Contentment.

When I sold my house back in 2020, I had a lot of stuff that I had accumulated over the years. Stuff that I really had no more use for. I did a garage sale but still not everything was sold.

“Looks like I still own all this stuff,” I complained to myself.
“Actually, it looks like this stuff owns you,” as a deep small voice in my head said. Ouch. He was right.

The goal of my garage sale was to make money, not get rid of stuff. I was holding on too tightly. I wanted to get rid of them, but my possessions disagree. They want to be our master. Our possessions want to possess us. So I ended up just giving it away for free.

The person that bought my house got very lucky as I left the pool table with all the cue sticks and everything that comes with it, A mini bar with the bar stools, a upright freezer and even a 8x10 storage shed.

Jesus once said, “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Don’t let that happen. Don’t give in to the urge to upgrade everything. Stop expanding storage space for more of the same stuff. Admit this: Holding privileges or having things you never use (because you’re too busy earning the money to pay for them) demonstrates that your stuff owns you.
Repent and reverse that trend before it’s too late. Live with contentment. Stop giving unreasonable value to your stuff. Discover more about God’s riches and how he wants to own you and bless you. Be more generous and willing to share.

Thought for today.

I had a long conversation with a church friend of mine regarding the current condition of our country, the government that rules it and the people in charge to run this great nation. He pointed out a scripture passage found in Mark 12:17 where it says, "“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” and also the passage found in 1 Peter 2:13, "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors…"

Well after I slept on with what we have discussed, it came to me that, yes we should submit ourselves to the governing authorities, but just like Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, there comes a time when deep down inside of you, it feels wrong, that it is not from God but the working of the devil.

Understand, Christ is above all––there is no other.

Jesus is supreme authority over the world and the universe––everything visible and invisible (Colossians 1:15). Think about the lack of submission to authority in the times in which we now live. At present, politically, there has been created an atmosphere of division––especially in our schools. As there is a lack of respect for authority, some people have come against police officers––they are now targets of violence.

Our current administration has issued plans to defund the police. No wonder crime has surged! In the summer of 2021, lawless people took to the streets. Rioters burned our cities, churches, police cars and even the third police precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What is needed is a submission to the authority and Lordship of Christ and His Word. I can blame the long lockdowns of the church and other needed services like the schools and universities and letting liquor stores and bars to be open which led to what we are facing at this moment.

This is why, I rebel against what this government is imposing, especially when it comes to them forcing us to be injected by a substance that has not been properly studied or what side-effects will it produce. As of today, more and more reports of the side-effects of this vaccine has been circulating, but the governing authorities censors it and thus people are left without a clue leaving them to the mercy of the government. Slowly, people are waking up to this authoritarian "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" mumbo jumbo and just like Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, are rejecting these mandates and believing in the power of Christ Jesus and how His immune system is far more superior.

Will you willingly submit to Christ authority or rebel against the authority of Christ?