Saturday, February 24, 2018

What Are the Odds?


Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

-- Proverbs 11:28

The lottery has been called a tax on those who know nothing about statistics. Indeed, the odds of winning a multi-million-dollar Powerball drawing are about the same as being struck by lightning or giving birth to conjoined twins.

Of course, a few lucky people really have won the lottery and the life-changing money that accompanies it. But it turns out that many of them weren't so lucky after all. For example, the December 28, 2017 issue of Business Insider features the stories of 20 lottery winners who in one way or another lost everything. William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the LotteryPennsylvania Lottery in 1988, but he was $1 million in debt within a year--and his brother even tried to have him killed. Evelyn Adams won the lottery twice in New Jersey, but gambled away her $5.4 million windfall in Atlantic City. And in 2002, West Virginia building contractor Andrew Jackson Whittaker, Jr., walked away with $114 million from a multi-state Powerball drawing. Thieves stole about $750,000 in cash, he was sued by a casino for bouncing checks--and within 4 years--his fortune had vanished.

Even with these horror stories in mind, most people would still rather have too much money and excess possessions than go without. And obviously, being blessed with abundance is often a good thing. But along with riches come hazards. The author of Proverbs 30:8 put it this way through this petition to his Maker:

"Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread."

Christ-followers must walk a fine line here. On one hand, having too little might cause us to wonder if God really cares for us. But if our stomachs and bank accounts are always full, we're the ones who can stop depending on him! The Apostle Paul had personal experience with this issue, which he shared through his Letter to the Philippians:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Rich or poor, we can be satisfied when we share in the greatest treasure of all--our Savior, Jesus Christ! Likewise when we trust our Creator with our material possessions rather than our own capabilities, we build up a lasting prize. What's more, it's true wealth--abundance that we'll never lose through theft, lawsuits, substance abuse--or even at the gaming tables in Atlantic City.

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Just a Little Bit More


I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough.

-- Philippians 4:12

One of the wealthiest Americans of all time, oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller had a net worth of nearly $400 billion dollars (adjusted for inflation) by the time of his death in 1937. The story goes that a reporter once marveled at the rich man's ability to amass wealth. "Just how much money is enough?" the reporter asked Rockefeller. "Just a little bit more," replied the billionaire.

Whether you're rich, living from paycheck to paycheck or somewhere in between, a little bit more always seems to be the remedy for life's frustrations. Rather than In God We Trust, perhaps America's national motto should be Supersize It.

God has blessed us through a nation of Money Keyincredible wealth. Even our poor and unemployed are considered rich by the standards of most of the world's population. Yet an epidemic of discontentment tends to blind us to this fact. The more possessions we gather and the higher we climb the corporate ladder, the more disillusioned and unfulfilled we become. And rather than thanking God for his blessings and making the most of them, we wonder (often aloud) if it's all there is to life.

This disease of discontentment has some nasty symptoms. Those afflicted with the malady often turn to alcohol, drugs, illicit relationships and gambling to ease their self-inflicted pain. Things might get better for a while. But the hunger returns soon enough.

This problem is hardly new. And it's not confined to the United States or even Western societies. In fact, the Bible addressed it centuries ago. And Scripture's advice is as valid today as it was back then.

What's the prescription?

First, think about all the ways God blesses you. It could involve your family, career, health and friends. Then, stop comparing what you have with your neighbor's possessions. Advertisers prosper when they convince you that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. But consider that many people would readily abandon everything to enjoy just one or two of the blessings you take for granted!

Contentment isn't something that we can get by purchasing a new car, moving into a bigger house or landing that plumb job with the corner office. Instead, it's an internal source of fulfillment and comfort acquired by knowing our Savior and living out the abundant life he's already purchased for us. The key is that it's all about Jesus. A growing relationship with him produces contentment because there's nothing bigger, better or more necessary. Comparisons fall away and material things lose their luster. What was once so important soon fades into obscurity.

Maybe it sounds simplistic or too good to be true. But a whole new life is just inches away--the distance between our head and our heart. And we're all invited to accept Jesus' grand offer and grow in contentment.

"Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants," we read in Matthew's Gospel. "Then all your other needs will be met as well."

Saturday, February 10, 2018

The Heart of the Matter

Tell people who are rich at this time not to become egotistical and not to place their hope on their finances, which are uncertain. Instead, they need to hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.

-- 1 Timothy 6:17

The numbers are both shocking and sobering. 

