BBD 10.28.03 Stuff
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org
The Burning Bush Devotional
(Over 9,000 subscribers in 75 countries)
10.28.03
Stuff
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break
in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -
Matthew 6:19-21.
California's Gov. Gray Davis estimates the cost of the fires in his state at
$2 billion dollars and says, "I think this is the worst disaster the state
has ever experienced." The blaze in San Diego County has killed 12 people
and Sheriff Bill Kolender says, "Many who died ignored evacuation orders and
were caught by flames because they waited until the last minute to flee."
Kolender warns, "When you are asked to leave, do it immediately. Do not
wait."
Many residents because of the fire's unpredictable nature only had minutes
to evacuate. If you only had 15 minutes or in some cases even less to
evacuate what would you take with you? One man in three minutes time grabbed
a 110-year-old lamp, some clothes, laptop computer, some power tools and
took off with his wife three dogs and a cat. The consensus of those I heard
talking about it today appeared to think they were blessed just to be alive
and had little concern for the "stuff" that they had lost. Many echoed the
thoughts of one family in a Red Cross shelter who lost their home saying,
"It's in God's hands. There's no point in getting hysterical. We'll just
start over."
Hearing the heart wrenching stories of those who barely escaped the
firestorm in California helps us to realize again, what is really important
in life. All of this "stuff" that we accumulate will someday be gone. We may
hope that our children and grandchildren will care about some of the "stuff"
we have spent a lifetime collecting but the reality is that it could all
just end up in a trash dumpster. Jim Elliott, a missionary who gave his life
while serving his Lord once wrote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot
keep to gain what he cannot lose." The Psalmist said, "Do not be afraid when
one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies
he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him (Psalm
49:16-17)."
The spiritual reality is that only that which is of eternal value will last.
Jesus urges us to store up our treasures in Heaven where moth, rust and
thieves cannot destroy them. Surprisingly Christians give only three percent
of their after tax income to Christian causes. We are apparently buying a
whole lot of "stuff" with our income that will never make it to Heaven.
Where are you storing up your "treasures?" Where is your "heart?"
Copyright © 2003. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited.
There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.
You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Although the devotionals and materials from the Burning Bush are free there
are substantial costs involved in reaching people through this ministry. If
you are led to do so you can support the devotional financially through
paypal:
http://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=wrather%40logixonline.net&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD