What's More Important Than Money?

We just received a *FREE* brown leather sectional couch that has a sofa sleeper and recliner. It's been years since I've had a new couch and my old sectional was no longer in the best shape. As my hubby put the old couch out in the garage, my mind started spinning with wonderful ideas. I can list our old couch on Craigs List and we can make some money off of it (it's in better shape than a lot of couches I've seen listed.) Along with the couch I have my kids old bunk beds I can also sell. As I started counting the dollars in my mind, trying to figure out the most money I could get for it, my hubby decided to rain on my parade. "Why do you want to sell everything? I think we should just give it away. We were blessed with a free couch, now we can bless someone else."

Gulp...ahummmm, "Well we don't have a lot of extra money and I figured it would help us get caught up," I quickly replied in my defense. He didn't say much else, but it continued to churn in my mind. I knew that it was the right thing to do. I mean, we'd been totally blessed with this awesome new couch, I now had the means in turn to bless someone else and what was my first natural human thought? MONEY!

How often do we think about money? Is there anything more important than money? If you look at your everyday life, how often are you thinking about money? (I don't have enough, I need more, how can I make more? Why do they have more? They got this and I didn't, I need to win the Lotto, etc...you know, just everyday thoughts.) We all know money is important, but how much importance are you giving it in relationship to your happiness? Do you know that with more money, comes a whole set of new problems (How do I keep my money? Who's trying to take my money? I need to make more money. Where should I invest my money? Am I managing my money right? The stocks are crashing, I'm losing my money! etc.) Do you get the picture? Life becomes an endless battle, pursuit and non-stop focus on MONEY. If we trust in ourselves and our human nature, the most important thing in this world is MONEY. When we live by this rule, we are in a perpetual state of stress, worry and uncertainty. We all need money but when money becomes the most important thing in your life, you are headed down a long, dark road to misery.

JESUS showed us the most important thing we can do is trust in Him and reach out to people; helping, sharing, caring and loving PEOPLE. The Lord is more than capable of supplying all your needs. Your needs do not necessarily mean an over abundance. Sometimes the Lord gives you "just enough." Just enough to be comfortable and then He will highlight people He wants you to share your "just enough," with. Sometimes it may seem like you don't even have "just enough" and yet He still asks you to share and give not only to bless others, but also to bless yourself. This strengthens your trust and faith in Him. Remember...everything you have is from Him.

As I cast aside my original idea and start searching for somewhere to donate my items, I find something strange happening. My focus is no longer on money, but on who will be blessed by this?  A single mom? A woman trying to start over after fleeing an abusive relationship? A family who lost everything? Kids who have been sleeping on the floor? The list is endless. I start to get excited with the possibility of who I can help. I'm someone who has "just enough," and can be a blessing.

What's more important than money? JESUS CHRIST. LOVE. PEOPLE.

"Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless." Ecclesiastes 5:10

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

"The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep." John 21:17

 

 

Finding Lost Treasure

The man slowly scanned back and forth across the sand. Large gray headphones covering his ears as he intently listened, waiting to hear the noise signaling he'd found a buried treasure.

I've recently noticed a rise in the amount of people with metal detectors at the beach and parks. These high tech devices enable it's owner to detect any traces of metal (coins, jewelery, gold, silver etc) that may be buried or hidden.

You may often daydream about winning the lottery, finding lost treasure or hitting the jackpot in Las Vegas; but you don't realize that you have a treasure at your disposal that's worth more than gold. It can give you wisdom beyond education. It can give you comfort when you feel inconsolable. It can give you peace when you're lost in discontent. It can give you hope when you've lost faith. It can give you a relationship that will never let you down or disappoint you.

This treasure is in your home, waiting for you to find it's true worth and value; waiting for you to stop seeking worldly riches and seek first something far more valuable. Open up your Bible each day and read all that God has for you. There is a true treasure in store for you.Your life will be transformed as you develop a relationship with your Savior Jesus Christ. You will find true peace, wisdom and happiness; A treasure worth more than gold, silver, diamonds or rubies. Open up your hidden treasure today and discover God's riches.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Psalm 19:7-11

"You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them." Psalm 89:9 

"And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

" Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6

 

THE DOOR

Story By: Lisa Petrarca

I sat, locked away, wondering how to open the door. A prisoner behind a wooden fortress. Each day spent frantically searching for a way out. By nightfall, completely worn out. I knew that if I could open the door, everything would be better in my life. All the anger, hurt and frustration would be gone. On the other side, I would find the answer, happiness would finally be a part of me. Pounding, pushing hitting only produced deep rivets in the wood, but it wouldn't give.

My sins had trapped me here. My past haunting me, searching to find freedom on the other side. My mental focus on that door. Years past, the days spent consumed with the door, now deeply scarred, chunks ripped out, exposing lighter wood and splinters. My hands torn and bloody, my soul still longing to be free. Breathless and exhausted, the time spent looking at my captor, my burden, had taken its toll.

No more! Throwing myself to the floor, tightly curled in a fetal position, crying from the pit of my stomach, gasping for air, unable to look at that door. I cried out to God to save me. This was the first time I had thought of anything but the door. I cried over and over, "Please release me from this prison. I have tried to get out...I have nothing left, I give up, I can't look at it for another minute."

The Lord replied, "My child, that door represents your sin. You have focused on it for far too long, keeping you away from all that I have for you. Your past has held you prisoner. It has kept you away from Me. You were too blinded by sin to see the other door. My door...which I provided for you, through my only begotten son, Jesus Christ. He provided the key. Through His sacrifice you no longer need to look at the door of your sins. You are forgiven, My door is open...YOU ARE FREE."

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7,8

Don't continue to let your sin keep you away from a relationship with your Heavenly Father. Stop spending so much time focusing on it and ask the Lord to set you free!