1 Timothy 6:9 "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction."
"Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?'..." (Proverbs 30:8-9).

The pursuit of money does that to us. We desire it to trust in it, it gives security. At least it promises that it will. In trusting in money, I have no reason to trust in God to provide my needs. I can do whatever I want, I can have whatever I want. I. This is all about my desires. Money is the resource to fulfill every materialistic desire. That is why those who seek wealth are doomed to fall into many other harmful things as well.

The biggest lure for me personally for money is its promise of security and freedom. I think that if I have enough, I will be able to do whatever I want, i will be able to have whatever i want and I will never have to worry about finding the resources.

Wealth doesn't give security, only a desire for more. Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." It is a trap, whoever falls for desiring wealth, puts himself in this never ending cycle of never having enough, always striving for more. Striving for wealth is not really striving for the wealth itself, but something else. It is really striving for something to replace the fulfillment and security that only God is able to provide. It seeks to replace God. And that is why there is always the desire for more, because it absolutely does not fill.

That is why Matthew 6:24 clearly says, "You cannot serve both God and money."

To serve, is to humble oneself before another, do as commanded, give yourself in submission at whatever the cost. Romans 6:16, "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey..."

Submitting myself to the pursuit of money and it's promise of freedom and security is serving money, taking my trust off of God and the freedom that trust in his will brings.

I do not need to chase money to find security and freedom. The Lord is fully trustworthy to provide the things, not necessarily what I want, but what he wants me to have. He will provide the means that will give me the freedom to do, not necessarily whatever my flesh desires to do, but what he wants me to do.

For application I will make a list of some of the things that I don't have which I believe the lie that if I do have I will be happy, and bring these before the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:8 "But if we have food and clothing we shall be content."
The idea of contentment to me implies happiness, satisfaction, giving freely, grasping what is around you, living in the present. It gives me the sense of not striving for more but resting, dwelling.

Psalm 37:3 says, " Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." Dwell and enjoy. Just sit still, soak it up, and enjoy it.

In discontentment, my mind is occupied either with the past or the future, never the present. It is always striving for more, always longing for something better leaving me exhausted and miserable. Discontentment always shows me the things that I don't have and convinces me that I will be happy only when I have them. It does not let the mind rest but hurries by, it is always on the move, seeking but never finding.

Paul was able to say, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty of in want."

This is truly living with an open hand, being content with a lot of things and being content with little. Paul accepted it joyfully when the Lord gave him much and accepted it joyfully when the Lord gave him a little. It did not matter because his hope was in the Lord. Paul knew what it was like to have a little and be content, then when he had a lot he could still accept it with gratitude without wishing or striving for more.

Today I desire to rest in the Lord, to dwell and enjoy. I have been given much, let me be content with that. I want to live today with an open hand, giving thanks when the Lord gives and giving thanks when the Lord takes away.

1 Timothy 6:7 "For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it."

This verse just emphasizes how temporary it all is. When I leave this world, what will I have left?

The Lord has been showing me alot today just how much identity I have placed in things other than him. Whether it be possesions, relationships, image, abilities, experiences or approval, these are all things that I take pride in, things that I cling to so tightly, things that I would struggle with if they should be stripped away. All of these are things that God has given me, nothing that I conjured up on my own strength. I am called to use these gifts to build God's kingdom. Their value is temporary yes, I didn't bring them into this world and I will not take them out, but their effects are lasting. They, although temporary in and of themselves, are to be used to make treasures that last forever.

Yet, instead I use these gifts of the Lord for selfish gain. I wrap my identity in these things, 'This is who I am, this is what I have.' I consider that it was I who gave myself these and decide that because of them I have worth. And if they are stripped away, I feel that apart of me has been stripped away. And if I am discontent with what I have, I even loose my feeling of self worth. I think as though who I am is based on what I have.

When I place identity and self worth in who I am and what I have, I am not giving glory to God who has given me these things. I am not emptying myself of all that is me and filling myself of all that is his. I am taking my identity, that i am a child of God because of the blood of Christ, and living like it is not enough.

Who am I in Christ? First of all I have nothing before him and my righteousness without Christ is as filthy rags. I really have nothing to offer. But I have been chosen, accepted and adopted as a daughter of the Father, loved with out condition, died for, given an inheritance, justified before God, set free from the power of sin, made victorious, sacrificed for, bought with a price, redeemed, sought after, sanctified, not given up on, given grace upon grace. None of this is something I deserved, all of it is what Christ did.

I am not home yet. The things to gain in this world will not last. Will I cling to them and use them selfishly or will I hold them loosely, using them to gain eternally?

I have so much in Christ to cling to. My identity in Christ can never be stripped away. I have been given gifts, not to cling to for myself, but to use to make eternal treasures. I will make a list of things that I have been looking to to find self worth and will bring them before the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

These men, who promoted false doctrines and reveled in disunity, sought "godliness" for their own selfish personal gain. They sought to gain for themselves. But this selfish striving only gained them misunderstanding, conceit, quarrels, envy, strife, evil suspicions, constant fricton, etc.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain."

We hold on to possessions so tightly and wrap up our identity and happiness in the stuff we possess. Part of the western mindset is finding so much meaning in worthless materials. We grasp it with a tight fist, thinking that possessions give us value, make us happy. We do not realize the extent of our dependance on them until we are asked to give them up. The men mentioned above did not gain anything satisfying with all of their meaningless striving. Striving for earthly gain, leaves a hole that becomes more empty the more it is filled.

If I clench my money and possessions in a tight fist, I am limiting the Lord's blessing on my life because my hand is closed, therefore I can neither give blessings or receive blessings. I must realize that the things I have are the Lord's already. There is joy in living with an open hand, not clutching tightly to things, but holding loosly. Willing to allow the things you have been blessed with to flow out therefore leaving room for blessings to flow in.

