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Does your love for money control you?
The world glorifies achievers. Nothing wrong with being an achiever of good things in life. But where the world is in error is where it proclaims the pursuit of money as the end all be all of life. A person who climbs up the Seven Summits is usually given a great deal of respect. However, what’s odd is there’s still even greater respect for those who are billionaires as if they climbed a thousand summits. People will try to verify if a mountaineer used drugs or other illegal methods to cope up with the tough climb but avoid checking if a billionaire is ethical in his pursuit of profits.
I always like doing great things for my country. There are those who shine well in athletics and sports for their fatherland. Some show respect for their nation by doing business and earning lots of revenue and then donating to charity. Others who are a despicable lot, end up being traitors to their own nation for blood diamonds and money. So money itself is neutral, it’s your attitude towards it and your actions to get it which prove whether you are for good or for evil. That is why you must curb your passion towards gaining wealth and instead concentrate on God who gives you the good things of his Kingdom.
God gives you the ability to get money
Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy; for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. (Genesis 26:12-14)
You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)
Understand why the love of money is evil
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)
The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live. (Proverbs 15:27)
Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. (Psalm 62:10)
So avoid the love of money
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
If you have lots of money don’t put your hope in it
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. (Proverbs 11:28)
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.( 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Always remember..
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, I pray that I be set free from the love of money. Let me have the right attitude towards money. Give me the wisdom to only use righteous ways to obtain wealth. Give me sufficient money to provide for my family and community. Direct me to the poor and needy and church ministries that reach out to preach to unbelievers, so that I may bless them with both my finances and prayers for them. Thank you God, thank you Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit. Amen.
Further reading: Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 6:16-21.
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Take time to grow
To continue in Christ means to take time to grow. When you have been in Christ you should not stagnate spiritually. Jesus gives us the living waters. So we are to have life in us, in our thoughts, words and actions.
Sometimes if funny to hear Christians speak about their past experiences in Christ. Not that it’s bad to speak about the Lords works in your life. But it’s bad that you can only talk what he did in your life 15 years ago and are completely zonked when you are asked what God did in your life very much recently. This means you are not that engrossed in the Lord like about 10-15 years ago.
Growing up in Christ, is the key to keep continuing in Christ. Don’t get me wrong but if your love for God hasn’t increased from the last 5 years, something is wrong, not with Christ but with you. Do not use what the Lord has done for you by any means to remove the need for personal accountability with the Holy Spirit. The finished work of the cross doesn’t absolve you from personal responsibility.
It’s your responsibility to love God even more. By how much? That’s some that only you can decide but I can safely say, love God to the best of what you are and can do.
You can’t say you love God when aren’t bothered to read the Bible nor care about reaching out to sinners, when you don’t want to give hope to the sick and the afflicted. Don’t scam yourself saying in your heart that the Lord will forgive your sin whatever you do especially when the Lord is long suffering. Get it real mate, sinners do not make it to heaven. It’s the person who believes in Jesus who actually goes to heaven.
It’s your responsibility to believe in the Lord Jesus. Even the Lord Jesus can’t believe on your behalf. Believing is not just a mental affirmation, it’s a living trust in the Lord that manifest in all your actions. Have respect for him. You can’t be focused on eating when you are worshiping him, okay. If you are hungry then eat first and then pray rather than trying to be too religious appearing to pray first but distracted with thoughts about food. The kingdom of heaven is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
You can’t say you are righteous if you are not concerned with the righteousness of Christ that he gives you. Being focused only on sin avoidance but not on the holiness of God is a very imbalanced way of life. It’s like accepting Christ only to escape hell and not because the Lord is worthy of worship. Do not make your Christian life something like not being bothered about the Lord’s discipline.
You must be eager for the Lords discipline. It not something like a judgment kind of a thing. Why should the Lord judge you if you truly in him? Here it means that the Lord could be leading you to more meditation on the word rather just singing hymns. The Lord could be reminding you that you are to carry your cross daily instead of waiting idly. The Lord could be asking you for more of quality prayer time instead of wasting time on entertainment.
If you want to learn from the Bible don’t wait for a big change in your church that they start Bible study classes. If you want to go to college do you wait for the church to pass a law favoring going to college or do you just go directly to college? So why then if you want a Bible study do you wait for the Church to start Bible classes? There are so many books from which you can learn to read the Bible, which you can get from a leading book store. Why don’t you just get them? In my own case, I learnt a lot without the need to go to Bible studies, so I do know it’s possible to do so.
You need to grow in Christ, you need to start now and for that you need the Lord. You should desire to grow not because you want to increase in ability but rather that you wish to honor God. Desire to grow because the Lord expects it from you!!
Disciples of hope 