Tag Archives: money

In God We Trust

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“In God we trust.” I know what that means. You know what that means. Our minds understand the definition. But our lives will prove something greatly less.  

In the history of Man, only Jesus could say it fully; “In God I trust”. Everyone else holds something in reserve to themselves.  


It is because of our living definition (the proof of our choices) that we find so much tragedy in this world. Every single place we reserve the right for judgment, wisdom, righteousness, and doings, we add to the chaos of this world. Everyplace we deny him the right to be our God, we frustrate his desire.    


You want a New Year’s resolution? Improve your intent to trust God. Strive to let Jesus be your master more and more this year.  


It was said that when Jesus knew his time was near he set his face like flint toward Jerusalem. As we employ that same attitude we can refine our definition of trust in the living God.  


May God grant us eyes to see and ears to hear that he may have what rightfully belongs to him.  


Amen.  

A Favor to Yourself

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The face of your existence will change, as it does with every human that has ever been born.  You will walk through the door of death and enter into a place that has always been.  That’s an absolute guarantee.

It doesn’t matter what you gain here.  You will still encounter THE radical change.

If you were to be given 300 million dollars, you could spend the rest of this life doing what you please.  But take a good look at what you please to do.  Does your pleasure involve the things of the place that has forever been?  According to the Lord’s own words, that’s very unlikely.

Perhaps a hundred years.  That’s all we have.  Then, beyond our volition, we are ushered into the place of Eternity.  Whose pleasure we have desired will determine our riches forever.  Or our extreme poverty.

I’m not talking about religion here.  I’m talking about our own will to do God’s desire.

Kelly Willard was right when she said, “If you don’t have a willing heart ask Him to give you one”. 

Count as best you can (the clock is running down), how much time are you sure you have left?  How much of you does Jesus deserve to own?  Your estimation determines God’s bounty.

Now do yourself a favor.  Act on what you know.

The Engine of Peace

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I look at what Man has accomplished.  How he has established law, regulation, procedure, and expectations, to force love upon the people for one another.  What I see is that punishment is the motivator.  Look with truth and you will see it also.

If you do what is evil the law will come and take from you.  If you contribute according to the law of the land you will reap what they say is great benefit.

I see how they encourage one another to do good works.  But again, the motivator is gain or severe loss.

Every day, every man wakes knowing that if he does not do what is expected he will lose horribly.  This is not the gospel of Christ.  It is the so-called good news of Man.

This good news of Man is dependent on the resources available.  There’s only so much money in the world.  There’s only so much food.  Politics restrains the gain for all.  And the vast majority find themselves suffering loss as the sun goes down on each day.  Even the so-called winners are exhausted from their efforts.  And there’s no need to itemize the broken families the come from the so-called good news.

In this good news of Man greed must be honed to a fine edge.  Look at the advent of training and implements that has been made available to help.  In all these things, the motivation for adherence comes from outside the man.

You know what’s funny?  With all this trust toward the ability of Man to create peace, the world is no better off. 

What does God say?  “14 . . . 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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  (2 chronicles 7)   This Promise of God does not present itself as a manipulation.  It’s the offer of free and complete help.

Take note of how God strips the strength of greed.  In its place he only requires humility.

This is no empty promise.  But who will take up the mantle and respond?

Gold

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What happened to the gold the Nazis took from the mouth of God’s people?  Was it not melted down and sent into the treasuries of the world?

Will you have a love for gold?  Will you desire the riches of this world?  Do you realize what such a love means?

Not only might it do good to consider the gold from the mouth of God’s people, how many others have given their life that the rich may be powerful? 

There is a true judgment coming!  There will be no favoritism based on a man’s gains in this world.

The Promise of Hope

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The promise of God, to those who love him and worship his Holy Son, is eternal life.  Think about it; Eternal Life!

His promise brings to us something that is thoroughly beyond our understanding.  Yet those who believe this, become transformed by the power behind that very thought.

Do you believe?  Have you taken the time to let it sink in?  Do you wake every morning and go to sleep every night, considering the beauty of his promise?

While God’s people consider this with all their might, the world worships zombies, movies about dinosaurs, sex, sports, money, all the trinkets of life, relationships among men, status, and the works of their own hands.  All of these doings done with death looming in their future, and trouble along their way.

Such a vast chasm of living between those who believe and those who refuse! 

As I ponder this I am shocked to realize that the percentage of those who believe compared to those who do not is less than one percent.  And even of that one percent, I find doubt.  Among this number there are many who cannot find the will to continue in that belief.

All he asks is that we believe he cannot lie. 

When we stand before him, will today provide regret?  Or will we bend our will to believe?

By His Grace

Spiritual Dynamics

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A politician sat down with his advisors, that they might conspire how to get him reelected next year.  His record was not stellar.  By a considerable margin, he might well lose the next election.

They discussed six or seven alternatives, but none of them were rated very high in probability.  But the last option rang like a new brass church bell.

“If you are reelected”, one of them said.  “You could easily pocket 7 million over the next four years.”   The politicians eyes smiled, but in his soul the word “if” stood out largely.  He turned to look at Fred.  “What’s your point Fred?”

Fred began.  “It takes money to make money Stan.  How would you like to get 7 million for a 10 percent investment?”   He captured Stan’s imagination like a magnet to iron filings.  “Why don’t you make a conspicuous donation to father Briers little Church?   He’s got a tiny little place and a lot of land to build on.  We will make sure it’s leaked to the press that you are a godly man, and can be trusted.  I guarantee it’ll pop your numbers over the top.”

Stan fell in love with the idea.  The next day Stan and six of his Advisors showed up at the little Catholic Church.  After a bit of small talk, Stan handed father Brier a check for $725,000.

Father Brier accepted the check with great joy.  And Stan’s advisors made promises to help advertise the new building.  Soon father Briers Church would be full of people! 

The priest was overjoyed.  The building was completed long before election time.  The people floated in, as promised.  Needless to say, the income of the Church rose dramatically, and Stan got reelected.

The politician had done what politicians do; they often use whatever means is necessary to secure their position.  But the priest had done something he should never have done.  I’m not referring to accepting the money.

The priest considered his building as the Church.  And from that misconception everything else fell flat. 

A man can own a building.  A man can gain a title.  A man can play politics with the things that are in his hand.  But no one can own the Church.  The Church belongs to Jesus, the Christ of God.

No building, no title, and no politics, are able to wrench it out of the Lord’s hands.  Forgetting that the word church refers to “the called out ones”, can be a grave mistake.

The priest may be happy today.  But he has missed the fluid dynamic of the Holy Spirit’s power.  Stop up the flow of a river, and it will eventually turn putrid.

By His Grace