For some Americans, god went bankrupt last fall. How? Because money was their god. And when the economy crashed, their god failed them. Many lost everything.
For others, sports is a god. That god has been morally and ethically bankrupt for a long time.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that a little extreme?”
Not if we listen to Jesus. He spoke truth in a way that helps us understand the lies we believe.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Your master, your god is what you serve. It’s what makes you feel alive. For some folks it’s money. It occupies their every waking thought. Follow the money. It’s all about the money.
For others, it’s sports. It starts out as a harmless hobby. But soon they eat, sleep and breathe sports. It’s all they want to talk about. It’s the most important thing in their lives. They live for sports. Sports becomes their god. But sports makes a poor god.
You hear at school how great sports is. How it builds character.
Tell that to all the disappointed fans of sports stars who used performance enhancing drugs. Tell it to the coaches who have all they can do to keep some players out of jail.
If money, sports or anything else is your god, it will let you down every time. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy your soul and give you peace, purpose and provide for your needs.
When you follow Jesus, he blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about getting religion. I’m speaking of a one to one, heart to heart relationship with your creator-God, Jesus Christ. He loves you and died for your sin on the cross almost two thousand years ago.
I’m also not talking about just going to a church or joining an organization.
Just as Jesus came to serve others, so Christ’s followers find joy and purpose in serving others together in his name. Local churches give the opportunity to do that. But a church can’t save your soul or change your life. Only Jesus Christ can do that.
Following Jesus is a journey. It begins when one puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ.
The first step is to hear the gospel and believe he is the Son of God as he claimed. That his death paid the penalty for your sin. And that his resurrection is the basis for a new life through faith in Christ. (Don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.)
You continue the journey by becoming part of a local church. There you can explore and grow in your faith in Christ. You can worship God in spirit and in truth. And you will find opportunities to put your faith in action by sharing your faith with others and serving the needy.
Through the trials of life you learn that God is faithful. As you grow closer to him, your life takes on a whole new purpose and meaning compared to what you were before. Soon you realize that every task and every person in need is an opportunity to serve God and grow in your faith.
Sadly not everyone follows Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
When it comes to worshipping God you have a choice. Don’t serve any of the bankrupt gods of this age. You can’t depend on them. Instead choose the narrow road, the path less traveled.
Follow Jesus. Learn from him. Live for him. Because in the end, that’s all that matters.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Monday, September 7, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Money Trouble
Have you heard the news lately? We’ve got trouble. And it’s getting worse.
The last six months redefined the economic reality of our world. Boom years are history.
Since the stock market’s high point in October 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down some 50 percent. That means over the last 18 months we’ve seen half the value of our nation's wealth vanish into thin air.
Unemployment is the highest in 25 years. Millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed. Small businesses are hurting. Big businesses are on the edge of bankruptcy.
One commentator put it like this: “Confidence is low. Credit is tight. People are anxious.”
What about our leaders? They seem clueless. Congress is spending money we don’t have to fix a problem they don’t understand. And we’re already in debt up to our eyeballs!
If there’s a silver lining to this storm cloud it’s that we’re better off than the rest of the world.
What’s the solution? So far there doesn’t seem to be one that will work.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that depressing? Where can we turn for help?”
How about God? Seriously.
Oh, sure—people pray, but when will we get serious about God? Like we did after 9/11?
Economically, the effects of this crisis could be more far reaching than the World Trade Center tragedy. This is a global economic mess. Fasten your seatbelt. It may be a rough ride.
Casual conversations frequently turn to the economy. People who never followed the stock market watch it now. They ask each other, “What’s going on? What will happen next?”
Does God have our attention yet?
Many years ago God told another nation in crisis, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Does that sound like something we need? No doubt. So what will you do about it?
Instead of pursuing possessions, will you seek God? Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In one sentence Jesus diagnosed our trouble.
Our problem is we worship stuff and use God. Just the opposite of what we should do.
Jesus’ solution is to “store up for yourselves treasure in heaven” and to be “rich toward God.” We do that by spending money on things that have eternal value.
What if the Stock Market goes lower? What if you lose more of your wealth? What if you lose your job? Why not invest your time, energy and resources in God’s work now, where it will bring eternal returns?
