Money Troubles

I was raised to be wise with my money. I've never been in debt, and I have always had money saved away in case of an emergency. I try not to buy stuff I don't absolutely need. Actually, it is almost painful to spend money at all. I try to be good with the resources God has given to me. I've never lived hand to mouth. I am blessed to have a steady job that pays enough so I don't have to do that. 

But in all honesty, I'm a little stingy when it comes to trusting God financially. I know He is capable of providing for my every need. I've never gone hungry. It's just so hard to give up the fact that I like money. 

I know I'm not the only one out there either. America is obsessed with the stuff. It's all about making money, spending money, and getting others to spend their money. Our culture is a slave to money. 

It is so hard to be a Christian and not focus on money. It is around every corner, trying to trap us. "You need me! I can do so much for you!" We worry and obess about our finances. Should I do this or that? I don't know if that is a wise decision to make with my money! Worry, worry worry! 

But Jesus told us not to.

"Therefore i tell you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, the clothes you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25

Before we continue, let's go back. The verses starts with "therefore" so we need to find out why. 

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where niether moths nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

We often don't put these two passages together when we read. In fact, in most Bibles, the translators or whoever broke them up. But if you read them together, it actually makes sense because Jesus uses a couple of little illustrations. 

"Your eye is the lamp to your body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your body will be full of darkness. If then, the light in you is darkness, how great the darkness!" 

Matthew 6:22-23

Huh? What does this have to do with treasures in heaven and not worrying about money? Well, Jesus then goes on to say that you can't serve two masters. Still not tracking? 

"You cannot serve God and money." 

 You use your  eyes to show you where to walk. You focus on stuff with your eyes. If you focus on the right things, you will see clearly and not stumble. If you can't see, it is so much harder to get around! You have to hear and feel your way along. What Jesus is saying is that if you are focused on the treasures of this world, you will miss the point: Eternity. 

Therefore, don't worry about the little things like food, clothes, and housing. Look at even the most helpless thing of nature like birds and flowers. They don't have bank accounts and pantries. Still, they have everything they need! And we, who are created in God's image, aren't we more valuable to God than birds and flowers? So why are we obsessing about our needs. God will supply all of me. Instead "seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness. Then all these things [food, water, clothing] will be added to you" 

That goes against everything our culture says. It tells us to worry about our future. Think ahead to what you want to do and how much money you want to make. Go to college, get up to your ears in student loans-loans by the way, that won't be paid off for a long time. Pursue a career that will give you the life you want. It's all about the status on the social ladder. Do you look like you make a lot of money? Do you have a nice house and a nice car? Can you afford to go on vacation to expensive places? Money, money money. 

How many big decisions do you make based on money? Think about it. Are you letting money get in the way of e life that God has for you? If He has a plan for you, follow it. Don't worry about the money. Choose to trust God and not money. Focus on the Kingdom-not money. Let your life be ruled by what God wants you to do instead of what money will allow you to do. I'm not saying to be stupid with money, just don't let in run your life. Let Christ truly be the center of your life.

Shake us up, Lord! 

Today

Today, I choose trust.

Today,I choose to trust God. 

Today, I choose God's word over my own. 

Today, I will put one foot in front of the other.

Today, I will hold on.

Tomorrow, I may slip.

Tomorrow, I may put one foot behind the other.

Tomorrow, I may choose my word over God's.

Tomorrow, I may trust me.

Tomorrow, I may choose faithlessness.

But today, I choose trust because He has made everything beautiful in its time. 

Shake us up, Lord!

Heart

Good works. 

What do you think of when you see those words? What are good works? 

For some, they are a way to get to heaven. For others, they are a way of keeping up appearances. For Christians, though, they are what we do. 

But where is that line between bringing God glory and bringing us glory? 

We know that good works don't save us (Isaiah 53:6, Eph 5:8-9). We also know that good works are a fruit of faith (James 2:17). But somehow we make good works a part of our sanctification. 

