Main Title: Do You Really Need That?
By Pastor Michael Magbag
Scripture:
Hebrews 13:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
What do you need? What would it take to meet all your needs? Think about everything you need. Make that list. How long would it be?
If I had all those needs met, would I then be satisfied? No pain, no financial shortage, just buy anything I need or go anywhere I wanted. Would I be satisfied or totally happy?
That raises another question. Do I really need all that? Or do I just want that stuff? Do I want it because my friends have it or because I saw it on the billboard?
This over advertised world has created a huge craving for things. A cell phone is not enough; now we need that new model with those extra features. New shoes are not enough- we need the latest fashion. A new car is not enough- it has to have all the extras.
This craving for "things" is fertile ground for the belief in the extreme prosperity message. "God wants me to prosper." True, but "prosper" for most of us means getting more of what we want rather than what we need.
E. Stanley Jones once said there was two ways to be content. One is in the abundance of our possessions; the other is in the fewness of our wants.
If abundance of possessions is what you hope will make you contented, you may never get there. The world keeps adding more things to the list of "must haves."
That brings me to one conclusion. To be happy, I need to reduce my wants and be fully convinced that God will supply my needs, If I don’t get what I want, God is till good and still faithful and in that I can be happy.
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