Greatest Returns - 6/26/2010

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?"

My wife and I are in the process of adopting an orphan from Ethiopia. It goes without saying that this process is not cheap, but it is worthwhile. I know people question this decision and wonder why anybody would spend so much to bring home someone else's child. To be honest, I have wondered the same thing. I've always wanted to adopt, but once I felt called to begin the process, the sticker shock was enough to cause me to honestly question if the price and paperwork were worth it.

Then came the big questions. "If I don't spend the money on this child, who will?" "If I save this money for myself and my family, what will it bring us? More money? More things? Then what? What will those benefit us in the big picture?"

I think this is what Solomon meant when he wrote, "This too is meaningless." I could invest the money I would put toward international adoption and earn more money, but it will never be enough. I would always want more. Maybe one day I would be wealthy by the world's standards, but as Solomon who was rich beyond imagination wrote, I wouldn't be satisfied. And, this world is temporary. In the end, all the fanciness and shiny things will pass away, and the only thing that will remain is God and the people He created.

People are the only investments that will truly last. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

"But, Nathan, what about your children and their future? You should leave them as much money as possible!"

If I've done my job as a father, I will have been responsible with my money while serving God, and taught my kids to do the same, not worrying about finances while keeping in mind this lesson.

After writing the first big check for this adoption, I really questioned the cost, especially considering our agency is not-for-profit, and still expensive. So, I pictured my own retirement years and the two possible scenarios that I could attain: one centered around living for myself - building wealth and ending up with a very small family, or alone, but surrounded by very nice things. But as Solomon wrote in the verse above, "...what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?" The second option is to live for God, serve others, and maybe have a smaller home, fewer luxuries, but surrounded by lives God touched through my obedience.

So thinking about adoption and money with terms used for investment, which of these holds the greater return? My money, performing in a strong market, could grow by 7-10% each year, so when I retire it could yield a return that would impress even the most serious investor, but when my life ends so does my ability to feast my eyes on all I had gained. Or, I could invest in human lives. The money I put toward adoption could deliver a person from a short, tragic life and literally restore generations of God's people, established on a foundation of love.

Do the math. Which of these two investments has the greatest return?

In my twilight years, is it better to be surrounded by things, or people?

That's not to say we can't have nice things or big houses. It is when we allow things to take the focus off of God or hinder us from serving Him that we begin to have problems. Some may argue that it's their money, they worked hard for it, they can spend it however they want. But for thousands of years we've had the words of Moses that warn, "You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth..."

How are you thanking Him for that ability? How are you using the ability He's given you to serve Him? Will you leave a legacy of selfish living, or one of serving the Lord our God? "you cannot serve both God and Mammon" ... so ... "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

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Paralells in Selfless Living - 6/26,2008

1 Corinthians 10:31-33, "...if you eat, or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. Never do anything that might hurt others - Jews, Greeks, or God's church. I am not trying to do what is good for me but what is good for most people so they can be saved."

The other day I read this section in 1 Corinthians that talks first about living for Christ and submitting to His authority - living in a way that honors Him and does not hurt others. Later, it continues with the relationship between husbands and wives; about authority under God and how they're dependent on one another and how they both come from God.

Today I wanted to read in Ephesians, and the same pattern emerged. It paralleled exactly the themes I read on Tuesday. The first scripture that caught my eye was Ephesians 5:15, "So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times." I thought this was an interesting connection to the command I read in 1 Corinthians: do everything for the Glory of God and do nothing to hurt others. Then I read on into verses 21-27, "Yield to each other because you respect Christ. Wives, yield to your husbands, as you do the Lord ... Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.."

So basically in two days I read two sections of scripture that spoke on the same two topics: living responsibly and marital relationships. Coincidence? I think not. I believe God was talking to me in this way, reminding me that I am under His authority and to live in a way that honors Him. This applies to all relationships, and calls for me to put the needs of others before my own. It is a command for selfless living. This is how all Christians are supposed to live, and many I know do live in this way.

