Tag: consumerism

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The Latter Rain: Celebrate Lent-Day8

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 

Luke 15: 17-20 NIV

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that humanity is suffering greatly. In our modern western culture we seem to have everything we want, yet we want more. We can’t even say why we want more, we just do. We want the latest and greatest of everything. Whatever we have, it is not enough so we get more. There has to be a time when we wake up and realize that stuff will never buy happiness and contentment.

When billionaire philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller was asked how much money is enough, his answer was telling of our current society’s rampant consumerism – “Just one more dollar”, he said. In 1937, at the zenith of his wealth, Rockefeller’s net worth was about 1.6% of the total of he U.S. economy at the time. He also owned about 90% of all the oil and gas produced in his day. Using that standard today, his wealth would dwarf the billionaires of today.

In fairness to his memory, Rockefeller did an enormous amount of good with his fortunes. He was even quoted as saying,

“God gave me my money. I believe the power to make money is a gift from God, to be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind.” *

Today, humanity seems to be seeking meaning and purpose to life in the accumulation of things, yet we are a most unhappy people. Things such as emotional illness and suicide rates are higher than in half a century. With so much luxury and convenience in our lives, why are we so unfulfilled? The answer can be found in a fundamental truth of the historic Christian faith…this world is not our home. We were not made for such a temporary existence.

“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.“

1 Peter 2:11

The Apostle Peter says we are ‘sojourners’ and ‘exiles’ in this world. The writer of Hebrews says that we are looking for another city that is not of this world, a city in the Heavens whose builder is God (Hebrews 11).

In Luke 15, Jesus tells how the prodigal son, after squandering everything he had with what could accurately be described as a wonton consumeristic lifestyle, finally “came to his senses.” What he finally realized was that in his Father’s house he had everything he really needed -a home filled with love.

On this Lenten journey of celebration, let us celebrate what we already have. We have the love of our Heavenly Father, just as we are. There is nothing we could do or buy that would bring us closer to God or make Him love us more. His love is complete in every human being; we need only awaken to the reality.

Take some time today and count your real blessings, not just your material ones. You know…your family, your health, your work, your home, and the fact that you are not going hungry as is so much of the world. And, if you sense you need something else, pray about it and ask your Heavenly Father if it is what you need. After all, He knows your real needs. Then, give Him the glory and realize that everything, even your material ones are gifts from God..they are his latter rain showering blessings on you.

Shalom,

Pastor Brad

Image credit: https://hungarytoday.hu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/635926444221469047-1832658135_going-home.jpg

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Real Joy – Part 1

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Philippians 4:10-11

Just what does contentment look like anyway? The idea of being content is central to the Christian faith, or at least it’s supposed to be according to scripture. We’re called to be content with who we are, where we are, and what we have. But how many of us really are content in any of those areas? Why is all this so important? Because when we find the secret of being content, then we find real joy.

St. Paul apparently was content with all his circumstances by the time of the writing of the Philippian letter, which is amazing considering he was writing from a jail cell having been wrongly accused. In today’s devotional we need to take a long look in the mirror and ask ourselves just how content we really are. Our culture, by all indicators, suggests very few of us are actually content. Consumerism is rampant! We seem to always want something newer, bigger, and better than what we have.

About now some of you are asking the question we all do from time to time; “What’s wrong with wanting something new and better”. Well, the real answer is nothing is ‘wrong’ with it, but when our desire to have something newer, bigger, and better impedes our joy and contentment in what we have and who we are, then something is wrong – we’re really not thankful for what we have. We could always have something less, and believe me many people do.

For today, perhaps it’s enough for us to contemplate our level of contentment, or lack thereof? Tomorrow we will discuss the secret of being St. Paul learned of how to be content, and how we can learn it as well. So, as you contemplate how thankful you are for who you are and what you have, remember Christ is risen…and so are you!

Grace & Peace,

+Pastor Brad

Prayer

Father God, show me who I am to you, and reveal to me who it is you want me to be as your child. Convict me of any thanklessness I am showing in my life. Teach me how to be content in you. Amen. Alleluia!

Image Credit: http://citychapeloc.com/real-joy/

 

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Raised form the Ashes: Lent Day – 31

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.”

