But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
(1Ti 6:6-12)
Been doing some contemplating on the subject of moolah. More specifically moolah and church in general. The longer I am involved with churches the more I am realizing that there are two groups of people that come to church. I am speaking in the broadest terms about these two groups. They can be broken down on either side into many smaller segments with varying motivations.
One group gives of their resources whether it be time, money, whatever. No matter their motivation, righteous or selfish they contribute. The other group receives compensation for everything they do, and the same goes for motivation as before. Here is where I get all twisted up. How should my service to Jesus be rewarded. Should I see my church as a profit center, a charity or a total loss. I have for my time in church taken the total loss approach. I am aware that everything I do is as filthy rags and as such the church is the place where I spend a lots of time just adding to the pile. What a blessing and joy it is to know that the grandest most wonderful thing I can do amounts to rubbish in the light of everything my Father in Heaven does for me.
I am becoming very aware that churches who use the currency of the world to accomplish their great and mighty deeds for the Lord soon become useless to the one they once desired to serve. They become a place of oppression and are masterfully manipulated by those with the worldly resources and the political prowess to due so. They cease to move in the realm of faith and give themselves over to the delusion that success can only be achieved on the world’s terms using the world’s resources and principles.
What is God’s compensation to His faithful. Is it wealth enough to have the best the world has to offer or is it humiliation?
'Creator,' the childlike heart might cry, 'give me all the wages, all the reward thy perfect father-heart can give thy unmeriting child. My fit wages may be pain, sorrow, humiliation of soul: I stretch out my hands to receive them. Thy reward will be to lift me out of the mire of self-love, and bring me nearer to thyself and thy children: welcome, divinest of good things! Thy highest reward is thy purest gift; thou didst make me for it from the first; thou, the eternal life, hast been labouring still to fit me for receiving it—the vision, the knowledge, the possession of thyself. I can seek but what thou waitest and watchest to give: I would be such into whom thy love can flow.'
George MacDonald “The Hope of The Gospel”
The Church is a family not a business. Beware and do not let what is convenient for business destroy what is essential for family. The ruler of this world’s greatest triumph is to turn the heart of families to the business of the world and have that family wake up one day out of time and realize they never really knew each other.
