Key Passage
"So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person that hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and love for money stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not make fruit {in that person's life}."
— Matthew 13:18, 22 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Over-stimulation. Over-saturation. Over-whelmed. We feel under equipped for the sensory overload we carry each day. Commercials tell us all that is wrong with us and what we need to fix it. We are constantly reminded of what we need to do and what we need to pursue. There are so many choices. Then there's our stuff! We worry about it. We insure it. We move it. We hoard it. We desire it. We buy it on credit. We own it. But pretty soon it owns us. Only one thing is needed in our lives—an insatiable quest to live for the Kingdom and honor the King. All other things find their priority in this one. But our desire for more stuff and our distraction by so many glittering pursuits ultimately choke out our passion for this one thing. We must not let this keep happening. We must not. I must not. Or all is out of whack.
Prayer
Holy God, please help me as I try to make the quest for your Kingdom my central orienting priority. I want to be wholly yours. I don't want to keep letting stuff, things, money, and the desire for security rob my passion to live for you and to be fruitful in your work in the world. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
It is true that serving God makes a person very rich, if that person is satisfied with what he has. When we came into the world, we brought nothing. And when we die, we can take nothing out. So, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that. People who want to become rich bring temptations to themselves. They are caught in a trap. They begin to want many foolish things that will hurt them. Those things ruin and destroy people. The love of money causes all kinds of evil. Some people have left the {true} faith (teaching) because they want to get more and more money. But they have caused themselves to be very, very sad.
— 1 Timothy 6:6-10
"No person can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one master and love the other master. Or he will follow one master and refuse to follow the other master. So you cannot serve God and Money at the same time.
— Matthew 6:24
The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.
— Matthew 6:33-34
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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"So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person that hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and love for money stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not make fruit {in that person's life}."
— Matthew 13:18, 22 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Over-stimulation. Over-saturation. Over-whelmed. We feel under equipped for the sensory overload we carry each day. Commercials tell us all that is wrong with us and what we need to fix it. We are constantly reminded of what we need to do and what we need to pursue. There are so many choices. Then there's our stuff! We worry about it. We insure it. We move it. We hoard it. We desire it. We buy it on credit. We own it. But pretty soon it owns us. Only one thing is needed in our lives—an insatiable quest to live for the Kingdom and honor the King. All other things find their priority in this one. But our desire for more stuff and our distraction by so many glittering pursuits ultimately choke out our passion for this one thing. We must not let this keep happening. We must not. I must not. Or all is out of whack.
Prayer
Holy God, please help me as I try to make the quest for your Kingdom my central orienting priority. I want to be wholly yours. I don't want to keep letting stuff, things, money, and the desire for security rob my passion to live for you and to be fruitful in your work in the world. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
It is true that serving God makes a person very rich, if that person is satisfied with what he has. When we came into the world, we brought nothing. And when we die, we can take nothing out. So, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that. People who want to become rich bring temptations to themselves. They are caught in a trap. They begin to want many foolish things that will hurt them. Those things ruin and destroy people. The love of money causes all kinds of evil. Some people have left the {true} faith (teaching) because they want to get more and more money. But they have caused themselves to be very, very sad.
— 1 Timothy 6:6-10
"No person can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one master and love the other master. Or he will follow one master and refuse to follow the other master. So you cannot serve God and Money at the same time.
— Matthew 6:24
The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.
— Matthew 6:33-34
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
