God's Words of Life

The other night at MOPS I received a God's Words of Life. A Women's Devotional Bible. Today is really the first time I've started reading through it and I wanted to read something about Finances, so...

Devotional thoughts on Finances:
The New Testament is full of warnings about a god closer to home, especially to today's' believers: "You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke 16:13)

Trying to do so is our downfall. What we tend to think of as prudent financial sense is often what the Old Testament believers thought of as prudent financial sense : playing both sides. Serving God and Money. Like those Israelites, we find people serving Money all around us. Our culture is permeated with it.

How do we know when we've made "making a living" more important than the living God? When we sacrifice freely of our time and energy at the altar of material gain. When we begin to feel safe because of our insurance policies, mutual funds and level of income - rather than because God's hands are holding us. At that point we've lost contact with the mighty power of the living God.

The Israelites turned from the living God to a pile of carved wooden blocks. Are you a New Testament believer who's turning -for all the "right" reasons -from the living God?

Edith Bejema

Just because this particular letter is about finances doesn't mean that's where it stops. I was secure, for a while, because of my finances. I had a great job with lots of freedoms and within the last 2 weeks I've filed for unemployment and additional state services but I don't feel scared or worried -why, I think it's because I know I will be taken care of. God has brought so many wonderful things into my life already I can only imagine what is yet to come.

Don't get me wrong -- I've had some down days where I've questioned quite a bit but I am slowly realizing there is no need. The Bible says:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. Psalm 23:1

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, "How do we rob you?" In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robing me. Bring the whole tithe in the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it. Malachi 3:8-10

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33

How does one learn to depend on God? By serving others, by giving of your time, or by your offerings (I'm sure there are many more ways as well). This is definitely something I would love to be more involved with... somehow.

Anyway, those were my thoughts this morning. What are your's? How do you depend on God? How do you serve?

Christmas 2008

This year Christmas was a bit different. Normally I get a chance to visit with my sister and enjoy the day-after shopping, but not this year! Between her having sick animals (contagious) and my taking care of animals at home, there was just never a good time! Mom wasn't around this year either, and we tend to see her one way or the other.

Dad and Linda came for a visit, which I truly enjoyed! We had Christmas dinner at my place which is unusual and Aunt Pattie was over bright and early Christmas morning to help open presents and celebrate all the goodness that was. I truly had a great Christmas, don't get me wrong!!

There are just certain things one really comes to expect/enjoy and I didn't get to do some of those things this year... Like shopping with Julie the day-after, or helping (picking on) her while cooking Christmas dinner or yelling at all the kids to be quite!! :) You know, it's kind of like when people say they need snow for it to feel like Christmas... Well, I suppose I need these things for it to feel like Christmas. :)

Plus a side from that, things at the office aren't the best either... Money is tight and everyone can feel the pinch, including me. Hopefully we will all make it through with as little scrapes as possible.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year all.

MSN.com ~ Atheist Buss

This deserves a complete post... I was searching around MSN.com and found this tid-bit of information surprising....

Basics: It's a campaign (mostly in the UK) for Atheist Buses! Yes, you read right!! The article goes on to say it started off as a joke by comedian writer Ariane Sherine, after which prominent atheist scientist Professor Richard Dawkins of Oxford University pledged to match the first £5,500 of donations by the public to start an actual campaign!! As a result the advertising campaign will be far more substantial than initially anticipated. The 800 buses, 200 of which will be in London, will be joined with two large LCD screens on Oxford Street and 1,000 adverts on the London Underground. here is the complete article.

I can't believe it!! Is this what the end will look like... Hate, disbelief, abhorrence? I can only imagine what's to come if this "campaign" were to spread. The Church has been working diligently on spreading the Gospel of God, spreading love and hope to all. I mean if you don't believe in God, or anything really, then what's left out there for you; who's left for you to answer too, what's too keep you safe from doing harm to yourself -and to others?? You'd pretty much have the right to do anything you pleased... who would you be answering too?? You can forget the small stuff like Keeping Christ in Christmas or In God we Trust on money... Pretty soon we'll have riots of angry people, special holidays -- division all over again!!

I sure to hope this 'campaign' doesn't get off the ground!!