Yesterday we received a new "Hopper" from Dish TV. I watched the half hour program that highlights it's features, and if your are a TV enthusiast, it is the bomb! The installer did not finish until 7pm. After he left I took a shower (thinking room) and was reminded of something my oldest Son Joshua, posted a little over a week ago. Joshua wrote that he was upset that Dish took away his favorite channel. Corina, my youngest Daughter, wrote back; First-world problems! As most of you know, Corina is a Missionary in South Africa. When I got out of the shower I walked into the living room and my Bride was setting up Caleb's channels on the Hopper. When I walked by she said; This is definitely a first-world thing. Carey went onto say that most of our (Americans) problems we experience are a result of all the "things" we have available to us. This just confirmed that I needed to blog about this. I went to bed thinking about "Life", and what it was more than. With that as background, let's look at what Life is More Than;
Life is more than food! I love to eat, and either people have a tendency to overeat or not have enough to feed themselves or their families. Few people can consistently eat to live instead of live to eat. When I had an opportunity to go to South Africa with a mission team from church and work side-by-side with my Little Girl, we were fed by the people we were trying to minister to. Myself and our Youth Pastor, Scotty Jarrard, discussed the issues with food before we left. When we arrived, some food was the same and some was very different. God impressed on both of our hearts to eat what was put in front of us. They gave us the best they could and we were not going to insult them by not eating. Later Pastor Scotty read to me Luke 12:23; Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
Life is more than clothing! Our mission team was gone for sixteen days. We had a limit on what we could bring and the season there was Winter. Their winters are usually cold and wet, with the majority of homes (if that is even what you would call them) don't have heating or air. We ministered to children mostly, several who did not have appropriate clothing for the temperature. Some of the kids wore the same thing everyday and only had flip-flops for shoes - during WINTER! Several of the ladies on the team wanted to buy clothes, however our host, Pastor Greg Matthei told us not to. The reason is that if some of the kids came home with nice clothes, either their older siblings would take them, their parents would sell or trade them for drugs or alcohol or they may get beat-up for them. Even as a man, some times I wonder what to wear. When we can't decide on what to wear, we must have more than we need. Don't get me wrong. We should be THANKFUL to The Lord for all He has given to this Nation. When we say we are blessed beyond measure, we are! God blesses His people to bless others, not to keep. We have become Constipated Christians! We are keeping to much in that God wanted us to release to others.
Matthew 6:25 NIV Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
The above scripture is not directed to the kids who lack clothing, but those of us with an abundance who lack giving. The context is about serving money or God? Each day we must make a choice on whom we will serve (Joshua 24:14-15). If you are chosen by the King, you shouldn't feel guilty for what you have but blessed, however with that blessing comes responsibility.
Life is more than food, clothing, money, houses, retirements, sports, stuff, politics, even more than health! It is not about finding balance but about finding Jesus. It is not about using but being usable to the Creator of your life. God does not desire to be number one on a list of ten, but number One on a list of one! He is the overcomer and as a result of His substitutionary death, burial and resurrection, we CAN have Eternal, Everlasting Life.
Only then we can share it with others...
Blessings
ernie
Life is more than food! I love to eat, and either people have a tendency to overeat or not have enough to feed themselves or their families. Few people can consistently eat to live instead of live to eat. When I had an opportunity to go to South Africa with a mission team from church and work side-by-side with my Little Girl, we were fed by the people we were trying to minister to. Myself and our Youth Pastor, Scotty Jarrard, discussed the issues with food before we left. When we arrived, some food was the same and some was very different. God impressed on both of our hearts to eat what was put in front of us. They gave us the best they could and we were not going to insult them by not eating. Later Pastor Scotty read to me Luke 12:23; Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.Life is more than clothing! Our mission team was gone for sixteen days. We had a limit on what we could bring and the season there was Winter. Their winters are usually cold and wet, with the majority of homes (if that is even what you would call them) don't have heating or air. We ministered to children mostly, several who did not have appropriate clothing for the temperature. Some of the kids wore the same thing everyday and only had flip-flops for shoes - during WINTER! Several of the ladies on the team wanted to buy clothes, however our host, Pastor Greg Matthei told us not to. The reason is that if some of the kids came home with nice clothes, either their older siblings would take them, their parents would sell or trade them for drugs or alcohol or they may get beat-up for them. Even as a man, some times I wonder what to wear. When we can't decide on what to wear, we must have more than we need. Don't get me wrong. We should be THANKFUL to The Lord for all He has given to this Nation. When we say we are blessed beyond measure, we are! God blesses His people to bless others, not to keep. We have become Constipated Christians! We are keeping to much in that God wanted us to release to others.
Matthew 6:25 NIV Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
The above scripture is not directed to the kids who lack clothing, but those of us with an abundance who lack giving. The context is about serving money or God? Each day we must make a choice on whom we will serve (Joshua 24:14-15). If you are chosen by the King, you shouldn't feel guilty for what you have but blessed, however with that blessing comes responsibility.
Life is more than food, clothing, money, houses, retirements, sports, stuff, politics, even more than health! It is not about finding balance but about finding Jesus. It is not about using but being usable to the Creator of your life. God does not desire to be number one on a list of ten, but number One on a list of one! He is the overcomer and as a result of His substitutionary death, burial and resurrection, we CAN have Eternal, Everlasting Life.
Only then we can share it with others...
Blessings
ernie
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Thank you for your input - ernie