Max Lucado Daily: The Definition of Greed
Jesus had a definition for greed. He called it the practice of measuring life by possessions! Greed equates a person's worth with a person's purse. You got a lot equals you are a lot. You got a little equals you are little. The consequence of such a philosophy is predictable. If you are the sum of what you own, then by all means own it all. No price is too high. No payment is too much. But God's foremost rule of finance is that we own nothing. We are managers, not owners. Stewards, not landlords. Maintenance people, not proprietors.
Our money is not ours, it is His. It's not as if God kept the future a secret. One glance at a cemetery should remind us that everyone dies. The Bible says, "The Lord owns the world and everything in it-the heavens, even the highest heavens, are his!" (Psalm 24:1). This includes our money.
From When God Whispers Your Name
Exodus 22 The Message
22 1-3 “If someone steals an ox or a lamb and slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay five cattle in place of the ox and four sheep in place of the lamb. If the thief is caught while breaking in and is hit hard and dies, there is no bloodguilt. But if it happens after daybreak, there is bloodguilt.
3-4 “A thief must make full restitution for what is stolen. The thief who is unable to pay is to be sold for his thieving. If caught red-handed with the stolen goods, and the ox or donkey or lamb is still alive, the thief pays double.
5 “If someone grazes livestock in a field or vineyard but lets them loose so they graze in someone else’s field, restitution must be made from the best of the owner’s field or vineyard.
6 “If fire breaks out and spreads to the brush so that the sheaves of grain or the standing grain or even the whole field is burned up, whoever started the fire must pay for the damages.
7-8 “If someone gives a neighbor money or things for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. If the thief is not caught, the owner must be brought before God to determine whether the owner was the one who took the neighbor’s goods.
9 “In all cases of stolen goods, whether oxen, donkeys, sheep, clothing, anything in fact missing of which someone says, ‘That’s mine,’ both parties must come before the judges. The one the judges pronounce guilty must pay double to the other.
10-13 “If someone gives a donkey or ox or lamb or any kind of animal to another for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or lost and there is no witness, an oath before God must be made between them to decide whether one has laid hands on the property of the other. The owner must accept this and no damages are assessed. But if it turns out it was stolen, the owner must be compensated. If it has been torn by wild beasts, the torn animal must be brought in as evidence; no damages have to be paid.
14-15 “If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it gets injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must pay for it. But if the owner was with it, he doesn’t have to pay. If the animal was hired, the payment covers the loss.
* * *
16-17 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the marriage price and marry her. If her father absolutely refuses to give her away, the man must still pay the marriage price for virgins.
18 “Don’t let a sorceress live.
19 “Anyone who has sex with an animal gets the death penalty.
20 “Anyone who sacrifices to a god other than God alone must be put to death.
21 “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.
22-24 “Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.
25 “If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.
26-27 “If you take your neighbor’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbor’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbor crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.
28 “Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders.
29-30 “Don’t be stingy as your wine vats fill up.
“Dedicate your firstborn sons to me. The same with your cattle and sheep—they are to stay for seven days with their mother, then give them to me.
31 “Be holy for my sake.
“Don’t eat mutilated flesh you find in the fields; throw it to the dogs.”
* * *
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Job 38:1-11
The Lord Speaks
“Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
Footnotes:
Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God
Insight
Our familiarity with the story of Job may cause us to overlook some of the significant aspects of his story. It is important to notice the unity of the book of Job. The wisdom, power, and control that God asks Job to consider in chapters 38–41 is the same wisdom, power, and control we read about in the opening chapters when God allows Satan to turn Job’s life upside down and inside out. We should not disconnect God’s wisdom seen in the world around us from the wisdom with which He works in our lives.
Asking Different Questions
By Dave Branon
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? —Job 38:4
When tragedy strikes, questions follow. Our loss of a loved one may lead us to ask God any number of pointed questions: “Why did You let this happen?” “Whose fault was this?” “Don’t You care about my pain?” Believe me, as the grieving father of a teenager who died tragically I have asked these very questions.
The book of Job records the questions Job asks as he sits down with friends to lament his suffering. He had lost his family as well as his health and possessions. At one point, he asks, “Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul?” (3:20). Later, he asks, “What strength do I have, that I should hope?” (6:11). And, “Does it seem good to You that You should oppress?” (10:3). Many have stood near a headstone placed too early and asked similar questions.