It frustrates me, though, that the irresponsible minority who claim one thing but live another have come to represent Christians as a whole in our society. It makes it very difficult to convince non-Christians that we really do try to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the son of God who allowed Himself to be killed to atone for our sins, enabling Him to bless us with everlasting life without breaking the law of His Father that called for the punishment of sin. He took on that punishment for us as the only one worthy to do so. He was given all authority in Heaven and Earth for being obedient in that task. By His authority and because of His great love, He has forgiven us of everything we've ever done or thought that offended God - cleansing us in His sight and making us worthy of spending eternity in His presence, though we do not deserve it. We need only accept His gift of love and atonement, though we haven't earned it or deserve it. That's His Amazing Grace.

It is because of that selfless sacrifice that I am called to live in a way that would honor the One who gave of Himself so freely for the salvation of the world. If I represent Him - and as a Christian I do - then it is my duty to live in a way that does not hurt others. It is my duty to do what is good for others, and not myself. It is my duty to live wisely, always thinking of the future and of how my actions affect those around me. It is my duty to yield to my wife and love her as much as Christ loved the church - which means being willing to give my very life for her. And, it is my duty to share with others the love and grace of our God, who loved the world so much that He freely gave his only Son so that we may believe in Him and have everlasting life.

It seems like a great challenge, but Jesus Christ promised that it is easier than the burdens of the world. He told us that his yoke is easy, and the burden light. He said that the road is narrow that leads to Him - we must live purposefully and specifically to honor Him, and we will be rewarded greatly for it. I already see the blessings of my Father in my life, from a changed heart to a life of abundance. I can't imagine what the eternal blessings will be like, then. So what's stopping you? Because the scripture tells us He died for us while we were still sinners. He didn't wait for us to clean up our act before loving us enough to die for us, so we shouldn't try to do so before accepting that gift. Don't let guilt or shame or feelings of unworthiness stop you from accepting the gift he offers to you just as you are...

Thank you, Jesus, for your love and grace...

He Loves Me This Much - 4/26/08

2 Corinthians 6:18, "I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

God led me awhile ago to blog about this topic during my devotions, but I fled from it like Jonah running from the fish-slapping people of Nineveh, as we saw in the Veggie Tales movie. I didn't really want to risk offending my earthly father, so I ignored it entirely; I pretended like God didn't remind me of what He's done in my life. How silly. Lucky for me, He's not really one to let us ignore things ...

Today with a thirst for God's word and His presence, I sat down with my Bible and some music to seek His face. The first song, "Marvelous Light" by Charlie Hall started playing. The line, "I once was fatherless..." started playing as I turned the page in 2 Corinthians and read the line "I will be your Father..."

This was the very subject I avoided a couple weeks ago so I wouldn't risk offending my earthly dad.

The fact is, this is my testimony. I didn't grow up with a father around, and God filled that role for me when I was very young. He has done great things for me and in me; He has made me who I am and given me the life I enjoy today. He has been my God, my Father, my Friend, my Teacher. What right do I have to rob my God of His glory?

I was weak for shamefully putting anything before God, whether it be my own fear or another person's feelings. If the early Christians worried about offending people with their message of hope, the church would never have spread to the rest of the world.

God has promised that He will be our Father, in more places than just this one scripture. Our earthly fathers are temporary. And as humans, we're all broken and flawed. What can our earthly father provide that God cannot? Absolutely nothing ... and God gives us so much more. Beginning with his sacrifice on our behalf; his unconditional love and forgiveness. He also offers us a relationship.

He wants to be the One we go to, our confidant, friend, father, guide. He freely gives His love, and at times that love manifests in discipline - like any caring father. But ultimately He is the only constant in our lives, the only one whose love will not fade or change. He is the only part of our lives that will never change from now through eternity. Who wouldn't want that?

When God first brought this blog to mind, I was reminded of a music video that was played years ago at a men's conference in Seattle that I went to. Unfortunately, it is a country song. There's nothing really wrong with that, it's just not the music I choose to listen to. However, the message is moving and summarizes exactly how much our heavenly Father loves us. Here it is for your viewing pleasure, "I Love You This Much" by Jimmy Wayne:



Thank you, Father, for your love and guidance. I apologize for my disobedience. I love you, you are my Father and my friend and have paid the greatest price for me.

