Though men have many idols, which they worship consciously or otherwise, they do not serve these gods so much as themselves. Idolatry’s purpose is to serve one’s self, to preserve one’s self in the flesh, from the cross. If an idol fails to serve the worshipper in the way that he seeks, he will remove that idol from its pedestal soon enough, and find another, unless of course, he is determined to wait patiently for that idol to produce its desired effects one way or another.
Idolatry is inconsistent, contradictory and unprofitable in every way. Money is only a medium of getting. Getting is the medium for serving self. It is serving self until God is worshipped in spirit and truth.
In the Scriptures
There are many polarities.
One of these
Is God and money.
A man will make his vows to God
Ever so faithfully
And fervently,
Professing to believe.
But let it cost him money,
Not another’s, but his own,
Let his wallet be threatened
And then we see the fruits,
The heart exposed,
True thoughts unveiled
And he walks away,
Having nothing
But his money.
He has his god
And his fruits tell it.
Though he justifies himself,
He is sad and empty.
You say you believe in God,
Yet He is the One who gave you
What you have.
He is your source.
But I will tell
If you are a bird
By the feathers that come,
If they come.
Better I should wait
For feathers to come of themselves
To prove you are a bird,
Rather than demand
That you show me feathers.
Feathers will prove you are a bird
And not you yourself.
It is not easy
For a rich man
To enter the kingdom of God.
It is impossible.
But put your trust in Him.
Give that which you value,
that which you treasure and cherish,
that which is not easy to give
Because you find it delightful
and useful
and necessary.
Open the clenched fist,
Let your money go
And you will need
No further justification,
Being happy and full.
You are called to be a channel,
not a reservoir,
a river,
not a swamp.
As water stagnates in a swamp,
Being unsuitable for drinking,
So your possessions stagnate with you
If you do not give freely,
As a flowing river.
Tell me, my friend:
Which lasts longer?
A river or a swamp?
Which tastes better?
A river or a swamp?
Which gives life?
A river or a swamp?
Which will you be?
Lethbridge, Sept. 30, 1984
Related posts:
Death and parting are never easy between loved ones whether they be righteous or otherwise but with the righteous there is the sure hope of coming together again, the hope of a resurrection. The sunset sometimes promises that hope to be fulfilled and while there is sadness in the departure of the precious, there is also a solemn beauty to temper the sorrow and speak of better things to come. It is only by faith that we perceive that the sun will rise again soon. Coral and lavender, Quiet magnificence; Tender departure, Peaceful farewell. Beauty and Sadness Clasping hands, Warmly embracing, Shedding tears, saying, "It's alright, it's okay!" Gently passing away. Stettler, Alta., Spring, 1987
English – Spanish Who has known that the Day of the Lord, the Great Day of Judgment comes in the anointed servant of God who comes without warning or fanfare or observation? Who has known that he not only comes as a thief but abides and performs as one and leaves the households he has visited with their due judgments while most are totally unaware until it is much after the fact? I am Truth. I judge all things, And all things come before Me, Creatures great and small, Young and old, Foolish and wise. I ever preside, Here and now. All is under My scrutiny; I am the great white throne; I am that I am. All are haled before Me; All are tried, All are made manifest, All are sentenced, All are recompensed According to the thought of their hearts, The words of their lips, The works of their hands. No man is exempt, Even for a moment. I judge the saint; I judge the heathen; I punish the evildoer And reward the righteous, Right where they stand. None can escape Me; Whether it be My wrath Or My reward, They receive their just dues. The fool despises Me, Is blind to My presence, Ignorant of My power, Scornful of My law; He perishes. The wise love Me And honor Me And are blessed, Prospering in all things. Lethbridge, Alta., March 1986
All of creation points to and teaches us of God, His requirements of us, our relationships to Him. Life in Christ must be as spontaneous and natural as the branches to their tree trunk. And am I presumptuous in pointing out that as branches cannot live without the trunk so the trunk has no life without branches? Can it be that Almighty God is so committed to us, His creation? We are branches, we are one, Not by ourselves, not of ourselves, But we live by the Greater One Which gives us life, Which gives us purpose for being. Though we go our own ways, One this way and that, Still we serve the One greater From where we come, In Whom we have our being and our life. We serve the Greater One and give It life; We live for It and It alone. The Trunk is our source and our deposit, The Beginning and the End. How can we live except we give? If we do not give, the Trunk does not live; If the Trunk does not live, we die. For the Trunk then we live No other choice can there be, Yet we give not so that we live, We are what we are; We do what we do, And if we do well we live. Lethbridge, 1984