While having money is not a sin, loving it and loving all it can buy is not God’s idea. Like everything else that God gives, money is His property, not mine. In fact, I am not an owner but a steward. How can a steward use her Master’s property for herself?
Not only that, throughout the Bible God warns against greed and selfishness. He tells His people that their lives will not prosper if they get their priorities backwards. This means that if I am going to live for Him, I need to consider what He has to say about money and ownership and having stuff.
I also need to consider my priorities. What is most important in God’s mind? Do I fritter away my hours doing what pleases me? Doing what has no bearing on His kingdom? Or has He other plans?
For instance, back in 525 BC or thereabouts, He wanted His temple rebuilt. Instead of getting on that, God’s people were building “paneled houses” for themselves. God said to them:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors. (Haggai 1:7–11)
This short passage tells me a great deal about God’s priorities. His house was more important than their houses. He was pleased with this place of worship and that He was glorified in that place. Their obedience to rebuild it was more important than their personal homes and personal success. While it was not wrong that they had nice houses, it was sin to leave their place of worship in ruins while they furthered their own desires.
Today, God’s dwelling place is not in a building, but in each of His people. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Construction of this temple means giving full attention to spiritual growth and Christian maturity. This comes first, above any other kind of success. God is more concerned that I am a godly person who lives in obedience to Him than I sell books, make beautiful art, or become successful in the eyes of the world in any other endeavor. He also wants me to be pure, keep myself from sin, and not allow spiritual ruin of any kind. When I, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” He promises that, “all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Also, Christians collectively are the temple of God. Ephesians 2:21–22 says that in Christ, “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
This means that the people of God and our collective spiritual health is more important than my personal well-being. I am to live like Jesus lived by putting others first and giving attention to the spiritual health of the Body of Christ. This means I am to, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than (myself), looking not only to (my) own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4)
As I read these verses and compare them to my to-do list, I can usually see what needs to happen first, yet there are also verses that tell me to take care of my home and family. For instance,
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3–5)
Even as these verses are about mentoring others, they are also about my own obedience toward home and family responsibilities. I am to work at home and care for my family, in love and yielded to the will of God. For me, this is primary. I can easily get caught up in all sorts of other things and not bother with the boring, like cleaning bathrooms and weeding the garden.
Every day brings choices. Every day God encourages me to put Him first, talk to Him first, not only first in the morning but before all choices, even before doing those other things that are clearly His will. I need His advice, strength, encouragement and guidance. After all, I am a steward, and stewards are custodians. In all things, the Master has the final say.
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Father, people say Your Word is an old book and not relevant these days. They have no idea how much You help Your people with decisions and daily choices. I want my life to have significance, yet realize how much the world’s way of measuring success is flawed and self-centered. Eternal significance is achieved only by doing Your will, from the heart. My actions may be flawed and often seem insignificant, but if done in obedience, then faith tells me that You will give them lasting value.
Today I am speaking about a controversial issue. This takes place at our church denomination convention. I’ve prepared, and my materials, etc. are ready, but . . .
Last night I had bad dreams, not one but two. I woke up with an aching body and a distressed mind. Prayer even before sitting up didn’t bring any peace and joy. My devotional reading doesn’t seem to be related to what is going on in my spirit either. The verse is about waiting for the Second Coming. It says,
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. . . (Philippians 3:20)
I sit here and think how some people get into a jam or have to do something unpleasant, so they hope that Jesus will return and that event will bail them out. When life is rough, I occasionally think like that. I even say aloud, “I just want to go home.” A friend with four rambunctious kids used to say, “Oh for the peace of the grave,” her humorous euphemism for “Jesus, come and get me out of this.”
The author of my devotional guide is more spiritual than either one of us. He says that anticipating Christ’s return is the greatest source of spiritual motivation, accountability, and security. With my escapist attitude, I’m having trouble relating to it.
The motivation part comes from what Jesus said about rewards. I should want to be ready when He comes and anticipate being rewarded when He says, “Well done good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:23).
I have days where I feel as if I have faithfully served the Lord and enjoy the joy He gives for obedience even while we are still on earth. Those are good days, but today, so far, is not one of them. My mind is scrambled by the dreams, likely because one of them was about a past event that caused much sorrow, and the other was about an inner fear coming to pass. I’m glad that my workshop is not the first thing on today’s agenda. God is providing time where He can help me with these memories and fears, and hopefully give me better things to think about.
The accountability part is at first scarey. I want to see the face of Jesus and feel His welcome home. I rarely think about the judgment. Actually, for Christians, this is not actually scarey, so I should not think that way.
The Bible talks of two judgments; one for us who believe and one for those who have rejected Christ. The rejecters will be judged according to their sin; we will be judged according to all we have done as God’s children. I’m quite aware that some of what I have done will be rewarded, but some will be deemed useless. No one wants to be useless, and that is what scares me.
I’m not sure what the rewards will be though. Scripture indicates that it is more than the “well done” mentioned above. In either case, it is clear that, “each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). I can see myself standing there speechless.
The security part is that no matter whether I am ready or not, and no matter how much or how little my life has accomplished for Him, Jesus did say, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:39).
This is the blessing. Whether I mess up or bless those who hear me today, whether I struggle with memories or put them behind me, whether my fears come to pass or are just dreams, I belong to Jesus. Nothing can change that. I was given to Him by God the Father, am kept by the power of the Holy Spirit, and will be raised up with Jesus and by Jesus on that last day. How much or how little my life will be valued is not as amazing as the fact that I belong to God.
This is what I can think about. This day is just a day. The important day is yet to come, and that day is not about me any more than this one is. All of it is about Jesus. He is coming. He is bringing rewards and looking forward to seeing His people face to face even more than we are anticipating Him. He knows who we are and He has made us secure, a security that does not depend on what we have done. It never has.
