Are we serving God or money?

[SpiritofFire]

Yep, but none of us actually do that....people try to rationalize their way out of that but if you want to live by the book......that's how it's done.

The problem is in the meaning. We don't literally have to "sell" all we have but as Paul puts it, to count all as a loss to gain Christ.


That means that those 20 million houses should not be empty because one couldn't make a profit, but give them to the poor. In this way we add to Christ!

 

[gocardinals25]

Didn't our father give us all of the earth? Didn't every single thing come from the earth? Aren't all men created equal? If these things are true and we know for certain that they are then why would some appear rich and some poor? If money is the root of all evil wouldn't the wealthy be playing a role knowingly or unknowingly? John the baptist said one is coming that will baptise you with the holy spirit and fire, become rich with gold refined in the fire, where your riches are is where your heart will be.

 

[Rockbysea]

"If money is the root of all evil..."

The above is not found in the scriptures. It's the love of money that's a root to all evil not the money itself. Money is a practical invention and when it's controlled by honest government, instead of evil men like it is today, it can alleviate poverty.

 

[gocardinals25]

But wouldn't being wealthy in turn make you a lover of money?

 

[gocardinals25]

This could certainly be why the gate is narrow, the poor are blessed because they don't hold such a tight grip on this one powerful obstacle. They are poor but they are rich in the spirit

 

[Rockbysea]

But wouldn't being wealthy in turn make you a lover of money?

Maybe you but not me.

 

[Rockbysea]

It’s easy to recognize lovers of money. Lovers of money are people who concern themselves with other people’s money. They take a special interest in the money that other’s possess and a special interest in those who possess it… especially those who possess a lot of it. Many, many poor people are huge lovers of money and lovers of those who have a lot of it.

 

[secularhermit]

Are we serving God or money?

Here, as Jesus said: "Cesar´s to Ceasar´s and God´s for God´s" (I´m not using the Bible but mistranslating from memory.

Does God wants me to be a street preachers? I once asked Him and received no answer + 1) While I was doing that in my hometown. 2) Enjoy addressing those public speeches and expecting no one to turn around to learn from me. 3) He was giving me FOOD and clothing those days +

Today I have found helping people fixing their broken things and PCs. I´m not enjoying those moments when my heart was broken to tears or when the given message moved me deeply inside.

I have changed. Perhaps I´m far from the place I should be and I can assure I´m not "listening" His voice the way I thought I was listening His voice (I heard it ONCE, in 1988, but lately I started to "GUESS" His will, not using that stuff named URI M / TUMIMMING or so)

Does God want priests, apostles, to do HIS words or will?

That keeps on sounding in my mind for years...

 

[Donkeyfish07]

Yes… and everyone knows Jesus said, “give to the poor”.... And they always use the scripture about Jesus telling the rich guy to sell everything he had and then say, “You see? If we were to go by what Jesus said we would sell everything we have and give it to the poor.” They use that scripture to extract as much money out of people as possible along with the widow and her last two mites. They really couldn’t care less if some poor widow reads or hears this and gives away her entire pension check to her church and has to live the rest of the month on macaroni. That repeated lie about those under the New Covenant being obligated to tithe is not enough… no they want more and those are the perfect scriptures to use to suck as much out of them possible.

Why even concern oneself with the rationalizations of other people when it comes to their own charity? People shouldn’t be using the scriptures as a right to concern themselves with the charitable actions of others because they have no right to know about something that should be between the donor, God and the recipient.

I do agree with you to an extent, it's no one's place to Judge someone for what they do or do not do with their own money. That doesn't change what the Bible says though, and that's my only point. It's there in plain text and all attempts to avoid that truth is just a rationalization. It's merely a fact. Stating the facts and being psuedo religious and twisting scripture to extract money out of people are two different things.

 

[RedTent]

Re: Gotta Serve Somebody

Look people, when it comes to money, thats where many jump ship. I mean its your money and you worked hard for it. Giving your money is the closest thing to human sacrifice and why God looks at it with the deepest sincerity. I mean thats forty hours of you life if not more. Now, when you give it is just as important as how you give it.

On Christian Chat we are trying to decide how God thinks, not how we as a fleshly human thinks. And in God's eyes, He created you and the earth. It is His. He wants you to live in abundance, and by that God means both spiritually and physically. In God's eyes the power He gives you to work hard for money comes from Him, and the resources for it comes from Him. Money is given to you as a trust. God allows you to do with it as you choose, you have free choice, but the reality is that it is His and you are only entrusted with it.

 

[Rockbysea]

I do agree with you to an extent, it's no one's place to Judge someone for what they do or do not do with their own money. That doesn't change what the Bible says though, and that's my only point. It's there in plain text and all attempts to avoid that truth is just a rationalization. It's merely a fact. Stating the facts and being psuedo religious and twisting scripture to extract money out of people are two different things.