To Serve - 10/5/2007

Luke 17:10, "It is the same with you. When you have done everything you are told to do, you should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done the work we should do.'"

We are called to serve God. In doing so, we are promised an unimaginable reward. A reward so great that its eternal glory cannot be described in a way that we could understand it. That is why it is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no one can know what God has in store" 1 Corinthians 2:9.

But, this scripture in Luke captures the heart of the servant. Yes, we are called to serve, but we do not do so for the reward; we do not serve and honor God because of what we can get out of it. If that were so, we would not be serving God, we would be serving ourselves.

Our relationship with God is not a business deal. We do not enter into an agreement to serve so we can collect our "paycheck," our reward for serving. Rather, we serve God because it's what we should do, as the scripture says.

It explains how servants are to work - they serve with no expectation for reward. Their attitude is to say, "we are unworthy servants; we have only done the work we should do." They do not expect to be invited to eat with their master. They are satisfied with being able to serve him instead.

Luckily, our Master, our Savior, our God Almighty is loving. We know that He will indeed invite us to His banquet table, after telling us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant ... come and share my joy with me" Matthew 25:21. We were created to serve Him, but we were also created to be in an intimate, loving relationship with Him.

We can serve Him selflessly with humble, dedicated hearts because we know that He is good. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11. We know that His plan has our best interest at heart, even though we cannot see the whole picture or undersand why - until we look back and see ther perfection of His work.

Serve Him well. Obey Him. We are loved and will be rewarded, but remember that in the end, we are unworthy servants who have only done the work that they should do.

God Strikes, Our Reward - 7/26/07

2 Chronicles 20:15 & 17, "...Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."

The verse above is the response that the king Jehoshaphat received from a prophet in the crowd after he had prayed for God's help. Since the people attacking Judah were the result of obedience toward God rather than disobedience, the picture changed for the people of Judah. And so did the battle. "The battle is not yours, it's the Lord's." Johoshaphat prayed for protection against vast armies mounting an attack, and through the mouth of another that God sent him encouragement.

His prayer is a good model for one seeking protection or help from God. While praying, he brought to mind the fact that the armies approaching were from the lands God told Israel not to attack upon delivering them to the promised land. He humbled himself before God; not pointing his finger and saying, "This is your fault!" but rather, he stressed God's power and that the people did not know what to do, but they would still fix their eyes upon God. They relied totally upon God, trusting His power and favor to deliver them.

The people of Judah were told only to go out and face the oncoming armies. Not to get their weapons. Not to fortify their homes. They were asked to step out in faith, and to watch what the Lord would do. This reminds me of the verse in Isaiah that says, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."

God used the weapons brought to destroy Judah against those who wielded them. They all slaughtered each other in the presence of the servants of the Lord. The battle truly was the Lord's, since the people of Judah didn't enter into the fight for a second. We see here that though Judah faced a great challenge as a result of their obedience, God protectd them and made sure they would not suffer for it. All they were asked to do was to step up and face their enemies while relying on the strength and promise of the Lord.

Following God does not mean we should fear a backlash from the enemy. If our obedience leads to a threatening situation, we can be sure God will deliver us from it - for that is an example of when the battle is not ours, but the Lord's. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!

The Waiting Room - 7/24/2007

1 Samuel 13:8-14, "He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. 9 So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 "What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."
13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."

I am in a waiting room right now, so to speak. I am waiting on the interviews and job offers to start at the beginning of August. Teaching is a seasonal job, and consequently so is the hiring. Anxiety has set in, and I've found myself planning an imaginary move to nearby cities to "set up shop" and create the illusion of progress for myself. Although, I have pending applictions in several cities and the one I choose to move to doesn't necessarily mean that's the city in which I will be hired. Only God knows which one that is.

Waiting on God is an important part of following God. We may look around, as Saul's soldiers did, and feel anxious - pressuring ourselves into making a move. But if we move on our own timing instead of His, we probably will miss out on the incredible blessing He's arranging behind the scenes. God is perfect, so is His timing. We are imperfect, and so is our timing.

I have been reading the book Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets off and on. Today I picked it up, and the author alluded to this part of 1 Samuel to emphasize the importance of waiting on God. God, through the prophet Samuel, commanded Saul to wait for Samuel's arrival before making an offering, winning the Lord's favor before battle.

