A Message from Pastor Dan “But she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all that she had to live on.” Mark 12:44 Seventy-two billion in net worth is all that it takes to be declared the richest person in the U.S. according to Forbes (9/16/13). The winner? Bill Gates, of course, for the 20th year running. Right behind him is Warren Buffett at a meager 58.5 billion. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg only made the top twenty this year with 9.6 bil. But four of Sam Walton’s heirs made the top ten with a combined net worth of 136 billion. “Save Money – Live Better.” Yup, shop Wal-Mart. What an ironic slogan considering. I am not sure how generous any of these people are, but as a percentage of net worth they fall far behind the poor widow that Jesus observed in the Jerusalem temple one day. She threw into the temple treasury two mites. That’s less than a penny. But the amazing thing is that it was all she had. She put in everything. And for that, she is still honored some two thousand years later. Do you think people will remember Bill Gates two thousand years from now? Microsoft and computers will only be known its archaic binary numbering system similar to the cave man’s tally marks on bones. “All that she had,” Jesus said. Simple math. You and I probably fit somewhere between Bill Gates and the poor widow. What would Jesus say if he saw us place our gifts in the basket some Sunday morning? Actually he does. Attention Shoppers! Pastor Dan What others have said about money – “There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, mind, and the purse.” Martin Luther, Biography and Information Economy is half the battle of life; it is not so hard to earn money as to spend it well. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Spurgeon Archive God has given us two hands -- one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving. Billy Graham, Billy Graham Organization Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard a thing for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded. God will never let you hold a spiritual thing for yourself; it has to be given back to Him that He may make it a blessing to other. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest Money will buy a bed but not sleep, books but not brains, food but not appetite, finery but not beauty, medicine but not health, luxury but not culture, amusement but not happiness, a crucifix but not a Saviour, a temple of religion but not heaven. Anonymous I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No. I wouldnt touch a leper for thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God. Mother Teresa, Informational Website
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 00:38:10 +0000