“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/ 

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht   

“Homily Grits Devotional”   http://www.homilygrits.com/ 

1 Timothy 6:7-8…  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  (NKJV)

The love for money really hasn’t changed much, since Jesus rose from the grave almost 2000 years ago…  The Apostle Paul was writing to his protégé Timothy, in the opening scripture…  The rich people of Jesus’ time, believed those that had much money, would have a better chance of getting into heaven…  But Jesus’ teaching changed everything…

I am reminded of Jesus’ teaching about the poor widow, and her meager offering of 2 mites, in…Mark 12:41-44… The rich were seen putting money into the treasury box, out of their abundance of wealth; and yet Jesus valued the poor widow’s small gift of 2 mites (worth about ¼ of a penny), because she had given all that she had…  Here is the link for this…  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk12:41-44&version=NKJV

God doesn’t need our money… God wants’ our heart and minds to be focused on Him… Once we grasp this concept of putting God first and not focusing on money or our material possessions…we will find that out that our priorities in life have been all wrong…

I use to love getting a new company car every few years; at a job I had many years ago…  My last company car was a Cadillac…  That luxury car sitting in my driveway was showing those living around me that I had finally made it in life… 

But from the moment God graced me with salvation…my priorities changed in the blink of an eye…  Pleasing the Lord became my first priority…not how big my bank account was, or the amount of material possessions that I could accumulate…  I now drive around in an 18 year old car with 170+ miles…and I am just thankful for having transportation…  I have a roof over my head…food on the table…and enough clothes to wear…  God is good !!

Anyone who currently worries about their money and possessions…putting anything  before God…is absolutely wrong in their thinking…  Jesus warns us about putting our money before God, in…Matthew 6:24…  “Noone can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  (NKJV)

Jesus then gives us the key, to what is most important in life…when He teaches us not to be concerned with what we will eat or drink…or what we will wear, in…Matthew 6:25-33…  Here is the link to this important teaching…  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat6:25-33&version=NKJV 

The most important part of Jesus’ teaching, is found at the end of this scripture, with His “punch line”, in…Matthew 6:33…   “But seekfirst the kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  (NKJV)

Jesus teaches us in this scripture…that God knows our needs even before we do…  And if we would just put our faith and trust in Him first (at all times), being obedient to Him in all ways…that God will not only provide for all of our daily needs…He will be free to bless us in abundance…2 Corinthians 9:8… And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  (NKJV)

This verse comes out of the Apostle Paul’s teaching about how God loves a cheerful giver…and how we as Christians are to give from the heart, as we are led to give…not grudgingly or out of necessity…  And that we will reap what we sow… Here is the link this important teaching…   http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2cor9:6-15&version=NKJV

The idea that we cannot out give God, just doesn’t sink into the mind that hasn’t been changed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit…  As a matter of fact, God challenges us to try and out give Him, in…Malachi 3:10… “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And tryMenow in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will notopen for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will notberoom enough to receive it.”  (NKJV)

This idea of freely giving, with love in our hearts for those in need…instead of thinking of ourselves first, and the heck with everyone else…is just not what most of those living in the world believe…  But once an unredeemed sinner has been graced with salvation…the Holy Spirit, if left in total control of the Christian’s heart, mind and soul…will forever change what is most important in this short life… 

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word today, would open the eyes of all of us, as to what is most important in this short period of years we call our lifetime…  Help us Lord, to understand that You are to be most important in the life of a Christian…  And if Your children are obedient to Your will and Your ways…that You will be free to bless us beyond all we could ask or think…Ephesians 3:20…  I pray for this fullness of Christ, and His richest blessings for all of us, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills