| Pastor's
Pen
by Buzz Dahlen I have recently been impressed with the conviction that the bible tells us; God is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I know, what is so earth shaking about that. Well, since God is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who are we to disobey Him? How arrogant to think that we can even consider disobeying God. I am humbled by my disobedience and confess that I am a sinner, save only by God’s grace. While I was looking up scripture verses that address this thought I came across an interesting passage that I would like to look at this week. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 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. How true this is. I have seen so many depend on worldly wealth for security and reject God’s plan for their life. How easy it is to fall into the trap of trying to satisfy one’s desires with something that can be lost so easily. The truth is that God created us to be dependant upon Him. Paul goes on to write in verses11-16 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. There is it, God is the “blessed and only Ruler, the King if kings and Lord of lords.” Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it? We will look at this thought more closely in another Pastor’s Pen. For now, I want you to consider the “love of money.” Years ago-I don’t remember if I told you this story-I was approached by an old friend who wanted to get me started in his multilevel marketing “opportunity.” He told me that in a very short time I could be independently wealthy. I thought about the idea and responded, “No thank you. I prefer to be dependently wealthy.” Here is what most people don’t understand; if you are wealthy by the world’s standards, there are two things to consider. One, you can lose your wealth and two, it is limited, no matter how much you think you have. If you are wealthy by heaven’s standards, you can never lose it and there is no limit. Jesus said, during His sermon on the mount: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money…” Matthew 6:19-24 I guess that’s something to think about… |
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