This spring I’ll be in Trinidad on a mission trip. Friends who’ve invested in this trip know there will be eternal dividends on their money. Lives will be changed for good.
God is shaking our country and the world. He is making us all reconsider what we value, where our treasure is, where our hearts are. He is preparing us to stand before him.
When we see God, the Bible says there will be a day of accounting. He will ask us what we did with the resources He entrusted to us. What would you like to be able to tell him? That you helped the poor, fed the hungry and clothed the naked? That you helped the troubled find peace?
Some will be ashamed to say they spent everything on themselves. But that doesn’t have to be you! Start today and make an eternal difference in someone’s life. You’ll be glad you did.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
The last six months redefined the economic reality of our world. Boom years are history.
Since the stock market’s high point in October 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down some 50 percent. That means over the last 18 months we’ve seen half the value of our nation's wealth vanish into thin air.
Unemployment is the highest in 25 years. Millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed. Small businesses are hurting. Big businesses are on the edge of bankruptcy.
One commentator put it like this: “Confidence is low. Credit is tight. People are anxious.”
What about our leaders? They seem clueless. Congress is spending money we don’t have to fix a problem they don’t understand. And we’re already in debt up to our eyeballs!
If there’s a silver lining to this storm cloud it’s that we’re better off than the rest of the world.
What’s the solution? So far there doesn’t seem to be one that will work.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that depressing? Where can we turn for help?”
How about God? Seriously.
Oh, sure—people pray, but when will we get serious about God? Like we did after 9/11?
Economically, the effects of this crisis could be more far reaching than the World Trade Center tragedy. This is a global economic mess. Fasten your seatbelt. It may be a rough ride.
Casual conversations frequently turn to the economy. People who never followed the stock market watch it now. They ask each other, “What’s going on? What will happen next?”
Does God have our attention yet?
Many years ago God told another nation in crisis, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Does that sound like something we need? No doubt. So what will you do about it?
Instead of pursuing possessions, will you seek God? Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In one sentence Jesus diagnosed our trouble.
Our problem is we worship stuff and use God. Just the opposite of what we should do.
Jesus’ solution is to “store up for yourselves treasure in heaven” and to be “rich toward God.” We do that by spending money on things that have eternal value.
What if the Stock Market goes lower? What if you lose more of your wealth? What if you lose your job? Why not invest your time, energy and resources in God’s work now, where it will bring eternal returns?
This spring I’ll be in Trinidad on a mission trip. Friends who’ve invested in this trip know there will be eternal dividends on their money. Lives will be changed for good.
God is shaking our country and the world. He is making us all reconsider what we value, where our treasure is, where our hearts are. He is preparing us to stand before him.
When we see God, the Bible says there will be a day of accounting. He will ask us what we did with the resources He entrusted to us. What would you like to be able to tell him? That you helped the poor, fed the hungry and clothed the naked? That you helped the troubled find peace?
Some will be ashamed to say they spent everything on themselves. But that doesn’t have to be you! Start today and make an eternal difference in someone’s life. You’ll be glad you did.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Flying High
It’s an election year again and Americans are high. No, not on drugs--high on politics!
Media outlets are busy helping crown the winners. Politics rules TV news shows and the editorial pages. People devour the candidates’ latest gaffes and sound bytes. We’re hooked.
We shake our heads at the attack ads. But we watch. Mesmerized. It’s almost religious.
Voters are convinced their candidate is messianic. He or she will right all wrongs, rescue the oppressed, fix the country, and put money in the pockets of the poor.
“Ladies and gentlemen! May I introduce to you the next president of the United States? Source of hope, savior of the economy, world peace negotiator and defender of children and the aged! Drum roll please--TA-DAH--Senator…”--I had you going there for a minute, didn’t I?
“Well hold on just a minute. I really believe in my candidate. He (or she) could do it!”
The Bible says there is only one Messiah and his name is Jesus. Politics has never and will never fix what ails America or any other nation. Politics is a false hope. A lie.
Why? Because the real problem is our addiction. Like a bum in the gutter, we like our booze. And after politics, our intoxicator of choice is money. We can’t get enough of either one.
