Personal Gain leads to Personal Pain
Read The Daily:
“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” – Ecclesiastes 5:10
Post by Aaron Fields
I remember going out shopping to Wal-Mart on black Friday with my family (I know, BIG mistake lol), when an older lady was standing by a pallet that was about to be opened right at midnight. The second the clock hit 12, the bag that covered the pallet was ripped off by all the surrounding people, & I watched as this elderly woman was jumped on by several people, over a portable DVD player! I know it sounds crazy, but it’s amazing what people (including myself, unfortunately) will do for more things! That woman may have ended up in the ER that night, but Hey! She wouldn’t go there empty handed!
Gehazi’s story shows us how greed can lead to serious trouble. He saw Naaman receive gifts and felt he deserved a piece of that action. In chasing after what he thought would make him happy, he lost sight of the real blessings in his life.
Think about it—how often do we get caught up in wanting more? Maybe it’s a new phone, a better job, or even just fitting in with friends. We live in a world that tells us we need more to be happy, but this pursuit can leave us feeling empty.
Take a moment today to think about what truly matters to you. Are there relationships or experiences you’re neglecting because you’re focused on getting ahead? Ask yourself how you can find contentment in what you already have instead of always looking for the next big thing.
Prayer: God, help me see when I’m letting greed take over my thoughts. Teach me to appreciate what I have and focus on the people and experiences that bring me joy. Amen.
Prayer for the Day
God what are you showing me? What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.
Read The New Testament In A Year
One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” Again they could not answer. When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:1-11
Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.. Hebrews 5:1-14