STUFF
STUFF: “WORTH CONSIDERING” 5/8/20
Today’s Scripture (Across my emails this morning from Texas.)
“…But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Tim. 6:6, NIV)
Always Be Your Best
After David had been anointed to be the next king of Israel, he spent years taking care of his father’s sheep. David could have thought, God, what am I doing stuck with a bunch of sheep? But David knew that God was in control, so he just kept going to work with a good attitude, grateful for where he was. Because he was content in the shepherds’ fields, he made it to the throne. He passed that test. But if you’re not content in the season you’re in, even if your dreams do come to pass, you won’t be satisfied. Discontentment will follow you everywhere you go. You have to train your mind to be thankful and satisfied with where God has you right now. Be content whether you have a lot or not. Content whether your children are in diapers or in college. Content whether you’re in maintenance or management. Pass the tests on your way to the throne.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I can come to You with thanksgiving for all the circumstances in my life. Help me to always see the good and to be grateful for what I have now. I choose to enjoy the season I am in and not just endure it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Ken’s Thoughts,
Long ago I remember a TV interview between a lovely lady and J. Paul Getty, then the richest man in the U.S. and perhaps world. They had be going through acres and acres of climate controlled warehouse space protecting the antiques from around the world that Mr. Getty had been collecting. On the steps as she was leaving Mr. Getty, she had just one more question. She asked him, “Mr Getty, Just how much will it take to make you happy?” And he gently smiled and replied, “Just a little bit more.” Like the old joke, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.”
In the Holy Scriptures we find Jesus teaching on these thoughts. And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing [a] overflowing abundance or that which is [b] over and above his needs. Luke 12:15 AMPC
Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Heb. 13:5
It is not until the middle of the Great Tribulation that the victory over the whole kingdom is won. The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet, and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)! Rev. 11:15. So really, You can only keep what you send ahead. So we will be on the stuff and things battle field until then and then we will be wondering why we gave stuff any consideration or time at all.
But there is a balance here. (Maggie asked me for some story time, Aloha Maggie.)
I remember, long ago preaching to a large assembly on Matt.5:39-44 and was really in the Spirit and having a great time. About that time I also had a 1968 Chevy Van that I converted into a camper and was using it every day for the family and ministry. So that Monday morning after the Sat. Fellowship this youthful hippy kid, no shirt, long hair, long time between baths sauntered up to me. And said, Pastor or Kahu? “I really enjoyed your message on Sat. evening. Did you really mean all of that stuff.” Of course, it is God’s Word, I needed to back it up and said, “Yes, Every Word…” And he quickly changed the subject to my van which was right there. And he started giving me the story that he was homeless and no wheels and having a very difficult time surviving. “ And he ended it up by saying” and God told me that I could have your Chevy Van if I came and asked you for it, like the coat you were preaching about.” About that time all of the alarms went off in my head, “This kid is after MY! Van, LORD!!!! So I prayed for a moment silently and then ask him to excuse me, I needed to go pray. So I went out alone on the West side of the Old Stone (topless, so called, no roof) Church and began to offer up one of those “HELP” kind of prayers…. Knowing that I had squarely been had or caught with my good preaching of the LORD’s TRUTH. So I not as much got the words out of my mouth and the word of the Lord came to me in my heart, simply, lovingly “Whose Van is it?” And I quickly thought, O’ O’, there goes the Van. And I said, LORD, you know that I belong to you and everything I have belongs to you, It is your Van!” He very quickly answered, “GOOD, don’t give it to him.” I could have been pushed over with a straw. So I returned to the Kid and said, “Well I went and talked to my boss, and HE said not to give it to you.” “Seem you boss and my Boss are not the same.” He quickly turned around and took off south down Alii Dr. I look back and think? “I wonder, if I has said, it was mine, if the outcome would have been different. With the rich young ruler, Jesus told him to give it all away. But with the Rich man Joseph, HE only asked to borrow his tomb for 3 days.
So our primary focus as a Christian is to get so we can clearly know the voice of the Holy Spirit in our heart better than any of the other voices. In the Bible each tread of truth can be woven together to make a fine filter of God’s Word so that the Word of God becomes our Kingdom constitution to keep the junk out and our road map clean to the Celestial City. So in life as we are guided by the Logos (Scriptures) and with the Rhema (Anointing) so we can stay out of trouble and in the Joy & peace of the LORD and grow into becoming like Jesus. We have been invited to join in on a pilgrimage of leaving being the children of Adam to becoming the Children of God. Sounds a lot better to me than the antique collecting of J Paul Getty. Read The Revelation chapters 21 & 22 What an invitation!!!!
Be in prayer for us, YWAM closed down due to Covin-19 and sent everyone home. But one young man Jonathan from Southern India got stranded so we took him in. Last week he came down with a very bad sore throat so we took him in for the test, know tomorrow or Friday. If positive all 5 of us would be totally quarantined for 2 weeks. And for 3 of us it could be critical.
Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<>< www.Trinity-Aloha.org
And all who truly Love & Obey HIM are members.
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