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Friday, November 6, 2009
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"We have all our beliefs but we don't want our beliefs, God of peace, we want you."
- from "Four word letter" by mewithoutYou
That's how I feel a lot of the time.
- from "Four word letter" by mewithoutYou
That's how I feel a lot of the time.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
For richer or poorer (pt 2)
There are a few verses that have really impacted me recently.
Out of the seven letters that John wrote in Revelation there are only two which have nothing bad to say. One of those was written to the church of Smyrna.
Rev 2:9
"I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)"
The reason this verse really stands out to me is because of what is says in the letter to church of Laodicea (which recieves one of the more popular rebukes). Its such a clear contrast.
Rev 3:17
"you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."
He calls the rich poor, and the poor rich.
Amazing.
I've been to some churches that really glorify riches and desire insane amounts of money for things they do not need. I've heard plans like "we need 1 million dollars to save 1 million souls". How can you put a price on salvation?
There is nothing wrong with trying to be successful, but there is something wrong with being incontent.
Paul goes into detail about a person caught up in thirsting after riches instead of righteousness!!
1 Timothy 6:4-10
"He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth,IMAGININING THAT GODLINESS IS A MEANS OF GAIN. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
So godliness is not a means of gain. But there is gain in godliness in contentment. I love that. Contentment is so important. I really think its the key to success, despite what the world says. I've written other blogs on contentment so I wont spend too much time on that.
You don't need lots money to preach the gospel. You need love. Lots of love. You need a community of people who are willing to give of themselves and share. A group of people who have the love of God in their hearts and in their hands can do more to change this world than any billionaire. Jesus hung out with twelve dudes, and they took the message they received to every corner of the known world at their time, and they didn't have private jets, huge semi trucks, and sound systems, but they had a community of love, and that made anything possible. Philip and Matthew labored in Ethiopia, Mark in Egypt, Bartholomew and Thomas in India, Simon the Zealot in West Africa and Britain, and the rest of the Apostles preached throughout the Middle East and Europe. These guys were all over the place, and if we just work together and selflessly share we can do the same and even greater things. If they can change the world, then so can we.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
"Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed. "
I don't want you to think that I think poor folks are better than rich folks, or that God has beef with you because you're rich (even though most of us are considered middle-class, I would consider us rich compared to the millions of people suffering in poverty today), but the point I want to make here is that we need each other. I heard someone say " the church needs the poor more than the poor need the church". The poor need us to provide them with clothing, food, and shelter, and we need them so that we can be provided an entrance into the kingdom of God.
Which brings us the final scripture that I really embraced this week. Its a reminder to what the gospel is really about.
1 Timothy 1:5
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
Take that verse to heart!
Grace & Peace!
Out of the seven letters that John wrote in Revelation there are only two which have nothing bad to say. One of those was written to the church of Smyrna.
Rev 2:9
"I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)"
The reason this verse really stands out to me is because of what is says in the letter to church of Laodicea (which recieves one of the more popular rebukes). Its such a clear contrast.
Rev 3:17
"you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."
He calls the rich poor, and the poor rich.
Amazing.
I've been to some churches that really glorify riches and desire insane amounts of money for things they do not need. I've heard plans like "we need 1 million dollars to save 1 million souls". How can you put a price on salvation?
There is nothing wrong with trying to be successful, but there is something wrong with being incontent.
Paul goes into detail about a person caught up in thirsting after riches instead of righteousness!!
1 Timothy 6:4-10
"He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth,IMAGININING THAT GODLINESS IS A MEANS OF GAIN. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
So godliness is not a means of gain. But there is gain in godliness in contentment. I love that. Contentment is so important. I really think its the key to success, despite what the world says. I've written other blogs on contentment so I wont spend too much time on that.
You don't need lots money to preach the gospel. You need love. Lots of love. You need a community of people who are willing to give of themselves and share. A group of people who have the love of God in their hearts and in their hands can do more to change this world than any billionaire. Jesus hung out with twelve dudes, and they took the message they received to every corner of the known world at their time, and they didn't have private jets, huge semi trucks, and sound systems, but they had a community of love, and that made anything possible. Philip and Matthew labored in Ethiopia, Mark in Egypt, Bartholomew and Thomas in India, Simon the Zealot in West Africa and Britain, and the rest of the Apostles preached throughout the Middle East and Europe. These guys were all over the place, and if we just work together and selflessly share we can do the same and even greater things. If they can change the world, then so can we.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
"Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed. "
I don't want you to think that I think poor folks are better than rich folks, or that God has beef with you because you're rich (even though most of us are considered middle-class, I would consider us rich compared to the millions of people suffering in poverty today), but the point I want to make here is that we need each other. I heard someone say " the church needs the poor more than the poor need the church". The poor need us to provide them with clothing, food, and shelter, and we need them so that we can be provided an entrance into the kingdom of God.
Which brings us the final scripture that I really embraced this week. Its a reminder to what the gospel is really about.
1 Timothy 1:5
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
Take that verse to heart!
Grace & Peace!
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