Psalm 23:1

Read Psalm 23

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

A Question of Want

Humans have a natural propensity for want. It seems to have nothing to do with what we have, we just want more. Look at most any person’s closet or pantry, and you will find an ample amount of just about everything you can imagine. When it comes to clothing, you won’t find just one coat, you will find at least four coats. You won’t find a shirt for each day of the week. You will find a shirt for almost every day of the month. I am speaking here primarily of American culture, where there seems to be an abundance of everything.

Yet, in such an abundant culture, we still want more. It doesn’t seem to matter that we have plenty of food on hand, or more than enough clothes. When we see a “good buy” on something, we want it, and we get it. This is true of just about every item we can imagine in our homes. In such a culture of abundance, can we really identify with the Psalmist who says… “I shall not want”?

The psalmist speaks of how the Lord, his “Good Shepherd”, supplies all he will ever need. He speaks primarily of spiritual needs; rest, quiet, comfort, and release from fear. Yet, he also speaks of being fed by the Shepherd at a great banquet table, and receiving an anointing that overflows in his life.

The Realization of Lent

During the season of Lent, I’m always convicted of how “rich” I truly am. Even as I try to go without some things in my practice of self-denial, I still find my self not really identifying with true need or hunger. By American income standards, I’m definitely not part of the upper income bracket, but yet, I am rich.

Are you rich? Do you realize it? If we know the love of God, we are truly rich. He will supply our every need. The real key to the spiritual life is learning how to detach from the material things of our overloaded, consumerism that tempts me to forget to rely on my “Good Shepherd”.

The truth is, we think we’re in need, when we really should be satisfied. We think we’re alive when we’re really dead. The only way to say with the Psalmist, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”, is to daily realize, as we do at the beginning of Lent, that we are dust, and to dust we will one day return. Until then, our Shepherd is faithful each day to supply all our needs, as He raises us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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What Does Your Gift Say?

Further thoughts on this week’s gospel: Luke 14:16-24

Christmas presents

Christmas is both the greatest and the worst time for people to hear the gospel. It’s the greatest because the gospel is a message of love. At Christmas we see just how much God loves us; He came into our world to live as a one of us, to teach us how to love as He loves. St. Athanasius, a champion of the Orthodox Christian faith in the 4th century against the Arian heresy ( a teaching that denied the divine, eternal nature of Jesus) said, “He became what we are that we might become what he is.”

Christmas, is a time to show how much we love each other. But sadly, it is the worst time for people to see the gospel as well. In far too many places in our culture, Christmas has become nothing more than a commercial vehicle to feed our rampant consumerism; little thought is given to the Christ child who began it all, with the greatest gift of all, Himself.

In the gospel this week, the man who gave the banquet is a metaphor for God our Father. The banquet He gave was to gather us around His table for pure fellowship and true love. In the ancient Eastern world in which the Bible was written, to eat with someone was a sign of ultimate acceptance and friendship. Yet, those who were invited cared more for the affairs of their everyday lives, than for the opportunity for fellowship with God.

Every time we put the material aspect of giving and receiving gifts ahead of the true meaning for which they should be exchanged, we do the same.  When we don’t take time to realize  each gift we give and receive is to remind us of a re-presenting of the greatest gift ever given, then we too are like the people in the gospel story who turned down the gift of the banquet.

A gift given in love does not need to be expensive to be precious, yet God showed His immeasurable love by giving the most expensive gift He could – Himself. When love is the motivation for giving our gifts, and gratitude is the heart with which we receive them, we share the true spirit of Christmas. But, when gifts are given to impress, or even worse to buy affection, then Christmas is void of meaning; it becomes the worst time for people to hear the gospel. The true gospel is never seen through selfishness.

Christmas Day is one week from today. There’s still time to discover its true meaning in your heart. We began the week with the thought, “It’s Party Time!” Perhaps you had a few parties this week, and now it’s time to start wrapping presents. As you wrap a package, put your love inside it also, and then give it with an embrace that says, “Here is a little something to show you how much Jesus loves you, and so do I.” And, if by chance someone reading this has no where, and no one to spend Christmas with, know that you’re invited to the greatest Christmas party ever given, and your gift is the greatest gift of all…Jesus loves you!

…and so do I.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6