January 13th, 2012 → 12:25 pm @ Michael
I like money. I prefer to have more of it than less. I like the options that come as a result of having it. I would much rather fly first class than to fly coach. Even though at the time of this writing I have never flown first class, if given the option I will choose quality over price any day of the week. And although I believe in finding a good deal, it’s not a deal to me if it is compromised in quality.
As much as I like money, I know that having a lot of it is risky especially for the undisciplined Christian. It is not good for all believers to have a lot of money. For many of us, a lot of money means a lot of spending and it is real interesting that when you have a lot of money there is no shortage of time to spend it. The information age brings us plenty of time to shop. You can shop for a home, a car, birthday presents, Christmas gifts and pretty much anything from anywhere at anytime on the Internet.
This doesn’t make the Internet bad, but it makes it a very effective tool for keeping ones mind busy with things that have no positive eternal consequence. It is certainly how you use it, just like television. For those believers that are spiritually undisciplined, too much money gives them too many options and will derail them from the most basic necessary disciplines for spiritual development and service toward the Kingdom of Heaven.
The three most basic spiritual disciplines are:
Daily Bible Reading
Daily Prayer
Weekly Fasting
Of the three disciplines there isn’t a one that directly cost money. They do cost you time and effort, but they do not cost you money. Money in the hand of the spiritually undisciplined means they will be busy running to and fro, doing many other things that may indeed be important by secular standards, but not important by spiritual standards or not directed by God.
I once heard an interview with a drug dealer, and he said:
“I would rather die than to not have money. Without money, you’re just stuck. You can’t go anywhere or do anything.”
While thereis truth to that, sometimes not going anywhere or doing anything is exactly what God wants from you. If you are called by God you are called for a reason and for a purpose. However, if you are busy with work, busy with school, busy paying bills, planning a vacation, buying birthdays gifts, Christmas gifts, anniversary gifts, grocery shopping, taking the kids to practice, hitting the gym or just plain shopping to calm your nerves; it could be that you are being robbed and don’t even know it.
It cost money to do all these things, and the more you have, the more opportunity you have to exercise your options. Which means more opportunity for the undisciplined Christian to get derailed.
Sometimes I give my children the option of having ice cream. I don’t give it to them every day and I certainly don’t give my son Nathan (who is 4) ice cream first thing in the morning when he asks for it. He is not yet mature enough to understand what he needs. As he gets older and he learns what is appropriate, I’ll begin to let him exercise some of his own choices. I’ll give him more options while carefully observing the choices he makes. I trust that by the time he becomes a young adult“ if I have done my job”, he will be disciplined in his choices and exercise his option to have ice cream wisely, my objective having been to teach him to keep his balance so that he keeps his health.
I think the same is true with Christians and money. Money in itself is not more of a problem to Christians then ice cream is to a child. The problem is too much money in the hands of Christians that lack spiritual discipline. Sure, you may use that money to accomplish many good works. But are you being led by God?
It’s easy to assume that good works are the will of God. The reality is that good works “directed” by God are the will of God. If Jesus Christ would have built a hospital while he was here it would have been a good work, but it wouldn’t have been the will of the Father. It wouldn’t have been according to the mission.
This is why prayer and spiritual disciplines are so important. It is the only way for Christians to get clear direction of the will of God for their lives. The scripture tells us:
“To whom much is given, much is required”
Luke 12:48
And the subject of money is no exception.
As a believer, The more money you have, the more fortitude you will need to exercise and maintain those basic but necessary Christian disciplines. With more options comes an increased risk of making the wrong choice. I don’t necessarily mean wrong in a sinful way, but wrong with regard to the direction that God would have you to go in or what is his “precise” will.
Only God can reveal to you the level of spiritual discipline necessary for you to keep your balance and stay on task with his will. Some will have a higher level of service then others, but one thing is for certain though, if you are a Christian you are called to a life of some kind of service. And if you are too busy for God, then it is not uncommon for him to hit your resources (including finances) to get your attention. I am not saying that everyone having financial difficulties is out of the will of God. I just pointing out that sometimes life’s pressures are in fact Gods way of trying to get us to look up, which is what we should be doing anyway.
When Israel was in times of scarcity they were much more inclined and attentive to God than they were in times of abundance. Don’t let the time of abundance and prosperity rob you of your opportunity to serve the living God. Don’t wait until distress and pressure come into your life before you decide to give him time, listen for his direction and most importantly obey his orders. It is better to know him well and be on speaking terms with Jesus Christ before the time of trouble comes.
There are many tactics and strategies that the enemy uses to derail Christians from a life of service. The Information Age is, and will continue to be the most challenging for us. The distractions and time robbing opportunities associated with increased wealth is but a single strategy. However, it is known to be an effective one.
Beware… keep your life disciplined with prayer and study of the scriptures. Skip a meal or two often as a small sacrifice unto the Lord. Do these things and the ever presence of Jesus Christ will guide you to true success, which endures beyond this life.
God Bless You,
Michael A. Morales
January 11th, 2012 → 1:56 pm @ Michael
Last night my children had just got out of the bath and I had them both in the living room getting them dressed for bed. I flip through the channels on TV to see if I could find something interesting and came across the movie Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief. I seen the movie at the theater when it came out and I really enjoyed it. We’ll often find truth “hidden” in fictional books and movies. I have seen this movie three times and certainly can see a familiar pattern in its story.
