Aug. 1, 2022

176: Bible Questions: What does the Bible say about our lifestyle (our stuff)?

176: Bible Questions: What does the Bible say about our lifestyle (our stuff)?

The player is loading ...

176: Bible Questions: What does the Bible say about our lifestyle (our stuff)?

Apple Podcasts podcast player badge

Spotify podcast player badge

Overcast podcast player badge

Castro podcast player badge

PocketCasts podcast player badge

RSS Feed podcast player badge

Show Notes
Transcript

Well, it's now so much how much stuff we have, actually, it's whether that stuff is in a closed fist or an open hand

Transcript

What does the Bible say about our lifestyle? Our STUFF?

When I was a teenager, I had a teacher share with me how they catch monkeys. They dry out a large gore drill, a monkey hand size hole in it and fill it with monkey treats. Then lower it on a string from a tree. The monkey climbs down squeezes, his little monkey hand into the Gord hole and grabs a fistful of treats. But with a fistful of treats, he can't get his monkey hand back out. And that's how the trappers find him clinging to the rope. His treat clutching monkey hands stuck inside the Gord. I don't know if that's true, but it's a great word picture. And it helps us begin this Bible questions. What does the Bible have to say about our stuff?

1

00:00:45

What kinda lifestyle does God expect from us? Or how many things can we clutch in our little monkey hands in our last episode, 1 75, I talked about what does the Bible say about giving our wealth or money back to God in the form of offerings or ties or whatever you wanna call them. In this episode, we're going to move from giving to talk about living more specifically, our chosen standard of living according to the Bible is the management of my stuff, really that important to God. You bet it is one student of the Bible has stated that one and every seven verses of the Bible talks in some way about this subject and 16 of Jesus parables deal with it in some way.

1

00:01:31

The Bible seems to talk more about how we manage our wealth and stuff than it does about heaven and hell combine. Why? Well, here's one reason in episode 38 God's family rules. I talked about how God has hardwired into each of us made in his image, a worship vacuum. God has wired us to worship something. Hopefully him it's clear if we don't worship God as God, our creator intended the worship vacuum inside of us will suck something or someone else into that vacuum. And we will worship it or that person, sometimes that person being ourself because of this, the management of our stuff, how much, how we view it and what we do with it is most often an accurate outside indicator of an inside spiritual condition.

1

00:02:25

In case some of you are gonna drop off this podcast. I wanna give you one thing I hope you leave with. It's not how much stuff per se we have in our little monkey hands. It's the condition of our hands. Are they clutching closed or open palmed? And that's the big answer. I believe scripture teaches that most of us would be happier if we lived with less stuff, why it would allow us to spend more on things of real significance and value, save more for the future and for potential crises and give more to meet legitimate needs around us. A study was done not long ago about the typical lifestyles of Americans.

1

00:03:09

The typical American lives on 103% of his take home income. I share that with my students and I get a dull look from them. A hand will shoot up Mr. Nelson, how can they live on more than they bring home? I turn it back over to the class and they're pretty intuitive. Someone will say they're going into debt. Bingo. Recent studies suggest that the average follower of Jesus gives less than 3% of his take home income to all charitable sources. It's not that we're stingy per se. We just have too big a lifestyle for our income. Now I wanna back up for a moment and say this, please.

1

00:03:49

There's nothing wrong with stuff. A nice home, a great car, a vacation. I can't count the number of generous people who have invited me to their lake home or hauled me around in their nice car. The goodies got our father places into our hands can be a gift and used in a very God honoring way. But if you're listening to this and you feel a tug on your heart as you listen that you have too much stuff, I think maybe this Bible questions can really help unpack that. How much stuff should you have? Of course, I can't answer that. It's different for every person in his parable of the talents.

1

00:04:31

Jesus spoke about three stewards with very different amounts of stuff from God to manage. However, the Bible does give a general guideline. It's found in the book of Proverbs chapter 30 versus eight and nine. We looked at Proverbs in episode 58. These are general pearls of time tested wisdom. Here's what the writer says. Don't gimme too much that I will forget you, Lord God. And don't gimme too little that I will steal and bring dishonor to your name. Happiness lies in the middle, between too much and too little God's happy medium. So what is, God's happy, medium.

1

00:05:12

Again, it's different for different individuals, but I believe there are some clear general principles for everyone which can guide us to how much stuff each of us should manage. Here are some of those first, the principle of satisfaction stuff does not satisfy us. If we suck that into the worship vacuum in our lives, it will feel empty. In episode 59, we looked at Solomon's book of Ecclesiastes, the diary of a grumpy old discontent, man, I'll remind you. Scripture tells us that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. He also, as you read his life story in first Kings had more stuff than anyone listening to this, this podcast in his diary, he makes it crystal clear.

