you can't take it with you

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

- Matthew 6:19-20

“once there was a rich man” (Luke 16) (Beauty and the Beast)

“if I were a rich man” (Fiddler on the Roof)

Through the ages there has been a general theme, that we must gather all we can and be rich as possible . . . 

But what good does it do, to be rich on earth? 

You can’t take it with you.

Sure it would be nice to have big houses and new cars and a never ending supply of money to buy “stuff”.

But what good is “stuff” if you don’t know God?

People can take every possession that we have, but they cannot take God’s love from us.

I’d rather have God than a mansion on earth.

Have a blessed day!

it's about love

The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

—Romans 13:9-10

Love!

Love is a resounding theme in the Bible.

God loves us, we are made to love Him.

God teaches us how to show our love to others and by doing that, showing our love of Him.

Love is a good thing to have and to share, and the more you give away, the more you have.

Have a blessed day.

It's feeding time

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

—Galatians 5:22-23

The human body requires food and water to survive, we all know this.

But what about the Spirit?

Our spirit needs to be fed and nurtured as well, and the verse tells us exactly what our spirit craves:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

How do we get these things?

By surrounding ourselves with others that share our love for Jesus.

By telling others about how good our God is.

By displaying these fruits every single day.

I don’t know about you, but my spirit hungers for these things, so I am going to go feed it.

Have a blessed day!

What qualities do you look for in a friend?

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

—2 Peter 1:5-8

What qualities do you look for in a friend?

Are certain qualities more important than others?

It seems that the Bible tells us that all of these qualities are important, and that they build upon each other. 

Do you have the same qualities that you expect others to have?

Take a moment to reflect on the qualities that you possess, and the ones that you need to add.

Have a blessed day!

Free

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone.  How can you say that we shall be set free?”  Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

- John 8:31-36

  

Oh, another song reference!     

Through you the blind will see
Through you the mute will sing
Through you the dead will rise
Through you all hearts will praise
Through you the darkness flees
Through you my heart screams
I am free
Yes, I am free
I am free to run
I am free to dance
I am free to live for you
I am free
Yes, I am free
Through you the kingdom comes
Through you the battle's won
Through you I'm not afraid
Through you the price is paid
Through you there's victory
Because of you my heart sings
I am free
Yes, I am free

There are so many kinds of freedom, and every freedom is available to us through Christ Jesus. 

We don’t have to be slaves

We don’t have to wear the chains of bondage

Because of Jesus, we are free.

Have a blessed day!

what is your legacy?

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

- 1 Timothy 6:6-8

Yesterday’s verse talked about having enough.

Today we look at why.

It’s pretty simple, really. 

You can’t take it with you - you really can’t! 

What you want to do instead, is leave a legacy.

Show the people around you that you are content with what you are given.

Stop striving for the bigger house, the nicer car, the designer clothes, purses, pets.

Be happy with what you have, and you will find that the happiness pours out of you, and into others.

That is the legacy I want to leave.

Happiness.

How about you?

Have a blessed day!

enough

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

- Proverbs 30:8-9

Has it ever occurred to anyone that they have too much? 

I am sure at some point everyone thinks that they don’t have enough.

This request is asking God to give enough – not too much, not too little, but enough.

There is a poem attributed to a man named Bob Perks:

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

My friends, I wish you enough.

Have a blessed day.