Where do you draw the line between needs and wants?
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about material possessions recently. In the Bible there’s a spectrum of wealth that ranges from the destitute (think the prophet out in the wilderness) to the opulent (think the kings). Both find favor in God, yet they live in vastly different economic conditions.
There do seem to be certain guidelines for giving that we have in our churches. But beyond that, what are we to do with our money? Should we give everything beyond our basic necessities to the church or charity (credit michele here)? Or is there room in a Biblical view of money for buying something outside of what we need to survive?
Glory to God in the highest prise…I was just thinking about that today… I was asking god to take over my finance and aloud me to spend it the way he see fit scent i’m on a monthly income and put it where it is needed the most… And to try and figure out where i want to pay my tithes… althrough we can tithe in many way but more importantly if i obey the lord as he give me direction it would be a lot better for me… However i thank God for meeting my needs today not my wants in God”S Grace Amen LOve Sister Sharon.
I’ve been thinking about this also. Not that I have any extra money to do anything with. I have been reading “The Hole In Our Gospel” by Richard Stearns and it has me thinking about my wealth and how I use it.
There is grace for wealth in everyone, however our disposition about it makes the difference. While a ‘prophet’ concentrate on being in the spirit most of the time, the ‘king’ is busy strategising on expanding his territory. No one has told the prophet not to enlarge his coast. God is not wicked.
Thanks for bringing this up. This issue is something that bothers me often. But I believe the answer depends on the Lord’s calling on a person’s life.
Only our Lord Jesus Christ and the person concerned will be able to sort out this issue. As Jesus himself said, John drank wild honey and they called him mad, Jesus dined with wine and they called him drunkard…
I don’t think there’s any doubt that the N.T. teaches a life of sacrifice. Obviously each of us must determine what we should keep for ourselves and what we should give to others or to ministry, but there are a great many things we consider almost sacrosanct in our culture that find no precedent in Scripture and could be foregone if our priorities were different: vacations, retirement, recreation, hobbies, etc…
Luke 21:1-4.
it is all about your relationship to Christ Jesus! He searches the hearts of everyone.
is it not everything was created by God for his own purpose and glory? is it not God did not make tithing mandatory? is it not also God wants us to have faith in him not as a robot? is it not on all things God searches our hearts? if the bottom line is for us to do everything on a willing basis from the heart, why does man create his own problem? maybe it is of utmost urgency we should ask God to change us without delay and discard from our puny little minds our notion we are somebody when in fact we are nobody without Christ Jesus! therefore, we should thankfully tell The Lord from our hearts how grateful we are for his blessings and to ask from him the wisdom on how we could serve him. in that regard, ask The lord to help us budget our blessings to know our needs and to tithe and to bless others in His name! just my 2 cents.
2 Co 8:9 says that Jesus became poor that ye through his poverty might become rich. Some are called to be priests and some kings. Those who are kings are entrusted with wealth and have a responsibility to edify God’s kingdom financially. They are also blessed to enjoy the fruit of their wealth for their good stewardship of God’s blessings. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with having material possessions as long as they don’t have you.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms on the Earth! Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday and I know that eventhough it is celebrated on a different dates depending on your location, I just want to greet all our mothers on this special day!
There isn’t a problem with being rich (or poor) but there is a problem in making money our focus (master) and there both rich and poor fall.
Money is a resource.If we were to use money only to meet our subsistence needs and give the rest away, that would be easy. Someone else would have to decide how to use it!
I have been asking God to show me what idols I have been pursuing. He has made it clear through scripture that the answer can be found by asking what I am willing to sacrifice my resources to.
How we choose to spend the resources God gives us demonstrates what we value and who we serve. It’s not as simple as giving the rest away. The complexity of taking responsibility for the resources with which He entrusts us, requires a close relationship with Him. His plans for us are truly beautiful and amazing!
There are some item’s that are necessities and there are some that fall in the category of wants. When you do the necessities food,shelter, tithe, savings,car,. Then you can have a want list after you pay or divide the rest of the money into section’s so that you have money for emergencie’s.
If you put your money where it is needed you may have to wait for a want list item. Taking care of your needs is the major concern I think.
You may have to wait awhile before you can get that want item.
Augustine said, “It is not a matter of possession but of desire.
For one man may have much money on him but no greed in him,
Another may have no money on him but much greed in him.”
god has always supplied me with what i need but not always my wants and i have found that even when finances get tight and thay do for all of us from time to time, it seams their is no way you will meet all your obligations financally when i dont shot my ties the funds always seem to work them self out. ex: we shorted a medical bill we have been paying on for over 3yrs now at 250.00 per month and we just didnt have it and asked god to take care of it,well that was on friday and on wensday we recived a letter from the financial dept at the hospital and it stated ” our records show their has been a continues payment from april 2008 and their was no medical insurance and we are giveing you a for giveness of service for the amount of 21,245.21 and you account with this instatution is paid in full.” so when people tell me or sy god doesnt make a differance , I tell them he is grater than any pay check or finest thing in this life. so i conclusion of my exsperance in this life is when you put god first and for most above all other things he will take care of any concern you have, so trust god and he will come threw even when their seam no way out.