GREED!
May I give my praise to God Almighty!
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
….The world and all its people belong to him.
2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas
….and built it on the ocean depths. Psalm 24:1-2
Luke 12:13-21 (<<Flick here to read the passage)
Do you ever find it difficult to be content with what you have and where you find yourself in life? You can’t turn your TV on or listen to the radio or read a magazine or even scroll through your Facebook feed without being inundated! Buy this! Try that! You gotta have this doohickey! Don’t miss this great deal on this thingamabob! Anybody that is anybody has got one of these!
And the sad thing is enough is never enough!
Just today it came out that a leading legislator in Ohio was arrested for his involvement in a $60 million bribery scheme, along with four other individuals. According to a criminal complaint, more than $500, 000 was put into his personal accounts! Isn’t that crazy?!
We may not be guilty concerning those kinds of high-end stakes, but at some point in time, we all have to deal with greed.
Here is verse 15 from the Amplified Bible. Jesus said,
“Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed; for not even when one has an overflowing abundance does his life consist of nor is it derived from his possessions.”
Most who read this post are far from poor. We may not consider ourselves “rich” but that’s when we compare ourselves to the culture in which we live. The gross median household income in the United States is over $50,000 – that’s on average throughout the country. There are many countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia where their gross median household income is between $4,000-6,000 with many countries averaging less than $1,000 annually!
It seems that for many “keeping up with the Jones” is a lifetime goal!
My study Bible* says that greed is a desire for what we don’t have.
Our goal as followers of Jesus must be to deliberately tune out the pressure for more, more, more. No matter how many “things” we accumulate, in the long haul, none of them will bring lasting satisfaction. Only our relationship with Jesus and the effect it has on our lives and the lives of others will do that!
I love the music of Steven Curtis Chapman and one of his songs has come to mind a couple of times as I have written tonight. Listen to him sing, More to This Life. Here are the lyrics, too!
Today I watched in silence as people passed me by
And I strained to see if there was something hidden in their eyes;
But they all looked back at me as if to say
Life just goes on
The old familiar story told in different ways
Make the most of your own journey from the cradle to the grave;
Dream your dreams tomorrow because today
Life must go on
But there’s more to this life than living and dying
More than just trying to make it through the day;
More to this life, more than these eyes alone can see
And there’s more than this life alone can be
Tonight he lies in silence staring into space
And looks for ways to make tomorrow better than today
But in the morning light it looks the same;
Life just goes on
He takes care of his family, he takes care of his work
And every Sunday morning he takes his place at the church;
And somehow he still feels a need to search
But life just goes on
But there’s more to this life than living and dying
More than just trying to make it through the day;
More to this life, more than these eyes alone can see
And there’s more than this life alone can be
So where do we start to find every part
Of what makes this life complete;
If we turn our eyes to Jesus we’ll find
Life’s true beginning is there at the cross where He died
He died to bring us …
… more to this life than living and dying
More than just trying to make it through the day;
More to this life, more than these eyes alone can see
And there’s more than this life alone can be
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
July 21st, 2020, 9:18 pm
Finger on My Heart
Father, may we take solace in these verses.
In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
….May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. Psalm 20:1 NLT
Luke 12:13-21 (<<click here to read the passage)
This is one of those passages that I just can’t cover in one post.
First, verse 13,
Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” AMP
The note on verse 13 from my study Bible* was enough to pull me up short. The overall note held me, but one sentence, in particular, stopped me in my tracks. “Jesus put his finger on this questioner’s heart.”
One of the things with which I struggled when I worked at Kohl’s was how some managers interacted with me. A couple really rubbed me the wrong way. Karen regularly got an earful and I probably said more than I should have to other associates while at work.
Somewhere along my journaling journey, I decided that I needed to pray for them. I reasoned that if I prayed for them, they might straighten up and my life would get easier.
Well, I prayed for them, alright, and they might have changed some but the person that really changed…was me. I don’t recall specifics of those relationships, but I do remember that God realigned my perspective of my circumstances and instead of just looking at myself, I started taking their circumstances into consideration.
Jesus put His finger on my heart.
The rest of the note from verse 13 reads as follows:
When we bring problems to God in prayer, he often responds in the same way, showing us how we need to change and grow in our attitude toward the problem. This answer is often not the one we were looking for, but it is more effective in helping us trace God’s hand in our life.
Lord Jesus, may we all be sensitive to Your touch on our hearts. You want us to come to You with all of life’s struggles, but may we resign ourselves to the fact that ofttimes than naught, Your ways will be higher than our ways.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
….Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
….So are My ways higher than your way
….And My thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
July 20th, 2020, Mon, 7:17 pm
This Is My Father’s World
(A friend of mine’s view from her home Sunday evening ~ thanks, Dawn!)
Father, between this morning’s sermon and the experiences of the day, I just have to give You praise for all that You have created! It accomplishes so many things in our lives – peace, contentment, inspiration, and assurance – to name but a few. Praise You for Your mighty acts!
********
My heart is full tonight and I need to run with it! Our mighty Creator has moved me! This morning my sermon was Creation Waits and a portion of it dealt with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Romans 8:20-21,
But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
As I preached, I couldn’t help but think of the beauty I see every day! I write about it frequently. I share pictures of the beauty around me with family and friends alike. I enjoy scenes of grandeur shared by friends. Many have a great appreciation for the gifts our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us and rejoice.
Before I even began to write, a hymn came to mind, This Is My Father’s World.
I’m sure you’re surprised but I have a few books that are composed of the stories behind our hymns – and I loved the story behind this one!
