The Secret to King David's Greatness - Part 3

[1]

Friday, April 15, 2016

Go to VIDEO

Teach me your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.  Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!  Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you.  Help abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good.  I long to obey your commandments!  Renew my life with your goodness.  Psalm 119:33-40 ^(NLT)

We are looking at keys to unlocking the human heart, transforming the evil in our human nature into Godliness – turning the heart towards God’s will.  King David is our example.  We have learned so far that he was teachable and pro-active.

Thirdly we discover that:

David understood the difference 

between riches and money

Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!  Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.

I think it’s actually quite hilarious that we come to this section on April 15^th – tax day!  Trust me, I didn’t plan it; you can’t plan this stuff…really! 

There is such an abundance of teaching about wealth and the use of money throughout Scripture that it’s not easy to make a summary in the five minutes we have for this devotion.  We have, for instance, people like Solomon, (a pretty smart guy) in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes; we also have Job, the guy who learned the hard way.  In the New Testament we have James, and lots of Paul, and, of course we have Jesus.  We even have Paul quoting Jesus.

Here are a few:

Paul:  …for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  Philippians 4:11b^(NLT)

Paul:   For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  1 Timothy 6:10a^(NLT)

Jesus:  I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”  Matthew 19:24^(NLT)

Paul quoting Jesus:  For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  Romans 14:17^(NLT)

Each of these short statements is packed with the principle of greatness of heart.  When someone has learned to keep money in perspective, whether it is a small amount or a king’s fortune, it is then possible to see life in God’s Kingdom clearly.

In talking about the difficulties that come along with riches, Jesus gave the illustration of a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle.  The humor of that aside, it is a compelling picture of one’s trappings keeping him on the outside.  If that “needle” happened to be a short, narrow passageway into the city, the rich man would have to dismount the camel, strip the saddle off and anything else ol’ dromedary was carrying so the beast could kneel and wiggle through that opening.  If the trappings of life are too meaningful, you spend your life outside the city to which you’re travelling.  You’ve lost your perspective.  And money always clouds perspective; it doesn’t take much to clog the eye of a needle.

Paul told the church at Philippi he could be content whether his pockets were slam-full, or dead-broke; what was important was the peace beyond understanding (which he’d come to understand and cherish much more than wealth, power or position).

The heart often learns best when it sees things as if looking through a mirror.  And, nothing could be more so than with money or possessions. 

The way to genuine financial health (keeping money in its place) is to be found in giving things away. 

Jesus taught:

…anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.   John 12:25b^(MSG)

For You Today

Greatness of heart shows up in some measurable ways.  When’s the last time your bank statement said at the bottom line:  REAL and ETERNAL? 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today…and have a blessed day!

---

[1] Title Image:   By Jastrow, via Wikimedia Commons

Good Stuff To Give Up in Lent: Series #2 - Greed

 [1]

Why Is There So Much Greed?

Look here, you rich people:  Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.  Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.  Your gold and silver are corroded.  The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire.  This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. For listen!  Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay.  The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.  You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.                    James 5:1-6 (NLT)

The Message NT translates that last phrase a fatter than usual corpse.  It’s James’ way of describing the not-so-wonderful transformation that can happen to you, when your preoccupation in life is on material things.

Two businessmen, vacationing at Miami Beach, were comparing notes.  I’m here on insurance money, one said.  I collected $500,000 for fire damage.  Me too, the other replied.  But I got $1,000,000 for flood damage.  After a long pause, the first man asked, Tell me, how do you start a flood?[2]

Let’s remember the distinction here about money, or things.  Money has no spiritual characteristics, no morality; there is nothing intrinsically negative or positive about money. 

James is not saying it is a sin to be rich.  That’s just a matter of how much money you have.  Rather, James wants us to see that the potential for spiritual problems is the relationship or attitude one bears towards money – his own, or that which his neighbor possesses (and he wants). 

That is what gives money its power to become a god.  In Paul’s first letter to Timothy the apostle said:

…the love of money is the root of all evil: ^{1 Ti 6.10a}

The love of money – materialism; when things become gods. 

Let’s take a look at what you become, when things become your gods.

1.You Become an Idolater

Jesus told the story of a rich fool (Luke 12).  The man had so much his harvest was many times larger than his barns.  He decided to hoard it all; he would build bigger barns.  That night he died – and he kept nothing.  He was a fool.

We have that mentality in our culture today.  Get it, spend it on yourself, or hold onto it for dear life. 

Friend, it doesn’t matter if you’re a spendthrift, always in debt, wondering how you will pay this month’s light bill, or if you’re filthy rich and enjoying every luxury.  Or if you’re a skinflint, pinching every penny, stuffing 401K’^s under 12 different assumed identities.

The problem with spending or hoarding is the sickness of selfishness; it is self-idolatry. 

You tell God with your actions that generosity, willing to give to my neighbor in need, is wrong, while getting for me, and holding on to what I get is right. 

It is a form of idolatrous gluttony.  Things become gods.  Greed makes you an idolater.

2.You Become an Oppressor 

If you’re successful enough to control a lot of money, you can then control people with it.  Jesus told another story – a rich man/poor man story found in Luke’s gospel; it’s about Lazarus (a poor beggar) and Dives (an important and wealthy businessman ^{(Luke 16)}.  Lazarus was the poor beggar, sitting at the Dives’ doorstep.  He got scraps for his living. 

In some way the rich man was responsible for the poor man.  We know that because when they both died, the rich man went to hell – and Jesus tied the fact that the rich man wound up in hell to the way he lived his life in relationship to the poor man.  It is the same as Cain and Abel.  God told Cain that the blood of his brother Abel called out from the ground to convict Cain for his actions.

In our day we also have excuses.  I can’t feed everyone; the government should do it; God helps those who help themselves; et al. 

In our country we should be ashamed to use such excuses.  The poorest of us have ten times more than half the world’s population.  Most Americans have a hundred times more than 90% of the world’s people. 

Oppression is when you have – and others do not – and you won’t even try to help.  It means the possessions you have possess you!  Things have become gods, and with the power you have because of your wealth you ignore the impulse to help the poor.  Idolater, Oppressor, and…

3.You Become an Outsider

The Kingdom of God is populated with people who voluntarily place themselves near the King.  It means we love what the King loves, do what the King wants – we love the King. 

The fact is that God is not materially minded.  He spoke the universe into existence – along with the cattle on a thousand hills.  All of that means little to Him – he simply did it to display His sovereignty and His glory. 

Our correct response as His created beings is to worship the Creator, and enjoy what He has given us. 

When we begin to worship our stuff, our nature changes. 

We place ourselves outside of the Kingdom.

Outside the kingdom?  This is what it means to be an outsider:

Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.  Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.  Revelation 22.14-15  NLT

What should be the cure? 

How do you begin to address the materialistic tendencies we have?

The Medicine for Materialism

James is really specific.  He tells us what to do.

#1.  If you’re poor, have Patience

Jesus is the Master Gardener, and he knows when the time will be ripe to settle everything. 

We are not to grow impatient with the way He handles things.  Simply be faithful with whatever He places in your hand; after all, if He owns it all, He can decide where it goes.

#2.  If you’re well-blessed, be Generous

If God has placed material resources in your hand, a lot or a little, the faithful response is what, Lord?  What shall I do with this to be your faithful child?   

This is a good reminder – things are NOT gods.

---

[1] Title image:  Carl Spitzweg, via Wikimedia Commons

[2] Joe McCarthy in The American Weekly, as quoted in Reader’s Digest