Thursday, 29 November 2012 06:45
Did you miss out on last night's Powerball jackpot of $550 million? You're not alone—the odds of winning were one in 175 million. You are 25 times more likely to win an Academy Award. In fact, a mathematics professor says you were three times more likely to die from a falling coconut, seven times more likely to die from fireworks, and "way more likely to die from flesh-eating bacteria" (there's an inspirational thought to begin your day).Suppose you learned last night that you had won $550 million—what would you do with your winnings? What should you do? The Bible has much to say on the subject. It contains 500 verses on prayer, but more than 2,000 on money and possessions. Here are some biblical questions for handing money, no matter how much—or little—you have.
First, do you expect money to make you happy? Scripture warns that "people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9). Why? Because "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (v. 10). Meet one: William Post III won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1998. Within three months, he was $500,000 in debt (buying a restaurant and airplane didn't help); his brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him. He concluded, "I was much happier when I was broke."
Second, are you using temporal resources for eternal purposes? King Solomon was the wealthiest man in the world (2 Chronicles 9:22), worth $58 billion in today's currency. Note his priorities: he built God's temple before he built his palace. Job was the wealthiest man in his society (Job 1:3) and one of the godliest (v. 1). God selected "a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph" to bury the body of his beloved Son (Matthew 27:57-58). He used Barnabas, a wealthy landowner (Acts 4:36-37), to help the church and partner with Paul. Your money will soon belong to others, but what you do with it will shape your eternal legacy.
Third, are you content with what you have? Paul told us that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). "Contentment" translates autarkeia, an inner peace which external circumstances cannot alter. Hebrews 13:5 instructs us to "keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." When you surrender fully to God as your King, your possessions are his and his joy is yours.
Take a moment to ask yourself: what would I do if I won last night's lottery? Your answers will tell you something about your life priorities. One woman answered the question this way: "Pay off my home. Take care of my children, college trust funds for the grandkids. Do all of the repairs on my home that are needed but can't afford. Then give some to charity. And finally allow my husband to retire. But I would still keep my teenie tiny house. Don't need much to be grateful."
Do you?
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I've heard stories about how winning the lottery ruined a person's life. I guess I'll just stay humble and grateful.
amount for their use. Wanted to take the
money and put it into the hands of God's
people half of billion dollars would have
been put into good use. But I say this it
will end up there eventually. At least we
tried and God will see to it will get into the right hands.
Yet God requires of HIS own, that in all our priorities, including financial, above and beyond ALL else, we are to be forever seeking FIRST, 'The Kingdom of God and HIS Righteousness', and that in the process, everything we could ever need or desire, will virtually be thrust int our laps.
Our constant 24/7 focus, according to the Lord, is to remain steadfastly upon HIM and the ongoing accomplishment of HIS Eternal goals with ALL of Himself and His capacities that He has invested into us.
On God's part, He promises - and therefore can't NOT - keep fulfilling all our eternal and temporal needs, heart desires etc...INFINITELY beyond our highest prayers, hopes, dreams - and all we even DARE to ask, think or imagine possible.(Eph.3:20;Amp.)
All of this is to achieve His greatest Glory in Christ Jesus, now and forever.
ation and keep the money in perpetuity then
use all the interest money to help christians
in foreign countries to protect them from per-
secution and to give them new starts. I would
create matching grants to multiply the efforts.
I would certainly not neglect the poor among us
here at home or those with special medical needs. The priority would be however to save lives and to repair lives.I would need and depend on Christian volunteers in every area of
the fund.I would consider it God's money and
would resist temptations to touch it myself
other than to repair and replace some things I
already have. The first person I would guard it
from is me. I am content no matter what my lot
in life may be.I don't desire much and at any
moment I could be leaving for my heavenly home.
I thank God for all he has given me but I don't
think for a moment that I am worthy of such a
large responsibility. I just want to go home to
Heaven and not have this kind of money getting
in my way.With humbleness of heart.
My dream would be that everyone who gambles would give their winnings to where it's NEEDED!
We learn that after squandering their winnings, some ended up worse off than before they won. They missed out on the blessings they would've had, had they shared with those in need.
If we have no extra money - then how can we give to someone in need?
If I won all that money - the millions that a lottery could yield (which, because I don't buy tickets, isn't going to happen) - but lets suppose I was given this amount for some reason - I would try to do what people have suggested to do in such a huge lifestyle change .... I would tithe, of course, perhaps enjoy a modest vacation ... and put the rest in the bank for a year while I adjusted to the change.
One of the things I have always wanted to do was buy rundown neighborhoods and restore all the homes, street by street. Then I would sell the homes inexpensively to good, loving and God fearing people that are looking for a "hand up" not a "hand out". I would charge maybe 1-3% and the payments would not be more than 25% of their income. Those payments would go into a trust so that I could keep restoring neighborhoods.
I would also buy closed out buildings like department stores and turn them into shelters for families. I would have an employment office in the building to help people get jobs. I would also offer training. I would also put a day care center for little ones and an after school place for the older kids to keep them off the street. The people would work in the center while they were looking for work. After they found work, I would buy them a used car to go to work in. I would give them $10,000 to get them off to a good start. Maybe the might even buy one of my homes.
I would set up scholarships for divorced women and women returning to school after raising a family.
I would set up a foundation that would pay for counseling for families and individuals that need help but can't afford the hourly fee that physiologist charge.
I am sure there is a lot more I could do, but that's what I have off the top of my head.
I wish I could win that $550M. Since Sandy caused so much damage back east someone could really be a big help right away with that kind of money. Rebuilding homes and businesses would make me feel so good inside.
For Him,
Linda