Fame and Fortune Make It Tougher to Remain Faithful

[Musicmaster]

Taylor Swift openly give considerable sums to charities and so she just seems like a really nice, Christian girl, but are those the defining qualities of a TRUE Christian?

This is not a question that should ever be subject to personal opinion considering that we have an objective source for measuring any alignment with the Truth, and yet many admire her on the basis of their opinions about her and the qualities they happen to like about her, whether her true beliefs are in line with scripture or not. So, before copping such deep admiration for that woman, professing believers need to be more discerning and reserve their judgement for when they have more information as to what really colors that woman's inner world.

What about you? How do you align YOUR life, and with what? Do you color your world with smatterings of scripture here and there, along with the emotionally appealing elements and rudiments of this world, or do you seek to conform your life completely with the totality of the word of God in every way, never compromising with the world, nor looking to its seemingly nice and acceptable values and virtues that, in the end, prove to be at odds with the word of the Lord?

 

[bobinfaith]

Hello Musicmaster;

During our early years of marriage we went through times of need and plenty. We both worked hard and managed our budget. It was during that time when overtime was abundant so I took advantage of it. Since we didn't work OT on Sunday we went to Church and felt a sense of good stewardship entrusted by God.

But this video hit home. About 18 years ago our career paychecks increased and we were able to purchase a second home. We were serving more in the Church but it felt so different knowing we had more money in our pockets and the bank.

Then I began to develop constant thoughts of, where the money went once we earned it, the nice paychecks would not slow down, and I began having money on my mind more.

I began to have more of these thoughts and less on God.

Then I developed a 4th thought. My attitude inside me became arrogant, whatever needs, expenses or thrills arose I had such self confidence and the means to pay for it with no worry. I discontinued asking what God said first, and my Christian tone began to diminish, my testimony lessened.

This showed with other believers who knew us and saw this change. So when we gathered at Bible studies, lunch, visiting, etc...there would come a time when others opened up and ministered to us. It was a wake up call.

In Deuteronomy 11 God called Moses and His people to love, obey and keep His requirements, decrees, laws and commands always prior to crossing the Jordan. God calls us to do the same as we enter new endeavors and warns us to be careful, or we will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods, idols, money, things, fame, fortune, our hearts and bow down to them.

This can change our whole attitude of God, forget His Word and blend in with the world. Then our proclamation of our faith and His Word becomes thin.

After much prayer the Lord brought us back to loving and obeying Him first, and during the learning process He sustained us. Today we are truly content with all our needs according to His blessings. We have more focus on growing more in Christ in our senior years.

I don't know the young lady in the video, nor have I paid attention to her. But no doubt she is very famous and wealthy. But take that away, she is young and in her proclamation of being a Christian we're praying that one day she will also learn the lessons, the distinction of the world's view and God's adamant warning for obedience.

God bless you, brother MM, and thank you for posting Fame and Fortune Make It Tougher to Remain Faithful

Bob

 

[Musicmaster]

That is indeed a great testimony, Bob. It's true that money can change many people's perspectives and even personalities. It can also move one's heart further from the Lord and His work and word. On the flipside, there are those who have lots of it and are giving to a fault, loving God and His people regardless. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but just wanted to throw that in for the sake of textual balance.

Back when I was working at a large manufacturing plant and making good money, I looked for ways to serve others and to give to genuine needs, and ended up with lots of failure and rejection. I too was raking in quite a bit from loads of overtime, with my wife working as a nurse. That threw me for a loop to experience the reaction I received when I began maneuvering ways to give.

You see, I wanted to give to meet needs, and was chastised and frowned upon by others for setting up the account and populating it with money that I wasn't going to touch other than to use it to give where it was needed. BOOM! Because that was an uncharacteristic departure from the norm, those who gave through conventional means to support things from which they directly benefitted offered all manner of "correction" and "rebuke."

That was a fantastic wakeup call to me, and I was thankful for the experience. That drove me back into the Bible to see what is actually taught, where Paul gave instruction to "set aside" their giving to be collected on the first day of each week, which would have been their gatherings on the Lord's Day since the Sabbath never changed from Saturday.

Suffice it to say that I launched out to be a giver toward what provided back to me no earthly benefit whatsoever, but rather benefitted others as my way of storing up treasure in Heaven in accordance with scripture. I haven't looked back since.

Good stuff, brother.

MM

 

[bobinfaith]

You see, I wanted to give to meet needs, and was chastised and frowned upon by others for setting up the account and populating it with money that I wasn't going to touch other than to use it to give where it was needed. BOOM! Because that was an uncharacteristic departure from the norm, those who gave through conventional means to support things from which they directly benefitted offered all manner of "correction" and "rebuke." That was a fantastic wakeup call to me, and I was thankful for the experience. That drove me back into the Bible to see what is actually taught, where Paul gave instruction to "set aside" their giving to be collected on the first day of each week, which would have been their gatherings on the Lord's Day since the Sabbath never changed from Saturday.
MM

Good morning, brother;

Are you saying others chastised and frowned on you for setting up an account, filling the balance and letting it remain filled, until there was someone or a family with need?

Was that the lesson versus what Paul taught in 1 Corinthian 16:2?

God bless you, MM.

Bob

 

[Musicmaster]

Good morning, brother;

Are you saying others chastised and frowned on you for setting up an account, filling the balance and letting it remain filled, until there was someone or a family with need?

Was that the lesson versus what Paul taught in 1 Corinthian 16:2?

God bless you, MM.

Bob

That was going to be the repository for us all to contribute into so that we could give it to places like the local "Lord's Diner" (they fed the homeless, provided clothing, toiletries, counseling, medicines, dental care from volunteers, etc.). To us, that was credible giving so that 100% went for the meeting of needs rather than much of it consumed by the things of status quo. There was also a few itinerant ministers we wanted to support.

As you may likely understand, I don't want to get into everything that was said by some of the critics in what they thought we should be doing with the money, but because of other issues when it comes to pooled money and the multitudes of governmental intrusions through tax code tyranny, even when it's all slated for charity, all the reporting paperwork, rather than simple as it was in the first century, it is these days a matter of infeasibility to paint targets on our backs by ever involving banks and credit unions for holding.

Keeping it all on a cash basis was what became the only logical means to keep from attracting attention and retaliation from governmental haters of faith-based group accounts and charitable activities. Socialistic slants always have, and always will, push for making things harder on people of faith when they dare keep things transparent for all to see.

Needless to say, I pulled the money back at that time and closed the account.

MM