According to the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2018, cardiovascular disease accounts for about 1 of every 3 deaths in the United States. Approximately 2,300 Americans die from it each day (about one death every 38 seconds). And all told, the condition claims more lives each year than all forms of cancer combined.

It's obvious that our nation--and the whole world, for that matter--faces a cardiac crisis. But there's another serious heart problem that doesn't involve cigarettes, cholesterol management or low-fat diets. Instead, far too many Christ-followers lack a heart that's willing to give generously according to the resources God has richly given them. And when they do open their pocketbooks, it's often done grudgingly.

That's not the example God gives us Heart Handthrough the Bible. And if there's a two-word lesson that we can learn from his principles about money and possessions, it's that we should be generous. After all, God is the ultimate giver. Think about the many blessings that he's given us. They vary from person to person but tend to include things like health, job, home, family, friends and church. And of course there's God's ultimate gift: the forgiveness of our sins and an eternal relationship with him through our faith in Jesus.

God also wants everyone to be a cheerful giver--particularly one who refuses to hoard their blessings. But to do that, we must trust him rather than our riches. After all, bank accounts and retirement funds can be wiped out overnight through unexpected circumstances and economic turmoil. Just look at some of the recent headlines about the stock market.

What's the benefit of being generous with our money, time and possessions? 

As the Apostle Paul explains it through the book of 1 Timothy, giving back richly toward God and his purposes renders much more than a warm feeling of satisfaction. Think of it as a guaranteed high-yield investment with dividends that you'll enjoy forever in the world to come. In fact, God challenges us on our preconceived notions about money. Through his design, giving richly results in getting more:

"By doing that, they will be saving a treasure for themselves as a strong foundation for the future," Paul writes. "Then they will be able to have the life that is true life."

It's every Christ-follower's mission to serve as God's hands and feet on Earth by feeding the hungry, healing the sick and housing the homeless. So by making generous giving a spiritual habit and being rich toward God, we'll become more like Jesus to help change our community, the world--and ourselves--for the better. 

That's the heart of the matter.

Saturday, February 3, 2018

The Smartest Decision You'll Ever Make

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

-- John 11:25-26

Let's say you're planning a big purchase. Maybe it's for a new car, a smartphone, an appliance--or even a Caribbean cruise. Whatever it is, you have a decision to make. And there are so many options to consider.

The Internet is probably your next stop. With just a few taps on the screen, you're sure to find several websites featuring helpful consumer information about virtually anything. And some sites even have product reviews from the experts. For example, if you'd like to compare a Nikon camera's white balance and exposure compensation ratings with similar Canon and Sony models, that's all just a click or two away. 

On the other hand, many of the best product websites feature comments from actual purchasers. Their observations can be particularly helpful because they tend to cover the pros and cons without the manufacturer's marketing spin and hype. That glossy brochure might rave about a fancy laptop's speed and design. But if a few product owners report that it's prone to system crashes and viruses, you'll probably look for a better option. The lesson here is that taking advice from the folks who know can help you avoid costly mistakes.

If that's true for a mundane microwave oven or an DecisionSUV, how much more does it hold for things of eternal significance--like the existence of heaven and hell? If heaven exists, how can you get there? And what's the surefire way to avoid hell?

Ask 20 random people these same questions, and you'll likely get a variety of answers. But our Creator doesn't want us to be confused. In fact, he personally came to earth through his Son, Jesus, to both live a perfect life and teach us how to live. Several people who traveled with Jesus throughout his 3-year ministry wrote about their personal experiences with him--and how Christ really is who he claims to be. They personally witnessed his miracles and saw him raise people from the dead, heal the lame and give sight to the blind.

Luke, the physician who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, also wanted the real scoop about the Savior. That's why he interviewed the people who knew Jesus best and could attest to his reality. Let's consider the opening lines of Luke's first book:

"Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. ... I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard."

The Apostle Peter also reassured some of the faith's earliest believers with his own testimony:

"When we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling just clever stories that someone invented," he reported. "But we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes."

Do you ever wonder if you can believe what's in the Bible? Is all that stuff about Jesus rising from the dead really true? And if it is, how should it make a difference in the way you live? 

Those are vitally important questions. So why not avoid a costly mistake: Take it from the folks who witnessed it first-hand and wrote about their experiences: the authors of the Gospels.

It's the smartest decision you'll ever make.