The
News is everywhere, “Latest Powerball prize among the largest ever!”
For
the past few days everyone has been asking, “What would you do with $1.3
billion?” The answers range from buying a new house, to traveling, to paying
off bills, to donating a lot of money to charity. People from all walks of life, rich and poor,
are suddenly getting in on the action. They
all want a chance to win the largest Powerball drawing in history.
The
mantra of the day is, “You can’t win if you don’t play.” The odds of winning are staggering, but no one
seems deterred from buying a ticket.
Materialism
it is the foundation of many people’s lives today, the more stuff they can
acquire the richer, more important and successful they feel. Their whole worth is determined by what kind
of stuff they own, how much they own and how big or expensive it is. It is for this reason that we often times burn
ourselves out trying to work enough to “keep up with the Jones” all while
forgetting that material things are nice, but it’s not what life is all about. It is not where happiness is found, nor is it
what we are supposed to focus on, or have a desire for.
We
have to remember that material things can be here now and gone tomorrow, and
therefore we should not be so concerned about storing “earthly” treasures. Rather, we should be focused on storing
“Eternal” treasures in heaven where they are ours forever, with no chance of
being ruined, stolen or taken away. The
Word of God tells us in Matthew
6:19-20:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures
on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also.”
The
Bible teaches us that our purpose here on the earth is not to embrace earthly
ways and possessions, but to use our blessings from God and our talents to
share the “Good News” of Jesus Christ with the lost and hurting.
We
see these instructions in 1
John 2:15:
“Do
not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world,
you do not have the love of the Father in you.”
Also
in Matthew 28:18-20:
“Then Jesus came to
them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.”
Life
certainly will change for the person or persons who win the Powerball drawing,
but when we work at, and focus on winning the lost to Christ, and following the
will God has for our lives, we are storing up treasures in heaven that will be
greater than anything we can possibly get here on earth. It is these
treasures that will ultimately determine what kind of servant we were and how
successful we were at obeying God.
Here are some questions for you to think about:
1.
How often are you putting “stuff” over God?
2.
Are you working more at getting stuff, than improving your relationship with
Jesus Christ?
3.
How many people have I helped, lead to Christ, or blessed lately?
“If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of
little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not
worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father
knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given
to you as well.” (Luke 12:28-31)
Can God change
your life?
God has made it
possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life.
Discover how you
can find peace with God.
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