~ Strike Your Balance
31-day
devotional
by Crown Ministries
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
TSK
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear,
+ - Thoughts
Do I need to be content where I am? Moses was content to dwell with Zipporah, but God told him to go back to Egypt ... to do something for Him. If I am discontent where I am, is it for my own reasons or for God's?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
+ - Thoughts
God knows my needs. He wants me to seek Him before I seek after the provision of those needs. In other words, the provision of my needs will come, one way or another. My walk with God will not be so automatic in coming. It requires diligent action on my part.
Soldiers also asked him, And we, what shall we do? And he said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.
+ - Thoughts
Discontentment can drive me to do wrong things to change my situation. If I am content in the first place, I can avoid the temptation to do those wrong things.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
+ - Thoughts
If there is anything in which I am to be discontent, anything in which I should not be satisfied, it is in my lack of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Sometimes this seems so hard to do because of the abstract aspects of knowing a person I cannot see and have never physically met. But in those moments when I would be dissuaded from pursuing that knowledge, I must remember the concrete aspects. That I can known Him more through His word. That I can learn of Him through the walk of those who have taken heed to His word. I have everything I need to learn everything I need to know about Jesus Christ. Paul said that, in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, everything else that he might count as gain for himself -- every reason he might put confidence in the flesh -- was as rubbish. This appraisal was a willfull thing on his part -- a choice that Paul made. No matter how intrinsically valuable things might seem to him, he would willfully consider them to be rubbish, or losing prospects. I want to be able to say this in my own life. I want it to not be simply an academic exercise, but a real outgrowth of my real relationship with Jesus Christ. I want Him to be so real to me that He is my first thought and all others are second. Lord, make yourself real in my life and teach me how to see all of your reality.
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Thoughts
For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
+ - Thoughts
Having the right perspective on "things" will contribute to contentment. Gaining a right perspective involves endurance (Heb. 10:36), looking forward to the reward ahead with confidence (v. 35) and not shrinking back from public reproach or affliction or failing to identify with those so treated.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 So we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?
+ - Thoughts
I need to live in such a way that my dependence on the Lord is evident. If I am content with what He gives me, then I will not be loving money instead of Him. I need to learn the difference between good stewardship and loving money. When does paying attention to one's finances stop being good stewardship and start being a love of money? What are my motives? What are my determinations?
I need to be satisfied with God's provision of my basic needs -- food and clothing.
Do I need to be content where I am? Moses was content to dwell with Zipporah, but God told him to go back to Egypt ... to do something for Him. If I am discontent where I am, is it for my own reasons or for God's?
God knows my needs. He wants me to seek Him before I seek after the provision of those needs. In other words, the provision of my needs will come, one way or another. My walk with God will not be so automatic in coming. It requires diligent action on my part.
Discontentment can drive me to do wrong things to change my situation. If I am content in the first place, I can avoid the temptation to do those wrong things.
If there is anything in which I am to be discontent, anything in which I should not be satisfied, it is in my lack of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Sometimes this seems so hard to do because of the abstract aspects of knowing a person I cannot see and have never physically met. But in those moments when I would be dissuaded from pursuing that knowledge, I must remember the concrete aspects. That I can known Him more through His word. That I can learn of Him through the walk of those who have taken heed to His word. I have everything I need to learn everything I need to know about Jesus Christ. Paul said that, in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, everything else that he might count as gain for himself -- every reason he might put confidence in the flesh -- was as rubbish. This appraisal was a willfull thing on his part -- a choice that Paul made. No matter how intrinsically valuable things might seem to him, he would willfully consider them to be rubbish, or losing prospects. I want to be able to say this in my own life. I want it to not be simply an academic exercise, but a real outgrowth of my real relationship with Jesus Christ. I want Him to be so real to me that He is my first thought and all others are second. Lord, make yourself real in my life and teach me how to see all of your reality.
Craving money can lead down a path that leads to evils that will lead me away from my faith in Christ. Paul encourages Timothy (and me) to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Am I concerned about doing right? Am I more concerned about doing right than I am about earning money? Am I living a godly life? Is my godliness sourced in the Spirit or in my flesh? Am I seeking to strengthen my faith? Do I exhibit faith? Am I availing myself of opportunities to strengthen it? Are all of my interactions with other characterized by love? Am I more motivated by love for god and others than I am by love for myself? Am I characterized by an unchanging devotion to God? Would those who know me say that I am steadfast, unchanging? How do I become more steadfast? Am I gentle or rude?
Having the right perspective on "things" will contribute to contentment. Gaining a right perspective involves endurance (Heb. 10:36), looking forward to the reward ahead with confidence (v. 35) and not shrinking back from public reproach or affliction or failing to identify with those so treated.
I need to live in such a way that my dependence on the Lord is evident. If I am content with what He gives me, then I will not be loving money instead of Him. I need to learn the difference between good stewardship and loving money. When does paying attention to one's finances stop being good stewardship and start being a love of money? What are my motives? What are my determinations?
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
+ - Strong's 05377, naw-shaw': debt or debtor or exacting [usury]
She came and told the man of God, and he said, Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.
Strong's 05386, nesh-ee': debt
And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
+ - Strong's 03027, Yad: debt
Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
No Strong's number?: debt
Then his master summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
+ - Strong's 3782, Opheile: debt, duty, what is due
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
+ - Strong's 5498, Cheirographon (khi-rog'-raf-on): certificate of debt
A handwriting, what one has written by his own hand a note of hand or writing in which one acknowledges that money has either been deposited with him or lent to him by another, to be returned at the appointed time
Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, 2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. 4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
+ - TSK Proverbs 6:1
To strike, or join hands, was an ancient form of entering into contracts in all counties and all ages.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Add as much as you can to the payment of your smallest debt. When paid off, add its payment to your next smallest debt so that each payoff results in larger payments on the next in line. Continue until the last debt is zero.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.