In the Bible, money and riches are repeatedly listed as a barrier to genuine faith. In Luke 16:13, Jesus spells it out for us: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve … Continue reading Rich in virtues
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Do you have things, or do they have you?
Do you have things, or do they have you? When we “have” things, we own them. We control them. But when things “have” us, they own us. They control us. Consider the man in Mark 10:21-22: “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and … Continue reading Do you have things, or do they have you?
Confused about the true value of things
In Mark 4:18-19 Jesus says that some people “hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” He’s describing people who don’t respond to God’s word and message because of three things. The one we’ll focus … Continue reading Confused about the true value of things
Being a spiritual billionaire
Something that robs us of our contentment is always being reminded of what others have (but we don’t). It has to do with envy, which Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung describes as “feeling bitter when others have it better.”* Can you relate? Come on, be honest. We can sometimes feel bitter when think other people have better … Continue reading Being a spiritual billionaire
A major stumbling block to faith
Yesterday I talked about having a relationship with Christ and whether or not it is authentic. Today I’d like to focus on something the Bible identifies as a major stumbling block to that relationship: Money. In Luke 16:13 Jesus says it with his usual eye-opening candour: “You cannot serve both God and money.” It’s a tricky … Continue reading A major stumbling block to faith
Piercing themselves with many griefs
We’ve been talking about idolatry, and how, when many of us hear that word, we think of ancient peoples bowing down to man-made statues. But our understanding of idolatry is often too narrow. Here’s how I think of it: Idolatry is giving first place priority to something or someone who isn’t God. With that definition … Continue reading Piercing themselves with many griefs
Greed is living like God is a liar
In the book “Money: A User’s Manual” Bob and Rusty Russell report that in 1900 the average person wanted 72 different things and considered 18 of them essential. Someone repeated the study more recently. The average person wanted 500 things and considered 100 of them essential! And do you know what? I get it. I’m … Continue reading Greed is living like God is a liar
Less is more
Welcome to the world of Bigger-Better-More! "You want it! You deserve it! Go for it!" (Even if you can't afford it.) It's easy to get sucked in, isn't it? But unfortunately, drinking the Kool-Aid of instant gratification draws us into a lifestyle of living beyond our means... which actually COMPLICATES our lives. Here’s why. As … Continue reading Less is more
The beggar and the King
Elisabeth Elliot tells us a story about a beggar and a King. A beggar was sitting at the side of the street with his hat outstretched asking for money. Then he noticed that the King himself was coming, complete with his whole entourage. This was his lucky day! How could the King refuse to give … Continue reading The beggar and the King
Actively looking for opportunities
All week we’ve been exploring how we can be wealthy (regardless of how much money we have). Our main verse has been 1 Timothy 6:18. Paul says: “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” So far I’ve asked you some critical gut-check questions. … Continue reading Actively looking for opportunities
The Up Devotional 