Some thoughts tonight on finding financial peace.
You know, there is a constant stream of financial advice flowing around us today. Even withn the church, there is no shortage of sanctioned worry about building wealth so we can rest easy when everything is coming down for those less fortunate or prepared around us.
A popular Christian financial program promises to instruct how to find "Financial Peace". But you know, though I can highly recommend that particular program, there ulimately is no peace in money. Everyone is realizing that in today's world, even millions of dollars can evaporate quickly because of some economic event beyond anyone's control.
So how do we find rest in this financially restless age? In First John 3:16 there is a wonderfully simple answer.
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence."
In a fearful climate when even Christians are sharing fretful secrets about how to store, store, store in order to find rest...John says we can rest in God's presence when we share, share, share.
It ain't legalism to please men, or buying God's favor, or sowing in some cosmic stock market, or some other shrewd play. It's having "life more abundantly". It's living in love, free from fear.
Apparently in the Kingdom of God, financial freedom isn't gained from hiding a pile of money in our vaults...it's found by not hiding even a penny in our hearts.
May God give us all such simple freedom in himself. May he lead us continually, like the good shepherd to the real riches of his restful presence. A man must provide for his family, but perhaps some men include too many unnecessary worries in their duties. They have adopted the world's contempt for poverty, and vowed to work all their years away to keep from being poor.
Some men work their whole lives away out of condemnation.
"Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him."
Blessings brethren,
Mike
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Mike Compton
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