Worthless Commerce

Worthless Commerce

Acts 19: ²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. ²⁴ A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. ²⁶ And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

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Needing money, I quickly thought of ideas for businesses that would bring in income quickly. I looked at triangle shaped schemes, get rich quick investments and begging a crowd for a few dollars each. None of them had any appeal. I felt lost.

• There were times when I worried about money.
• There were times when I considered doing “anything” for money.
• There were times when I felt desperate enough to do something “temporarily” for money that GOD would not be pleased with.

Demetrius was a wealthy, known businessman in the community. He brought the business community together to speak against Paul, who was speaking about JESUS being GOD. Demetrius knew his business would be hurt if people believed in JESUS. Instead of changing professions, he formed a mob.

• GOD wants me to keep HIS ways in front of me.
• GOD wants me to base my decisions on HIS commands.
• GOD wants me to let HIM handle those who will not follow HIM.

Desperation for money can bring on some extreme thoughts. I mean, when I walked in fear, I would lie cheat and steal to get a few dollars. BUT GOD showed me another way. GOD wants me to show love rather than hate when it comes to business.

HE is pleased when I pray for my enemies and treat all people fairly. Bowing down to GOD shows HIM I fear HIM in a healthy way. I am grateful HIS way is always solid.

• Are you lying to yourself about your profession?
• Is GOD pleased at what you do on your job or your business?
• Will you look at the examples of JESUS and believe only in HIM for your next move?

Money Eyes

Luke 16: Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ² So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹² And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. ¹⁵ He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

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• GOD wants me to be honest.
• GOD wants me to be just.
• GOD wants me to see money as a tool, not a life saver.

Three were times when I sunk very low and would almost do anything for money. When creditors were calling and no money was headed my way, I felt miserable. BUT GOD showed me something different. HE showed me that I am made of much more than money. HE gave me HIS mercy so I could love others. GOD’s mercy is worth more than riches to me.

• Are you stuck?
• Do you spend most of your time talking about or thinking about money or the lack thereof?
• Can you examine your heart to see how much of a hold does money have on you?
• Will you serve GOD over money today?

Service Choice

Mark 10: ²³ Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

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“If I get the next promotion, then I will serve GOD a little more” were the rational words I thought. I mean look at all the poor people. If I just became rich, then I could give to the poor. When I got the promotion I was paid well but more responsibilities were heaped onto the pile. I had less time to serve because I had so much work. “Maybe when I retire, I will serve GOD more.”

• With riches come demands.
• With riches my life is not as easy as it seems.
• With riches I am shackled to the time it takes to make the riches.

“Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” was JESUS’s statement. The trust part was the problem. HE was illustrating that wealth is a mindset, not a bank account. Those who had a mindset of trusting in wealth may never trust in GOD’s deliverance in HIS way and HIS time.

• JESUS wants me to trust HIM regardless of how little or how much I have.
• JESUS wants me to obey HIM, so some of my time needs to be spent with HIM.
• JESUS wants me to love HIM for the simple reason that HE wants a relationship with me.

Having riches is not the problem. Trusting in riches makes me doubt GOD’s ability to deliver me I mean sometimes when I don’t have the riches I think I need at “that” very moment, I blame GOD for not giving me what “I” want.

HE forgives me and gently guides me back to a place where I can see HIS grace and love for me in spite of my wealth. “Open your eyes” JESUS says to me. “Look beyond false riches and look at ME, your true wealth.”

• Are you giving up on GOD because you are in a bad financial situation?
• Do you think having more wealth would ease your burdens?
• Are you waiting on wealth to serve GOD?
• Can you stop believing the “wealth” lie and start believing that GOD is your deliverance?

I Didn’t See Them

Matthew 25: ⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

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As I stepped into the garage a thought popped into my head, “Check voicemail to see if there are any urgent things to take care of.” When I checked, I had all kinds of messages. I answered them all the way to work and some on the way back home. After dinner, I checked email and voicemail then made a few calls. My neighbor rang the bell. I didn’t know his name.

• Life can be distracting.
• Life can be filled with a lot of “stuff.”
• Life can be so busy that I cannot see even the people around me.

When I look back on the tremendous amount of time I spent becoming “successful” I see that the true goal may have been missed, namely to serve people. I did not reach out to my neighbors to see if they needed anything. What should I do?

• GOD wants me to open my eyes to those HE delivers to me.
• GOD wants me to see my neighbors and pray for them as much as I pray for myself.
• GOD wants me to serve people just because they need to be served.

Rich or poor, GOD wants me to seek those who need to see HIS face. Serving people brings attention to them and possibly they can hear that GOD loves them and cares for them. Eternal life is not just about “me” getting saved, it is about how many people here on earth did I get a chance to plant the seed of life into their heart.

GOD will grow HIS kingdom with each sincere seed planted. HE wants me to see people HE delivers to me every day.

• Are you extremely busy or extremely worried?
• Do you see the people around you?
• Can you stop being so distracted and look at a person around you so you can serve them?

If Not Me

Matthew 21: ³⁸ “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

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“Will you serve this particular Sunday?” was the question. “Yes” was my answer, because it was easy and I had nothing planned. “Will you teach?’ was the question. “Yes” was my answer, because it wouldn’t take up too much time.  “Will you go with us on a mission’s trip?” was the question posed to me. Many reasons came to mind as far as why I could not go, all of which were excuses.