I grew up around and in the legalistic community of Christians. There was always this emphasis on doing good, looking just so, acting in this or that way, and separating ourselves from the evil in the world. Sounds good, right? Wrong. I was all about what we were doing to be "Good Christians" and became less about what Christ was doing in our lives to make us into His image. All of this was being motivated out of a self-centered, greatest-in-God's-kingdom heart. We had lost our reason-Jesus Christ. We had the good works. We didn't have the heart. 

Revelation 3:1-6 speaks to the church in Sardis about their good works. They had a reputation of being alive because of their works, when in fact they were dead. They had the appearance of lividity, but it was just the makeup of good works. "Wake up and strengthen what remains and what is about to die for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God." Not complete. Just as faith without works is dead, works without heart are incomplete. They are hollow. You can do all the right thing, say all the right things, and look like all the right things, but if you are doing it so that people will think well of you, you're doing it wrong. 

Our good works  should point to THE good work-Christ and Him crucified.  This isn't just for the legalists. Any good work you do should be for the glory of God. Don't do it so that everyone will say, "Wow! They're really dedicated!" Instead, do it because you love Jesus and you want to serve Him in any way you can. 

Maybe that means you do all those things that no one sees. Or maybe it means staying humble in the lime light. Whatever it is, let it point to Jesus. 

Shake us up, Lord! 

Respect

What does it mean to respect?

Webster defines respect as a high or special regard to someone or something. Respect for your elders and those in a leadership position over you. That is one way of looking at it.

Respect has come to mean more than esteem or reverence. We talk a lot about being respectful of our equals in school. Not bullying is a form of respect. Seeing someone as a person and not a punching bag is a kind of esteem. Maybe you don't put them on a pedestal, but you don't look down on them or discount their opinions.

Respect is seeing someone as an equal. Respect is seeing someone as valid.

You see yourself as important. You see yourself as valid. Your respect yourself in some way or other. So why not respect others?

Maybe it's because you get your validity from putting people down. When you get the chance to see yourself as higher than someone, you feel better about yourself. I know you don't do it consciously. But deep down inside there is that attitude. If you can be right and they can be wrong, your life is a little less dreary.

Look at 1 Tim. 2:1-4. Paul says to make supplications and thanksgivings for ALL PEOPLE, not just your friends and the people you respect. Not only that but Paul takes it a step further. "For kings, and all who are in high positions". Now don't start getting technical with me. When he says kings, that includes-dare I say it- our president. Yep. Paul says to pray and give thanksgivings for our dear old president.

I don't know about you, but I don't particularly love our president. I'm not political, really but I am not a big fan of the decisions he's made lately. Now I know a lot of people (dear friends of mine) who are very political. I was raised around people who believed in being active in the government . I got a little wrapped up in it myself for a time. Anymore all I do is vote and then roll my eyes every time our president does something I don't agree with.

But that's not what Paul told Timothy and the believers to do. He said to be thankful for these people in high places. There is always a higher up we won't be a fan of. Keep in mind Paul was writing to a group of people under Roman rule. Don't think for a second that they had an easier job of respecting the rulers of their day. They lived in a corrupt society. Many of the people in high positions were persecuting the Christians Paul was writing to.

Paul didn't say we had to agree with them. He just said to pray and be thankful. Why? "So that we might a peaceful and quiet life, Godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior who desires that all be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth."

After all, is it really so important that we be right and they be wrong? Look at your higher ups through God's eyes. He wants them to be saved. They're lost. They need what you have. Who are you to think of yourself as better than them? Do really think you are more deserving of eternal life than they are? So what if they are messing up? Isn't that just a symptom of the fact that they need Jesus? God wants us to live in peace with others. Respect. Respect them enough to wish them the same grace shown to you. God has put them over you for a reason. If nothing else do it for God's name sake. Respect them enough to put aside you differences and honor them. Submit to those in authority over you.

I get that you have your opinions. Do you think that they are more valid that the president's? He is a smart person and didn't come by his views randomly. We need to be the ones setting the example of submission and respect. Not agreement. You don't have to agree with everything he does. Just respect. That's all.

Shake us up, Lord!