"Change" - A Devotional for Thursday

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

The pattern of this world is much different than the design that our Creator has in place for us. God wants us to be good stewards of the resources that He has blessed us with. We live in a world of overspending, envy, greed, credit, and foreclosure. Somewhere along the line, we have not made the change from worldly thinking to Godly thinking... but what can we change? I truly believe, this morning, that it is having a different perspective on our money.

1) Our money isn't ours. Sure, we earned it but the gifts and abilities that we have in order to do so come from God. Thus, the money that we take home each week is a result of what God allows us to do with what He has given us. We are entrusted with this wealth in order to use it in a way that will bring Glory to God.

2) What we spend our money on is temporary. Every light bill... new car...rent...shirt...meal...flower...or cell phone is only going to be around for a relatively short amount of time. The only thing permanent that you can do with your money is use it for God's Kingdom. Help people find Christ with your resources... tithe, donate, bless others...share the love of Christ with the world.

3) Money itself is temporary - This week, as we've watched the economy slip even further, we've probably wanted to ask...why me? Doesn't God see what's happening here? That's not fair! I had so much and now I have so little... We've got to change the way we think about wealth. True wealth isn't found in a bank....it's found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The money we carry around, store under a mattress, invest in a fund, or have in a savings account can't go with us when we die. Money goes so quickly....it is temporary...it spends as quickly as we earn it...and we can't control what goes on in the world that may affect our investments.

So what does all of this mean? I believe that we need to change how we look at money. It's been said that money can't buy you happiness. Most of us, however, may secretly feel that if we had more of it, we could at least "rent" happiness. Not true. Money is a gift from God...it is temporary and what we buy will rust and fall apart.... Let's change how we look at our finances...give it to God...and allow the joy to return to our hearts!

Are you in?

Pastor Brian

Monday

Greetings Internet Campus...

For this morning's devotional...I just wanted to take a minute and celebrate. This weekend was a test run for our live cutaways for our campus and many of you took time to join us! I'd like to dedicate this morning's quiet time together to this verse:

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 [emphasis mine]

What in your life causes you to rejoice? To experience real joy?

For me...I got the chance to rejoice this weekend. The internet team and I were testing out some things before we officially go live every week...when we noticed the many different places where people were connecting from...

The United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Puerto Rico, England, Korea, Argentina, and Peru.

Now let that sink in just a minute. All of us...you and I...were all worshiping the same God...at the same time...from 10 different countries! Isn't God amazing? Does that make you rejoice? Doesn't that bring you joy?

Do we really understand joy?

I have found that true joy is from an internal and eternal source. Joy isn't happiness. Happiness comes from a temporary condition....a mood...a thing...an idea.... here for one moment and changes the next. Joy isn't that way. It is that euphoria that starts from the basement of your soul and takes the express elevator to your heart. It isn't leaving. It doesn't matter what the external circumstances are...you have joy! It doesn't matter what your mood is....your source of joy stays with you.

Joy is also from an eternal source. I believe that true joy comes directly from God. He created us...He sustains us...He gives us pure joy! Do you believe that this morning? Do you believe that God is going to put something in your path today that brings you joy? Can you imagine living your life anticipating what joyous thing God is going to bring into your life? How different would life be if we focused on our joy as opposed to our sorrow?

This past weekend we came together as a global community of believers...each of us worshiping in our homes...or with friends... but all of us connected. Connected by the joy of worshiping a loving God....connected by the internet and one global campus going after our God-potential...and sustained by the never-ending love of the ultimate joy-giver....Jesus Christ.

God bless you as you start another week. Please feel free to leave a comment or prayer request by clicking the comment link below. Have a blessed and joyful week! See you tomorrow!

Pastor Brian