My place in the kingdom of God is solid because of what Jesus has done. When I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, my accounting will not be about me — I’ve nothing to claim. Instead, it will be about Him for He has done everything that I need to bring me into His presence with eternal joy.
An article in Sunshine Magazine shows the difference between a leader and a boss using a comparison made by a successful owner of large department stores. He claims that . . .
The boss drives his men — the leader coaches them.
The boss depends upon authority — the leader on good will.
The boss inspires fear — the leader inspires enthusiasm.
The boss says “I” — the leader, “we.”
The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown — the leader fixes the breakdown.
The boss knows how it is done — the leader shows how.
The boss says “Go” — the leader says “Let’s go!”
As I read this list, I’m thinking of the leadership style of Jesus Christ. He certainly coaches His disciples and is with them in every task and project. As the branch must abide in the vine, we also cannot do anything apart from Him. He also inspires us, fixes the messes we make, and shows us how to do what He asks. He is right there, no matter what He wants me to do.
Yet as my leader, Jesus must also have authority as well as ability. What good is a leader who cannot be or do anything that He asks of his followers? What good is a leader who cannot have any influence to bring the work done to a successful end? I could not follow Him if He had no clout, but of course He does have clout. He said:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
His authority covers everything that affects me. While He was on earth, He demonstrated authority over the weather, sickness and death, and all spiritual entities. He had the authority to forgive sins and judge all men. While He submitted to events, the Bible says that He now is sovereign over all. At the end of His time here, He also proved that He had the authority to lay down His life and take it up again. He is in charge of the world and all that happens in it. I may not understand what He is doing all the time, but I do know that He is the Boss.
Authority is important. While the world works toward “equality for all” this concept so easily backfires into anarchy. From youth who say, “Who are you to tell me what to do?” to adults who pay little attention to road signs and speed limits, anyone can observe the effects when people have little or no respect for authority. We need leaders, and we need to be able to recognize our leaders and follow them.
Authority is also important in the church. While we are all members of the body of Christ and “each member is as important as the others,” Jesus also gives authority to some who are leaders in the church. This has many important implications. One is that leadership provides a system of accountability that authorizes discipline when church members fall into sin and refuse to get out of it. The Bible says:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)
If Christians find themselves in spiritual trouble because they have fallen into sin, they might go to a psychologist or counselor rather than their pastor. There, they may get good advice (unfortunately, not always), but an independent counselor cannot claim any spiritual authority over them or hold them accountable to obey biblical principles. The relationship is more clinical than personal so even if their counselor was another Christian, there is less likelihood that person would exhort a sinful client to confess and repent.
Christians are told to be accountable to those in authority over them and those who are spiritual are told to restore those overtaken in sin (Galatians 6). These are examples of the value of authority.
As for the practical part of this, I need leadership; running my own life gets me into trouble. Whether it is Jesus Himself, or someone He has authorized to take charge, I need someone to say “stop it” or “start it” and someone to show me how and cheer me on.
Just as the department store owner says, I need the “we” aspect of Jesus’ leadership. Whether I’m trying to keep my life straight, or am trying to obey His commands, I need my leaders.
I also need Jesus, and I am so glad that He is right here with me. The verse from Matthew, in its context, continues; after Jesus says He has all authority and gives His followers the command to make disciples, He finishes with, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The illustration is often used of a coal in the fire. When with others, it keeps burning, but take it out of the pile and its fire soon dims and goes out. This is an exhortation to anyone who claims to be a Christian but does not fellowship with other Christians. We need each other.
One reason for that need is that biblical love and the doing of good works is seldom automatic. Even with the very life of Christ in me, I need motivation, sometimes strong motivation. I’m an introvert and if I try to “hibernate” too long, I find my interest in serving others begins to wane. A hermit lifestyle feeds my selfish old nature. People, particularly Christians who are walking with the Lord, motivate me. I need them.
This principle is also illustrated by the many “one another” verses in the New Testament. The Lord tells us to love one another, pray for one another, and so on. The strongest exhortation to stick with it and be with other believers is this:
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
While attending church is mainly a way of expressing corporate worship, it is also God’s method of accountability. When I am with godly people, I am motivated to pull up my own socks. When I see someone struggling in their faith, I’m motivated to help them with the pulling. We need each other.
It is true that God uses others as sandpaper for my bumps and lumps. When I am with difficult people, or people who irritate me, or even people that I admire very much, I am more aware of my sinful attitudes and selfishness. To my dismay, I do and say things that I never knew were part of the way I am. I feel exposed. It is not a pleasant feeling, but this is a good thing for it gives me further reason to confess my sins to God and be cleansed. How else would I grow if I remain blind to my own failures and faults?
Those who don’t go to church or who say they can worship God by themselves might belong to Christ, but they are missing one of His provisions to become more like Him. Around others, my faith and practice is tested. If the tests reveal growth-hindering things, I can take them to Him and He will change my heart.
Sometimes I pass the tests. Maybe someone is lagging in obedience, or sagging in faith. My words and actions may stir them up, motivate them to spiritual disciplines, deeper faith, or confession of sin.
The Greek word translated “stir up” is the root for our English word “paroxysm” meaning a “convulsion.” In this context the Greek word speaks strongly about the tremendous impact I can have on other believers and they can have on me. However, this will not happen in a vacuum. We need each other.
The older I am, the more winter in Canada makes my bones ache with the cold. I tend to want to hibernate, turn off the phone and stop reading email. Yes, we get out every Sunday to church, but the closer my relationship with God becomes, the more I realize that once a week with other Christians is not enough. I need exhortation and encouragement, but I also need opportunities to consider others and how I can encourage them. Yes, we do need each other.
