September 1, 2023 BE ON YOUR GUARD
Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
One blessing of God’s word is that it gives us directions and instructions for life and it gives us warnings-you might say a ‘heads up’-to what might derail us in our walk with Him. The verse above is such a verse. Obviously, greed is one of those things that derails us, and it can be subtle-like it comes in unaware. There are many forms of greed according to this verse. The lie that the enemy speaks to us is that possessions bring us fulfillment and that more is better. Life is more than possessions. What we must get into our understanding is that possessions do not fill our deepest longings. In fact, the abundance of possessions can be a real problem because it takes time and money and attention to maintain or manage possessions. Do not get me wrong; possessions are not the problem; being a good steward of possessions is the issue. Whether we have an abundance of possessions or we have little is not the issue; the issue is whether we see possessions as being what satisfies us, or is it the life of Christ in us that satisfies us. In our culture, incomes vary greatly and many have an abundance of possessions. If not on guard, one can become envious of those having more and that can be a form of greed. This may be difficult for those in affluent societies to grasp, but the quality of life is not dependent on possessions. Our culture continually promotes the lie that says happiness comes with possessions; and that is why we must be on guard. As said above, possessions are not the issue; at the same time, it is generally true that having an abundance of possessions is often a distraction and can even become a burden that robs us of life. So, let us be on guard, and let us understand that the life God has for us can be enjoyed to the fullest no matter how many possessions we have or do not have. God, not possessions, is the source of life. 1 Timothy 6:17 is a clear word dealing with riches; “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” So, it is the wise person who can enjoy the things God supplies, but at the same time know that ‘things’ are not what satisfies our inner longings.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 “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.”
Blessings, Buddy
Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
One blessing of God’s word is that it gives us directions and instructions for life and it gives us warnings-you might say a ‘heads up’-to what might derail us in our walk with Him. The verse above is such a verse. Obviously, greed is one of those things that derails us, and it can be subtle-like it comes in unaware. There are many forms of greed according to this verse. The lie that the enemy speaks to us is that possessions bring us fulfillment and that more is better. Life is more than possessions. What we must get into our understanding is that possessions do not fill our deepest longings. In fact, the abundance of possessions can be a real problem because it takes time and money and attention to maintain or manage possessions. Do not get me wrong; possessions are not the problem; being a good steward of possessions is the issue. Whether we have an abundance of possessions or we have little is not the issue; the issue is whether we see possessions as being what satisfies us, or is it the life of Christ in us that satisfies us. In our culture, incomes vary greatly and many have an abundance of possessions. If not on guard, one can become envious of those having more and that can be a form of greed. This may be difficult for those in affluent societies to grasp, but the quality of life is not dependent on possessions. Our culture continually promotes the lie that says happiness comes with possessions; and that is why we must be on guard. As said above, possessions are not the issue; at the same time, it is generally true that having an abundance of possessions is often a distraction and can even become a burden that robs us of life. So, let us be on guard, and let us understand that the life God has for us can be enjoyed to the fullest no matter how many possessions we have or do not have. God, not possessions, is the source of life. 1 Timothy 6:17 is a clear word dealing with riches; “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” So, it is the wise person who can enjoy the things God supplies, but at the same time know that ‘things’ are not what satisfies our inner longings.
1 Timothy 6:6-8 “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.”
Blessings, Buddy
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