Working at the bank, finances are obviously a large part of what I'm exposed to and looking at daily. This morning, after attempting to revisit our family budget yesterday, the thought came to me of how would we be different if we treated Jesus like we treat money?
1. When there is a need, we'll give money. How many of us when we see a family lose everything to catastrophe (i.e. fire, flood, etc.), or go thru a major illness like cancer with a family member will be more than willing to donate to their cause to help provide needs and pay medical bills? Or when a charitable organization is having a fundraiser, our businesses, or individuals are quick to write a check and make a donation? Don't get me wrong, these are very good and honorable things. But how many people do we pass daily whose greatest need isn't money? How many people do we walk by daily who are bankrupt in Christ without giving them a dime? "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" - Acts 1:8. Just like God gives us money to bless others, he fills us with the power of the Holy Spirit to tell others about Him too!
2. We always want more money. I am yet to meet a person, not yet pretty well set financially, who has said that they don't need anymore money because they have enough. Many people I know are constantly trying to make more, earn more, or save more by doing whatever it takes. How different would we be if we worked overtime pursuing Jesus? If we spent nights and weekends reading God's Word? If we worked odd hours serving others in the name of Jesus? What if we prayed hard enough for God to give us a raise? "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied" - Proverbs 13:4. Are you putting the same passion into your faith as you are into your bank account?
3. When we have money, we want people to know it. I know, I know, live humbly and don't be showy. But let's be real, if we have a little bit of money we don't mind people knowing we are doing okay financially (that was a humble enough response right?) I'm not condoning building the biggest house, wearing the finest clothes, or driving the nicest cars, but we are proud of what we have earned and it's okay to have nice things. Just like getting a new job, or big raise, can change your lifestyle; does getting Jesus in your life change your lifestyle too? When we discover a spiritual truth from God, does it change our outward appearance and actions? We get a bonus, we get a new car, or do a home improvement. When we get a bonus from the Lord, does it change us? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." - Galations 5:22-23a. As the power of the Holy Spirit is poured into us, are we busting at the seems with these fruits that everybody knows how well off we are spiritually?
4. We want to keep our money with us forever (heard the hearse and U-Haul joke?). When I die, I don't know where any money that I have left will be going, and I will likely have little say so in the matter aside from a last will and testament. But I am in control of where I will be going. There are a immeasurable number of places you can spend your money, but there are only two places you can spend your eternity, Heaven or Hell. Please make your wisest investment here, it will have a 100% return guaranteed. "Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" - Romans 10:9-10.
Dear Lord,
Help me to be generous with my finances and in sharing the message of your love. Help me work harder pursuing you and learning your Word than I do in other areas of my life. Fill me with your spirit that I may produce fruits that can help change lives. Thank you for sending your Son to die on the cross and pay the price of my sins that I could never afford. Amen.
1. When there is a need, we'll give money. How many of us when we see a family lose everything to catastrophe (i.e. fire, flood, etc.), or go thru a major illness like cancer with a family member will be more than willing to donate to their cause to help provide needs and pay medical bills? Or when a charitable organization is having a fundraiser, our businesses, or individuals are quick to write a check and make a donation? Don't get me wrong, these are very good and honorable things. But how many people do we pass daily whose greatest need isn't money? How many people do we walk by daily who are bankrupt in Christ without giving them a dime? "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" - Acts 1:8. Just like God gives us money to bless others, he fills us with the power of the Holy Spirit to tell others about Him too!
2. We always want more money. I am yet to meet a person, not yet pretty well set financially, who has said that they don't need anymore money because they have enough. Many people I know are constantly trying to make more, earn more, or save more by doing whatever it takes. How different would we be if we worked overtime pursuing Jesus? If we spent nights and weekends reading God's Word? If we worked odd hours serving others in the name of Jesus? What if we prayed hard enough for God to give us a raise? "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied" - Proverbs 13:4. Are you putting the same passion into your faith as you are into your bank account?
3. When we have money, we want people to know it. I know, I know, live humbly and don't be showy. But let's be real, if we have a little bit of money we don't mind people knowing we are doing okay financially (that was a humble enough response right?) I'm not condoning building the biggest house, wearing the finest clothes, or driving the nicest cars, but we are proud of what we have earned and it's okay to have nice things. Just like getting a new job, or big raise, can change your lifestyle; does getting Jesus in your life change your lifestyle too? When we discover a spiritual truth from God, does it change our outward appearance and actions? We get a bonus, we get a new car, or do a home improvement. When we get a bonus from the Lord, does it change us? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." - Galations 5:22-23a. As the power of the Holy Spirit is poured into us, are we busting at the seems with these fruits that everybody knows how well off we are spiritually?
4. We want to keep our money with us forever (heard the hearse and U-Haul joke?). When I die, I don't know where any money that I have left will be going, and I will likely have little say so in the matter aside from a last will and testament. But I am in control of where I will be going. There are a immeasurable number of places you can spend your money, but there are only two places you can spend your eternity, Heaven or Hell. Please make your wisest investment here, it will have a 100% return guaranteed. "Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" - Romans 10:9-10.
Dear Lord,
Help me to be generous with my finances and in sharing the message of your love. Help me work harder pursuing you and learning your Word than I do in other areas of my life. Fill me with your spirit that I may produce fruits that can help change lives. Thank you for sending your Son to die on the cross and pay the price of my sins that I could never afford. Amen.
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