T A K E F I V E DEVOTIONALS
by David McQueen
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness
1 Tim 6:6-11
My wife wrote a devotional not to long ago about financial management and stewardship. It was broadly based on our own experience of having to wait on the Lord to supply our needs and resisting the lure of chasing that elusive dream that Western society often puts in front of us. God had to pull the rug out from underneath our own "too confident" feet to make us realise that nothing we have comes from us alone. Anything we have is because God has allowed it.
I want to expand on that idea a little by just getting us all to pause a minute and think of the pressures we are under in this society. OK let's start from scratch. We are encouraged and, for those who have them encourage our children/friends, to study and go as far as they can to obtain degrees and other such higher certificates of learning. So far so good. Sometimes this is taught without instructions for life skills and simple tools of life and money management.
Here is where a vicious circle kicks in.
- You get into debt for each degree you take (unless your parents are well minted!!)
- You get a job to pay off the debt that you incurred when studying
- You see a nice flat/house and take a loan/mortgage out to buy it
- You see a nice car and instead of maybe saving for it go for the "hey you only need to pay £80 a month for two years" pitch!! (Ring any bells!!)
- You get married and borrow to make the day / honeymoon the best ever
- You then have children (or get envious of your mates) and want a bigger house and sell your original and take on a bigger mortgage
- You work longer hours and pursue a better job to meet your commitments!!!
- You watch TV programmes that tell you how to improve your garden/house/lifestyle/go on better holidays
- You want to consolidate your various loans into one and on the house ...and the beat goes on.
This is not helped much when you attend church and a minister promises from the pulpit that if you have "more faith and give generously" the Lord will "increase your territory/make you wealthy/have need of nothing"!!! Why should God allow you to have more money when you can't handle the shekels you are holding on to now? Is this what really God wants of his people? To be in debt? A people who should never be worried for anything constantly panicking (especially in this climate) whether their financial needs will be met? Constantly wanting the next best thing and on interest free credit for the next six months? ...to be continued
Dear God, as we study this issue of true wealth in you, may we be reminded that like the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, you will supply all our needs. We pray, Amen.
by David McQueen
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness
1 Tim 6:6-11
My wife wrote a devotional not to long ago about financial management and stewardship. It was broadly based on our own experience of having to wait on the Lord to supply our needs and resisting the lure of chasing that elusive dream that Western society often puts in front of us. God had to pull the rug out from underneath our own "too confident" feet to make us realise that nothing we have comes from us alone. Anything we have is because God has allowed it.
I want to expand on that idea a little by just getting us all to pause a minute and think of the pressures we are under in this society. OK let's start from scratch. We are encouraged and, for those who have them encourage our children/friends, to study and go as far as they can to obtain degrees and other such higher certificates of learning. So far so good. Sometimes this is taught without instructions for life skills and simple tools of life and money management.
Here is where a vicious circle kicks in.
- You get into debt for each degree you take (unless your parents are well minted!!)
- You get a job to pay off the debt that you incurred when studying
- You see a nice flat/house and take a loan/mortgage out to buy it
- You see a nice car and instead of maybe saving for it go for the "hey you only need to pay £80 a month for two years" pitch!! (Ring any bells!!)
- You get married and borrow to make the day / honeymoon the best ever
- You then have children (or get envious of your mates) and want a bigger house and sell your original and take on a bigger mortgage
- You work longer hours and pursue a better job to meet your commitments!!!
- You watch TV programmes that tell you how to improve your garden/house/lifestyle/go on better holidays
- You want to consolidate your various loans into one and on the house ...and the beat goes on.
This is not helped much when you attend church and a minister promises from the pulpit that if you have "more faith and give generously" the Lord will "increase your territory/make you wealthy/have need of nothing"!!! Why should God allow you to have more money when you can't handle the shekels you are holding on to now? Is this what really God wants of his people? To be in debt? A people who should never be worried for anything constantly panicking (especially in this climate) whether their financial needs will be met? Constantly wanting the next best thing and on interest free credit for the next six months? ...to be continued
Dear God, as we study this issue of true wealth in you, may we be reminded that like the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, you will supply all our needs. We pray, Amen.
