Seek first the kingdom of God
"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:31-34
Do you truly understand the meaning of this verses?
I was debating with an old friend about life and money. Basically, he is a Christian too and believes in being a boss or investor, earning enough so that can retire early to spend more time with God. He believes in what he calls financial education, that is being aware of the financial world, how you can earn money without sacrificing your time for loved ones or God. In short, he believes in being his own boss is the right thing to do cos you can earn more money without spending too much time and so have time for God. But I saw something quite not right in that lifestyle..
What about the parable of the rich fool (see Luke 12)? being your own boss requires even more effort and time. you will be worried abt ur investments all the time.. are you sure you can really relax and serve God and let ur employees do their work? But he raised the eg of macdonalds and microsoft, saying that you just need the right financial education.. Sigh. but why be so bothered by all this money-making? He said so that he wouldnt be burdened by the lack of money when the need arise....
haii.. i have only one point. that is to trust in God to provide. Why worry if you have money for the year ahead? why worry if you have clothes for the week ahead? why worry if you have food for tmr? If God were to take your life now, everything is gone. God asks us not to worry. Seek first the kingdom of God and the rest will follow after. There are many testimonies of how God really provide for those who truly seek and serve Him. We never see them lacking anything. I also have my own testimony. I thought I couldnt last the months ahead. There was a point in time I got so poor that I didnt know what to do, how to live.. But I thank God He taught me to trust in Him. of course, i still worry sometimes.. but I try to hold my faith in my faithful God. That He will indeed provide for me and my family. and true enough, I am not lacking anything now still.
Many people think they shld earn more money now while they are young so that they may retire early to serve God. Why give your precious youth to the world when you can offer it up to the Lord? Why wait until then? What if you shld die tmr?
God demands that we make a choice between Him and Money. There can never be both, its either or. Not that money itself is evil, but the one who uses it to control man is. God doesn't want us to be trapped by Satan. Yes, we need money in this life. It is something that we uses to make transaction with. In a way, i feel that it is just a "middleman". But we shouldnt worry about not having enough, even if it is for very valid reasons, eg a sick family member or for children's education. Because our heavenly father will definitely not withhold blessings from those who truly follow in His ways.
ok but basically, my friend isn't the type to go all out to earn money and he claims that he isnt the type earning money for say luxury living, but to really earn money for a rainy day, for his family... so i just pray to God to keep him and preserve him such that he may not become a victim of the devil... (:
May God guides us always.
Here is a portion of our conversation which I found to be totally amusing how our concepts can be so different.
me: i believe in making money the down to earth way. u may say im stupid (:
him: thats not stupid
thats just the way that will bring u closer to the devil thats all
because its because of the down to earth way
most christians have lesser time
and drift away from god
and say that they will come back to god after the retire
and they can only retire when they 55-60 or some never even retire
money is already a trap liao
the devil want u to work ur life for it
and yet u want to step in it -.-
for me i rather find ways where i wont give my time to the devil but give it fully to god
because i dun have to spend time and commitment to earn money
because my money will do the job
I mean, i thought down to earth then can draw nearer to God!? you just have to learn to put God first in your life thats all... *shrugs* lol kind of weird. :P
Do you truly understand the meaning of this verses?
I was debating with an old friend about life and money. Basically, he is a Christian too and believes in being a boss or investor, earning enough so that can retire early to spend more time with God. He believes in what he calls financial education, that is being aware of the financial world, how you can earn money without sacrificing your time for loved ones or God. In short, he believes in being his own boss is the right thing to do cos you can earn more money without spending too much time and so have time for God. But I saw something quite not right in that lifestyle..
What about the parable of the rich fool (see Luke 12)? being your own boss requires even more effort and time. you will be worried abt ur investments all the time.. are you sure you can really relax and serve God and let ur employees do their work? But he raised the eg of macdonalds and microsoft, saying that you just need the right financial education.. Sigh. but why be so bothered by all this money-making? He said so that he wouldnt be burdened by the lack of money when the need arise....
haii.. i have only one point. that is to trust in God to provide. Why worry if you have money for the year ahead? why worry if you have clothes for the week ahead? why worry if you have food for tmr? If God were to take your life now, everything is gone. God asks us not to worry. Seek first the kingdom of God and the rest will follow after. There are many testimonies of how God really provide for those who truly seek and serve Him. We never see them lacking anything. I also have my own testimony. I thought I couldnt last the months ahead. There was a point in time I got so poor that I didnt know what to do, how to live.. But I thank God He taught me to trust in Him. of course, i still worry sometimes.. but I try to hold my faith in my faithful God. That He will indeed provide for me and my family. and true enough, I am not lacking anything now still.
Many people think they shld earn more money now while they are young so that they may retire early to serve God. Why give your precious youth to the world when you can offer it up to the Lord? Why wait until then? What if you shld die tmr?
God demands that we make a choice between Him and Money. There can never be both, its either or. Not that money itself is evil, but the one who uses it to control man is. God doesn't want us to be trapped by Satan. Yes, we need money in this life. It is something that we uses to make transaction with. In a way, i feel that it is just a "middleman". But we shouldnt worry about not having enough, even if it is for very valid reasons, eg a sick family member or for children's education. Because our heavenly father will definitely not withhold blessings from those who truly follow in His ways.
ok but basically, my friend isn't the type to go all out to earn money and he claims that he isnt the type earning money for say luxury living, but to really earn money for a rainy day, for his family... so i just pray to God to keep him and preserve him such that he may not become a victim of the devil... (:
May God guides us always.
Here is a portion of our conversation which I found to be totally amusing how our concepts can be so different.
me: i believe in making money the down to earth way. u may say im stupid (:
him: thats not stupid
thats just the way that will bring u closer to the devil thats all
because its because of the down to earth way
most christians have lesser time
and drift away from god
and say that they will come back to god after the retire
and they can only retire when they 55-60 or some never even retire
money is already a trap liao
the devil want u to work ur life for it
and yet u want to step in it -.-
for me i rather find ways where i wont give my time to the devil but give it fully to god
because i dun have to spend time and commitment to earn money
because my money will do the job
I mean, i thought down to earth then can draw nearer to God!? you just have to learn to put God first in your life thats all... *shrugs* lol kind of weird. :P