Saul was the king of Israel, and he saw that the men in his command had become anxious. Instead of doing as he was told, ceding his authority to God's, he took it upon himself to make the offering and rally the men for battle. Samuel described this as a foolish act. It showed a rebellious streak in the king's heart; a refusal to wait on God's timing. The consequence: God replaced him with David, "a man after God's own heart."

I must continue to wait on God. He has a job lined up for me, this I know. He's made this clear. I would rather be known as a man after God's own heart than one who is known to make a foolish act in a panic. So I wait. There's no reason not to - He's provided me with everything I need in the interim, and then some. Everything, that is, except the patience to wait. No, He's only provided the opportunity to use patience. So I will. I will patiently wait, because I love God and can trust Him. And I'm thankful that God used this scripture today to remind me of the bigger picture and set my focus back on Him. God's so cool!

The Promised Land - 5/31/06

Joshua 11:12, "He did just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded."

Joshua was the leader responsible for establishing a place for the Israelites to build God's nation. After leaving Egypt and wandering the desert for decades, the Israelites came upon the land of Canaan - the land God had promised to the people He chose to spread His name across the globe.

God needed to secure this land for the only group of people who worshipped Him on the planet. This is the place where His son would be born into the world and offered as a sacrifice to reunite God with all of His children - the same children who had separated themselves from Him by sinning. But first, Joshua must lead the smallest of nations into this land and defeat dozens of kings and their people.

Joshua and his army succeeded in every military campaign because he was obedient. He did exactly what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded. Therefore it wasn't by Joshua's own power or ability that he was able to deliver this land to God's people, but because the power of God went before him.

One thing that truly amazes me is that the same God, the exact same person who helped Joshua; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who defeated Pharaoh and the one who invented air, water, earth, and love - works directly in my own life with the same power and authority He had over His people throughout history.

Since that time though, the law has changed. God no longer needs a temple and a blood sacrifice because Jesus' blood sacrifice paid the debt caused by sin, and God has chosen the hearts of His people as His temple.

With the spirit of the living God living in me, I can experience the same level of direction and success when the odds are against me - as long as I am living according to God's will and honestly seeking His direction. Ephesians 6:14 emphasizes the concept of living by God's direction when it speaks of the "Armor of God." This armor consists of:

the belt of Truth
the protection of Right Living on your chest
on your feet wear the good news of Peace
carry the shield of Faith to stop all burning arrows of the Evil One
accept God's Salvation as your helmet
take the Sword of the spirit which is the word of God
... and Pray in the spirit at all times

Joshua had the "protection of right living" on his chest. He lived according to God's will, plan, and purpose. For that reason, he was protected when standing against an army three times the size of his own. In the same way, God will protect us if the way we live is right in His eyes. Not only will He deliver us from our enemy, but He will establish us in a land flowing with milk and honey - a prosperous life where the protection of His hand will allow us to enjoy success.

Being Still - 4/26/06

2 Corinthians 12:8-10, "...take this problem away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.' ...when I am weak, then I am truly strong."

His grace is enough for me, too. Even though I can't see His plan for my life or where He's leading me right now, that shouldn't matter. I have His grace, meaning favor or good will. It also means mercy/clemency, and specifically the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

His grace is enough for me. I know that He has plans for me, ".... plans to do good and not to harm me. Plans to give [me] hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. I can sigh heavily in my discontent or pout, but really I should know that I am in His favor and that is enough. His grace is enough for me. Just like Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God."

"Be still and know that I am God."
"Be still and know that I am God."
"Be still and know that I am God."

That's what the scripture above means when it states that His power is made perfect in our weakness. We finally decide to be quiet and let God do His work. So often, it is only in our weakness that we rely on God, which is the opposite of how we're supposed to live. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." We're supposed to lean on Him always so He can guide our paths, rather than make our own decisions and then look to Him for validation or supporting miracles. But, coming to Him in our weakness, humbling ourselves and relying on Him, opens the door for Him to work in our lives. That's how His power is made perfect in us -- we give Him complete control or our wills and our hearts.

