What is your absolute minimum, I mean it, what is the absolute minimum you will take…………………Away.
The last few of decades have been very comfortable ones for much of this country, and in many places in the world. We have come to think large flat screen televisions, the latest laptop or cpu, the latest blackberry, ouch-sorry if I offended you and other things of the like are necessities, rather than luxuries. When our cell phones break, we are frantic until we get them replaced, fearing someone may call or text, and we will miss it. If the family television or computer breaks, it is a major deal and needs to be replaced, so that we won’t miss that show, or that e-mail. These are all conveniences of the world, invented to make our lives easier but ask yourself, do they.
Many of my friends in my small group from church are really hurting; they have lost homes, and cars due to job losses, layoffs, etc. I on the other hand have not lost anything, my job has remained, and really nothing has changed for my family. But I have witnessed the refinement of many good Christian people who have had to discover what really is necessary in life. Cable or satellite is not a necessity, pizza night is not a necessity, so what it has caused me to do is evaluate my life and that of our family and determine what is in fact a necessity. The following scripture pretty much jumped out at me the other day, so here it is. 1 John 2:15-17
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Hmmm, kind of a wake up call for me, it is really easy to learn to love the things that this world has to offer, but if we love the world, the Father is not in us, so what are we willing to lay down to not be dependant on this world, but on the Father who loves us so much. That does not mean God wants us to do without every convenience in the world, he does want us to be happy, but not to derive our happiness from the offerings of the world. James 3:13-16 also has some good advice.
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
When I read about the selfish ambition in this passage, unfortunately it brings up memories of promotion opportunities I have had in the past. I remember how I focused on doing the right things, giving the right answers in the interviews, and always being available to pick up the extra that they were looking for. In reviewing my reasons for vying for these positions, it was not that we had a need, or that we were short of making our bills each month. The reasons were simple, more money and a better career move. After thinking that one over, it all came back to the ugly truth, it was my own selfish ambition, “16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
God has always provided our daily bread, and he continues to do so, and I have no doubt he will continue, but everything else is just fluff. All the “stuff” in the world has never brought me happiness, it is merely a lie from the devil designed to make us covet and desire more. I have decided to re-think the way I look at the world and it’s luxuries from here on out, so I ask you again, what are you willing to let go of to truly gain your freedom in Christ.
God Bless-Happy Weekend
JFT
Great blog post. I went to bible study earlier this week and the pastor was talking about the same things you discussed above.
The things that look like they make life easier for us all sometimes only make life harder, and may even influence some to participate in thoughts and actions that they normally wouldn’t do, or may be disapproving to God. I myself can remember times where I’ve made mistakes, and had to read the Bible and pray to get back on the path God needs me to be on.
Once again great post, keep on sharing the gospel
Tia,
Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate your comments. I pray for God to place whatever he wants on my heart and I will write about it, so thats what I do. I struggle with comfort items daily myself. May we all be placed on the path we need to be on. God Bless
Jim
I loved the part about how God has always provided for you. He has done this for me too! And this is what I need to remember and be thankful for . . .that I have food to fix for my family, a car, that I’m able to pay the bills each month. We don’t have some of the bigger luxury items, but compared with someone in a 3rd world country . . .yes we do! And all this with me staying home to care for Aubrey. Who’d have thunk it??? Kind of reminds me of the being content in every situation verse. 🙂 Thanks Jim, for helping us know that Jesus is all we really need. deb
Deb,
I like how you refer to what you have when compared with those in third world countries. Our people who live in poverty still live far better than those in most other countries. We have so much to be thankful for, God, Family, friends and our daily bread. God Bless
Jim
Jim, Just this morning during my prayer time I was thanking God for answering the prayer I prayed a number of years ago, and that was that I would have enough to not wonder whether I was going to be able to pay the bills. I often think about the difference between what I want and what I need and am grateful that I am never lacking in the latter. Your post is a great reminder to never lose sight of that distinction. Peace, Linda
Linda,
He truly is a faithful God, and he does take care of us. I actually read your latest post on counting your blessings and it was really very thought provoking. We are blessed, when we are in our death beds, reflecting on life and awaiting our next home, we won’t be thinking about the I-Phones we had over the years, but rather on God and the people he has blessed us with. God Bless
Jim
God really worked in my heart the last seven years through the process of “diminishing salary.” The farther I went in my career, the lower my salary (go figure) – but each step – I was happier in my career.
It was actually pretty cool.
Then God pulled me from the corporate sector into ministry – but before he opened the ministry door – I went 1 year w/o a job. In that time, God taught me so many things about what I “needed” and didn’t need. I am forever grateful for that time.
God knows what He is doing… in our lives and in our hearts… and that is such a reassuring reality to rest in
J
Jenny,
You are truly on His path in your life. I think I am probably headed in a similar direction, possibly going from corporate to ministry, or possibly not, but ministry in the corporate world which is where I am now. God continues to reveal to be MUCH on a daily and weekly basis, and He has the wheel. You could not be more right “God knows what He is doing”, we just need to let Him lead us. God Bless
Jim
Jim,
Wow..Jim..Wonderful thought….God has been a Jehovah Jireh for our family too..I feel that , struggling for something often happens when our wants are more…or when you compare ourselves with what others have…For past few months…God has been teaching me to limit my needs…my wants…and to reshuffle my priorities…so that I will have enough and more for the the necessities in life and at the same time give out for someone in need..
When you depend on God to decide on the things you need…He will take away the un-necessary expenses from life…There is an incident like that in our life…One day, all of a sudden, we had the desire to trade our second car for a new one…There were great deals available during that time…Some of them were so tempting that you do not want to miss them by any chance…But, we spent hours praying for that…asking God to give us His guidance and to change our plans if its not needed at that time…After all, our second car..was running fine…except that it is a 99 model…God intervened…and somhow..worked out ways in which those deals were completely taken away from us…and we happily returned..because we were sure that it was not His will. Months later, God showed us clearly the reason for not letting us jump into that decision…
I’m sorry that the comment is so long…Thank you brother for sharing this valuable thought…You are a blessing.
God Bless,
Rani
Rani,
Your comment is a lesson in itself, when you stated that you had the “desire” for a new car. That is something we all have, I find myself desireing this and that often too, but the next part is what we need to do with desire.
“we spent hours praying for that…asking God to give us His guidance and to change our plans if its not needed at that time”.
That is the right way to deal with desire. If it is meant, you will be led to it, and if not, it will be exposed. Great comment sister! God Bless
Jim
God has always provided for us. Sometimes it has contained some fluff and stuff; and other times, it has been more of a bare-bones provision. But in it all, I’ve learned like the apostle Paul “to be abased and to abound” and to be content.
Larry,
He does always provide for our needs, and many times for some fluff to augment, little things here and there to make life easier of more enjoyable. He does teach us the difference between wants and needs though, if we will only listen. God Bless
Jim