January 19, 2020
So what is the difference between someone who willfully indulges in sexual pleasures while ignoring the Bible on moral purity and someone who willfully indulges in the selfish pursuit of more and more material possessions while ignoring the Bible on caring for the poor? The difference is that one involves a social taboo in the church and the other involves the social norm in the church.
The early church was strikingly different from the culture around it in this way – the pagan society was stingy with its money and promiscuous with its body. A pagan gave nobody their money and practically gave everybody their body. And the Christians came along and gave practically nobody their body and they gave practically everybody their money.
The church is often called a killjoy for protesting against sexual license. But the real killing of joy comes with the grabbing of pleasure. As with credit card usage. the price tag is hidden at the start, but the physical and emotional debt incurred will take a long time to pay off.
Some people just want to pay their bills, raise their children, and then retire. They know they can work hard, mind their own business, still accomplish these goals, and maybe even own a boat when they retire.
I cannot think of a more selfish way to live than to spend one’s life only to pay one’s bills. You see, there is a whole world out there needing our help.
The unwillingness to do one’s best is un-Christian and nothing less than selfishness. Those who love others and want to please God know that money is important and do everything they can to succeed. They are truly the unselfish ones.
God doesn’t make excuses, so you shouldn’t either. When told that God will provide for us, sometimes we respond with, “Yeah, but…” God will always trump our excuses. Nothing beats “Yeah, but the cross.”
Give until you feel like it; then keep on giving until you don’t feel it.
In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave.
The abuses of a few in the area of prosperity does not excuse the abandonment of the promises of God to provide abundantly for His children.