How much do you place on your money?

1 Timothy 6:10-11 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Most western worlders don’t like to talk about their finances but it never ceases to amaze me how open Israelis are about them. It’s commonplace to ask someone how much they make or how much they paid for their house or car. People do it all the time, even total strangers! So I’m gonna jump on the band wagon and be bold because the subject has been on my heart lately.

New York City’s Mayor David N. Dinkins, when urged by Manhattan officials to buy some property thought to be an “extraordinary opportunity for the city,” said: “If they’re selling elephants two for a quarter, that’s a great bargain. But only if you have a quarter–and only if you need elephants.”

How many of us are guilty of spending unwisely – and not allowing the Lord to reign over our spending habits? While God doesn’t condemn the possession of goods and money, He does speak against hoarding, coveting, selfishness, stealing, dishonesty, and even mismanagement of finances.

I believe the Lord wants to pour out a financial blessing upon us today. But have we shown Him that we are trustworthy to use it in a manner pleasing to Him?

Let’s put our finances and spending before the Lord today and ask Him to be Lord over them all. God has great plans for us ahead if we will only lay ourselves down!

Coming to God just as you are…He wants you just as you are.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

An artist was searching the streets of New York City for a model to pose for a portrait he wanted to call — ‘The Prodigal’. One day was passing Central Park and saw an poor homeless person lying on a bench and thought: ‘He’s perfect! That man would represent the prodigal son beautifully in my painting.’ He asked the homeless guy if he would be willing to sit for his painting and he would gladly pay him for his time. Naturally, the the poor man agreed.

On the day and time appointed, a man knocked on the door of the artist’s small Brooklyn studio. Excitedly, he answered his door only to find a clean-shaven young man dressed in a suit and tie standing before him. Disappointed, he said, “You must have the wrong door sir, the law office is down the hall”. “But you made an appointment with me,” the man replied, “No,” said the artist, “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you before. I made an appointment to meet with a homeless guy here at this hour.” “Well,” said the man, “I am the homeless guy.” “You?” said the artist, “You’re the same guy?” “Yes, he replied. After you left me last week, I found some money and thought I would get a new suit of clothes before you painted me.” “Oh,” replied the artist, “Well, you’re just not right for the job.”

The beggar wanted to show himself a masterpiece before the artist — but the artist wasn’t looking for that. He wanted to create the masterpiece himself! Likewise, when we come to God, we must not come in our own garments of self-righteousness. We must come before him transparent, with no inhibitions, or worries, or pride. God has already seen our weaknesses and faults. We’re not hiding anything from Him anyway.

The Master Artist has an appointment with us today. Let’s not come disguised as someone else. Let’s come as we are so that He can make a priceless masterpiece.

The dangers of complacency

On August 7, 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit gained fame for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York. For his feat, which he referred to as “le coup”, he walked the wire for 45 minutes. He made eight crossings between the towers, over 1300 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan. In addition to walking, he sat on the wire, gave knee salutes and, while lying on the wire, spoke with a gull circling above his head. Crowds were spellbound over his performance. Five months later, Petit was on a high wire in St. Petersburg, Florida practicing with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was 30 feet up in the air and must have become complacent. He suddenly slipped and fell to the concrete. As the 25 year old acrobat lay on the ground, he was observed crying “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it. I don’t ever fall.”

 

“Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!” – Amos 6:1

 

We need to examine our lives and rid ourselves of any spiritual complacency. Today in prayer, ask the Lord that “Thy will be done, not my will” and follow Jesus in all that you do.

 

“I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it’s so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.” – Jimmy Carter

 

God’s Word: “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them” – Proverbs 1:32