How does Jesus feel about us making sure we pay a little less to Uncle Sam, so that we can keep a little more of what we earn?

How does Jesus feel about us making sure we pay a little less to Uncle Sam, so that we can keep a little more of what we earn?

I get it! It's difficult to let that hard-earned money slip through our fingers, especially when we don't always feel that our tax money is going to things that are beneficial.  I know, because I got caught up in this very thing one time, all along thinking I was a good Christian.

I started a side-line business years ago for the sole purpose of being able to utilize all the tax deductions that this afforded me. But when I read the following passage, I realize that my financial goals weren't aligned with what Jesus wants of me. After being prayerful about this, I quit the side-line business. That doesn't mean that having a side-line businesses is wrong. It was that my ultimate goal for doing the business was not aligned with what Jesus says below:

Mark 12: 16 And they brought it [a coin]. And He [Jesus] saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto Him [Jesus], Caesar’s. 17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that re God’s.

Are you tight rope walking and trying to balance fitting in with your friends who have all the latest of everything and trying to also maintain your faith in Jesus?

Are you tight rope walking and trying to balance fitting in with your friends who have all the latest of everything and trying to also maintain your faith in Jesus?

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

It's not a popularity contest where Jesus is concerned! It's not supposed to be a balancing act. We are clearly supposed to chose Him and make decisions accordingly. It's too easy to let fitting in with your peers and having the latest of everything like they do become more important than even Jesus. Are you trying to balance both?

How does Jesus feel about our dickering with Him over things?

How does Jesus feel about our dickering with Him over things?

How many times have we prayed to Jesus and said, "Jesus, if you would only do this for me, I will most certainly do this for you (be more faithful, be a better Christian, go to church more regularly, etc.)?"

Ananias and his wife decided that they would sell their property and give all but a certain portion of the money to help support the followers of Jesus in their work. Now, when they presented the money from the sale of their property, they said that they were donating ALL the proceeds to further the spread of the message of Jesus' Resurrection from the dead. They didn't have to give all their money to this cause, but it was because they formed a plot in their heart to defraud God and make it look like they were such pious Christians, that they had the ultimate punishment. Do we dicker over things with Jesus, as well, but not follow through on what we promise?

Acts 5: But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

How does Jesus feel when we let our Stuff, become a focus in our lives instead of Him?

How does Jesus feel when we let our Stuff, become a focus in our lives instead of Him?

Now, even though I pride myself at not having a worldly focus, Satan sneaks us and puts a wedge in between our relationship with Jesus and our desire for worldly things. You may be someone like me who says, "No way! I don't care for worldly items!" But is that really true?

If there were a flood, what would I go back and grab? ...my wallet...my family photos...that outfit that I saved and saved for over months...my iPhone...my Coach purse...and the list goes on. You get the point!  Any possessions we would go after, has some kind of worldly hold on us and we don't want worldly things to possess our soul.

In the following Bible verses, we are warned: Luke 17: 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. [She turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back after being warned.]