There lies the greatest challenge. I had a conversation last night with the guys in my Bible study about what a mature Christian looks like. We decided that they've learned to live by faith, trusting in God and almost never questioning His will or purpose -- which makes me a toddler.

Basically, regardless of the circumstances we're facing or the uncertainty of the future, we must praise the God who has our best interests at heart and remember that no matter what, we serve Him, not the other way around. When we finally see the big picture, we'll understand how His path, while confusing from our point of view, was perfect in every way. Even when it leads us through challenges. I like the lyrics of this new song:

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen"and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear
You whisper through the rain"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
Who gives and takes away

Chorus:
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my sideA
nd though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear
You whisper through the rain"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
Who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

"Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns

True Wealth - 4/22/06

Hebrews 11:24-27, “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt. He was not afraid of the king … he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.”

“The one who is invisible.” Moses wasn’t afraid of the wrath of the king, because he kept his eyes on the true king. He chose to serve the one true God rather than himself or the Gods of Egypt or the wealth and power he was raised under.

It says in this scripture that the pleasures of the sinful Egyptian culture were fleeting. Moses saw that it was better to suffer and seek the will of God; to be in God’s favor. He lowered himself to ensure that he was seeking the will of the one true king rather than his own. Not many of us would have the strength it takes to walk away from the easy life and submit our will to God’s every moment of every day.

To be treated as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter meant to enjoy all the wealth and privilege of Egypt. Moses decided to forsake all of that to become a slave. He left the courts of Pharaoh to bake in the brickworks with the slaves of Pharaoh’s monuments.

Jesus Christ did the same thing – He stepped down from His throne and the courts of heaven to join with His people in their slavery – slavery to sin and death.

Moses humbled himself before God, and He used Moses to deliver a nation. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to His father’s will, and God used Him to deliver all nations. Through Him, we’ve been delivered from sin’s bondage; it’s cycle of destruction. And, we’ve been delivered from the eternal power of death. We have still sinned, and will suffer the consequence of separation through the death of our physical bodies. But, we will not suffer the sting of eternal death, but will live forever by Christ’s sacrifice. He served His father’s will and freed us all to pursue holiness in this world and then enjoy life everlasting.

Moses showed us that when you do let God’s will reign over your own, great things will happen, and the Lord will further His kingdom. And at the end of all things when His glory is revealed to all mankind, we will be found standing on His side enjoying the ever-lasting joy and freedom He has freely given to us.

Journey To The Rock - 4/8/06

Peter 2:4,6, & 8, "Come to the Lord Jesus, the 'stone' that lives. The people of this world did not want this stone, but He was the stone God chose, and He was precious. The scripture says, I will put a stone in the ground in Jerusalem. Everything will be built on this important and precious rock. Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed. Also, He's a stone that causes people to stumble, a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they do not obey what God says."

The analogy of the stone, or rock, surfaces so often in reference to God. It's a great way to describe the power and stability of our Lord. In this scripture from Peter (Peter's name means "rock" or "stone"), Jesus fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah. The one the Jewish people rejected was chosen to be the foundation of all. This same rock will stand strong against those who sin - causing the shaky ground on which they built their lives to crumble and forcing them to rebuild on the solid rock of Christ Jesus.

As Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman at the well, if you come to Him, the "stone that lives," as Peter puts it, your thirst will be permanently quenched. John 4:13, "Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life."

There is a song that refers to Jesus as "a fount of living water." He can quench a thrist you don't even know you have. A thirst for truth. A thirst for love. A thirst for something real, at least one thing in your life that is permanent, unchanging, that has the strength of a rock. Deuteronomy 8:15, "He led you through the large and terrible desert that was dry and had no water, that had poisonous snakes and stinging insects. He gave you water from a solid rock..."

Moses struck a rock with his rod and a spring of water flowed from it in the desert for God's children. The teachings of Jesus - of love, forgiveness, and a relationship with God, work in the same way. They are a life-giving stream that flow from THE Rock.

