Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Timothy 6:1-10
Set – 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6
Go! – 2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6
1 Timothy 6:1-10
1 Tell all who labor under the yoke of slavery to treat their masters with honor and respect, whether or not their masters deserve it. This will keep God’s name and doctrine from being smeared. 2 If their masters are believers, then they should not be insolent toward them just because they are your brothers and sisters. Actually they should be even more determined to serve them because the gains from their good works benefit those who are faithful and loved.
Timothy, teach these instructions, and appeal to those under your ministry to live by them. 3 If others are teaching otherwise and bringing unhealthy conversations to the community, if they are not sticking to the sound words in the teaching of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, if they are not teaching godly principles— 4 then they are swollen with conceit, filled with self-importance, and without any proper understanding. They probably have a gross infatuation with controversy and will endlessly debate meanings of words. That kind of talk leads to envy, discord, slander, and evil mistrust; 5 and these people constantly bicker because they are depraved in their minds and bereft of the truth. They think somehow that godliness is the way to get ahead. 6 This is ironic because godliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. 7 You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out! 8 So as long as we are clothed and fed, we should be happy. 9 But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Many get mixed up by Paul’s words. Let Me make sure you understand there is nothing wrong with money or things. But loving things more than Me gets you in trouble very quickly. That’s why almost 2,600 verses in scripture deal with money. It is the root of all sorts of evil. Again, not because money or things are bad, but because people look at what others have and get covetous of things.
You forget that I allowed you to be born into a family of wealth or a family struggling with poverty. But it doesn’t matter what your family has. You both come into the world exactly the same – naked and with absolutely nothing that belongs to you. You have a common struggle for life and the skin you’re wrapped in. That’s it!
When you begin to walk with Me and get your eyes off the “things” of the world, you begin to see like Paul. You begin to understand how to find contentment if you have your needs satisfied. What are your needs? Food, water, clothing, shelter, and a relationship with Me and others. That’s it. Nothing else. Everything else comes from seeing what others have and wanting more for yourself. It’s the difference between wants and needs.
It’s not that I don’t want you to have things. As I said before, there is nothing wrong with “things”. They make us comfortable. They sometimes help us help others. They can make life a little more pleasant in a world marred by sin. In fact, I even give some people the gift of accumulation. It takes the gift of accumulation to have the gift of generosity. You can’t give if you don’t have. But don’t let things take over your life. You can’t take them with you. Keep them in their rightful place.
Remember that for each “thing” you bring into your life, it will require time away from My tasks for you. Cars need fixing, yards must be mowed, gadgets take time to learn, charge, or they just consume time (just watch people on Facebook). Each “thing” in your life does the same. Few new items are time savers that actually give time back that you can use for Me.
So, I urge you to get back to basics. What do you need? Stop and think before you acquire that next “thing” for yourself. Do you need it or want it? You won’t take it with you when you transition from this life to the next. Will it add real joy to your life or just bring you some momentary happiness? There is a difference. Think about it.
Naked you came into the world and naked you will leave it. You came with nothing and you’ll leave with nothing. So hold those “things” loosely that you happen to accumulate along the way. Maybe I want you to share them with someone who needs them more than you!
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