Before You Buy

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Have you ever thought about how often you buy something?  Are you looking to buy something right now?  Here are some things to consider.  #1 Why?  That’s really the first question to ask.  If it’s gasoline or food, they are eventually a requirement.  But if it is other things, they are typically optional.  So how do you know if you should buy something, and when to buy it?  How does God tell us to buy things?  First there are some principles to consider.  #1 – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Where you spend your money – is an indicator of your heart.  Your heart is drawn to where your money goes, and where your money goes – reveals your heart.  God says you cannot love God and money (Matthew 6:24).  #2 – You cannot take it with you - The rich fool saved up for himself, he was rich toward himself, but not rich towards God - and lost it all that very night.  Whether cash or toys – the one who dies with the most toys – dies - not wins.  Then who will get what you have bought or stored up for yourself.  Solomon said, someone after me will get all that I have, and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish with it.  #3 – Friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God.  Why do people love money?  To look at it? No, to buy things with it – that they want.  Some people spend money on their own pleasures (James 4:3-4), they become enemies of God.  Some people spend money to keep up with the Joneses, some people spend money to make them feel better, or feel successful, but it will never work.  Things will never make you happy.  Are you buying this because you need it?  Or because you really need something that you think buying this will bring you.  It may not.  There are multi-millionaires who are still not happy. God told us that already.  Ecclesiastes 5:10 – Whoever loves money never has money enough, and he who loves abundance is not satisfied with his increase.  God is clear and proven right -  the more you have the more you want, not the happier you are.  The more things you buy, you will not be happy with the next thing (the increase). The pleasure fades, and is quickly replaced by the next desire.  Have you ever allowed yourself to get caught up in things?  There’s a difference between needing or even wanting something, and being fixated on it.  Ask God to reveal the why, and the motive behind it.  God’s ways are opposite of man’s ways.  Man’s way is earn, negotiate, make a good deal, and buy what you want.  God says – seek me first, and everything you need will follow – I’ll give it to you. Give first, and it will be given to you… with the measure you use it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).  If you seek God first – you learn to love Him, more than the things money can buy, and the imagined status they bring.  You’ll find the things of God, are far more desirable than the things down here.  God says He gives us all good things to enjoy, but we are not to trust in our savings, or our ability to earn money, or get things (I Timothy 6:17).  These are instructions to the rich – that’s you.  If you have more than you need, you’re rich.  Any other comparison is a sliding scale – a fools’ game.  So the why is the most important before the what – when buying something.  Some people think buying things is not Godly, that God wants us to be poor.  The Bible never says that.  It just says “Don’t love money, love God.”  It’s a heart thing.  The Bible says God gives money to people according to their ability, and according to His choosing. And some get money because of the obedience and faithfulness of their parents or grandparents or great grandparents.   God’s principles will automatically bring increase – just not in every season of life.  The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without the painful toil for it.  Proverbs 10:8.  But just because you are seeking and obeying God, doesn’t mean you are always flush with cash.  Jesus was the richest man who ever lived (He created everything, and He owns it all).  Yet to the ones who loved money He said, "The Son of man doesn’t have a place to lay his head."  He was homeless to those who couldn’t see.  If God has given wealth, or the ability to get it, God also gives the purpose of wealth (more than you need).  Not to buy more things...  the reason He gave you more than you need – is to share it.  (Read I Corinthians chapter 9). So before buying something.  Always ask God about the why, and the motive behind it.  God will reveal His heart and yours.  If He wants you to buy it, go for it.  But if He doesn’t trust Him.  And if you focus on Him first, what you need to buy will come in His perfect time, you can trust Him. 
 
Love you all,
dad