The woman at the well met the Rock of Ages, and couldn't help but tell everyone that the Messiah was here. She wanted to share the life giving water flowing from the cornerstone of God's kingdom. John 4:42, "They said to the woman, 'First we believed in Jesus because of your speech, but now we believe because we heard Him ourselves. We know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

This woman shared the life giving water, and they believed. Their thirst was quenced because she shared what she knew to be true. Then, they believed after receiving life from the source. Psalm 73:27-28, "... But I am close to God, and that is good. The Lord God is my protection. I will tell all that you have done."

I will tell all that you have done so that others may taste the life-giving water that you receive when coming to the rock. Then they too can turn to the source of that water like the Samaritans did, so they may have a spring of water gushing up inside them - giving eternal life. Then we may never again thirst for true love, truth, and a quenching relationship with the savior.

Money Money Money ... (MONEY!) - 3/25/06

Ecclesiastes 5:10&11, “Whoever loves money will never have enough money; whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it. This also useless. The more wealth people have, the more friends they have to help spend it. So what do people really gain? They gain nothing except to look at their riches.”

I don’t really feel like I’m struggling with materialism at this point in my life, but I know I have in the past and there may be a point in the future when I’ll do so again. So, I’m going along with what I feel to be God’s direction here in His word today.

I came across this scripture almost immediately after opening my Bible. It used to be a favorite of mine — probably back when I first discovered my materialism, “He who loves money will never have money enough.” This from the wisest King ever to rule — and probably the wealthiest. I believe Solomon was speaking from wisdom AND experience here.

The line directly following this quote in the scripture explains a bit about why the lover of money never has enough, “whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it.” That’s because happiness isn’t found in wealth. Wealth is “useless,” as it says here. Happiness cannot come from things. Sure, you may have more friends with increased wealth, but they’re not the kind that bring happiness either, they’re the kind that help you spend money. Chances are when the money runs out, so will they.

A favorite quote of mine I heard a couple years ago goes, “If you can’t be happy without it, you won’t be happy with it.” If there is one thing you’re pining for — putting your hope for happiness into — you’ll see when you get it that it wasn’t what you really wanted or expected because such things cannot bring lasting satisfaction or happiness. Hope in Christ is the only lasting source of satisfaction and pure joy.

Yesterday I was listening to the “Spirit” SIRIUS radio station at work. Between songs, the DJ played a great quote that caught my attention, “Envy is counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.” If we focus our energy on serving God rather than ourselves, our needs will be met AND we’ll be rewarded. If we are good stewards of what we have been given, even more will be added to our lives, according to the parable in Matthew 25:14-30. I believe that applies to being good stewards of everything God has given us, not just money: our homes, the people in our lives, our bodies … we must demonstrate responsibility to our God before we’re blessed with increase.

To do so, we must constantly seek His will to truly serve Him and not ourselves. Remember, you cannot serve yourself and Him at the same time. “No one can serve two masters. The person will hate one master and love the other, or will follow one master and refuse to follow the other. You cannot serve both God and worldly riches” Matthew 6:24.

I will then continue to try and serve God — something permanent — rather than the temporary possessions and lifestyles of this world.

Longing, Love, & Loyalty - 3/22/06

James 4:2-5, 7 & 10, “You do not get what you want, because you do not ask God. Or when you ask, you do no receive because the reason you ask is wrong. You want things so you can use them for your own pleasures. So, you are not loyal to God! You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. Do you think the scripture means nothing that says, ‘The Spirit that God made to live in us wants us for himself alone?’

So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you. Don’t be too proud in the Lord’s presence, and He will make you great.”

There is so much truth here. James 4 is a great chapter. Here, we are reminded that we need only to ask and we shall receive what we need from our loving God. It's possible though that if we have asked and did not receive it's because the reason we asked is wrong. Are we asking Him to provide something that would help us to better serve Him? Or are we asking for something that will serve our own will and our own desires - or for our own plan in our lives rather than His? MY GOD IS NOT MY GENIE. I've had to remind myself of that several times. I serve Him, not the other way around. Yes, he has the power to give me anything, but won’t do so if that thing will replace God in my life.

Read the next part of the above scripture — if you ask of something for your own pleasure, you are not loyal to God. In fact, loyalty to the world makes us God’s enemy. Hmmm...that’s not really a position I want to be in. At some point, every Christian has to face his or her longing for worldly things, and power — absolute control over every aspect of our lives. This is one of the hardest things to give to God; control of our will.

