by David Brenneman
"Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens." Proverbs 23:4-5.
"Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God." Proverbs 30:5-9.
Being satisfied...Being sanctified.
Our world's economy is largely based upon you not being satisfied with what you have. In truth they build it into every commercial from band aids to trucks. From television to movies. They want you to not be satisfied, but to spend, spend, spend in your vain effort to maybe achieve it.
Christians can and do fall into this trap and it's a big one of Satan's schemes.
We all, the Believing and unbelieving alike, blurr that line between a need and a want.
For the Believer it's a blurriness that can lead to giving in to temptation that can lead to sin.
We can desire stuff but when we allow that to impact our lives to the end of all else then we sin.
I have desires and it's been a long arduous process of learning to pray about them and to leave those requests with God. I don't always remember to pray before leaping but it is something that I am trying to learn to be doing.
The character of Christ Jesus is what we're to compare ourselves to. It's way more than that slogan from a few decades ago of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do).
In our heart of hearts, in Christ through the Spirit of God within us, we know. We know and are left with choosing His way or ours.
Certainly some things are no brainers. Others are so easy to see that prayer is an absolute requirement and still others are somewhere in between.
Like my desire for a newer vehicle. While the desire is there, it's a foolish notion in the Lord to run out n sign on a line when affordability isn't considered first.
You may put off operational costs but before you ever pay it off you'll incur heavy maintenance costs, just like you experience now with what you have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
We would also do well to be satisfied with what we've been given in the Lord.
We can open many a painful time by not being satisfied with what the Spirit is doing in our lives.
Because, my Dear Reader, He IS doing in our lives. He IS working in YOUR life. He never sleeps nor does He slumber. He works concerning others who will impact you in His work in you while you sleep. He works while you are awake. You will be tested. Will you take the apparently easy route or the one that requires you to do a bit more of trusting and obeying?
The testing is for our benefit in the Lord. Did we learn to become more like Jesus Christ than we were before it? This is why we're still here, at least in part, our transformation in our character to the character of Christ. Our lives being a testimony to the Lord's work in us, it's not to impress others, but rather to lift up the Name of Jesus.
"When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you, And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food." Proverbs 23:1-3.
This passage preceded the first we read today. It's on my mind when I visit with someone and someone is offered to eat. I also try to keep it in mind when someone offers to buy food.
I don't want, as Paul wrote too, my eating or any such thing, to be a stumbling block to another.
We are to keep it at the forefront of our minds that which should be...we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them.
We aren't here at all for our own good pleasure. We aren't here to create a personal paradise of our own minds.
We are to take up our own cross and follow Him. From the moment that we wake up until our heads hit the pillow again. Our lives belong to the Lord.
Our lives are supposed to reflect Jesus to this lost world to show them there is hope to be found in Christ.
We're called to be different, not to blend in. Not to pursue worthless things. Not to sound like the world in our way of thinking or living.
Stop n consider what you do, say, think, allow yourself to listen to...in these things you value...is Christ being glorified? Are these things really glorifying God or are you only fooling yourself into thinking they benefit Him? Are you satisfied with what He's promised and provided or are you pursuing a right that isn't yours to begin with?
When your life is over...who will be seen as the master of it...you or Jesus?
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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