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What is there to worry about? God provides all we need to make it in this life so that we can serve Him and those around us, in addition to sharing His Gospel. This includes our job, home, food, clothing etc. However, if we get to a point where "things" become more important than Him, then we have crossed a line where we are more "in" the world than "in" the Spirit that He instills in us when we become followers of Christ. This falls under idolatry and God simply will not tolerate that. We are to worship Him only and not the worldly things.
Think about this. I heard a story one time of two men who were evangelizing in Las Vegas. They met a man washing his car in his driveway and they stopped to tell him about the Gospel. After they finished, he bluntly told them, why do I need God? Take a look around....I have three cars, a large boat, a beautiful home with a pool, a family and a great paying job. No thanks but I don't need God. It's not a sin to have possesions but it is a sin to put them all above God. Have a blessed evening.
I apologize if this offends you, but the first thought that popped into my head is if God is truly first in your life, why want/desire material things of this world anyway? Store up your treasures for heaven, because the things of this world you can't take with you.
Here's the thing... yes, as a Christian we are in this world. We function in this world. As a Christian we are to be Christ's representatives in this world. We are to not to be of this world. What does that mean? I think this is where your question stems from.
As we are in the world, we have to function in this world. This means we need to eat and live and drive and educate and play in this world. We have to deal with airlines and delays and gas prices and cars and jobs we don't necessarily like and money to buy what we need.
As we are not to be of the world, this means our minds should be God focused/Christ centered. Our actions and deeds should reflect He in whom we place our trust, our faith, our lives. We do all the above in the world, but what is our driving purpose? Is it solely for our own pleasure or to bring glory to God. Is it out of our greed we take a higher paying job or because that's where we believe God wants us to be to further his goals?
It's a balancing act. When you appreciate the beauty of nature, that's not wrong. God put it here for us to enjoy. Music is a gift I enjoy and appreciate and will spend money on CDs I want to hear. When you appreciate the ingenuity of architecture, that is not wrong (I myself appreciate architecture). When you do those things without giving the glory to God, that would be wrong. People's talent for designing awe-inspiring buildings or creating beautiful music comes from God... just as everything good comes from God.
It's not wrong to like material things. I like my computer, for example. However, want and desire are a slippery slope, IMO. When you crave something just for bragging rights or just because it's designer or chic or fashionable, then I'd begin to question my priorities. I buy what I need, not exactly what I want. I want a Corvette, but drive a Taurus. Think of the money I save in car insurance that is better spent on providing for the less fortunate.
See where I'm going with this? It seems like it's not coming out how I'd like it. What is the desire of your heart? It should be to please God in all things. If it seems that wants and desires for the material things of this world overshadow your desire and ability to please God, then there is a problem. I'm not saying I do things right all the time either, but a person needs to acknowledge when they've gone too far.
I think it's perfectly fine as long as you keep it in balance. Keep God first and help those less fortunate than yourself, don't get greedy or worship the almighty dollar, and always remember to whom much is given much is required.
God wants to see us happy and wants to bless us, and I always believe that everything I own truly belongs to God. My home, my vehicle, anything. God blessed me with these things, and as quick as he blessed me with these things he can just as quickly take them away.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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As long as you wait for God's timing and blessing and aren't going through extreme measures to get your desires, i think it is acceptable to want things. I desire to own a home and nicer car one day but i know that God will bless me with that in his perfect timing.
(I couldn't answer your two category poll. And freedom, it's good to pray the 23rd Psalm.)
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For a long time, the best I understood how to please God was to take a slash and burn approach to my inner man, unless it was specifically about God, and even that had to be pruned, like avoiding becoming too academic, raising questions to answer that nobody's interested in. God has since taught me that His saying, "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart" presupposes you have desires in your heart. My delight in Him was a part of doing my duty. I just loved the people He put in my path. I had little, but gave freely to bless and meet the need of two widows and an older lady...yardwork, painting, a turkey. One cannot have direct personal participation with very many people. You'd spread yourself too thin. I spent time with them and gave things like shoes to a boy whose dad had died. I found great joy in this. Then, God turned things around and gave me a house. I'd forgotten I even wanted that, having become content with the things I had.
He taught me that He wants to establish desires in your heart that are compatible with His presence. Without that how will you appreciate or even be a part of what He desires to do in the earth? One of the greatest gifts you can have is a hunger for God and the knowledge of His word. God leads us by hunger. The spirit lusts against the flesh and the flesh lusts against the spirit. We need to discern the difference. This means you must work with these things, acquiring experience as you use the word of God.
On the other hand God is not something you prop up on top of all your other possessions, believing you've made Him first. Jesus says, "Except any man among you forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple." This is part of what is wrong with thinking, "Ten per cent for God and ninety per cent for me." Because of Who He is God must have you seek Him with your whole heart in order to find Him.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 1:2
There seems to be times in a Christian's life when they are tossed into a trial and tribulation to grow in faith and learn how to trust God, but I don't think this can at all be confused with the idea that God wants His people poor and living on pennies a day.
As you give to others, do your job as unto the Lord and your soul prospers through a maturing relationship in Jesus....your life will reflect the blessings of God both spiritually and financially. You may not be rich in worldly standards....but you sure will have a whole lot more than what you started with.
When I think of the verse For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:34 it indicates each person has to rethink their motives and how in love with their treasures they really are. Are they really willing to 'give the second coat' away?
I know some people who are quite wealthy, yet they still live by faith. If they were to lose all their stuff? Oh, well.
I know others who live paycheck to paycheck, but give them a little extra cash, and living faithfully goes out the window. If they lost all their stuff? Uh-oh!
I think it varies from person to person. Is the stuff turned into an idol or is it just stuff?
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Sorry, I couldn't vote...