Grasping things is refusing to let God be all. Am I afraid of losing, afraid that I will not be given to too? "...The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." The words of Job (Job 1:21) remind me of what it is to live with an open hand. Job was stripped of everything so that God could fill him afresh.

 Contentment in all things. Choosing to find joy in every moment. Seeing the blessing. Thanking the Lord in every circumstance. This is realizing what I have. And I already have abundantly more than I could ever ask for or imagine. Paul was able to say, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." Paul lost all things, and he gained God. What is greater?

It's great gain because I realize what I already have, that i have it all. It's all gratitude. No more striving after selfish gain, the striving that causes envy strife and friction. Thr gain that leaves me in a prison as i cling to it, asking it to fill me. When my focus is in God, when my identity is in God, earthly things will be seen for their trite value. Earthly gain is not great gain because it only leaves me hungry for more.

The wish for more. It is consuming. I can waste my life away thinking about what I don't have, thinking about how if circumstances would be differant, I would be happy. I cannot let this wistful thinking deprive me of today. I have freedom from circumstances and worldy gain because of my eternal hope. Today i desire to spend more time giving thanks to God for the blessings around me. It is then that I will be more aware of what I have. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be his name.

Hebrews 6:12 "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

Noah beleived what God said about the coming flood, even though he had never seen rain, and built an ark to escape it (11:7). Abraham beleived what God said about inheriting a foreign place, and left his old way of life and went (11:9). He also beleived what God said about the Messiah being born through Isaac's offspring, and when commanded to offer him as a sacrafice, obeyed, clinging to the promise  (11:17-18). Moses, who had prestige among the Egyptians, chose to forsake it and face disgrace for the reward of being counted among the people of God (11:24-25). And the list goes on, people who clung with expectant hope to God's promises. They were so convinced of these that they bet their entire lives on the promise and the future reward.

Hebrews 11:13 says about these people, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country---a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Because of the certainty of God's promises of our heavenly reward, let us bet our entire lives on these promises. Let us not look to the temporary gain around us, but run with pateience, counting on the surety of the day that the reward will come.

"You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions" (10:34).

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (10:23-24).

When I was learning to drive, I focused my eyes right in front of the car, trying so hard to keep the car in between the lines. But it didn't work, I constantly had to adjust my car, as it quickly trailed off course. But then, when I switched my focus away from right in front of my car to a fixed point in the distance, my car stayed unswervingly within the lines.

Likewise in this world, this is not my home. I am promised something greater, that i must take by faith and build my whole life off of it, waiting patiently in certain hope. I must switch my gaze off the world and distractions around and fix my eyes on the eternal and "on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1). Then the things of this world will become strangely dim.

Luke 8:15 "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

This soil was differant. It did not harden it's heart to the Word, but received and understood it. It did not keep rocks that hindered it from growing roots and receiving nourishment. It did not let distractions choke out the truth. Instead, it persevered and "yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown" (Luke 8:8).

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

Perseverance is everything. Continuing. Putting one foot in front of the other. Consistency. Faithfulness. The way is tedious and difficult. It is easy to quit because it doesn't necessarily take one big task but lots of little things, day after day that may seem trite and unimportant, but when all of these instances and growths add up, the result is nothing that could ever have happened all at once. It is only the result of little steps, one after another.

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (Psalm 126:5-6).

A harvest is promised and that is the beautiful thing. I can know that what I sow will not be in vain. As we sow seeds of discipine, dying to self, investing in the lives of others, sharing the gospel, absorbing the mind in scripture, prayer, we can know that through perseverance, continuing to put one foot in front of the other, there will be a harvest.

This promise of a harvest gives me motivation for being here. This is a time to persevere, prepare myself, grow in Christ. Sometimes it may seem tedious and mundane, but I am promised and harvest if I do not give up. I am reminded of Jesus' parable in Matthew 25 of the talents where he commends the servant, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things." It reminds me that I should not look at the day like just another day, but invest in the day even though it is hard, and focus on the harvest to be gained, instead of the fleeting pleasures of the day.

My goal for practically applying this is to advantage more of my morning devotion and on the mount time, not just to do it to get it done, but to invest in it and seek the Lord. Also my goal is to invest more in my team, in ways such as asking them how their day is going, asking how I can pray for them, or keep them accountable.

Luke 8:14 "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."

This is the ground that hears and receives the seeds. They even begin to grow. But the seeds of the Word are not the only things growing on that soil. Worries of life, selfish pleasures, "deceitfulness of wealth" (Matt 13:22) these are thorns that are growing up with the plant. At first they are small and insignificant. They give the plant plenty of room to grow and become rooted and receive nourishment. But the plants cannot mature. Because as the plants grow, the thorns grow with it. Eventually the thorns become a threat, the plants and weeds cannot coexist. And since the thorns remain, the plant suffocates and does not mature.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matt 6:24).

Both of these passages show the danger of a divided heart. When lies and distractions and selfishness grow in my heart they threaten to choke out the truth. Hebrews 12:1-2 says "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."

The plants in the parable could not mature and bear fruit because of the weeds choking them out. Likewise if I am to mature into a person that bears fruit to bless others I cannot allow weeds to grow in my heart.

Yet so many things vie for my attention daily. My self seeks to show itself in all its ugliness, threatening to choke out the truth, to mar my vision, to take away my focus. I am reminded of the passage in Matthew 6 where Jesus exorts, not to worry about the things of this life, but to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well." I must persevere by fixing my eyes on Jesus and being rid of the things that grow as weeds and so easily entangle. My application is to seek accountability from people that will help fix my eyes on Jesus.