Does Your God Look Like This?

How many times do we go to God when we are having financial problems or we are sick and we need help or just want something? Maybe you want a new car or boat. Is God like a heavenly Santa Claus to you? "Give me, give me, give me." We turn to Him whenever we are in trouble. Have you ever been that way are known someone like that. Then God answers and we forget all the promises we made to Him and perhaps even forget to praise Him for all that He does in our lives. How do we feel when our own children or friends treat us that way. Or maybe we just plain don't like His answer.

1Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Did you notice that, this is His will concerning you. Our heavenly Father knows just the right time to answer us and sometimes His answer is not yet, or no. Would you buy your son a sports car when you knew he was not mature enough to handle the consequences of his misuse? God has to answer in the same way. He loves us enough to say no sometimes or not yet, because He knows what lies ahead for each of our lives and He protects us from things we cannot see. He also knows what might draw us away from Him. Hallelujah!

James1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

God wants to meet our every need, but sometimes He withholds something for our good.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

IS THIS YOUR GOD?

1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

God never said it was wrong to have material possessions. Many of those we admire in the Bible were rich in fact. Solomon, Abraham, Job and Isaac were some of the richest men in their day. God's doesn't have a problem with us having things. His problem is when those things become our god and the possessions become the center of our lives rather than Him. When anything takes us away from God as our focus of worship then that thing becomes our idol.

John Wesley had a three-fold philosophy about money. He said, "Make all you can; Keep all you can; and give all you can."

Many times we give the Lord our leftovers. One of the hardest things for some is to give of their money. The tithe belongs to the Lord and if we use it for ourselves then we rob God.

Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

Does God need our money? No, everything already belongs to HIM! We show our love and trust in God by giving back a portion of that which He has given to us. We must remember that it is God that has given us the ability to earn and invest. We are only stewards of what God has given to us and He expects us to be frugal with our spending on ourselves.

John 3:27 ….. A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Many of us spend everything we have and then some on things. How often have you heard the statement, "You can't take it with you." Why do you not labor for that which you can take with you for an eternity!

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

We show our love and trust of God by giving back a portion of that which He has given to us. Quite often I hear someone say, "There just isn't enough for me to tithe". No, and there never will be. We don't trust God.

Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

Does God care if we have needs?

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

God never forces anyone to give, He wants us to give out of love.

2Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

God also has a principle for receiving.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

2Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

In other words if we want more material things we must first be willing to give to those in need.

1Jo 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

HE WANTS OUR TIME!

God wants to spend time with us. He deserves our time. He is our Creator and we the created. We cannot know God without spending time with Him. He wants to be your best friend, your Father. He is a husband or wife to those who are alone. He wants to hear your praise and for you to worship Him. He wants us to set a little time aside each day to commune with us. He wants to be included in all that we do. He asks us to set aside one day a week to be totally with Him. That day being His Holy Sabbath. It is one of His commandments and He asks us to remember this day in honor of creation.

Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The Sabbath is a day of physical and spiritual renewel. It is a gift to man because after working all the week we need that rest. Time spent with Christ will last an eternity! Leave a legacy of faith and time spent with God.

Heavenly Father,

Forgive us when we withhold from You, whether it is our money our time or ourselves. Give us a generous heart that gives back to You what is rightfully Yours. Give us the faith we need to always trust You in all our ways. Help us to realize You won't be found in the obvious places but rather in the still small voice that says, "Be still and know that I am God." How could You love us so, these unworthy creatures that we are? Thank you for that love and forgive us for ever doubting you. May we praise You each and every day for the price You paid for us. Amen