Tag Archives: money
Bless-ed! 52 Blessings Your Lost Friend Doesn’t Have . . . And What You Can Do About It! (Part 25)
I understand that someone asked a question of John Davison Rockefeller Sr., an American business magnate and philanthropist whose net worth in the early 19th Century was $418 billion, “How much money does a person really need?” And he reportedly answered, “Just a little bit more!”
My friend Mike, who has not yet trusted Christ as his Savior, is fairly wealthy and quite generous. He has plenty of earthly treasures, but as of yet, isn’t storing up treasures in heaven as Jesus teaches (Matt. 6:19-20). I believe it could be said that for many of my unsaved friends —
25. THEY DON’T POSSESS A BALANCED PERSPECTIVE ON POSSESSIONS!
I’m not saying that my friends are greedy or materialistic, but many of them do lack a biblical perspective on what they own. This is also true of many of us Jesus followers. In a sense, our possessions often possess us.
God’s Word is clear that He is not anti-matter, that what we own isn’t really ours, that things are not to be more valued than people, and that He uses material blessings for His glory. We are stewards not only of His grace but of the gifts He gives to use for Him. Some preachers have said that Jesus taught more about money than He did about heaven. I’ve not checked that out, but He does warn of greed (Lk. 12:15) and Scripture warns of our temptation to esteem others based on their financial status (see James 2).
The Bible provides very specific principles about our possessions. Here are a few: (1) All that we have we have from the Lord (I Cor. 4:7); (2) Even your own life has been bought at the price of Christ’s blood (I Cor. 6:19-20); (3) One’s life and value are not dependent on what one owns (Lk. 12:15); (4) We are to learn to be content in either poverty or material abundance (Phil. 4:11-12); (5) We should be ready to share materially with those in need (Eph. 4:28); (6) Earthly wealth can keep people out of the kingdom of God (Mk. 10); and (7) God is not anti-possessions (Acts 4-5).
How are we to pray for our lost friends? We are not to be selfish or preoccupied with our material possessions, but be willing to share with others. So we pray for ourselves to be good stewards of God’s grace and God’s blessings. And we pray for our lost friends that they would seek the Lord “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (I Tim. 6:17).
Some Musings on Hebrews 13 (Part 4)
As I have often mentioned in this blog, my friend Frank and I have an agreement. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.
We are finishing up our reading of the book of Hebrews. And there is much in this final chapter that I just have to go over with you. Let’s look at the next verse:
Choosing to keep our lives free from the love of money and learning to be content with what we have flow from an understanding of God’s abiding presence with us. He has promised never to leave or forsake us!
Taking that perspective on our lives and our possessions should lead us to make a declaration — a confident declaration: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (v. 6).
Great question! What can mere mortals do to me? Well, they can rob me of my stuff, but they can’t steal my joy in Jesus. They can swindle me out of my retirement funds, but they can’t bar me from heaven. They can take away my earthly goods, but they can’t separate me from my heavenly Savior.
Today’s Challenge: The antidote to fear is faith in the Lord, in His help, in His abiding and sustaining presence. Be confident today, my friend, not in yourself or your stuff, but in Your Savior!
Some Musings on Hebrews 13 (Part 3)
As I have often mentioned in this blog, my friend Frank and I have an agreement. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.
We are finishing up our reading of the book of Hebrews. And there is much in this final chapter that I just have to go over with you. Let’s look at the next verse:
This is an amazing text! Before we examine it a bit more closely, feel free to click on the play button for 22 seconds of the music group Abba’s perspective!
The verse clearly challenges believers to “keep your lives free from the love of money”! Many people wrongly think that “money is the root of all evil.” That’s not what the Bible says. The passage that is often misquoted is I Timothy 6:10 which says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Notice: (1) It is the love of money that is a root of evil. It is not the only root of evil. (2) The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (3) An eagerness for money has caused some to wander from the faith and to pierce themselves with many griefs!
How about one more audio clip emphasizing the acquiring of money? This one is from the Beatles in 1963!
We are to “keep our lives free from the love of money”! Why? Because true contentment comes from recognizing God’s abiding presence with us! Money will vanish. Possessions will break or be stolen or get lost. But God’s promise of His never leaving us should be our anchor and assurance. And that’s what we should want!
Today’s Challenge: How do you look at money? Is it a tool to do the will of God and to enjoy the good gifts that He gives? Praise Him for His abiding presence with us — whether we are materially blessed . . . or not!
A Salesman Joke!
The phone rang. It was a salesman from a mortgage refinance company.
“Do you have a second mortgage on your home?”
“No,” the woman replied.
“Would you like to consolidate all your debts?”
“I really don’t have any debts,” she said.
“How about freeing up cash for home improvements?” he tried.
“I don’t need any. I just recently had some done and paid cash,” she parried.
There was a brief silence, and then he asked, “Are you looking for a husband?”
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 