Love What You Have?

Most of us give lip service to the truth that we should not put our possessions above God or other human beings. Here's a good test for you. Estimate what percentage of your awake life has been devoted to money and possessions. Remember to include investing, managing, maintaining, using, researching and purchasing them. Then add the time spent working to obtain them.

Have you been that dedicated to anything else in your life?

Was This Written Yesterday? -Part 2

More on that verse in Psalms:

Some trust in chariots
Some trust in horses
We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Some trust in the works they do
But by His grace all the work is through
We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Some trust in the wealth of things
We trust the Name worth more than anything
We trust in the name of the Lord our God

His love never fails
His name will always prevail 

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

by Steve Green

Was This Written Yesterday?

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” - 1Timothy 6:17

This doesn't apply to you, right?  

Well, uh, yes it does.  In fact, you are precisely who it was written for.  You don't think of yourself as one who has riches. However, it is not a stretch to say that you are in the top 5% of the richest people who has ever lived.  I'm not exaggerating.  Our conceit comes from neither knowing that nor appreciating it.   

But, Paul is not talking about just the riches that we already have.  He's talking about our pursuit of more.  We pursue because we think that it will get us something or somewhere. That equates to me trying to get something for me. That is a works doctrine.  

What about the riches that we already have?  A lot of people accumulated a lot and now it is gone.  What seemed like a lot that was gathered over decades is gone in a snap.  You can see what that got them?   

Think about this.  The wisdom of this verse has lasted WAY longer than the riches of any man. What does that say about the wisdom of the Timeless One who inspired Paul to write it?

Remember, God's not telling you this to ruin your fun.  He's telling you this because He doesn't want you to be hurt.  So, with that in mind, ask yourself this question.  During all the bad economics news, have your thoughts dwelled on any thing(s) that you have lost, could lose or can't get now?  

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” - Psalms 20:7

    

Prescription for Right Now

Cast all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you.

- 1 Peter 5:7

I'm not sure who wrote this, but it fits right into my last blog on Peace:  

It is natural to be anxious when we are ill; but it is just as natural for the one who has love for God in his heart to turn all anxiety over to Him.  Let God do your worrying.  Even more than an earthly father loves his child, God cares for you.  Cast your anxiety on Him!  His shoulders are broad.

Prayer:  Father, if there is anxiety in my heart, out of Thy great love take it into Thine own heart and give to me that peace which passes all understanding, in the name of Thy Son.  Amen.

Need for Peace

Peace, I just need some peace. If I have to I'll do anything. Don't need your love or your sympathy. But, I cannot go on living without peace.
- The Isaacs

Peace. It is difficult to imagine a better gift. But, that is precisely what God has given the Christ-follower.

Above all, [put on] love—the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful. Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. - Colosians 3:15-17

Paul & Peter, in the New Testament letters, repeatedly greet other Christ-followers with "peace". It is though they understand the need for it in the hearts of believers. Everyone needs it, but, it is only given to those who love Him.

Too often, we don't realize we have God's gifts. Or, maybe we don't understand what they are. Or, perhaps we don't really see how totally powerful they are in our lives. All this is especially true of peace.

This world we live in is cold, evil and most difficult. Let's face it, the burdens of living "down here" are overwhelmingly harsh. That will change for the Christ-follower - when we finally reach our destination. Our Father is leading us out but, for a short time we're still here.

Many well-meaning teachers claim that God will get us out of the pain and heartaches of this world. They claim that, by faith, we can talk Him into removing our problems. We just have to have enough faith and it will be done. When this is taught, it takes the focus away from one of His greatest miracles - peace for right now. Peace for our souls, peace in our hearts and peace through any trial. I mean any trial.

Peace is a miracle. The Bible says that the Messiah Himself is our Peace. It gives a picture of The Man walking beside us through the valleys and through the trials. Through the depressing moments and sad years. This kind of miracle is what He means when He says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I'll submit to you that what we really desire is peace. God says that we already have it. We just have to trust Him when He says we do.

To me, that is a bigger miracle than a financial blessing or a physical healing or anything else man can promise. And, I can't think of anything I desire more. What about you?

Serious Question Part 2

The reason Christ Followers can't really be close to and real with one another is because we know we'll be betrayed.  We know it because it has happened to us in the past.  Most of the time in relationships someone comes out on the short end of the stick.

What we've missed is the whole point.  Vulnerability and realness in relationships implies that there is a risk.  The risk is getting hurt.  Otherwise there would be nothing vulnerable about being vulnerable.

Jesus knows this.  He also knows that it is worth the risk.  What is gained when there really is a connection between God's kids far outweighs the temporal hurt and confusion that comes through betrayal.  Even when betrayal is the norm and connection is the exception.

That's why He tells us to "love one another as yourself" and to "share everything in common" and to "confess to one another" and to "defend each other."  That's why He did all these things Himself, with a bunch of guys He knew would betray Him.  

Now, the serious question is this:

Do you trust Him enough to be vulnerable with other believers - over and over again - knowing that the outcome will most often hurt?

I'll be honest, that is a hard question for me to answer. But, He's never failed me before.  

Couldn't Then - Can't Now

The requirement for salvation is the same requirement for living as a Christian.   

In Galatians 1 & 2, Paul admonishes Galatian Christians and some of his own close friends to stop falling back into living by the law.  He calls this action "another gospel."  The point is clear.  A Christian cannot live by the law now any more than he could back before he trusted Jesus.  

But, that is exactly what we try to do.  We start believing that our own works gain us favor and better standing with God.  Not true at all.  Not true then and not true now.

Sure enough, God calls us to do things.  By trusting Him, we'll be able to.  We've got to get back to where we were when it was just us and Jesus - forsaking all else.  Because, just like Paul said, 

For through the law I have died to the law, that I might live to God.....

Galatians 2:19

Be & Trust

Be Sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world. Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 1 Peter 5:8-10

Notice what Peter did not say. He did not say "do." Through temptation and tragedy the most evil of all will approach you. He'll either whisper lies in your ear or he'll try to destroy you by whispering lies in the ears of others. It will happen many, many times tomorrow...and the next day...and the next.

Stand firm in your belief and trust in God and wait it out. That is the answer. That is always the answer. Our tendency is to either give up or flee to religion thinking that doing more good stuff will save us. It will not.

One day the believer will no longer have to endure it. For now, until that day, we just have to be aware of Evil's scheme's, trust God and wait.

I'm tired of all this. But, that is the cost for the Christ-follower. And, just like Peter suggested, it helps to know that my brothers and sisters are enduring it too.