"He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not become rich"
This is a money principle many in America are violating. We would rather be comfortable than be prepared. It is impossible to have the reserves that are needed at various times in life if it is siphoned off through little purchases as we go along. It is usually the little purchases that we get used to that drain the funds that we need for the big things of life.
These little purchases of coffee, trinkets, meals, snacks, impulsive purchases don’t seem like a lot and they are not. It is the fact that we develop a habit of saying yes to these impulse purchases and they add up. They are not very much on any one day, but they can be huge over a year’s time.
We in America are often leveraged to the max and cannot serve God. We have taken out credit to afford a luxury and it has become a necessity. We feel strapped because there is no way we can move forward on what God wants and continue to do all the little things that make us so comfortable.
There are a number of things that take higher priority over your comfort and pleasure, but many cannot see that. Their internal question is “Doesn't God want me to be happy?” or “Don't I deserve to make me happy?” or “This would make me happy.” as justification for doing it.
We must say no to ourselves daily in order to be able to say yes to God and our opportunities when they come. If we develop the habits of saying no to the candy bar, no to the porn on the computer, no to the sarcastic word, no to the expensive lunch, no to the massage, then we will be in a position to have a positive bank balance and a way to respond when God calls us forward on some amazing adventure.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz