OCTOBER 25, 2016

“Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to.” 
― Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

JEREMIAH 14-16

19Lord, my strength and my fortress,

my refuge in time of distress,

to you the nations will come

from the ends of the earth and say,

“Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods,

worthless idols that did them no good.

20Do people make their own gods?

Yes, but they are not gods!” (16:19-20)

1 TIMOTHY 5

8Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

JOURNAL 

It is very clear from these verses that man is to do all he can with what he has to provide for himself and his family in obedience to God.  He is to trust God and God only and is not to be consumed with things that are not of God. 

This is such a tough word yet it is so simple. To follow this means that I am willing to give up pursuit of worldly pleasure as my ultimate goal. That cannot be my objective...if so then it has replaced God.  Obedience to God has to be my ultimate objective or else I am not really a believer. I see no other way of interpreting scripture. 

However once obedience to God is my ultimate pursuit then many things will follow that pursuit. Humility, diligence, generosity, honesty, sacrifice, courage, joy and love. To live life with these attributes being poured out of my life becomes a life that is the best of which I can give. It is a life that I am honored to live and one which I will have no regrets. 

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19