But when you read all the way to the end of the book, you get a surprise. When God responds to Job (chs. 38–41), He does it in an unexpected way. He turns the tables and asks Job questions—different questions that show His wisdom and sovereignty. Questions about His magnificent creation—the earth, stars, and sea. And the questions all point to this: God is sovereign. God is all-powerful. God is love. And God knows what He is doing.
We comprehend Him not,
Yet earth and heaven tell,
God sits as sovereign on the throne,
And ruleth all things well. —Gerhardt
Our greatest comfort in sorrow is to know that God is in control.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, July 09, 2014
Will You Examine Yourself?
Joshua said to the people, ’You cannot serve the Lord . . .’ —Joshua 24:19
Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord . . .”— but you can place yourself in the proper position where God’s almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?
“The people said to Joshua, ’No, but we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, “But God could never have called me to this. I’m too unworthy. It can’t mean me.” It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, “I will serve the Lord.”
We say, “Oh, if only I really could believe!” The question is, “Will I believe?” No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, July 09, 2014
Breaking the "Gimme" Barrier - #7173
It is just an unforgettable experience to visit the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Everywhere you go in Haiti there are children. Their
needs are tremendous, and they're doing what they've got to do to try to meet some of those needs.
Now, they don't speak English, they speak French or Creole. But they do know a few words of English. The children that we met did know at least
three words, and they used them over and over again. Swarms of children would surround us, assuming that we were Americans and so we were rich. And
each one was saying those three words which almost came out as one, "Gimme money! Gimme money!" And they'd ask you over and over again. Now, there
are some American kids who seem to have a similar vocabulary, limited as well when they communicate with their parents. It's very hard to build a relationship on that.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Breaking the 'Gimme' Barrier."
Which brings us to our word for today from the Word of God which comes from Matthew chapter 6, beginning at verse 9, where Jesus says, "This, then, is how you should pray." He goes on to take us beyond what is our usual approach to prayer, which is not unlike those kids in Haiti, "Gimme money.
Give me what I need." Jesus shows us how to pray beyond 'gimme'.
I think you're familiar with the prayer. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." I wonder if when God sees us coming He is saying, "Here he comes again with another 'gimme'. (Whatever it is.)" "Gimme me this; gimme me that. Sure wish he/she knew how to say something else."
Maybe that's what a parent feels when most of what they hear from their son or their daughter is 'gimmes'. Jesus suggests a way to talk to God that breaks the 'gimme' barrier and opens the way to a real prayer relationship. And I think we could boil it down to what I call five sentences for heaven. I suggest to new believers that they actually write a letter to God beginning with these sentences.
Sentence number one for a real relationship is praying, "I love you." For He says, "Our Father in heaven" that affectionate term God has asked us to call Him. Why don't you just start out saying, "Lord, I love You." And spend a little time just loving your Lord and telling Him some reasons you do.
Then He talks about "hallowed be Your name" as He reflects on all that God is and all that God has done. There's a sense of being awed by God and
all He's done for them. Here's the second sentence, "Thank you for..." Review the last 24 hours and thank the Lord for some specific things He's done. Then thirdly, He says, "forgive us our debts." How about this, "Lord, I'm sorry for..."
See, the Bible says if you cherish sin in your heart the Lord will not hear you. Every time we pray we need to take out the garbage, confess our sin and say, "Lord, I am so sorry for these ways that I have displeased or hurt You."
And the fourth one is where we always like to get to, "Give us today our daily bread." Please, that's where you say, "Please." You make your requests. And you make them specific requests like daily bread. You are able to focus this awesome God on your personal need.
And then, finally, "Lord, I promise..." "Don't lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." In other words, "I want to live pure. I promise You, Lord, this is how I'm going to live today." And notice it says, "Give us today." This is a daily, updated every day prayer. "Today I
love You because_____. "Today I thank You because _____." "Today I'm sorry because _____." "Today, Lord, I need_____." "Today, I promise _____."
It's a beautiful way to pray, as you would expect from any model Jesus would give.
It's a great way to build a relationship with God beyond chasing a Father with endless "gimme" gimmes. This is prayer that takes you beyond just the pockets of your Father to your Father's heart. Isn't that where you really want to be?
