Preparing for True Riches . . . Luke 16:11
Jesus said . . . I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven. Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own? luke 16:9-12
Sometimes I get caught up looking at my family's finances and I get overwhelmed because I know the income doesn't cover the outflow, and that doesn't even include the debts that I owe. I am learning more and more that there are plenty of other people out there in the job market, or lack of one, who are rapidly depleting their life savings simply to exist until the job market comes back.
My God owns the cattle upon a thousand hills (psalms 50:11) and "but for the grace of God" I would have a great job, no debt and pocket change. So instead of whining about my temporary situation, I need to keep my eyes and ears open to see the wonder of how God will work through all of this. The exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt on the way to the Promised Land keeps reminding me of the futility of the earthly perspective. Satan, the deceiver, keeps on reminding me of the precariousness of the financial precipice where I am standing; whereas the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am still standing. Satan would have me think that God will abandon me and leave me in this seemingly downward spiral. The Holy Spirit helps me to remember the faithfulness of God that I have personally witnessed over the course of my life. It is based on God's record, God's faithfulness, God's omnipotent plan, God's chesed or lovingkindness, and God's strength (obviously not my own) that I place my trust.
One of the guys from the men's study I attend funded the purchase of a case 108 copies of the book The Passion of Jesus Christ, sight unseen when we first heard about the offer, for the purpose of distributing them to anyone who sees Mel Gibson's recent movie and wants to know the reasons why God allowed Jesus Christ to bear the torture of crucifixion. So the guys in the class took them and passed them out. When we ran out within a week, the same guy committed to funding another case of the books (so that we can give them away again) even though the "deadline" of the special offer had expired and the normal cost of a case of the books is $484 (so I called and there are still a few cases available at the $130 price). What I am getting to is that my brother in Christ is shrewdly using the mammon or money of this world to pursue the true riches of heaven. I really appreciate the saying "you cannot take it with you (i.e. money), but you can take your friends with you (by praying for and actively telling each of them of Jesus' sacrificial gift of substitution for all of their wrongs).
© S. Chan, 2004. All rights reserved.
Sometimes I get caught up looking at my family's finances and I get overwhelmed because I know the income doesn't cover the outflow, and that doesn't even include the debts that I owe. I am learning more and more that there are plenty of other people out there in the job market, or lack of one, who are rapidly depleting their life savings simply to exist until the job market comes back.
My God owns the cattle upon a thousand hills (psalms 50:11) and "but for the grace of God" I would have a great job, no debt and pocket change. So instead of whining about my temporary situation, I need to keep my eyes and ears open to see the wonder of how God will work through all of this. The exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt on the way to the Promised Land keeps reminding me of the futility of the earthly perspective. Satan, the deceiver, keeps on reminding me of the precariousness of the financial precipice where I am standing; whereas the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am still standing. Satan would have me think that God will abandon me and leave me in this seemingly downward spiral. The Holy Spirit helps me to remember the faithfulness of God that I have personally witnessed over the course of my life. It is based on God's record, God's faithfulness, God's omnipotent plan, God's chesed or lovingkindness, and God's strength (obviously not my own) that I place my trust.
One of the guys from the men's study I attend funded the purchase of a case 108 copies of the book The Passion of Jesus Christ, sight unseen when we first heard about the offer, for the purpose of distributing them to anyone who sees Mel Gibson's recent movie and wants to know the reasons why God allowed Jesus Christ to bear the torture of crucifixion. So the guys in the class took them and passed them out. When we ran out within a week, the same guy committed to funding another case of the books (so that we can give them away again) even though the "deadline" of the special offer had expired and the normal cost of a case of the books is $484 (so I called and there are still a few cases available at the $130 price). What I am getting to is that my brother in Christ is shrewdly using the mammon or money of this world to pursue the true riches of heaven. I really appreciate the saying "you cannot take it with you (i.e. money), but you can take your friends with you (by praying for and actively telling each of them of Jesus' sacrificial gift of substitution for all of their wrongs).
© S. Chan, 2004. All rights reserved.