The scripture above also quotes a line from Exodus, reminding us that God wants us for Himself alone. This is from the original Ten Commandments where God admits to being a jealous God. In fact, the very first commandment is to have no other Gods except Him, followed by the commandment to worship no idols. We worship Him and Him alone.

Check, and, check. I’ve never made a Golden Calf or a statue of a man with the head of a jackal. You can come over and check for yourself. Definitely never worshiped either of them.
Except … we can idolize and worship less obvious replacements of God. Fame. Money. Power. Money. Control. Success. Money. Good looks. Talent. Money. Control. These are the true American Idols, Simon.

Read the book of Hosea. He was an Old Testament prophet, and God commanded him to marry a prostitute, Gomer. He made her promise to stop doing her business and devote her love and loyalty to him. So she did. For awhile, then she started to go back to her old ways. Grounds for divorce, right? Nope. God commanded Hosea to take her back and ask her to re-commit herself to him. Whoah! Why? Because the Israelites — and we — have done the exact same thing to God. There is no other human experience that can explain the emotions God has when we replace Him with other things except infidelity. He feels cheated, and rightfully so.

I have been Gomer. I’ve let the devil tempt me in the past to seek out my own will or chase sin; to make my own selfish plans for my life and I know that it hurt God. But He took me back and would a thousand times over. The scripture in James clearly states that if we resist the devil and his temptations, he will flee from us. The One whose Holy Spirit lives within us has already defeated the devil so we need only to declare our allegiance to Jesus and that will chase him away. And if we come near to God, He will come near to us. So we can easily prevent any future "Gomerisms" by making an effort to draw near to God every day.

His love will never fail us, never end, and never give up. We’re human and make mistakes, but we’re forgiven before we even ask for it. That’s living under grace. What’s more, living for Him rather than ourselves will bring about greater blessings than anything we would have chosen for ourselves anyway. “Don’t be too proud in the Lord’s presence, and He will make you great.” Humble yourself enough to serve His will instead of your own, and He will take great joy in elevating you so all can see God’s power in your life. You will have great success and blessings so that He may receive the glory. Then, our longing will not be for material things, but only for Him and His Love, and He will have our Loyalty until that day when we get to be with Him and His other servants for eternity in His love, His peace.

Additives & Preservatives - 3/16/06

(Nutrition = Bible)
2 Peter 1:3, “Jesus has the power of God, by which He has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know Him. Jesus called us by His glory and goodness.”

Read that verse again, slowly.

By the power of God, given to Jesus, WE have been given EVERYTHING we need to live and to serve God. Remember Luke 12:22-31? Your God has taken care of you; He knows everything you need before you do. Think of these as preservatives. In one sense, He’s brought these things into your life to keep you fresh and healthy, so you can focus on more important things rather than seeking them out on your own. In another sense, they are pre-serve-atives. “Pre” meaning “before,” and “serve” referring to serving God. They are first given to you when He calls you so you can be free to go out and serve God without worrying where your next meal will come from.

Now read the second line of the scripture — we have all we need to live, and serve God, because we know Him. We have a relationship with the source of all things. God is our one true God, but also our father, our friend, our teacher, our love. He doesn’t want the relationship a donor has with a charity — He wants to be a part of our lives.

Look at the next line in the scripture to confirm that. HE called US. It’s not like He was playing intergalactic monopoly with angels and then we interrupted Him with a prayer or petition. He first chose us, our entering into His presence is the return of our heart to His call.

So if we don’t have to worry about the basics in life, then what? Read on! 2 Peter 1:5-9, “Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives:

To your faith, add goodness; to this add

Knowledge; to this add

Self Control; to this add

Patience; to this add

Service for God; to this add

Kindness for Brothers and Sisters in Christ; to this add

Love

…if all of these things are in you and growing, they will help you to be useful and productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

These are the additives that follow Jesus’ pre-serve-atives. He’s taken care of you, and now you are free to respond to the call of His service. There are more blessings for you in doing so. God still has a lot of work to do in this world, and wants to use us as His hands and His feet to go out and do that work. But, we’re not puppets or robots. We have free will, and must make a conscious decision and honest effort to add this list to our lives and serve Him, always giving the credit, the glory, and honor for what we’ve achieved to our Lord.