If one ever wants to find standout examples in this world of serving money instead of God the number one place to look is at those who use scripture to induce obligation in others to part with their money

 

[weakness]

​ Solomon said that "money answers all things" and to the world and the unbeliever it does sit in the place of God, the one who truly supplies our needs. But to a believer in the true God ,money is just a tool that we use in this world. I don't think there will be $ in heaven. Ananias and Sapphira sin in Acts was not that they didn't sell all they had , but that they thought they could lie to the Holy Spirit. That's not to take away from the accounting in Acts, (2:44) And all that believed were together , and had all things common. (45) And sold their possessions and goods,and parted them to all men, as every man had need.(46) And they , continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47)Praising God,and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved. Ezra and Nehemiah 8,9,10, also give ,in a shadow, a picture of the Church ,the true temple of God. Both start with the temple destroyed,broken down as a result of the people who God gave grace and care, turned back to the world,and their captivity and destruction. But through Ezra God gave understanding,eyes to see and ears to hear the meaning if the scripture. This caused true repentance and the fruits of it. to me this is the state of the Church, its broken down because of our sins and our friendship with the world. I just pray that God would give grace that we would understand his word. Please read Ezra and Nehemiah. Like Jesus said ,when he returns, will he find faith on earth? I think yes, for he said unless he shorten the days no one would be saved and that God has left a remnant for his names sake. Grace and peace to you.

 

[IntoTheVoid]

No disrespect intended.. But god won't feed my kids, won't cloth them, won't put the heating on in the winter and won't give then the things they require. Money will.

And that's not worshipping money. That's needing it... otherwise me and my family will have nothing.

So it's all nice saying all these. But the reality of it is... People do just fine without god. They don't do fine without money.

 

[SpiritofFire]

No disrespect intended.. But god won't feed my kids, won't cloth them, won't put the heating on in the winter and won't give then the things they require. Money will.

And that's not worshipping money. That's needing it... otherwise me and my family will have nothing.

So it's all nice saying all these. But the reality of it is... People do just fine without god. They don't do fine without money.

So money more powerful than God?

 

[IntoTheVoid]

I think your asking the wrong person lol

 

[maxwel]

No disrespect intended.. But god won't feed my kids, won't cloth them, won't put the heating on in the winter and won't give then the things they require. Money will.

And that's not worshipping money. That's needing it... otherwise me and my family will have nothing.

So it's all nice saying all these. But the reality of it is... People do just fine without god. They don't do fine without money.

Whether you like the concept or not...
God, by His infinite mercy,
allows YOU to get up everyday,
and have life and breath.

YOU...
you who denies God, rejects God, rails against God, rails against God's people...
YOU continue to receive his mercy and grace...
every day.

He has done this for your entire life.

Despite your rejection of your own creator,
He gives you life and breath every day...
life and breath which you in no way deserve.

You have never spent ONE DAY or ONE MINUTE without God.


One day your life will end, and this will all change.

I hope you'll be ready when that day comes.


God Bless,
Max

 

[IntoTheVoid]

I don't 'rail' against anyone Max.

Just pointing out that money is more practical for staying alive.

 

[iamsoandso]

well as long as we can buy and sell the same way they did in the old days,,,,who cares,,,now on the other hand if they try to have us get some kind of number in our forehead like a pin number or something and have us use it to buy and sell with,,,,well maybe then we'll stop and think,,,,but maybe not,,,,

 

[Donkeyfish07]

If one ever wants to find standout examples in this world of serving money instead of God the number one place to look is at those who use scripture to induce obligation in others to part with their money

I can agree with that, I've seen churches that use scripture to guilt trip people into giving their money to the church....they usually go the tithing route and your not considered a "Church member" unless you tithe......and I even know of a church that accused a guy of not giving 10% of his total income even though he was. There are people in Church circles that love money just as much as any greedy, money worshiping non-believer. No argument there

 

[Donkeyfish07]

No disrespect intended.. But god won't feed my kids, won't cloth them, won't put the heating on in the winter and won't give then the things they require.

So it's all nice saying all these. But the reality of it is... People do just fine without god. They don't do fine without money.

Not true at all sir, God is more than capable of providing all that. I even know of a guy who has lived without money for over 5 years.....None at all.....if someone gives him cash, he just gives it away to the next person he sees....hasn't spent so much as a dime on anything. He just trusts God and travels around. It's worth noting he's not your typical Christian, he acknowledges Christ and believes in God deeply.......but he also has some eastern mysticism woven into his belief system. He's never went hungry or went without clothing, or ever been subjected to the elements more so than an average person that has their own house.

God takes care of his people. Always has. If however, you choose to serve money rather than God.....that's your decision.....you have every right to choose that path if it's what you want.