Goulash again! Yep, more leftovers thrown together because there isn’t enough of any one thing to make a dish! I hope it’s tasty, or at least thought provoking.
“Jesus talked more about money than any other single subject.” Have you heard that said before? Well, it is simply not true! It is usually said to emphasize the importance of finances, money and our attitudes, and how we use it. Some say this because money is very important to them and they want to justify their carnal worldview. Sure, Jesus talked about money; but in almost every instance, He used money to illustrate another point. The other point was what he was really talking about, not money. Check it out yourself.
The gospel (good news) is not about having a better life. Contemporary Christianity is so obsessed with putting butts in seats and all that represents, that it has changed the gospel, something that would draw anathema from the Apostle Paul. Sure, it is better to die to self and make Jesus Lord. But usually the die-to-self part is left out because it is offensive and too dogmatic for a self-focused generation. Mark it down — there is no salvation without repentance and death to self. Language like “new birth” and “new creation” and even baptism points to a crossing over from self-life to God’s life. Any gospel that allows the hearer to add Jesus to his own self-focused lifestyle should receive the Apostles’ wrath and be rejected by those who read the Bible.
“Jesus loves me, this I know…” I bet you know that song. Well, it is true. Jesus does love you, and He wants to be intimately involved in every area of your life. He will do better at running your life than you can or did. He will also allow you to participate in bringing glory to Him. All you have to do is determine to no longer live for yourself and to give your life, dreams, plans, possessions, thoughts and all you are to Him. He has wonderful things in store for us, if we will only let Him do His good work. Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”