We want to experience true spiritual blessings you have described by giving back to Him what is already His in the first place.  This is truly a giant leap of faith for us and one as you said will not be without trials and challenges.  I always kept delaying the tithing issue because I would always say, "once we get out of debt, etc. we will start tithing, then we would pay some things off and replace it with buying other things instead of taking that extra income and giving back to God.

I say all this to tell you this quick story of a real blessing since the night I hand delivered to you our 1st tithing check in over 10 years.  I remember as I was driving away from church that night I had 2nd thoughts about it, thinking that I really need that money right now to be able to pay off or pay down something, etc. but was also excited about giving back to God for the 1st time in over 10 years and that we were definitely doing the right thing.  I was very torn and the devil immediately created doubt in my mind and heart.  The very next day at work was the last day of October and time for me to figure all the commissions for the sales people for the month, including myself.  After figuring mine last, I discovered that I was receiving the worst/lowest commission check I had received in the last 2 years.  I couldn't believe it and started panicking thinking how am I going to pay my obligations, not even including the additional tithe commitment.  Satan immediately spoke and said "you can't afford to tithe."  I was at least $1,000 short of the commission I usually receive on the 10th of each month.  I rely on that to pay bills.  I needed at least the $1,000 to cover bills and the tithe.  Right then I prayed to God and said "God, you know my needs and I know you will provide for me".  That was Monday. 

On Wednesday my boss communicated that somehow $990.00 in commission due to me and that I would be getting that on the 10th payroll!!!!  Praise God!  Totally unexpected and how ironic (NOT) that is was the "exact" amount I needed to meet my basic needs, including the tithe on the entire amount of the check!!! 

To top that, when I got home that day, going through the bills, I had forgotten about 5 medical bills that needed to be paid as well whose co-pays, etc totaled $310.45.  I was not going to be able to pay those so I was going to have to put those off another month.  I went out to the mailbox a couple hours later and in there was a check from our health insurance provider reimbursing us an unknown percentage for a chiropractic visit we had paid out of our pockets a month earlier that I had forgotten about and the total of that check was $310.46!!!!!!!!!!  One penny more than the total of the medical bills due!!!  Praise God again!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Right then and there I prayed to God and praised Him for who He is and for taking care of me and my family in this unbelievable way.  I thought, this is exactly what Darryn is talking about, what "true blessings" are and that we have been missing out all these years on these blessings in our lives.  I know that it won't always happen this way, I know, but I know God really knew the true intention of our hearts when we sacrificed and decided to bring Him our tithe and HE honored that.

I have tithed now online 2 more times this month since I gave God our 1st check and will continue to honor God and bring Him our first fruits every time we get paid from now on, regardless of our situation, and I know God will keep His promises of blessing our lives in ways I don't even know about yet.  Thank you so much Darryn for opening our eyes and hearts to the vital importance of putting God first in our lives and receiving blessings we can't begin to imagine.  We are looking forward to getting completely out of debt by Spring of 2012, selling our home and downsizing so that God can use us in ways that will bring us the happiness, peace and joy we desire for our lives.  We have been slaves to debt for so many years now and I don't want to or intend to live like that anymore.  We can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

I thought you might really be touched by our story.  Feel free to share it with anyone you want...I NEEDED to share this story with you and others.

In Christ,

Greg Bowman and family

Prayer
Father in Heaven, I'm so grateful about the lessons of faith you are teaching us in the 40 Days of Faith. I thank You for never giving up on us even in the times when we didn't follow what you said to do. Thank you for Greg's response to the whisper of your Spirit. Bless him and his family for their willingness to put you in first place in their hearts.  I’m so excited about where you are taking us next.

Holy Spirit, I’m all in! Whatever you say to me, let my answer be “yes!” I want You to have my whole heart. Use me and what is in my hand anyway You desire. I want to be a part of what You’re doing in this world. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

A Personal Note on Christmas

Jack Hayford once wrote, "His birth began an ever-expanding family."¹

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16, NIV)

This gift was motivated by the most incredible love known to man.  And because of that love, today, we celebrate with the ever-growing family of God, the Body of Christ. 

To my Heartland family, Loree and I are glad that we are sharing our lives together and we send our love to you today.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Darryn Scheske

Pastor

¹ Hayford, Jack W. Come-- and Behold Him!: An Invitation to Christmas Worship. Sisters, Or: Multnomah Books, 1995.

2010 Water is Life Documentary Trailer

Water is Life Documentary from Heartland Church on Vimeo.

World Premiere Date: April 17, 2010

7 Wells in 10 Days in Sierra Leone

This past Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009, I completed my third trip to Sierra Leone, Africa. We commissioned wells in seven communities who were receiving clean, safe drinking water for the very first time. Every village, the response was amazing, highly emotional, and powerful to be part of. (Read the backstory Water is Life!).

On this trip I traveled with a team from the Rotary Club of Fishers, Indiana, (FRC) including Rotary District Governor, Judy Hollander (District 6560, Central Indiana), FRC Immediate Past President, Tom Branum, Jr. and FRC Past President, Valory Myers.

Rotary International is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business professionals and community leaders. There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries. Members of Rotary clubs are known as Rotarians and I have been a proud to be a Rotarian for the last 8 years since Heartland Church began. 

Our 10 day journey was highlighted by the dedication of seven wells;  the inspection of previous wells; the building and strengthening of incredible friendships with the people of Sierra Leone; and topped off with a special and unexpected audience with His Excellency the President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.

We inspected the three villages where we funded wells one year ago, installed by our cooperating partner, World Hope International (WHI). The impact was more than expected. We were very pleased at the record keeping, education, maintenance and community pride and  involvement. There were many unexpected insights into how clean water is life-changing for communities.

