Saturday, March 8, 2008

Are You Hungry for Money?

Tonight I am sitting at my computer with the purpose of determining my goals in life. I have done this before, maybe once every year or so. But since each new "goal update" is based on changes to previous goals, I decided to run a search on my computer for all files with the word "goals". As I was looking through the files and determining my goals, I found this interesting article I had written for myself a few years ago. Since I was very edified by reading it, I thought I would post it so others might be edified also. Here it is...


"One thing I learned as a real estate agent is the importance of goal setting to increase motivation. This sounds great, but desiring to live my life in such a way that was wholly pleasing to God, I didn’t want to set the goals that others set. For instance, the most common goal was the amount of money any given person had planned to make that year. It was, of course, a relatively high amount, and the financial goal drove the person to commit to a minimum certain amount of work each day.


The problem with monetary ambition is the Bible specifically warns people to not pursue riches. Setting a goal with riches in mind opposes 1 Timothy 6:9-10 which plainly says that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

There are two significant phrases I want to make sure I don’t miss: “those who desire to be rich” and “through this craving”. It is the desire, the craving for riches that God opposes. Desiring to be rich falls into the same basket as setting a goal to be rich.

While on this subject, let me point out that though God opposes the coveting of riches, He does honor and instruct us to work hard in what we do. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

And while I think goals can be good and praiseworthy, the Bible must be our ultimate goal book."

Let me also add that God does give riches to those who are diligent. The goal is not riches. The goal is diligence to honor God. The REWARD then becomes riches, if God so desires.

"A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." Proverbs 10:4

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Can Christians Smoke?

There are quite a few “grey areas” that some Christians consider erroneous, but that others consider perfectly okay. I will define the term “grey area” as anything that the Bible does not specifically forbid, but that some Christians would consider wrong.

Here is a list of 10 “grey areas”:

1. Drinking small amounts of alcohol without getting drunk
2. Putting children in public school
3. Women teaching Biblical doctrine to women
4. Being “hooked” on caffeinated drinks
5. Smoking, but without being addicted
6. Using certain soaps, beauty products, or cosmetics
7. Watching movies or TV
8. Playing video games
9. Reading secular books or magazines
10. Coloring or highlighting your hair

With that in mind, here is what John MacArthur says about the grey areas:

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/44


I love to refer back to this article as I research and determine what the Bible teaches and where I will set my convictions.

I hope this will help you as well if you ever have a time of wondering what is okay and what isn't.

And I can't forget to add these two verses: "To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled." Titus 1:15 and "The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves." Romans 14:22 ESV