Did you get up early… to go shopping today? I was up before 5AM and went to my local Home Depot where I purchased a… “Rigid – 16 gallon ‘wet/dry’ Vac”… for the ridiculous price of “$19.95”. The list was ‘$99.95’ and surprisingly there were about 60 in the store. Not so when I immediately left and went to Staples… for their “8-Gig memory stick, pro-duo”… for $24:95… but they had less than 20 and were out at 6:30 AM. I haven’t done this early shopping in many years.
(Hebrews 13:5) Let your = lifestyle = be without covetousness; = and = be content = with such things = as you have: = for = He has said, = I will never = leave you, = nor = forsake thee.
As our economy is based… on the free enterprise system, consumers are often persuaded to get more and more. Our current… “National Economic Crisis”… is based on… ‘People’ buying ‘Things’… they could ‘Not Afford’… that they ‘Really “DID NOT” Need’… with unsecured borrowing… which has led to “Massive Personal Debt!” As our countries ‘national unemployment numbers’ approaches depression era standards we just keep ‘Spending’ and ‘Spending’ and ‘Spending!’ Bankruptcies’ are at an all time high!
(Romans 7:7) What = shall we say = then? = Is the law sin? = God forbid. = Nay, = I had not known sin, = but by the law: = for I had not known lust, = except the law had said, = Thou shall = ‘not’ = covet.
“I want” or “I need”… must be the ‘criteria’ of personal choice. The second question is… “Is this item essential for my daily living?” Some years ago my computer died. Up until it crashed, I had continued to upgrade my old one. I did not have the funds to purchase another computer… so I went to the Public Library… and used the computer there. I waited and saved and finally… “Purchased a ‘new’ one!”
(Proverbs 28:22) He = who hastens = to be rich = has = an evil eye, = and = does not know = that poverty = will come upon him.
“More is Better”… is the advertising mindset to get the consumer to… “Buy More!” How about this… “Less is More?” I haven’t struggled, with ‘too much’, with money, even though I do ‘not’ have a lot. I have just what “God”… the God of the Bible… “Can trust ‘me’ with!” Sure all of us have at one time entertained the ‘Fantasy of the Lotto!’ A USF professor wrote a book researching… ‘100 – people’… that had won the lottery. 98 of them were in worse shape, ‘Financially!’ Wealth has been the ‘moral ruin’ of many a family.
(Luke 12:15) And = He [Jesus] = said to them, = Watch = and = keep yourselves = from covetousness. = For = a man's life = “Is ‘Not’ In” = the abundance = of the things = which he = ‘possesses’.
What can you, “live without”…? Perhaps as the number of homeless people and especially ‘families’ increases… many are learning a lesson. I heard one single parent, who was living in a car with her two children say… that she was so ‘thankful’, to be back in a “One Bedroom Apartment!” Today, many have to have separate bedrooms, for each of the children, so that they can ‘each’ have their… ‘own space.’ Most of the world has to share rooms… why are ‘Americans’ so narrow minded… that they ‘cannot’ [will not], learn that lesson.
(1Thessalonians 5:18) In = ‘everything’ = give thanks, = for = this is = the will of God = in Christ Jesus = concerning ‘you’.
“Discipline”, is simply a word for ‘Training’. Olympic athletes train for hours, days and even years… to shave “Thousandths of a Second”… off their time in their sport. And yet they do it to earn the Gold, Silver or even Bronze. Self discipline is a ‘Learned Trait.’ English is my ‘mother tongue’ but I have to ‘discipline’ myself to learn another language. I have been ‘dabbling’ in Spanish since high school. I have also ‘dabbled’ in several other languages. But to really learn the fluency in another language, one needs to be able to… “Think in ‘that’ Language.”
(Philippians 2:5) For = let = this mind = be in you = which was also = in Christ Jesus,
(John 6:38) For = I [Jesus] = came down = from Heaven, = not to do = My = own will = but = the will = of Him [God] = Who sent Me.
About now… you can see where this is going. Is Christ Jesus the Messiah… your Lord & Savior? Did you know that “Lord means Boss?” If you love Him, isn’t it about time… that you begin to… ‘Act as though you do?’ You spending is… ‘part & parcel’… of that life in Christ. Yes, we all like ‘new’ things and to be able to have ‘new’ things, but are some of them… “Really Necessary?”
(Luke 10:39-to-42) And she = had a sister = called Mary, = who also = sat at Jesus' feet = and = heard His word.
(Luke 10:40) But Martha = was distracted = with much serving [entertaining] = And = she came to Him [Jesus] = and said, = Lord, = do You not care = that my sister = has left me = to serve alone? = Therefore = tell her = to help me.
(Luke 10:41) And = Jesus answered = and said to her, = Martha, = Martha, = you are anxious = and = troubled = about many things.
(Luke 10:42) But one thing is needful, = and = Mary = has chosen that good part, = which shall ‘not’ = be taken away from her.
Do you entertain… in your home? Do you have to have the best China and Crystal and Silver ware? I know of a ‘missionary family’ that comes back to the USA every five years. When one comes over to visit with them, they serve either “Bologna & cheese” or “Peanut butter & jelly” sandwiches’ for the meal. The time with them is “always precious”… for the things that Christ is doing in other countries and in their lives.
(Luke 16:11-12) So = ‘if’ = you = have ‘not’ = been faithful = with unrighteous riches, = who = will trust you with = “True Wealth?” [1John 2:4]
(Luke 16:12) And = if = you have ‘not’ = been faithful = with what belongs to foreigners [another], = who will give you = what is = your own?
I will not pretend… to tell how to use the resources that ‘God’ has entrusted to you, nor would I dare to. May I simply suggest that… “Less is More?” Yes, I did look at that Laptop that was on sale today… and decided against it, as it is a ‘toy’ and “not a necessity”… as I already have a one year old desktop. What about that purchase that you are thinking about for Christmas? Are you going to put yourself in [more] debt… because you… “Owe it to Yourself”… to get that… “???”
(Luke 14:28-29-30) For = which of you, = intending to build a tower, = does not sit down = ‘first’ = and = “count the cost”, = whether he = may have = enough = to finish it;
(Luke 14:29) lest perhaps, = after he has = laid the foundation = and = is not able = to finish, = all = those seeing = begin to mock him,
(Luke 14:30) saying, = This man = began to build = and = was not able = to finish.
How about turning… ‘Black Friday’… into “Green Friday”, simply by keeping… the “Green”… for something you need instead of… ‘something’ you want? You or I or Anyone… does not need an excuse to spend money. We do it because it gives us a… “Feeling of control”… which is merely an illusion. When the bills come due… “That is the reality!” The ‘option’ of returning it, ‘Now’… is always there…!
(Luke 12:15) And = He [Jesus] = said to them, = Watch = and = keep yourselves = from covetousness. = For = a man's life = “Is ‘Not’ In” = the abundance = of the things = which he = ‘possesses’.
Thank you for Your “EAR!” Roger //Email// atruth459@yahoo.com
Home Page: http://truth459.blogspot.com/
Ende…!
