Love of Money

1 Timothy 6:1,2 In Paul’s culture there was a great social and legal gulf separating masters and slaves. But as Christians, masters and slaves became spiritual equals, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Paul did not speak against the institution of slavery, but he gave guidelines for Christian slaves and Christian masters. His counsel for the master/slave relationship can be applied to the employee/employer relationship today. Employees should work hard, showing respect for their employers. In turn employers should be fair. Our work should reflect our faithfulness to and love for Christ.
1 Timothy 3:5,6. Paul told Timothy to stay away from those who just wanted to make money from preaching and from those who strayed from the sound teachings of the gospel into quarrels that caused strife in the church. A person’s understanding of the finer points of theology should not become the basis for lording it over others or making money. Stay away from people who just want to argue. This statement is the key to spiritual growth and personal fulfillment. We should honor God and center our desires on him, and we should be content with what God is doing for our lives.
1 Timothy 6: 8,9. It is often helpful to distinguish between needs and wants. We may have all we need to live, but let ourselves become anxious and discontented over what we merely want. Like Paul, we can choose to be content without having all that we want. The only alternative is to be a slave to our desires.
1 Timothy 6:10 Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, most people still believe that money brings happiness. Rich people craving greater riches can be caught in an endless cycle that only ends in ruin and destruction. How can you keep away from the love of money? Paul gives us some guidelines: realize that one day riches will be gone, be content with what you have, monitor what you are willing to do to get more money, love people more than money, freely share what you have with others.
1 Timothy 6:17 If you have been blessed with wealth, then thank the Lord. Don’t be proud and don’t trust in your money. Use your money to do good. Be rich in good works, generous and ready to share. No matter how much money you have, your life should demonstrate that God controls the wealth that he has placed under your care.

If time and money were no object.
What would you do for God ?

image reference;flickr.com

GZ/KZ

Judging Others. Ask/ Look/Knock

Matthew 7: 1,2. Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. Our untamed bad habits and behavior patterns are the very ones that we most want to change in others .Do you find it easy to magnify others’ faults while excusing your own? If you are ready to criticize someone, check to see if you deserve the same criticism. Judge yourself first, and then lovingly forgive and help your neighbor.
Matthew 7:5, Jesus’ statement, ‘‘Do not judge’’, is against the kind of hypocritical, judgmental attitude that tears others down in order to build oneself up. It is not a blanket statement against all critical thinking, but a call to be discerning rather than negative. Jesus said to expose false teachers and Paul taught that we should exercise church discipline and trust God to be the final judge.
Matthew 7:7,8. Jesus tells us to persist in pursuing God. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that God cannot be found. But knowing God takes faith, focus and follow-through and Jesus assures that we will be rewarded. Don’t give up in your efforts to seek God. Continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.

If you give a hungry man a fish he will live for a day.
If you teach him how to fish he will live for a lifetime.

Image reference; brokenbelievers.com

GZ/K.Z

Jesus tells and explains the parables of the four soils

Luke 8:4, Jesus often communicated spiritual truth through parables –short stories or descriptions that take a familiar object or situation and give it a startling new twist. By linking the known with the hidden and forcing listeners to think, parables can point to spiritual truths. A parable compels listeners to discover the truth for themselves, and it conceals the truth from those to lazy or dull to understand it. In reading Jesus’ parables, we must be careful not to read to much into them. Most have only one point and one meaning.
Luke 8:5, Why would a farmer allow precious seed to land on the path, on rocks or among thorns? This is not an irresponsible farmer scattering seeds at random. He is using the acceptable method of hand seeding a large field- tossing it by handfuls as he walks through the field. His goal is to get as much seed as possible to take root in good soil, but waste is inevitable as some falls or is blown into less productive areas. That some of the seed produces no crop is not the fault of the faithful farmer or of the seed. The yield depends on the condition of the soil where the seed falls. It is our responsibility to spread the seed [God’s word], but we should not give up when some of our efforts fail. Remember not every seed falls on good soil.
Luke 8:10, Why didn’t the crowds understand Jesus’ words? Perhaps they were looking for a military leader, or a political Messiah and could not fit his gentle teaching style into their preconceived idea. Perhaps they were afraid of pressure from religious leaders and did not want to look to deeply into Jesus’ words. God told Isaiah that people would hear without understanding and see without learning anything and that kind of reaction confronted Jesus. The parable of the farmer was an accurate picture of the peoples reaction to the rest of his parables.
Luke 8;11-15, ‘’Path’’ people, like many of the religious leaders, refuse to believe God’s message. ‘’Rock’’ people, like many in the crowds that followed Jesus, believe his message but never get around to doing anything about it. ‘’Thorn patch’’ people, overcome by worries and the lure of materialism, leave no room in their lives for God. ‘’Good soil’’ people, in contrast to all the other groups, follow Jesus no matter what the cost. Which type of soil are you?
Luke 8:16,17, When the light of the truth about Jesus illuminates us, we have the duty to shine that light to help others. Our witness for Christ should be public, not hidden. We should not keep the benefits for ourselves alone but pass them on to others. In order to be helpful, we need to be well placed. Seek opportunities to shine your light when unbelievers need help to see.
Luke 8:18, Applying God’s word helps us grow. This is a principle of growth in physical, mental, and spiritual life. For example, a muscle, when exercised, will grow stronger, but an unused muscle will grow weak and flabby. If you are not growing stronger, you are growing weaker. It is impossible for you to stand still. How are you using what God has taught you?

Three reasons why you need Jesus
1.Because you have a past.
2.Because you need a friend.
3.Because he holds the future.

image reference ;grace2f.org

G.Z/K.Z.