And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

The headline caught my attention: “Wealthy Plan to Shun Materialism.” I was drawn to the article that went on to say that wealthy shoppers, according to a recent survey, plan to refrain from scooping up expensive handbags, shoes and other discretionary items, even as the economy recovers.

The rich say they will reign in their spending of material things and seek out experiences that may garner more satisfaction. The study found that people are less interested in expensive personal items and more interested in building “lasting memories.” Apparently luxury goods and services are considered less important in today’s economy. Pricy designer items seem to have lost some of their appeal.

The road they are travelling is nothing new. It has been in the Bible for years. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have. Hebrews 13:5.

There are many verses warning about materialism, but they are summed up in five major conclusions:

1. It is idolatry. Materialism puts something other than God as an idol to be worshiped. Materialists make sacrifices to their idols in terms of time, money, energy and passion.

2. It is all consuming. A person who obsesses about owning possessions will become too consumed with pursuing it that they will neglect more important matters in life.

3. It is counter-productive. The whole point of materialism is supposed to bring happiness by possessing, but in the end it only causes deeper and greater unhappiness because it produces only temporary bouts of superficial elation, much like a sugar or caffeine high. There’s always a crash.

4. It is unsatisfying. There is never enough. Having wealth or being rich is not a sin, but putting it above God is.

5. It is ultimately futile. In the end, everyone is going to die. When they do, all the money, possessions, education and whatever else they have accumulated will be left here on earth, regardless of where they ultimately go. The Rembrandt painting will stay on the wall. So will the collection of rare coins or the library of first editions. But, most importantly, none of these will be there for eternity. Everything material will be destroyed.

“Do not lay 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 and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.

Question: Have you considered these points and evaluated your priorities?

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney.

FURTHER READING

• Owned or Loaned?
• What Is Your Idol?
• Back to the Basics

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In my younger days, I thought I was successful. I owned 50 per cent of a successful business, had a Ph.D. and was married with three children. I believed I had accomplished this all through my own capability and wisdom. I thought I could accomplish anything if I just tried hard enough. My knowledge, strength of will, college degrees and business success were important to me, and I put them ahead of everything else.

My 20-year-old son Alan had different priorities. He tried to tell me what Jesus Christ meant to him, but I was convinced I didn’t need Him. I told Alan that I could do everything myself. I was so firm about rejecting the Christian faith that Alan told his pastor, ‘My dad will never become a Christian!’ As a chemical engineer, I had tried to prove or disprove the existence of God as one does chemical reactions in a lab. The tests came up empty, so I ignored God.

Alan later became seriously ill and was admitted to hospital. After his heart stopped beating, I stood outside the emergency room struggling with pain, anguish and helplessness. It was here that I realized I could not do everything myself. There was nothing I could do as my son hovered on the brink of . I didn’t even know how to pray.

Alan survived the cardiac arrest, but he was in the hospital for a long time suffering from a serious head infection. He told me, ‘God is in charge. If God’s purpose in my suffering is to bring you to Christ, then everything I’m going through is worth it.’ I was astonished!

I read Alan’s Bible to him every day at his bedside. For the first time, I began to learn what the Bible was really about. And I began to learn about Jesus. Alan’s strong belief in Jesus, combined with what I read in the Bible, made me realize that Jesus was real. He had to be who He claimed to be. Although I tried to believe that He was nothing more than a great teacher or prophet, this argument didn’t stand up to the test. He claimed to be the true Son of God. I decided that Jesus must have been telling the truth, and I accepted His claims.

A month later, I asked Christ to take charge of my life, to be my Lord and Saviour. I knew God wanted me to have a more meaningful life. Alan was thrilled when I told him about my decision! He had prayed for a long time that his father would know eternal life.

Three weeks after my decision, Alan went into a coma. For three days I hardly left his bedside, until finally he slipped away from life on earth to be with his Lord and Saviour. I had looked forward to sharing my new Christian life with my son, but I knew that he would now spend eternity in heaven and that I would see him again someday. Though grief stricken, God gave my wife and me a peace and hope that surpassed all human understanding.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if anyone is in Christ, he is a ‘new creation.’ The old self has gone and the new has come. This certainly was true in my life. God now has first priority, followed by my wife and family, and then my business. My principles for decision-making have also changed completely. I ask God for help in making daily business decisions, and no longer rely solely on my own knowledge. I have found that God’s infinite wisdom is vastly superior to my own. Best of all, there is joy in my life no matter what happens to me. I know that I have eternal life to look forward to.

How do you define success? Why not ask Jesus for his definition? If you don’t know Jesus, we encourage you to pray the following:

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be.