For example: In the fictional characters world Percy Jackson is a demi-god, which is half human, half god. Only he doesn’t fully come to that knowledge until later in the movie. That’s much like a Christian sometimes not realizing that are a child of God and the ability that they have within them. In the movie he was also peculiar and kind of an odd young man, very characteristic of the people of God often finding themselves awkward to themselves and others. Many times they just don’t seem to fit in with a particular group.
Percy’s father was Poseidon the God of the sea, so he had many of the attributes of his father. He was born with those qualities much like a Christian comes equipped with special talents and gifts from God. Because gift’s and calling’ s are without repentance, you can often see these characteristics in them early in life. These talents vary one to another from simply having a gift of encouraging others to more supernaturally inclined gifts of visions, prophecy and faith enough to literally raise the dead. I know that sounds pretty radical at first, but just a little research into church history, (particularly in the charismatic realms) will yield more then enough record of some pretty amazing works by God through his people.
Anyway, back to Percy Jackson….
In the movie Percy was on a mission. He was on a mission with a specific purpose and along the way there were these obstacles. The obstacles actually brought out the talents that were already in him. Sound familiar?? It really is a beautiful illustration of a child of God. Of course you have to be a believer in the first place and put on your spiritual thinking cap, but the pattern there. Many times the pressures of life actually bring out what we really are, good and bad. The bad qualities we want to get rid of, the good ones we refine and make better. We can see God’s wisdom in this process if we pay attention.
So Percy Jackson goes along on his mission, discovering who he is and what he is able to do. One part of the movie that has always stood out to me is the Lotus Casino. Percy and his team went into the casino to retrieve a pearl, which was a “part” of the mission. However in doing so they met an obstacle on going to the casino. While in the casino they were given what looked like harmless treats called Lotus Flowers. They looked harmless enough, tasted delicious and on top of that, they were free. Well the young man was thrilled and they proceeded to have a good time.
Pay attention to the following sentence:
The Lotus Flowers looked harmless enough, tasted delicious and were free.
The reality is they were anything but harmless, the taste was to deceive and they were NOT free…kinda like sin if you ask me. Of course Percy didn’t realize that until he heard the voice of his father telling him:
“No, Percy.. Don’t Eat the Flowers, it dulls the senses, keeps you prisoner here…”
That is so much like the way God speaks to his children by the spirit, often guiding them, warning them, protecting them. Those of you who have had that experience know exactly what I am talking about. Those apparently “harmless” delicacies called Lotus Flowers were paralyzing them and costing them time. They were on a time sensitive mission and they lost 5 days in the casino in what seemed like perhaps a few hours. There is so much in this life that can keep you from fulfilling your destiny. The Lotus Flower can be many things to us in reality. It could be an unhealthy relationship, and addiction or perhaps one of the most common paralytics to us all, the improper usage of food and drink. The over consumption and improper use of food is paralyzing, kills performance in more ways then one and is a major cause of illness and disease.
From an athletic perspective alone, I can tell you from my own experience that without disciplined eating habits my fitness goals are never accomplished and I find myself quickly losing much of the effort that I have put forth and gains I have accomplished. In contrast, when my eating habits are disciplined, balanced and proper, I have more energy, am more alert, more creative and more efficient in everything I do. Most competitive athletes know that a single glass of wine the day before an athletic event will have a significant impact on performance.
We all do not have the same genetic make up and metabolism, and each of us have to find the right balance of what we intake and how much, to maximize our performance in the physial, spiritual and mental realms. However anyone one of us can fall victim to life’s “Lotus Flowers” and find ourselves distracted, drained and without enough energy to make it through the day, let alone accomplish anything meaningful. If you are having trouble recognizing what the Lotus Flowers are in your life, as a general rule they will distract you from your objective and leave you drained and without energy. They will disable you without you even realizing it.
In the bible Saint Paul tells us that he had to keep his body under subjection to accomplish the mission:
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Here is a man that wrote most of the New Testament, laying out the principle of discipline and how closely it correlates to our ability to accomplish. Regardless of what your mission is, what your goals are, or what God may be leading you to do, discipline will inevitably be a major factor in the equation. This is why he says, every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
So….If you are after something in the physcial, spiritual or mental realm, your gonna have to pass on that cake or maybe on that second plate.
You might have to even count calories for awhile until you can clearly understand how much of what foods are right for you. Fasting is a wonderful discipline that can help kick start your efforts and get you going in the right direction. Of course one does not have to fast to be disciplined but for those of us that do, it is certainly a useful practice.
Regardless of what your mission or goals are in this life, you can guarantee that there will be Lotus Flowers along the way. They may look harmless, be tasty and even appear to be without much cost, but it will come with a price, more then you bargain for.
Don’t eat the flowers! They will dull your senses and keep you prisoner here…
God Bless You,
Michael A. Morales
December 30th, 2011 → 10:35 am @ Michael
Found this video last night and just had to share. Enjoy!
Inspiration: Powerful Beyond Measure (how great are you?) from Ben McDonald on Vimeo.
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