Quote from Forum Archives on July 22, 2010, 12:09 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

Visit the Burning Bush websites:

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The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries.
Celebrating 11 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the
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Now available FREE OF COST for BIKER MINISTRIES is the "WORDS for the ROAD"
devotional booklet with 34 devotionals and 48 pages. It is 8 1/2 X 11" bound
in gray lightweight card stock and black plastic comb. I originally intended
to provide this to a ministry at the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota but that
has not worked out. So the booklet is available with the words "Sturgis
Rally Edition" on the cover or without it. Or if you have a ministry
directed toward a different rally I can add your rally name to the cover.
Just let me know. Send me an email at wrather@dobsonteleco.com or
edwrather@theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush Devotional
Welcome to the 781 new subscribers since January 1, 2010!!
There were 1367 new subscribers during 2009!!

07.22.10

That Can't be Right

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the
Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power
also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But
Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the
gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion
in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent
therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of
your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by
bitterness and bound by iniquity." - Acts 8:18-23.

Thorsten Holck is a potato farmer in Irschengerg, Germany, and he does have
a fairly new tractor which has a maximum speed of around 24mph. Thorsten was
a little puzzled, even perplexed when he received a speeding ticket in the
mail with a photo of his tractor. The ticket was for traveling at the speed
of 76mph about twice the speed limit for that area. Thorsten knows that can't
be right because his 24mph tractor is not capable of going 76mph no matter
what the speed camera says.

Some things are not right and never will be right. One of those things is
the story of Simon, the former sorcerer, who tried to buy the power of God
with his money. Simon had been a well known sorcerer in the area until he
believed on Jesus as many others from that area did. However, Simon was
still thinking like a lost person with his thoughts of buying the power of
God.

We may condemn Simon but is that not what many people still try to do today?
Is that not what many Christians are trying to do with their money? When we
place our money in the offering plate, or place it in an offering envelope,
what is our motivation? Do we in our heart of hearts believe that we are
buying God's favor? That can't be right. Do we see it as a heavenly payoff,
as extortion by God to keep bad things from happening to us? That can't be
right. In fact, it is just as wrong as getting a ticket for going 76mph in a
farm tractor.

What should our motivation be for giving money to be used in God's work? The
apostle Paul says this, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me
nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3.)" In this verse Paul says if he were to give
"all my goods to feed the poor." There are, thankfully, many generous people
across this world who give to help those in need, who give to help those
affected by disasters, and who give to further the work of God. However,
Paul is saying that, even if they gave every last thing that they had
including the clothes on their body it would not be of any benefit to them
personally if they did not have the proper motivation.

What is the proper motivation for giving? Love, agape love. The kind of love
that sent Jesus down from the glories of Heaven to walk upon this earth. The
kind of love that sent Jesus to and through the cross to become the Savior
of all those who believe upon Him.

Whether it is giving or serving or in whatever we do for our Lord, there is
only one right motivation for it. That motivation flows from the heart of
God that dwells within every believer. If your motivations have not been
right the solution is to move closer to the heart of love that dwells within
you through the Holy Spirit.

Copyright © 2010. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began writing devotionals
in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first devotionals was
primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to prison facilities
throughout the United States and Canada.

Many prayer needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer
Request page. You can also post your prayer requests there and they will be
forwarded to the Burning Bush Prayer Group (Of course, I am always in need
of prayer - please pray for me.).

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If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
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Two videos of my sermons are posted on GodTube (now Tangle) at:
connect.tangle.com/Wrather

You can listen to services at my son, Clark Wrather's church (First Baptist
Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma) live on Sunday mornings at 10:55am CST
www.kkbifm.com/

There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here
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