August 7th, 2017
 1 Timothy 6:6-10
"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandeed from true faith and pierced themselveswith many sorrows."

How hard is it for you to be content? In our world, even in the Christian circles, having more is one of the top priorities. Contentment with what you have is practically unheard of in western society, and my question is why is that? Why is it that even those who are following God's word are falling into this trap? Churches dream for bigger buildings or nicer facilities, church go-ers dream to have enough money that they won't have to worry about a retirement plan. There is so much lack of contentment. Would it not be better to be lacking in worldly things as to gain a better relationship with God fully leaning on him trying to gain support?

In this verse it says that money is the root of all evil, to which I agree whole heartedly. With money your dreams and desires can start to become reality. From those desires you long for more each day and your arrogance grows along with your title. But like with every earthly thing the money, fame and materialistic things will fade, and you will be left with nothing that will satisify you.

These verses really hit me and got me thinking about how often I place materialistic things above anything else. I realized how selfish and blinded I was by the fact that I needed money. I knew that I needed money for this program and then I was told I should try and have extra money for when I got back inorder to go to school. Even though my intentions were mostly pure it still consumed me, I was roughly working thirty hours a week while in highschool for a good six months during my senior year. All I would think about on my down times was budgeting; "how many hours would I need to work inorder to make this happen?", "how much could I spend on coffee inorder to still be on track?", and "if God provides for me with this certain amount of money, then how much will I have?". I was putting God in a box again. I didn't want to have to depend on him for things that I thought were in my control. But I had forgotten, was it not him who got me the job in the first place? Was it not him who placed me at the heart of my church family that also happens to be very giving? I was so consumed that I forgot to be content with what God had already given me, and place my hope in him for what was to come.

Applications: Tonight I will make a list of all the things God has blessed me with since being here.