In one village, the local chief explained since the installation of the well and because of the hygiene training they had received, they were not experiencing the outbreaks of Malaria and Cholera that were devastating surrounding communities. In that village not one child had died in the previous year!

Our team left with even greater appreciation for our cooperating partner, World Hope International (WHI). WHI is responsible for Well Construction, Hygiene and Sanitation Education, Community Coordination and Sustainability Training) WHI is highly respected and regarded by everyone we met.

Traveling with us was Mr. David Erickson, COO of WHI who introduced us to representatives from the highest levels of Government in Sierra Leone, including His Excellency the President of Sierra Leone, the Minister of Energy and Water Resources, as well as the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.  All shared with us their respect and gratitude for Rotary, WHI and how our vision of 100 Wells by 2011 fits into their national master development plan.

Our general team consensus is that the people of Sierra Leone possess a level of hope and drive that will put their war years behind them and build a renewed country, that will be what they want and dream it can be.  Our help arrives at the perfect time, and is in harmony and support of their objectives for themselves.

We could not have asked for a better in-country partner, headed by WHI Country Director Mr. Saidu Kanu and his staff. They took amazing care of us, and are doing phenomenal work.  We were humbled by their dedication and accomplishments.

In every village, we witnessed Muslims and Christians living side by side, working together on the well committees, and honoring each other.  FRC Past President Tom Branum, Jr. wrote, "We have been more than pleased about how well the Rotary Ideals are mirrored by the work of World Hope, and the villagers themselves."

In 2008 Heartland Church raised $150,000 USD in six weeks for a new water well drilling rig that can drill 40-50 wells a year. The Rotary Club of Fishers joined the cause in 2009 with a commitment to raise approximately $500,000 USD for 100 Wells by 2011.

In Sierra Leone:

• Life expectancy is 42 years of age.
• 1 in 8 mothers die during childbirth.
• Infant mortality is 1 out of 5 due to water born diseases.
• 70% of the population lacks access to a safe drinking water source.

THANK YOU to all our Donors, Supporters and friends of WaterIsLife! There is hope and vision for the future.

SAVE THE DATE: April 17th, 2010. World Premiere of our Feature Film Documentary on the water crisis in Sierra Leone.

Questions? Comments? Write me. Let me know if you would like a presentation for yourself, or your organization. 

Let generosity pave the way to success

When we think from the filter of abundance, generosity can produce incredible creativity and productivity. Tim Sanders, co-founder of Yahoo.com told this story at The Leadership Forum at Southeastern University this past March.

Elmer Letterman, who is known as the greatest life insurance networker in the history of the United States, started his business in 1924 in Manhattan. He founded his business on a simple philosophy of helping people and making a difference.  His commitment to generosity did not change, even at the height of the Great Depression.

Every Friday he would host a networking lunch, inviting three people whom he felt would benefit from meeting one another. He would not bring any business cards or speak of his insurance company. Mr. Letterman did not confuse networking with prospecting for clients but simply engaged in networking as an act of love.

In 1933, he set a record for most individual policies versus assets in a single year in a single major market, which stood until 1949.

How was he able to accomplish the feat of selling so many policies during the worst economy in American History?  By connecting three people, 50 weeks a year, for 10 years, Mr. Letterman had invested in thousands of people who felt grateful towards him.

Recognizing you are a part of a greater community will give greater self confidence. Generosity will pave the way for success. Continue to make deposits of love into the relationships in your life.  If you do this your life will be satisfying and deeply fulfilling. If you have invested in people, you never face a crisis alone.

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation." Proverbs 3:2-4 (NLT)

"Spending on Happiness" by Harvard

Can money buy you happiness? Yes—so long as you spend the money on someone else. According to new research published in the Harvard Business Review this month, giving other people even as little as $5 can lead to increased well-being for the giver. Read the full article here.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"One of the most puzzling paradoxes in social science is that though people spend so much of their time trying to make more money, having more money doesn't seem to make them that much happier."

"We found that it was the relative percentage of their money that people spend on others—rather than the absolute amount—that predicted their happiness."

"... many companies donate a lump sum to charities each year. Our research suggests that companies might think about splitting that money up among their employees and empowering them to choose the recipient of those donations. We refer to such initiatives as creating a "prosocial workplace," which we believe has benefits both for companies, in the form of happier employees, and for society, through increases in charitable giving."

In February 2007, we did a "reverse offering" at Heartland. We gave everyone an envelope with a random amount of cash in it. We said, "this is God's money ... go distribute it!" We gave out about $5,000, but with ingenuity and creativity, from the reports we received back, we estimate that over $85,000 was given away! It was one of the most fun and exciting things we ever did.

Reasons Why I Can't Give

Everybody likes the idea of generosity. But when it comes down to writing the check, there always seem to be so many extenuating circumstances. Here are some common obstacles to giving, even when we want to give.

1. It’s my money. I earned it.
2. I don’t owe the poor anything.
3. I would like to give, but my spouse does not share my desire to give.
4. I am up to my ears in debt. I cannot give now.
5. Next year I have a promotion coming. We will give then, but right now the budget is pretty tight.
6. I am in the lower or middle income bracket. Giving is really the responsibility of wealthy people.
7. Giving would deplete my savings, and that would be bad stewardship.
8. I’ve already maxed out my tax deductions for this year. My gifts won’t count until next year, so I’ll give then.
9. My financial advisor says I shouldn’t give anything this year.
10. Stewardship is a lot more than money. I give my time and talents ... I consider that to be my giving

Source: www.generousgiving.com