2011-06-27T16:32:23-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com /feeds/topics/wealth/ http://chitorch.org/index.php/chm/first-century/money/ 2011-06-27T16:32:23-05:00 A Survey of the History of Biblical Interpretation on money and wealth. From Christian History magazine. http://rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/11/26/devotion.aspx 2009-11-25T15:29:14-05:00 Do you pray for blessings and riches? Remember: abundance is no guarantee of gratefulness or thanksgiving. Prosperity may even turn our hearts away from the Lord. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-most-important-relationship/the-gilligan-syndrome-2519 2009-09-25T14:25:48-05:00 What is the Gilligan syndrome? Going farther than you wanted to, staying longer than you planned to. It might be happening to you right now. Jesus told us about a young man it happened to many years ago... http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2024:22-24&version=NIV 2009-09-24T17:03:11-05:00 Our feelings are rarely very trustworthy. We can feel safe and secure in our wealth and comfort, but God alone knows what's in store for us. Rather than trusting our feelings, we ought to put our faith in God. http://chitorch.org/index.php/in-context/basil/ 2009-09-24T12:30:20-05:00 Christian History Institute's "In Context" provides the background of bishop Basil the Great's remarks on conspicuous consumption. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:1-9&version=NIV 2009-09-20T20:25:08-05:00 In this passage, James expressly forbids Christians to show favoritism to the wealthy, or to treat anyone differently than anyone else. The command to "love your neighbor" doesn't distinguish between different "types" of neighbor--which means that Christians are called to treat everyone with equal respect and love. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%208:18&version=NIV 2009-09-11T11:56:24-05:00 All blessings originate from God, and that includes financial blessings. The money we earn or acquire is a gift from God just like any other blessing, and brings with it the responsibility to use it wisely and for God's glory. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:15&version=NIV 2009-09-02T17:09:08-05:00 Money and possessions aren't everything. We're repeatedly cautioned in the Bible to avoid greed and envy. This verse teaches that there's much more to life than simply gathering up as many toys as possible. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:19&version=NIV 2009-09-02T11:03:17-05:00 God promises us riches, but not of the sort we're used to pursuing here on earth. The riches God blesses us with are spiritual riches, namely the grace of Jesus Christ and the spiritual benefits of following him. http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:13-21&version=NIV 2009-08-27T08:37:40-05:00 "You can't take it with you"--that's one of the messages of this parable, in which a rich man, obsessed with his wealth, builds a great barn to store it all... only to die that same night. The Bible is clear in warning us not to focus on temporal wealth and possessions instead of truly important spiritual matters.