Jesus Said To The Crowd
Russ McGarr
Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
Luke 12:15
Society teaches us exactly the opposite, that our worth is measured by who & what we wear, what kind of car we drive, and how many "toys" we have in our possession. This, of course, is a lie. We know the difference between right and wrong, but sometimes we have trouble distinguishing between our "needs" and our "wants". I struggle with materialism from time to time - whether it is trying to provide a "better" life for my children or being mesmerized by a bright sparkly gadget that has the latest technology. Eventually I come to my senses and remember that life is about people and not things.
We live in one of the richest countries in the world and money can prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven (1Timothy 6:3-10). We need to make sure that our money is being used wisely, to build for us treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-24) and our lives should reflect it. I have been studying about money and finances in the bible over the last week and I write this as I re-new my convictions. Each of us should periodically evaluate themselves in the area of "how am I doing with the talents (money) that I have been given?" (Matthew 25:14-30).
Most Americans live in debt. We finance everything - to have now and pay later. Living paycheck to paycheck. This is a lifestyle that does not honor God. Sometimes things happen in our lives that are unforeseeable and unavoidable, like a illness or losing a job. But as Christians we need to strive to live within our means. This will allow us to support the needs of the Church. (1Cor 16:1)
On September 25th [2005] we will be taking up a collection to help our brothers and sisters in the Church located in Madagascar. I love God's Church and I want to see her strong & growing. As Paul exalted the Macedonian Church for giving beyond their ability (2Cor 8:1-15). I want to exalt my brothers and sisters here in Gwinnett as we excel in this grace of giving.