Kingdom Culture - 3/11/06

John 12:42-43, “But many believed in Jesus, even many of the leaders. But because of Pharisees, they did not say they believed in Him for fear they would be put out of the synagogue. They loved praise from people more than praise from God.”

A true follower of Christ is just that — a follower. A believer who has taken the extra step to act on what he or she believes is true. A follower is willing to walk away from anything they once held valuable for the sake of God. They love praise from God more than praise from people.
But the verse above refers to the opposite — those who love praise from people more than praise from God. They are believers, but they refuse to act on their belief for fear of rejection.

Their culture was centered around the synagogue and the fear of being banished from it; ours centers around entertainment and gratification of individual/selfish desires. People living in both cultures must decide between trading praise from people with praise from God — by acting out what they believe to be true.

The culture of the Kingdom of God is what unites the two groups, and anybody in any other culture or ethnic group. Mutual beliefs and values separate the Christian from the surrounding culture, turning them into a beacon of kingdom values. 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, you are like foreigners and strangers in this world. I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul.”

Our culture promotes so many of these evil things that fight against our soul as “normal” and even a “rite of passage.” A quote in the Max Lucado Bible from Walter Wangerin addresses the world’s “healthy” promotion of sexual activity. This is a quote from his book As For Me And My House. Sorry for the length, but it’s good food….

“…[they] justified their sin by the premise that sexual satisfaction is somehow their right — because God made them this way and they can’t help it; because the world makes so much of sexual experience; because they don’t receive enough “loving” from their spouses.
But in fact, the marriage vow subordinates one’s individual satisfactions in all areas to one’s marital partner — declaring publicly that sex is less important than one’s spouse, less important than the health of the relationship. Sexual satisfaction is no longer a right, but a blessing, a gift of the relationship to its partners….

He who worships anything of himself is a candidate for extra-marital sex. His marriage is vulnerable. His desires have become his privileges. So long as he is his own god, he feels himself free to obey nothing and no one but himself.

But he who takes seriously his declared commitment to the mutual relationship with his spouse, will guard the marriage even against the assaults of his own desires. His attitude sensitizes him, making him careful, wary, and aware. He will be able identify as threats those desires that are purely personal and merely self-satisfying. He will recognize them already when they are weak and small, before they grow monstrous and demanding; and…while he can, cut them off and quench them.”

Diamond In The Rough - 2/10/06

Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

I heard a song on the radio this morning whose lyrics caught my attention. The chorus basically stated, "I'm going to shine for you" in reference to Jesus. For some reason that made me think of diamonds, which also shine. I think Christians are a lot like diamonds. This verse above states that believers are the light of the world. But like diamonds, we do not produce our own light -- we merely reflect the source.

And like diamonds, we were not always so useful. Diamonds are originally coal, well-designed to burn and give off angry red heat. But with pressure and time, the coal is transformed into something more precious and useful. Similarly, we are transformed in Christ. When we believe, we become a new creation. A new creation, but raw and rough. We need to be shaped. We need to be cut. We have unsightly inclusions -- parts of our former selves we apparently could not let go of or wouldn't allow change to effect. But, the more we are cut, chiseled, shaped, ground, and polished, the more light we reflect. Is this an enjoyable process? Not usually. No more enjoyable than being disciplined by a loving parent, but it needs to be done. And the end result is more than worth it.

Luckily, we have a creator who is able to look at a dusty piece of black coal and see it, love it even for its full potential. He takes the effort to select each piece, transforming it and then taking the time to perfect it, cutting away dark inclusions that absorb light. When His work is finished, we are jewels fit to be included in His finest craftsmanship, but not before we shine against other coals. After all, that's what we Christians still are -- we're just pretty coal. Our origins have not changed, but our future has. And before we take the final step to enter that future, we can reflect His light against the dark shadows of piles of coal so that they may believe in His glory and become transformed under the weight of His love and majesty, ready then to be perfected in His hands.