Somewhere along the way we bought into the idea that money could make us happy. Even the wealthy believe they need “just a little bit more.” Greed is addicting.
They say, “You can never be too rich or too thin.” And we sincerely believe it. Our faith in money’s power to save us drives the popular lotteries and lucrative gambling industry.
The only problem is that it’s a lie. Money has never bought joy or peace. But it sure can buy votes! And so politicians use the promise of jobs and prosperity to get elected.
Jesus shows us a better way. He warned about a life pursuing wealth. He respected government but avoided politics. Politicians polarize people but Jesus unites them in faith.
If only we were as passionate about our faith as we are about our politics and our money!
Remember Jesus said no one could serve both God and money at the same time. And ever since we’ve tried to prove him wrong! But wealth doesn’t satisfy. Only Jesus satisfies.
No wonder the Bible observes, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
It goes on to say, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
That last sentence is one of the most misquoted verses in the entire Bible. It doesn’t say, “Money is the root of all evil.” It says, “The LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Greed is the motive behind much of the world’s evil. Contentment, however, is the source of great peace and satisfaction. And the secret of contentment is in the Savior, Jesus.
When a person becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, they gain a Heavenly Father who can meet all of their needs. Their focus shifts from greed and envy to trusting God and serving others. It’s a path millions have followed and found to be true.
The Bible sets before us two paths. One path is wide and popular. It’s the road of greed and power over others. It leads to self-destruction and eternal separation from God. Death.
The other path is narrow and less traveled. It’s the road of faith and peace and starts with Jesus. It leads to a fulfilled life and ends in Heaven. And you can’t fly any higher than that!
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Media outlets are busy helping crown the winners. Politics rules TV news shows and the editorial pages. People devour the candidates’ latest gaffes and sound bytes. We’re hooked.
We shake our heads at the attack ads. But we watch. Mesmerized. It’s almost religious.
Voters are convinced their candidate is messianic. He or she will right all wrongs, rescue the oppressed, fix the country, and put money in the pockets of the poor.
“Ladies and gentlemen! May I introduce to you the next president of the United States? Source of hope, savior of the economy, world peace negotiator and defender of children and the aged! Drum roll please--TA-DAH--Senator…”--I had you going there for a minute, didn’t I?
“Well hold on just a minute. I really believe in my candidate. He (or she) could do it!”
The Bible says there is only one Messiah and his name is Jesus. Politics has never and will never fix what ails America or any other nation. Politics is a false hope. A lie.
Why? Because the real problem is our addiction. Like a bum in the gutter, we like our booze. And after politics, our intoxicator of choice is money. We can’t get enough of either one.
Somewhere along the way we bought into the idea that money could make us happy. Even the wealthy believe they need “just a little bit more.” Greed is addicting.
They say, “You can never be too rich or too thin.” And we sincerely believe it. Our faith in money’s power to save us drives the popular lotteries and lucrative gambling industry.
The only problem is that it’s a lie. Money has never bought joy or peace. But it sure can buy votes! And so politicians use the promise of jobs and prosperity to get elected.
Jesus shows us a better way. He warned about a life pursuing wealth. He respected government but avoided politics. Politicians polarize people but Jesus unites them in faith.
If only we were as passionate about our faith as we are about our politics and our money!
Remember Jesus said no one could serve both God and money at the same time. And ever since we’ve tried to prove him wrong! But wealth doesn’t satisfy. Only Jesus satisfies.
No wonder the Bible observes, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
It goes on to say, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
That last sentence is one of the most misquoted verses in the entire Bible. It doesn’t say, “Money is the root of all evil.” It says, “The LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Greed is the motive behind much of the world’s evil. Contentment, however, is the source of great peace and satisfaction. And the secret of contentment is in the Savior, Jesus.
When a person becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, they gain a Heavenly Father who can meet all of their needs. Their focus shifts from greed and envy to trusting God and serving others. It’s a path millions have followed and found to be true.
The Bible sets before us two paths. One path is wide and popular. It’s the road of greed and power over others. It leads to self-destruction and eternal separation from God. Death.
The other path is narrow and less traveled. It’s the road of faith and peace and starts with Jesus. It leads to a fulfilled life and ends in Heaven. And you can’t fly any higher than that!
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
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