A Life that Counts: My Possessions for the Glory of God

 "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of your increase; So your storehouses will be filled with plenty." - Proverbs 3:9

BLESSINGS ON OBEDIENCE: "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you." -Deuteronomy 28:8 

There is nothing I own in my life that God didn't give and provide for me.  All my life He has been faithful and has provided my every need and then some.  God blesses not only those who do good things, but He gives blessing to those who do bad things too...and not that it is deserved, but that God is good in who He is.  Where Jesus followers divide off is what we do with the possession, and not just merely thanking God, but giving Him glory in how it is used.  I have been convicted of this for several months now in my own life.  Have I used my apartment to the glory of God in who I have over, in the actions I do?  No I haven't.  Have I used my TV to watch things that are good, or does it feed the lust of the flesh?  Does what fills my refrigerator give God glory?  The manner in which I operate my car, does it give God glory?  That's a big no on my account...and to the point that I refuse to put any kind of church sticker on my car because it's really that bad.  Maybe a church sticker would hold me accountable...I don't want people thinking bad of a church on behalf of my actions.  I wish Charlotte traffic didn't get to be as bad as it does.  It's the oblivion and lack of attention people have while driving.  Going under the speed limit texting and swerving...I have no patience...and I'm scared to ask God for it.  Further, am I dressing in a way that glorifies God?  I'll admit I could probably look nicer, but I've always been very conservative in my clothing, I don't like attention drawn to me, so that's never been an issue for me, but I have enough other issues.

Living Above the Sun is about finding out how to live in a way that matters to God and for eternity.  It's about the bigger picture of life.  That my home isn't just a place where I do what I want to do, but it's a home that proclaims Christ and what He has done.  It is a place full of His Words, it's Holy ground.  That's the bigger picture.  God let my home be like stepping into Heaven for people who visit me, His presence is here, it is not a place of immorality or drunkenness.  It is a challenge to cultivate a life like that, but every Yes we give to God, the closer and more we make a life that isn't of this world, but God-ward.  My eyes are up.  God help us build Christ-Centered homes.

It comes down to obedience to God.  He makes a way to obey...it's hard to obey. I have it written all over my office, "God, help me obey."  I'm wired to be a rebel, I'm strong willed and independent, I'll go my own way.  But my own way in walking with Jesus isn't good, and its drawn to the wrong things.  I do all the wrong things outside of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me, control me, convict me.  You're right God!  My obedience or lack there of will influence the presence I have among people.  That's the last thing I want said about my life that I made people fall into sin and led them astray.  My life isn't counting for good or for God's glory when my influence takes away from God.

Most important of all, my life, my body, where I have invited the Holy Spirit to live and make me new should give Him glory.  Everything else otherwise means nothing, it's all a vapor.  





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