Go ahead … get rich!

Only a few more blogging days of January to share what Jesus wants us to “Be” from the pages of Luke’s gospel … and God is using these last “Be’s” to prepare me for ministering to several groups of women this weekend. When I’m on the doorstep of ministry, I always feel a rush of “I don’t think I can do this … why did I say I would do this? … These poor women are going to be so disappointed …”  🙂 And then I realize I’m probably right where God wants me to be, so I’m useful to Him:  at the place of knowing I can’t do anything apart from Him.  He wants me on my knees to use me. I would appreciate your prayers as I ask Him to use me to communicate His truth and His love over the next several days, but most of all … to “Be” who He asks me to be.

~ Friday I’ll be sharing with the MOPS group at Central Baptist Bearden.  They’ve asked me to speak on praying for your kids, and I’ll be sharing a message I’m excited about:  Facing our Fears, Passing Our Prayers.  God has been working this one out in my heart and mind.
~ Saturday I’ll be with some of my church family gals at Serenity Shelter. We are starting a really exciting project that God has painted on my heart. 😉 That’s a clue. I’ll share more about that later …. SO excited about this! Pray we will communicate God’s love and help the women of Serenity see how God is creating something beautiful in each of their lives.
~ Sunday I’ll be speaking to the women of House Mountain Baptist Church.  I’ll share my testimony and what it has to do with women’s ministry (love to share that!). I’ll be helping to lay tracks for building their women’s ministry, and then I’ll kick off the first session of their study in the Book of Ruth.

I appreciate your prayers. The rest of the weekend?  I have a date with my hubby, coffee with our daughter (can you call it coffee if she drinks tea?) and sweet time at home in between. 🙂

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We are always making decisions about how to spend our time. The world makes it clear the focus/pursuit of getting rich is an admired way to spend your time. Jesus makes it clear that He wants us to Be Rich, too!!!!  But He wants us to Be Rich in a different way.  He wants us to be rich toward God.

He spoke of two different rich men, men the world would’ve been on the list of the Middle East’s Most Likely to Make a Million.  In Luke 12 someone in the crowd wanted Jesus to settle a family inheritance drama, but Jesus answered with a parable.  He told of a rich man whose land “produced plentifully” (Lk. 12:16).  The rich man also had a habit of talking to himself and told himself to “relax, eat, drink, and be merry,” since he had stored up so many mutual funds, had a huge 401K, and an investment portfolio … I mean BARNS. 🙂  Those things aren’t wrong, but apparently the rich muttering man put his hope and love in his stuff, not realizing he would die that night … empty handed.  Jesus said, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Lk. 12:21). 

Later in Luke, chapter 18, Jesus encountered a rich ruler who apparently didn’t have a ticket to the first parable or didn’t get it. He wanted to know what to do to get eternal life, but when Jesus told him he needed to sell his stuff (his idols), give it to the needy, and follow Jesus … “he became very sad, for he was extremely rich” (Lk. 18:23). Jesus saw his sadness and explained that it’s really hard for those who have so much to enter the kingdom of God, because you have to leave your stuff behind to trust God. Listening in the crowd, Peter pointed out that he and the disciples had left everything to follow. Jesus responded that anyone who leaves everything will receive “many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”  It’s still investing … it’s just investing in what lasts.

While watching rich people put their gifts into an offering box (and that’s not a bad thing!), Jesus looked up and saw a humble woman who knew what it was to be “rich toward God.” She put in her 2 coins, which He said was more than all of the rich givers, because “they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Lk. 21:4).

Want to “Be Rich” but not sure how to start investing in what will last? Start with reading up on what makes for a great life portfolio.

Psalm 119:13-15
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.