greed

Love or Greed

“Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” – Luke 12:13-15 Well, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, which has been called “The Day of Love.” For a holiday that’s all about celebrating such an amazing, intangible virtue, it’s interesting that it has become, to many, a day of stuff. A consumerist world has taught us that expressing love is about spending lots of money on gifts, flowers, and expensive meals more than it is simply being present with those we care about. Unfortunately, greed has gained a foothold in our culture, and if we are not careful, our expectation of material things can ruin

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Generosity Equals Gratitude

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” –  2 Corinthians 9:10,11 Today, I’d like to share some thoughts on generosity and giving with you. My parents instilled in me the value of tithing or giving the first ten percent of my income to God’s work, as I grew up. I am a firm believer in it, and while I don’t believe the percentage is as important as the amount you sacrifice, I have seen Jesus respond to generosity on numerous occasions. We can and will see Him expand our territory and open the floodgates of blessing as we move from the

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Leprosy of the Soul

“For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” – Ephesians 5:5 If I were to ask you, “What’s the opposite of gratitude?” — what would you say? If you answered ingratitude, you wouldn’t be wrong, but I think there’s a more accurate way to describe it, and that’s entitlement. Unfortunately, we live in a society that’s filled with people who feel they deserve instant gratification, free stuff, endless entertainment, and a hassle-free life. However, I want to submit to you that the greed underlying this outlook is actually a kind of leprosy of the soul. Just as the disease eats away at the flesh of its victims until there’s little left, so a person who feels as if the world owes them is being destroyed from the inside out by

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God Hates Injustice

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” – Proverbs  6:16-19 I don’t know about you, but when the Lord says that He hates something, I pay attention. If there’s anything I don’t want to do, it’s to hurt His heart by engaging in things that cause Him pain. In fact, these verses from Proverbs 6 provide a powerful insight into the character of God by telling us what bothers Him the most. They also explain why Christ reacted the way He did when He encountered the money changers at the temple. Though any oppression grieves His heart, wrongs done in His Name are

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