keeping money in perspective

ah ha.....when it comes to toking about money....things get a bit more serious rite ? anyways...i hope you will find my post today about money helpful coz i realise this is something that many people struggle with in our society today...and i'm not just toking about the non-christians, even christians are also struggling with this.

there's this guy called Thomas Carlyle who observed this: "Man is a tool-using animal; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all." anyone disagree? u know wat...this Thomas guy understood that mankind depends upon a wide assortment of material goods to provide ease, comfort, security, and entertainment. our material possessions improve our lives in countless ways, but when those possessions begin to assert control over our daily affairs, then it's time to declare "enough stuff!!!" there's nothing wrong with having possessions, it is the attitude and heart condition that we need to guard. God has all to give, but do we have enough self-discipline to receive all ?

when a person becomes absorbed with acquisition of things, complications arise. each new acquisition costs more money or time, or often both. to further complicate matters, many items can be purchased, not with real money, but with something much worse: debt. debt-especially consumer debt used to purchase depreciating assets-is a modern day form of buying attitude.

if you're looking for a sure fire, time tested way to simplify your life and thereby improve your world, learn to to control your possessions before they control you. purchase only those things that make a significant contribution to your well-being and the well-being of your family. never spend more than you make. understand the folly in buying consumer goods on credit. never use credit cards as a way of financing your lifestyle.

ask yourself this simple question: "do i own my possessions, or do they own me?" if you don't like the answer you receive, make an iron-clad promise to stop acquiring and start divesting. as you simplify your life, you'll be amazed at the things you can do without. you'd be pleasantly surprised at the sense of satisfaction that accompanies your new found moderation. and you'll understand first hand that when it comes to material possessions, less is truly more. (this is something that took me a long time to learn even until now, and i am slowly improving, i hope all of you will be able to do this together with me)

how important are our material possessions? not as important as we might think. in the lives of commited christians, material possessions should play a rather small role. of course, we all need basic necessities of life, but once we meet those needs for ourselves and for our families, the piling up of possessions creates more problems than it solves. our real riches, of course,are not of this world. we are never really rich until we are rich in spirit.

do you find yourself wrapped up in the concern of the material world? if so, it's time to reorder your priorities by turning your thoughts and your prayers to more important matters. and, it's time to begin storing up riches that will endure throughout eternity: the spiritual kind.

just remember this: the world wants you to believe that "money & stuff" can buy happiness. don't believe it ! genuine happiness comes not from money, but from the things that money can't buy-starting, of course, with your relationship with God and HIS Son JESUS. good day to all of you !!

quote of the day:

"No man can stand in front of Jesus Christ and say (I want to make money)" by Oswald Chambers