Money?

It is very easy for me to slip into thinking that money would be the greatest source of help to me. If I had more money then I would have a lot less stress. I would be able to afford a better car, to go on holidays, to pay my bills with enough left over to enjoy my hobbies. Before I was called into the ministry I had options to earn more - it was called over time or a second job. Work more and earn more.

But placing my hope in the security or the pleasure that money can buy is very illusive. I've found from experience that more money doesn't mean less stress or more happiness. Money can buy things but life is not about things. Life is about God and people. Many husbands and fathers like me have at times sacrificed time with their wife and kids in the pursuit of what money can provide and buy while missing out on what it cannot replace. Money can buy a house but not a home, it can buy a bed but not sleep, it can buy a clock but not time, it can buy a servant but not a friend, it can buy a Bible but not a relationship with God.

Christ warns me in Luke 16 not to follow the crowd, not to buy into the idea that money is the ultimate goal. Christ isn't interested in how much or how little I possess but rather what is my attitude towards my possessions. Do I think of them as mine? Like a young child who doesn't want to share his toy yelling out “No, it's mine.”

The first step is to accept that God entrusts all I have to me. It is not mine. Not just my bank balance, not just what I possess but also my relationships; with my wife, my kids, church family and community. Secondly, Christ wants me to think in terms of using what he has entrusted me with for the benefit of others rather than myself. He wants me to be generous with all I have so that I learn to invest my time, energy, money and abilities into developing Christ-like relationships in my family and community. Only then will money lose its hold over me so that I can begin to enjoy what money can't buy.  the Rev

If you would like to learn more then listen to this message @ www.gaplifechurch.net/money or I'd be happy to make a time to discuss this with you privately.

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Luke 18:1-17

Don’t faint

I remember nearly fainting once. I’d cut the tip of my finger off and had pressed some gauze on the wound to stop it bleeding. When it came time to take the gauze off it had got stuck. The pain of pulling it off nearly made me passing out. I’m sure you’ve experienced an impossible deadline or perhaps chronic physical or emotional pain. What can make the pain or stress even worse is losing sight of hope.

Christ promised his disciples he would return and in the next breath encouraged them to keep praying. He was mindful that it would be a long time until he would return and he didn’t want his disciples back then nor us today to give up on him. It’s been 2,000 years but he is coming. The danger for me is when I forget that Christ is coming back my attention slips away from him and focuses on myself. What I need and what I want becomes prominent in my thinking.  It is easy from from this position to start relying on myself to get stuff done. Raising the kids, providing for my family and doing my ministry is a burden that I quickly hoist upon my shoulders.  

When I take over from God I have to work so much harder to get stuff done. It really does feel like everything is up to me. Whether my kids will become model citizens or delinquents is a heavy load to carry. Working harder means I get tired, anxious and stressed. I start to exert myself in ungodly ways, resorting to guilt, fear and manipulation to get my kids to conform to my expectations.

By God’s grace he sent his Son to slow me down enough to pray, trust him and come to him as a child comes to their parent. Only then am I able to hand back to God what I cannot do nor what I cannot bear. the Rev