This Is My Father’s World is from a poem written by Maltbie Babcock, who at the time was pastoring the Lockport Presbyterian Church in Lockport, New York. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was a jack of all trades and master of many, actually! He was an outstanding athlete. He directed his university’s orchestra and glee club. He sang. He played several instruments. He was an artist and entertained his friends with impersonations!
But he was most definitely a man who enjoyed God’s creation. While in Lockport he would tell his secretary, as he slipped out for a run or a hike in the countryside, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.” And over time he wrote a sixteen-stanza poem about his love for God and His creation.
Here are the lyrics of the first three verses and I’ve included a recording of it by another one of my favorite Christian artists, Chris Rice. Enjoy the beauty of his rendition and get out to see our Father’s world!
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong
Seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
(Many of the details of Babcock’s life were from Then Sings My Soul: 150 pf the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories,
written by Robert J. Morgan, published in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ©2003.)
July 19th, 2020, Sun, 9:11 pm
What Needs Said
Thank You, Father, for a productive day – both inside and out! Bless this time of focused interaction. Amen.
Luke 12:11-12 (<<click to read the passage)
I don’t know how many hours a week that I spend writing. Between the blog and my weekly sermon, there are several hours involved. Just like everyone does, I have life experiences and I am blessed to be able to put them together into messages that I strive to align with Biblical truth.
I have taken no classes in writing. I have not read a single book or article or watched a single video on the “How-Tos” of writing. Looking at it, somewhat objectively (it’s hard when you’re writing about yourself!), I honestly feel that the Holy Spirit [teaches me] at that time what needs to be said.”
Some days it is a struggle. There are times when I have worn myself out with physical activity. Sometimes I have been gone all day and get home late and I need to sit down and write. I’m not complaining, it’s just the way it is.
For those who read what I write regularly, you will remember that on numerous occasions I have mentioned in my opening prayer, my mental state, and prayed for God’s intervention…He has never let me down.
There are times when I get done and think, “Who in the world will get anything out of that?” I don’t get a whole lot of feedback from readers but usually, that is when someone will comment about how that particular post spoke to them. God can use anything that is put into His hands.
Another interesting thought that I have on occasion is wondering who really reads what I write. I find it comforting to see people’s reactions to pictures of our home or our flowers and the beautiful things of God’s creation that I share. When I see them “like” those things on Facebook or make a comment about them, I think, “Hm, people are looking at what I post. They might just read my blog, too!”
I have friends who would probably be less inclined to read something of a faith-based nature. But God’s ways are not my ways, and I know He may very well place a particular post before someone’s eyes who would never choose to read it. But there it is, and it catches their eye and God has one more opportunity to work.
I also post my blog on Pinterest. Karen loves it but beyond my blog, I don’t use it a whole lot…but many people do. I think that many of my international readers have found me through Pinterest. A couple of my posts have been very popular.
Now I’m pretty sure they are drawn in by the pictures, but I would think that some read the posts, too. For example, one post I wrote back in March 2018, is entitled Be as Snakes and Doves. People probably look at it because it would make a pretty cool tattoo! But it has been pinned to people’s boards on Pinterest 2,034 times! God is using it!
Another one was entitled Cancel Code Yellow. It was posted in June 2017. It has been pinned 2,584 times! God uses it all as He sees fit. (If you’d like to see the pics, click on the titles.)
God uses the gifts and abilities He has given us…especially when we lay them at His feet…especially when we lay ourselves at His feet. No matter where we are, no matter who we stand before, the Holy Spirit will use us. He will give us at that time what needs to be said.
July 16th, 2020, Thurs, 7:43 pm
Pull-a-Card!
Father, this one would be appropriate every day!
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
….be pleasing in your sight,
….Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NLT
Luke 12:10 (<<click to read the passage)
My wife, Karen, teaches 1st Grade and one of her main means of discipline for her students is a “Pull-a-Card” behavior management system. At the beginning of each day, each student has a total of 5 cards in a pocket with their name on it. When they break one of the class rules, she makes them pull a card from the pocket. The first card pulled serves as a warning. If they pull a second card, they lose a recess. A third card pulled means they cannot participate in the class’s monthly reward party. Card number four, a note goes home informing their caregivers. And finally, pulling the fifth card earns them a trip to the principal’s office.
Her kids all know the rules and know the ramifications of breaking the rules. Oh, and one more thing, if they can avoid pulling cards for an entire week – they get a treat at the end of the week!
When it comes to being an obedient follower of Jesus, we know the rules. Sometimes we may struggle as to what is right or wrong but, in most instances, we know. Another thing we know is that Jesus doesn’t have a “Pull-a-Card” behavior management system. If He did, I think my cards would be worn to pieces! Fortunately for us, Jesus forgives and forgives and forgives again! We have to ask for forgiveness but every time we do so, we are forgiven! That is one of the awesome aspects of following Him!
Jesus says in verse 10, “Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven…” That is great news! But… “anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (emphasis mine)
This verse has worried earnest followers of Christ for generations. Many may ask, “How do I know if I’ve blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?! What does that mean even?”
Way back in Luke 11:15, some of those who opposed Jesus accused Him by saying, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”
That is the beginning of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
My study Bible* makes it clear.
The unforgivable sin is attributing to Satan the work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Thus, it is the deliberate and ongoing rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work and even of God himself. A person who has committed this sin is far from God and totally unaware of any sin at all. If you fear you have committed this sin, be assured that your very concern shows that you have not sinned in this way.
God wants us to succeed in following Him! No need to pull a card, asking forgiveness is all He requires, and believe you me, the treat we receive for our obedience is simply out of this world!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
July 15th, 2020, Wed, 8:42 pm