Will you?
“The great question of our time is, 'Will we be motivated by materialistic philosophy or by spiritual power?”
Billy Graham.
I live in what I believe is perhaps the most materialistic society on earth, North America
Each day you are inundated with thousands of images and words wanting us to buy the latest gadget. The advertisers tell us that this thing or that thing will make our life easier.
People are drowning in debt because they swallowed the mantra of buy now pay later. People work long hours, take work home with them, all to have enough money to have “the good life”.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having money, with being rich and having all the latest gadgets. Money and the things it buys are not sinful in themselves. Many of the things we buy do in fact make our life easier.
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,
“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.”
1 Timothy 6:10.
Sadly materialism has entered the church.
My pastor is quick to point to what he calls the “blab it grab it” crowd, or so called “name it claim it crowd”.
Preachers that are telling people to give to God and he will give you a return on your money of one hundred or even a thousand fold. As if God is a super banker giving you incredible interest on your investment. What garbage!
God is not a banker giving interest.
Sadly as apparently in the apostle Paul’s time materialism has entered the church.
From where I live here in Canada I can see how the materialism of secular society affects the church and how false teachers feed on that.
After all who wouldn’t want a thousand percent return on their money.
Christians however should not be looking for riches. The apostle Paul writes,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Philippians 4:12
As Christians we shouldn’t be looking for great wealth at all costs. There’s nothing wrong with asking God for a comfortable lifestyle. However our desire should not be focused on wealth it should be focused on serving God.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Matthew 6:19-24
Jesus went on to say,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Matthew 6:25,26 .
As Christians our live should be focused on God. On serving God to the best of our ability. We should not worry about money and getting rich.
As the apostle Paul said,
The apostle Paul said,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians:4:19.
Dear Christian,
Please think about it.
“The great question of our time is, 'Will we be motivated by materialistic philosophy or by spiritual power?”
Billy Graham.
I live in what I believe is perhaps the most materialistic society on earth, North America
Each day you are inundated with thousands of images and words wanting us to buy the latest gadget. The advertisers tell us that this thing or that thing will make our life easier.
People are drowning in debt because they swallowed the mantra of buy now pay later. People work long hours, take work home with them, all to have enough money to have “the good life”.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having money, with being rich and having all the latest gadgets. Money and the things it buys are not sinful in themselves. Many of the things we buy do in fact make our life easier.
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,
“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.”
1 Timothy 6:10.
Sadly materialism has entered the church.
My pastor is quick to point to what he calls the “blab it grab it” crowd, or so called “name it claim it crowd”.
Preachers that are telling people to give to God and he will give you a return on your money of one hundred or even a thousand fold. As if God is a super banker giving you incredible interest on your investment. What garbage!
God is not a banker giving interest.
Sadly as apparently in the apostle Paul’s time materialism has entered the church.
From where I live here in Canada I can see how the materialism of secular society affects the church and how false teachers feed on that.
After all who wouldn’t want a thousand percent return on their money.
Christians however should not be looking for riches. The apostle Paul writes,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Philippians 4:12
As Christians we shouldn’t be looking for great wealth at all costs. There’s nothing wrong with asking God for a comfortable lifestyle. However our desire should not be focused on wealth it should be focused on serving God.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Matthew 6:19-24
Jesus went on to say,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Matthew 6:25,26 .
As Christians our live should be focused on God. On serving God to the best of our ability. We should not worry about money and getting rich.
As the apostle Paul said,
The apostle Paul said,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians:4:19.
Dear Christian,
Please think about it.
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