1

00:06:01

No amount of stuff will bring satisfaction. It brings frustration. Stuff does not satisfy. Did you catch that? The second principle, contentment, Paul and Philippians four 11 rights. I've learned to be content in whatever circumstances I'm in carried along by the holy spirit regarding our stuff. Our lifestyle Paul says we need to learn to be content. And how do we learn that through patients and delayed gratification? When those tempting items come to our attention for purchase, God can help us develop the discipline to step back and examine our motives for why we want this stuff before we lay our little monkey hands on it.

1

00:06:48

So you may be asking yourself, why are we so prone to discontent? Where does this? If only I had this, then I'd be happy. Attitude come from first, John two 16 tells us it is a primary weapon of our enemy. He's programmed it into our fallen world. There it speaks of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the boastful pride of life. Three things that draws to get more stuff. It's his carrot and stick tactic. And he knows we're suckers for it with a sinful nature. Going back to our principle of worship. When we don't fully enter into a day to day personal relationship with a holy God, we become empty inside and we suck up all kinds of stuff to fill the void and advertisers play right off this incredible vacuum in our lives and provide all kinds of little shiny incentives and a credit line to get the stuff it's a vicious cycle.

1

00:07:49

Only God can break. A third principle is moderation. Again. Paul writes in Philippians four or five, let your moderation be evident to all men for the is near moderation means to be reasonable, equitable, and gently patient. Think about that in that purchase of a new boat, you ask yourself three questions. Is this purchase reasonable, maybe in light of my income or the items utility in my life is this purchase equitable perhaps in light of the rest of the needs of my family or the needs. God has laid on my heart for those around me. Have I been gently patient in considering God's and my family's desires in this purchase, moderation, reasonable, equitable, gently patient that can put the breaks on some of our stuff.

1

00:08:42

Acquisition. A fourth principle is compassion. First, John three 17 says whoever has the world's goods, that stuff and sees his brother in need or closes his heart against him. How does does the love of God abide in him? We're told that if God parades a legitimate need before our eyes, and we have the stuff to meet that need, we're probably to move out and meet it. Not always sometimes meeting that need is just enabling some bad behavior, but in most cases it might be time to peel that item out of our hopefully open hand. One of Jesus' most famous parables, the parable of the good Samaritan dials right into this.

1

00:09:24

Someone who crosses our path with a legitimate need is our neighbor. And we're to love our neighbor. As we love the Lord and ourselves. I know it's cliche, but one writer has said, if we own anything, we cannot give away. We don't own it. It owns us think monkey trap. Let's talk a minute about credit. Is it okay to buy things on credit? Generally speaking, buying now and paying later violates two of the three aspects of the principle of moderation. It's not reasonable in light of our income level. If it was we would've saved earlier and paid cash and it's not gently patient, or we could tough it out and wait until we have the cash.

1

00:10:07

There are times that credit makes sense, but for most of us plastic surgery that is cutting up. Most of our credit cards would be a really good idea as is paying down consumer debt. Even if it means changing our personal living standards, there's much more that I could say, but I wanna end with this. Cuz the enemy always seems to push us in the direction of extremes. And that's this question. Is it ever appropriate to throw caution to the wind and make a lavish purchase of a stuff for us or others? It is in mark 14, one through nine Jesus praises, a woman for dumping perfume that cost a year's wages.

1

00:10:52

She did it out of her love and appreciation for him. So when I urge most of us to consider the amount of stuff we have, I want to remind us to not be too surprised. If the Lord similarly lays on your heart, the desire to do something extravagant, to show your love for your spouse or other loved ones, or maybe occasionally, even yourself, Jesus gets the final word on stuff. In Matthew 6 24 dead center in his sermon on the Mount. He says this, no man can serve two masters. You will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.

1

00:11:33

Then he explains what the masters are. You can't serve God in mammon or stuff. I was the best man of a dear friend of mine. After the wedding and reception, he went to say goodbye to his mother. After hugging her, he walked over to his bride at the door, looked back at his mom, saw her tears, ran back to her and hugged her again. After hugging her, he walked back to his bride at the door and turned and looked at her again. She was still crying as he took a step toward mom, I grabbed his arm, hooked it in the arm of his bride and pushed the two out the door. I've often thought about that scene.

1

00:12:13

I think that's what Jesus was saying about our money and stuff. Mama money is a powerful draw, but when we come to Christ and are his it's time to leave the stuff behind and make him the treasure of our heart.

New to the podcast?

Episode 185 (Final) The Story of Jesus

June 9, 2023

Episode 185 (Final) The Story of Jesus

The final episode, telling the story of Jesus in a way you likely never heard it before!

Episode page

0. Why listen to this podcast?

Nov. 11, 2020

0. Why listen to this podcast?

It is a cover-to-cover overview of the Bible in simple language and clear word pictures for seekers and students of all ages

Episode page