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My first vehicle growing up was a Ford Explorer Sports-track. It was a decent truck, but in a town full of big trucks and country boys, I would have to admit that having a truck that can barely haul a bicycle was very embarrassing. I recall being stopped at the stoplight once with guys honking at me saying, “Get a real truck, man!”
Before balding, I would have to say that this is where my insecurities started. So you can only imagine how ecstatic I was a few years ago when I bought a 528i BMW. It was fully loaded with a wood grain interior, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and leather seats to match.
I remember having the biggest smile on my face driving it around and telling everyone, “This is my car!” Until my sister, who loves to poke holes in hot air balloons, tells me, “The car isn’t yours unless you’ve paid it off.” As much as I wanted to disagree, the lady at the bank already notified me that if I was ever two months behind on my payment, then my dream would turn into a nightmare.
The interesting thing about coming to Christ is that, much similar to my BMW, we believe God can be paid off for a relationship with Him.
We believe that if we are faithful in our tithes then God will overlook our lives. We believe that through our ten percent, God Himself will only see ten percent of our lives.
"42 But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every [little] herb, but disregard and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone." - Luke 11:42 AMPC
It’s interesting that in a lot of churches today, if you want God to bless you, you must first bless Him through your finances. It seems as if God our Father has turned into Sam our Uncle…
"18 What then is the [actual] reward that I get? Just this: that in my preaching the good news (the Gospel), I may offer it [absolutely] free of expense [to anybody], not taking advantage of my rights and privileges [as a preacher] of the Gospel." - 1 Corinthians 9:17-19 AMPC
I can’t help but think about how much we equate gaining the knowledge of God to our finances. A couple weeks ago, I had a thought about the Bible schools we attend. Isn’t it interesting that for the right amount of money, I can pay to learn about a God who sent His Son to die for me for free?
"16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life." - John 3 :16 AMPC
Isn’t it interesting that salvation is a free gift, but the tuition to learn about the salvation will cost you heavily?
"8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor ) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;" - Ephesians 2:8-9 AMPC
I can’t help but think that the disciples referred to Jesus as “Rabbi” which means teacher, but Jesus never charged His students anything to learn.
"67 Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?] 68 Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life. 69 And we have learned to believe and trust, and [more] we have come to know [surely] that You are the Holy One of God, the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of the living God." - John 6:67-69 AMPC
Isn’t it interesting that in order to learn from Jesus Himself it will cost you your life but no amount of finances? However, in order to learn from the people who claim Him, in exchange for only four years of schooling, you could possibly be left with life-long debt? I can’t say that I was a math major, but I know when something doesn’t add up… It seems as though people are saying “Salvation is free, but the knowledge of salvation is sold separately.”
"17 For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God’s Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]; but like [men] of sincerity and the purest motive, as [commissioned and sent] by God, we speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah), in the [very] sight and. presence of God." - 2 Corinthians 2:16-17 AMPC
Question of the Day: If the Bible says you can’t serve God and money, why would it cost us money to learn how to serve God?