If you prayed today and asked Jesus Christ to come into your life and take control, we would love to hear from you. Drop us a quick line using the form below and if you’re looking for a response, we’ll do that too.

God Bless you.
by Dr. Ed Becker (edited by Kevin Miller)

More Articles by Dr. Ed Becker:

Correcting My Priorities in Business and in Life

View an Online Video with Dr. Becker

The post Redefining Success appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” – Proverbs 22:1

One morning in April of 1888 Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, woke up to read his own obituary. His brother, Ludvig, had died. But a newspaper reporter mistakenly thought it was Alfred and carelessly reported the death of the wrong brother! Anyone would be disturbed under those circumstances to read their own obituary. However, the headline was even more disconcerting to Nobel. It read: “The Merchant of Death is Dead.”

The article called him “The Dynamite King” and stated: “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.” Alfred Nobel was horrified and overwhelmed. For the first time this great inventor and industrialist who amassed an immense fortune from explosives saw himself as the world saw him: “The Dynamite King.” Nobel did not want to be remembered as the merchant of death, so he resolved to do something about it.

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his final will and testament at the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris. When Nobel died on December 10, 1896, it was discovered that according to his will, his vast wealth was to be used for five annual prizes: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. The first prizes were awarded 113 years ago on December 10, 1901.

The prize for peace was to be awarded to the person who “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding of peace congresses.” Just before his death, he confided in a friend, “I want to be remembered for peace, not destruction.”

When Alfred Nobel actually died he held 355 patents, had built companies and laboratories in over 20 countries and left a nine million dollar endowment fund to award the prizes. Nobel literally changed his legacy. Today we remember him for the Nobel peace prize.

While most of us will not leave behind inventions, worldwide success or a 9 million dollars endowment, we are leaving a legacy.

How will you be remembered? What kind of reputation are you building? What legacy are you leaving? Alfred Nobel said,  “Every man ought to have the chance to correct his eulogy in midstream and write a new one.” How will your eulogy read?

By John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

FURTHER READING

• Leaving a Legacy for Christ 
• Success to Significance
• Never Too Old
• A Call to Fatherhood

The post How Will You be Remembered? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are, no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.” Matthew 5:5 (MSG)

Contentment. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, to be contented is “feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.” This past summer I watched neighbors buy luxury SUV’s and new furniture and paint their homes. Some have elaborate play structures in their backyards; others are constantly remodelling. For the first time in my life, I had to come face to face with the notion of “keeping up with the Jones’s.” At the same time, I’ve  read Raising Kids for True Greatness by Dr. Tim Kimmel.

My inner world felt turbulent as I grappled with my own notions of success. How do I define a successful life? Is that really what God calls me to? Instead, Kimmel suggests, we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and aim for true greatness. It’s still hard when you watch what feels like an entire neighborhood marching to a different drummer. Recently I caught a snippet of a radio broadcast on our local Christian station. One of the speakers shared how his children were constantly saying, “It’s not fair.” He challenged them through the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20) to realize that when we compare our lives with others, we lose our contentment. Instead we focus on what we have and turn our hearts to gratitude. “Comparison ruins contentment,” he added. That’s exactly what I needed to hear. In our home, we have decided to follow Jesus and follow the beat of His heart. What a relief not to have to live up to any other expectations.

Reflection:

– What moves you out of your place of contentment?
– What are you grateful for today?

Dear Lord, Thank You that You are my shepherd and I have everything I need. Your love covers me, lifts me and fills me. Today, again, I choose to dance to the beat of Your heart. I love You, Amen.

By Idelette McVicker
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  A Thought about Gratitude
•  If He Closes One Door, He Opens Another!
•  Salvation Explained

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“After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong,  he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12:1

Self-sufficiency is a much admired quality in many parts of the world.

We applaud the woman or man who became successful against the odds of an impoverished childhood, limited education or repeated setbacks. We encourage our children to “make something of themselves,” to be the best that they can be.

But success and strength can become dangerous when uncoupled from reliance upon our Creator God, when we assume autonomy instead of recognition that all we are and all we accomplish are from the hand of a gracious God.

In his book, The Alexander Complex, Michael Meyer writes, “Alexander has been dead for twenty-three-hundred years, but there have always been people who share his spark… They live in the grip of a vision. Work and career take on the quality of a mission… And because (these people) are talented and convinced that they can change the world, they often do.”

Unfortunately, many who pursue such goals begin to think their success is due primarily to their own goodness, wealth or intellect. They either have not heard or choose to ignore a warning God gave His people: “Remember how the Lord your God led you… Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God…Otherwise…your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God”
(Deuteronomy 8).

God asks us to be strong and courageous, to work hard in and for His Kingdom, and always to recognize the true source of our strength and courage.

by Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission

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