Should we...?

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Jesus4ever

Jesus4ever

Senior Member
#21
May 18, 2015
783
19
18
#21
The $250 cell phone is just and idea to see the whole point. It could be anything else: having dinner with friends every day, buying DVDs, go to the movies everyday, etc. I´m pretty sure if you do that everyday, you´ll end up spending much more than that. This has to do with the idea of using money that God gives to serve Him. :)

But yeah, maybe this all resumes to balancing things. Have to continue praying about this.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#22
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,961
113
#22
Don't assume everyone wants a hand out. Are you giving money to the truly poor? Those in third world countries who live on a $1 a day?

That is a whole different story than people who can get help in various ways in our countries. One of my most profound experiences growing up was in Mexico City when I was 19. We somehow got lost on the way back to our RV lot. We ended up winding down a narrow road through the Mexico City dump. The smell was horrible. But what was more horrible was seeing the families and little children combing through the hills, looking for food and other items that the rich had thrown away.

Now that is the real poor! Is there anything you can do to help people like that? Maybe fund raise, or start and organization to help them? Or find a good Christian organization that helps in third world countries, with a good financial report.

We are so spoiled in first world countries, that even the question in the OP, which I know was asked in honest sincerity, palls compared to the real issues in so many countries.
 
P

pwrnJC

Banned
#23
Dec 1, 2014
1,430
27
0
#23
I manage a homeless shelter, which for 30 years,has relied entirely on donations. The best thing I can give is not in monetary value, but in keeping order, cleanliness and Christ first. A dollar may buy a snack to last a few hours, but a shared CHRISTIAN testimony will last a lifetime.
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#24
#24
Jesus4ever said:
The $250 cell phone is just and idea to see the whole point. It could be anything else: having dinner with friends every day, buying DVDs, go to the movies everyday, etc. I´m pretty sure if you do that everyday, you´ll end up spending much more than that. This has to do with the idea of using money that God gives to serve Him. :)

But yeah, maybe this all resumes to balancing things. Have to continue praying about this.
Click to expand...
Prudent, especially when money is tight. If you make only $1000 a month, then rent should be $250, not the telephone, not the steak dinner, not the fancy evening wear.
 
N

NewWine

Guest
#25
#25
I can't say the person was right or wrong to buy the phone....that is between him and God and is none of my business. However I can say that the closer I have gotten to God, the more the "desires of my heart" has changed. Personally for me, a $250 phone isn't right, as I don't need all the aps and whatever else that phone offers.....a few years ago, yes I would have needed such a phone for business, making it a want to me.....now eh not-so-much. A few years ago, I would have wanted a big house, now eh not-so-much. I just want simple. Not easy, just simple.
So I think it depends on where one is on their journey with God. The Bible says that God gives to each of us based on our ways. I did a search of what "ways" means, and I came up with experiences, mannerisms and knowledge (among about 500 other words). My experiences, mannerisms and knowledge are different from the person with the $250 phone, so why should we expect to want or need the same things?
Eh just my two cents worth....peace!!
 
tourist

tourist

Senior Member
#26
Mar 13, 2014
42,721
17,181
113
70
Tennessee
#26
Personally, I use a $15 Tracfone but that's just me.

God wants us to have life and to have it more abundantly.

Allow for a certain measure of joy in your life. Don't fret needlessly over this - buy the phone.
 
R

realchild4life

Banned
#27
Jul 18, 2015
99
3
0
#27
Jesus4ever said:
The $250 cell phone is just and idea to see the whole point. It could be anything else: having dinner with friends every day, buying DVDs, go to the movies everyday, etc. I´m pretty sure if you do that everyday, you´ll end up spending much more than that. This has to do with the idea of using money that God gives to serve Him. :)

But yeah, maybe this all resumes to balancing things. Have to continue praying about this.
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You can get phones much cheaper, around 50-120 dollars that are very functional.
 
IDEAtor

IDEAtor

Senior Member
#28
Aug 15, 2012
827
19
18
#28
God can take and God can multiply. God can teach contentment. But Read Philippians 2... I think it relates.
 
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JesusLives

JesusLives

Senior Member
#29
Oct 11, 2013
14,554
2,176
113
#29
I am really glad this thread came up - thanks OP......I need to re-evaluate some things I am doing with spending money and I am sure my husband would say a hearty Amen to that.......I believe I need to go on a spending fast.....and not spending money fast but not spending it except for on living expenses and let my husband monitor me for awhile.......Thanks again.....

I think the main point of this thread is a topic of stewardship and what are we doing with God's money.... because in reality everything we have and own belongs to God... somewhere along the way we or I started thinking that it is MINE???? Not really which is why I am going to re-evaluate my spending.....hubby will be very happy for this little light bulb that has gone off in my head...... like an aha moment.....

Stewardship by the way encompasses more than just money, like.....how we use our God given talents, spend our time....and such.....as Christians it should be to the glory of God......like I said I have some thinking and changing to do..... this is a good Blond moment....
 
O

oldthennew

Guest
#30
#30
a great witness, JesusLives, GBY:):)

light-bulbs go off all the time in our heads/hearts, but it's the acknowledging and effort we put into
the conviction that allows us to grow and realize just what action we have to take -
and,
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING, which agrees perfectly with the scriptures.

PROVERBS 22:7.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant-slave to the lender. KJV

if we are a servant or slave to the lender, we have (2) masters. -
our loyalty has to be totally to Christ and God.

we know that sometimes along the way in our journey we become entangled in financial circumstances
that we can't get 'out-of' right away, this was 'our' previous circumstance...
so we set the ultimate goal of not only getting out of debt, but also afterwards, maintaining a debt-free-lifestyle -
this is paramount to a closer walk with God.

ROMANS 13:8.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
 
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NewWine

Guest
#31
#31
oldthennew said:
a great witness, JesusLives, GBY:):)

light-bulbs go off all the time in our heads/hearts, but it's the acknowledging and effort we put into
the conviction that allows us to grow and realize just what action we have to take -
and,
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING, which agrees perfectly with the scriptures.

PROVERBS 22:7.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant-slave to the lender. KJV

if we are a servant or slave to the lender, we have (2) masters. -
our loyalty has to be totally to Christ and God.

we know that sometimes along the way in our journey we become entangled in financial circumstances
that we can't get 'out-of' right away, this was 'our' previous circumstance...
so we set the ultimate goal of not only getting out of debt, but also afterwards, maintaining a debt-free-lifestyle -
this is paramount to a closer walk with God.

ROMANS 13:8.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
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I agree with both of you. My husband and I had the lightbulb moment a long time ago, but we were so in debt (slaves) it took us a LONG time to get out. We finally did it, and it is such a freedom, that we decided we'd never go back unless something seriously drastic happened in our lives!! Jesuslives, I am so thrilled you're obediently hearing when God speaks to you!! Such obedience isn't as common now-a-days as we lead others to believe. Yay!!

I sincerely wish pastors/teachers/church leaders taught spiritual financial stewardship more at a younger age. I think high school kids should learn this, BEFORE they stake-out on their own to make all the mistakes my husband and I made in the beginning. We want our children to do better than we do, then we need to teach our children how to live a completely, abundant, Godly life, including being good stewards of His finances, His nature and His temple (body).
Eh just more ramblings though.
Peace all!!
 
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