Keeping up with the Jones’

by | Dec 4, 2012 | Uncategorized | 2 comments

I love the way God works!

For example, today’s topic (which I picked months ago) is about “keeping up with the Jones’” – um, yea, Meg – we got that from the title!

I digress.

So…yesterday morning I read my devotional from Joe Gibbs.  Well, lo and behold!!  Mr. Gibbs wrote about the perils of wanting more and never having enough!  God’s timing is amazing!

Furthermore, the devotional even had a scripture that is right up the alley of what I wanted to discuss.  (Thank you Mr. Gibbs – you are making my life easier!)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says:  “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”  Haggai 1:5-6

  • How many of us would say that we have enough money?
  • How many of us envy those around us who have more than we do?
  • How many of us are truly grateful on a daily basis about what we have and feel satisfied?

The answers to these questions indicate the level of our faith.  (That was a low blow, Meg.)

Think about it.  If we are relying on God for our daily needs and trusting that He will provide, then we should always have enough and be satisfied with WHAT HE PROVIDES.  Yikes!  I’ve got some changing to do!!!

Most of the time it is hard to grasp that God allows us to suffer to grow, He allows us to wait to gain patience and He allows us to need in order for us to finally look up for His help!

Basically, our Heavenly Father wants to be the center of our lives in the midst of a selfish, self-satisfying world and will go to great lengths to spend eternity with us.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  Matthew 22:36-38

When we obey this command, God opens up a world of possibilities for us.  When we allow Him to use us for His purposes, we will be able to do mighty acts.  When we stop worrying about what our friends, family or neighbors have that we don’t, we find true joy.

Since many of us need help in this area of our lives, how about trying to GIVE MORE?  The Christmas season is a perfect time to change life-long habits of just trying to get more.

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

God does want us to enjoy the life He has given us.  Plus, placing our trust in Him allows the dissatisfaction and emptiness to melt away.  It amazes me how He blesses us when we do what He asks!

Try it and see what happens!

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 28:22 – A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

2 Comments

  1. Jason

    Thanks for the encouragement. The worst part of being dissatisfied with what you have (or more to the point, don’t have) is the Ungrateful Heart that can come with it. With the tough times that my business has been through over the past few years, that has been a struggle for me personally. You don’t feel like you are where you deserve to be at this point of life. The fact is that we are ALL better than we deserve in this life, no matter what we have. If we got what we truly deserve, we would be in punishment for the Sins that we have committed. We should be joyful simply based on the Grace & Mercy that we have been extended. Yes… easier said than done.
    Giving is a great suggestion and it always makes me feel better, more grateful, and more blessed, especially when I feel like it was the Spirit that prompted me to do it and I am being obedient. During the busy holidays, one of the most meaningful gifts that you can give is time. Locally, our Rescue Mission is always looking for volunteers to help out. Our Scouting group is donating to and organizing Christmas Food Baskets with local churches. Angel Trees, Ringing bells for the Salvation Army, Carolling at the hospital or local nursing homes… These are the sure Cure for the Holiday “Its all about Me”. You will always feel blessed afterwards. I also want to be certain that I am considered a Sheep & not a Goat. Matthew 25:31-46.

    Reply
    • meghays

      I’d like to be a sheep, too!!!!

      Reply

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