I just finished my first cup of coffee, an entry from Sarah Young’s Jesus Today and an entry from Annie’s 100 Days To Brave. Two Scriptures jumped out at me from Jesus Calling. Here they are, but I need another cup of coffee. 🙂

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4.7-8 NKJV)

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143.8)

The first thing that jumped out at me what the phrase “double-minded.” I shared with our small group last night my business aspiration to franchise into all 50 States. I understand all the Scriptures about the love of money. My faith is sensitive to the things that drag me away from the Father. I expressed that to my small group. They are holding me accountable as I write. Thank you Father for my wife, daughter and small group. I refuse to “sacrifice my family on the altar of my career.” (Chris Smith) God as my witness I will not bow to mammon.

The “double-minded” portion of my thoughts comes from the lies of Satan. Now it may not be Satan himself, but nonetheless it’s more powerful than me. Evil hates it when I get free to be all God has called me to be. They rally their troops in haste to attack me. No longer is the temptation to go too far with a girl the struggle I grapple with, rather it’s much bigger and cosmic in nature. Do I battle sexual temptation? Of course I do. Do I battle anger management issues? I face them head long everyday. Still this cosmic battle for my mind, heart and activity seeks to destroy God’s plan for my life. No more. I’ve been given a vision that will outlive me for many years. I’m not seeking “wealth” for the sake of “wealth.” I’m seeking affluence to help others. The love of money has brought many men and women to ruin. You know the stories. The news is plastered with the destruction in their path.

God supplies all that is good. All things belong to Him, even life itself. He did not send this coronavirus to wipe out Planet Earth. He is sustaining us all through this pandemic as our leaders, medical professionals and frontline workers seek to serve others in its path. He has led the human race through other pandemics, and He will lead, guide and protect us through this as He has been since the virus was “unleashed.” I’m not going to speculate how the virus was started because I have no idea, much less evidence to back it up. I do know that in life and death that we serve a Father who is all powerful, and He alone is able to do all things good. He’s already done a plethora of good as we learn more and more stories about humans loving humans.

God longs for every human being to put their trust in Him. He wants us to put all our trust in Him. It grieves Him when we put our trust in money, health and power. It grieved Him when Israel asked for a king because all other nations had one. He wanted to be their one and only King, but He gave them what they wanted. Be careful what you pray for. He just might give it to you.

Jesus Christ didn’t have place to lay his head, yet some of his closest followers were very affluent. Some of his strongest words were for the rich, but poverty can also drag us away from the Father. Who is the LORD of my life is a question I must answer everyday. If it’s money that will me exposed, and if I’m leaning my ladder against that wall I guarantee you it will come crashing down. We are grass that quickly fades. Nothing we see here is going to last because the Father did not make it to last forever because of the choice Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden. He however made another way for us to spend eternity with Him through His one and only Son. What you do about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ ultimately determines how you view and act in life.

What’s it going to be?