Daily Devotion (Monday, June, 8th - Friday, June 12th)

Monday

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. . . .” - 1 Timothy 6:10

It has been wrongly said that the Bible teaches money is the root of all evil. The Bible teaches no such thing. Rather, it teaches "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10, emphasis added). There is a difference.

The issue is not money, but the love of it. Verse 10 continues, "for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
So we see that as a result of coveting money, some actually have strayed from the faith.

You might look at someone who has been blessed financially and think, That person is obviously very worldly and money-oriented. Then you look at those who have very little and conclude that they aren't materialistic.

But the fact of the matter is that just the opposite may be true. It may be that the person who has been blessed gives more than you will ever know, but doesn't tell anyone about it. It also may be that the person who has very little is obsessed with money.

The point is that if you are obsessed with money, it can destroy your life spiritually. For some people, having a lot could result in their spiritual ruin.

We need to find the right balance, just as one writer in Proverbs observed: "Feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God" (Proverbs 30:8--9).


Tuesday

"Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." - Matthew 6:21

It was Martin Luther who said there are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the conversion of the mind, and the conversion of the purse (or wallet, as we would say today). But for many of us, the wallet is often the last thing to change.

You can tell a lot about a person by their giving, or lack thereof. You can tell a lot about someone by taking a tour of his or her checkbook, because it will reveal their real value system.
Why? Because Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be" (Matthew 6:21).

It has been said that we should give until it hurts, but in reality, it should hurt when we cease to give. We should realize what a great privilege giving is.

It is also a test of our faithfulness to God. Jesus said, "And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?" (Luke 16:11).

Before God entrusts us with spiritual responsibility, He wants to see how we do with the temporal financial resources and assets He has placed in our care.

As we give generously, God will return generously to us. As we give to Him from what we have received, He will meet our needs.

This doesn't mean we are striking some kind of a deal with God that stipulates as we give to Him, He must give back to us in a multiplied way. Then our motives are wrong. The right motive is to say, "Lord, because You have given to me, I am gladly giving back to You." The fringe benefit is that God promises to give to you in return.


Wednesday

"Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle" (Psalm 144:1)

You'll never experience God in powerful ways by acquiring Bible knowledge alone. It is only when that knowledge is used in the heat of battle that you will know the reality of what you've learned intellectually. Otherwise, it remains only an exercise in spiritual gymnastics that yields little fruit.

David became a great warrior and leader of a nation at an early age. His training ground was his job as a shepherd in the open fields. When bears and lions sought to take his sheep, he personally fought them. This was his early preparation for future battles. Goliath was the real competition amongst a discerning audience to reveal how well his training prepared him.

Today, our local churches often look more like luxury cruise liners designed to tickle the ears, entertain its members and make them feel good instead of a battleship designed to train an army for war. The average member still watches from the sideline.

In sports you discover how well you handle pressure by competing. You can practice all you want but never know how you will do until you enter the game and test what you've learned and practiced when there is pressure added to the equation. In battle you discover how well you are trained by what you actually do on the battlefield.

Have you ever prayed with someone in public? Have you ever personally led someone to Christ? Have you ever served others for the sake of the Gospel? Have you ever taught a Bible study? If you said no to these questions, you are not engaged in the game. Today, why not ask God to give you the grace to step onto the battlefield.


Thursday

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19

Self-esteem from a cultural and worldly perspective is often tied to possessions, to looks and to achievement. Society tells you that the higher your status, the trendier your style, and the greater your success, the better you should feel about yourself. And this sense of self-worth is also directly related to how others perceive you in each of these areas.

This, however, is not God's view of you. God looks at the heart and at the intangible qualities that have lasting value. From God's perspective, each one of us is a masterpiece, created with a sense of significance and purpose. In fact, God thinks so highly of you that He paid a high price to redeem you from the empty way of life the world offers. Style, status, and success in and of themselves leave you with nothing but possessions that will rot, looks that will fade, and achievements that are ultimately forgotten.

God, on the other hand, offers eternal treasure in heaven, an inner beauty that never fades, and true success in the things that really matter in life. Christ has paid the price with his blood. Have you accepted his payment on your behalf? The offer is on the table; it's your call. Trust Christ with your life today and begin the incredible journey to the center of your worth.


Friday

"David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. 'I cannot go in these,' he said to Saul, 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off." (1 Samuel 17:39).

David, the young shepherd boy, heard the challenge from the Philistines to send someone to fight Goliath. No one volunteered to fight except David. King Saul reluctantly agreed and offered David his armor. David put on the weighty equipment, but quickly concluded he could not fight in this heavy armor. He gave it back to king Saul.

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David knew who he was and who he wasn't. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul's armor.

What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else's tools.

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God's power is released and manifested in the physical realm.

Sometimes we admire the talents of others and seek to emulate them. The temptation arises to be someone we are not. This is a mistake. Let God live His life through the unique you.
Then, mix your unique gifts with faith today; you will be surprised at the power of God that will be manifested.