Learning To Be Content 4

Hello Everyone,

One way to learn to be content is to RELEASE WHAT I HAVE TO HELP OTHERS.
God doesn't want to just bless you for your own benefit. He wants you to share it, help other people with it. He's watching you to see how much you give away.

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. I Tim. 6:17-19

This is a very, very important verse. First, who's it talking to? "Tell those who are rich". Who does that involve? If you're an American you're rich.

I don't care if you're on welfare; if you're an American you're rich. In the world, the people in America are in the top 2% of income of the world. You're rich, no matter how little you make, because you're an American.

This verse is talking to us. The question is, is it possible to be wealthy and not be materialistic? Yes.
Materialistic is an attitude. You can be poor and greedy or rich and greedy. You can be poor and contented or wealthy and contented. It's an attitude not the amount that God's talking about here.

How can I be wealthy and not materialistic? As long as you follow the four precautions in this verse. If you follow these four things you can be as wealthy as you want and you won't be materialistic.

1. Don't become proud of your wealth. Don't think you're better than somebody because you've got more money than they've got.
2. Don't put your trust in money. Don't look to it for your security. Security is not in your bank account. Your security is in God. Bank accounts can be lost overnight in a million different ways. Don't put you security in money, no matter how much or how little you have.
3. Use your money to do good. Don't waste it. If you've got a lot of money, don't squander it. Don't blow it. Use it to do good.
4. Give cheerfully. The Bible says that the more we receive the more we are to give.

Giving is the cure for the disease of materialism because it is the opposite. The root of materialism is the word "get" -- get, get, get, get... The opposite of getting is giving. So every time I give to somebody else, a friend, my tithe,... I'm breaking the grip of materialism in my life.

It's saying "I can get along without this." It's a spiritual victory every time you're generous.
God says, you do these four things and you'll be OK. You're handling it all right. The benefit: "You will be storing up real treasure in heaven."

The Bible says every time you give away, you're storing it up.
It's like you're sending it on ahead and God's taking an account of it. You're sending it on ahead, every time you give.
What do you send on ahead? Acts 20:35 …remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

When you get more excited about what you give away than what you get, that's a mark of maturity.

When God looks down on you and sees you sharing what
He's blessed you with, with other people who are in need, it blesses His heart.

All For Jesus
Phil