• There are times when I think someone else should do “that.”
• There are times when I am called and I hang up the phone.
• There are times when I want life easy.

Wanting an easy life is not exactly the problem in this parable, but it is related. The tenants, Israel, rejected JESUS as the Messiah. They killed HIM thinking they would inherit HIS kingdom, namely heaven. Unfortunately they would never believe and would meet a wretched end.

Same goes for me. GOD wants me to do something. I don’t mean HE wants me to work my fingers to the bone trying to gain salvation. What I mean is HE wants me to do “something.” “If not me then who?” is the question. GOD wants me to serve someone at some point in time. HE may even call me to do something extreme for HIM and I should be ready.

• GOD wants me to serve others even when it is inconvenient.
• GOD wants me to pray for others even when I don’t like them.
• GOD wants me to speak well of others so HE can speak well of me.

The story ends with the tenants being replaced by others who are willing, by those without excuses. Unfortunately I have passed up my opportunities to serve others many times. BUT GOD has other opportunities ahead. I should be ready with “Yes.”

• Are you being called?
• Do you think someone else should do “that?”
• Can you listen to GOD’s calling and respond? 

Give Careful Thought

Haggai 1: ⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. ⁶ 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.”

⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord.

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Swimming in deep water, uphill, in a blizzard was how I felt. Drowning in debt and low on wages, I could see the needs pile higher and higher. My car was broken down, rent was due, tuition was unpaid and creditors were calling. Who has time for serving when I am in this much trouble?

• There were times when I thought life was spiraling downward.
• There were times when I thought life would never bring satisfaction.
• There were times when I thought all of my efforts were for naught because I did not seem to be reaping any great harvest.

Focusing in on money would excite some and depress others. I was in the latter because no matter how much I tried I just did not have enough. What was I doing wrong?

• GOD said to me “Focus on ME and I will bless you.”
• GOD said to me “Pay attention to ME and I will make your paths straight.”
• GOD said to me “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find.”

Lost and bewildered, I gave my life back to GOD. This time something seemed different. I did not care if GOD took everything away from me, as long as my relationship with HIM was fine. It took a while, several years but I noticed a huge change. I was not worried, stressed or lying awake. I was out of debt and living quite comfortably. GOD did come through with HIS promise.

• Are you lying awake over something?
• Do you feel tired of working hard and getting nowhere?
• Will you take time today and focus on what really matters, namely GOD?

Saved by Silver

Ezekiel 7: ¹⁹ “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,
    and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
    will not be able to deliver them
    in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
It will not satisfy their hunger
    or fill their stomachs,
    for it has caused them to stumble into sin.

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Broke was the word that best described my situation. It seemed like there were more bills than money. Weekly I would get yet another call from a creditor and it seemed like I was moving backwards instead of forwards. “If I just had a little more money I could relax” I thought to myself.

• There have been times when I really wanted more money.
• There have been times when I craved more cash.
• There have been times when I wanted more stuff but could not afford it.

During this “broke” time I groused and my smile was seldom seen. I mean my life was a shamble right? Wrong! My dependence on cash made my life like a thermometer, hot when I had it, cold when it was gone. What was I supposed to do?

• GOD says to me “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
• GOD says to me “Put your trust in ME and all will go well with you.”
• GOD says to me “Trust in the LORD with all your ways and all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.”

When I calmed down I realized I had never missed a meal and I was living in a semi-paid for apartment. My job was difficult but I was getting a steady paycheck. I truly had a lot to praise GOD about. “You mean I can depend on GOD for my worries?” I thought to myself. This brought a genuine smile to my face. I felt heaviness fall from my shoulders. GOD wants me to smile in the middle of the storm without depending on cash or my wits. HE does care.

• Have you placed too much emphasis on money?
• Do you spend an excessive amount of time worrying about money?
• Will you stop placing so much value on money and start valuing GOD?

Looking at the Wrong Things

Isaiah 17: ⁷ In that day people will look to their Maker
    and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
⁸ They will not look to the altars,
    the work of their hands,
and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles
    and the incense altars their fingers have made.

⁹ In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.

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Packing was a mystery to me as I went on my second mission’s trip. It took a lot of effort to get pills, attend meetings and get all the stuff we needed. My expectation of the trip was to have crowd of people listen to me and accept the message right away. A few people showed up and even fewer believed in the message. What’s going on?

• Sometimes I measure success in GOD in numbers.
• Sometimes I measure success in GOD with what I can see.
• Sometimes I measure success in GOD in the buildings, programs and people I can count.

Immediate reward is what I sought on many occasion and when I did not see what “I” expected I looked at GOD like HE was crazy. I mean why so much effort for so few people? BUT GOD felt different.

• GOD showed me that the angels shout when one person accepts HIS SON as their savior.
• GOD showed me that it is far more important to help one person into HIS kingdom than to follow the world that will be destroyed.
• GOD showed me that HE cares for people one at a time and it is better for me to have a single relationship than inch deep relationships with millions.

Following GOD seems strange to most. It sometimes means not looking like the rest of the world. It means doing things differently so that my life points to HIM instead of towards myself. It means measuring success that way GOD does. HE sometimes wants me to leave the ninety nine sheep and go look for the one that’s lost. GOD wants me to put my trust in HIM, not in a world that will be destroyed.

• Are you following the world without regard to following GOD?
• Are you having a difficult time getting the success you are looking for?
• Do you desire to human success or GOD’s success?
• Will you stop trying to serve money and turn to serving GOD?