Do not love the world or the things in it

Comments

• Joshuaa

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  Matthew 19:19-29   Jesus explains it well here.

          So if your neighbour is poor, how would you be able to treat him or her as yourself when Jesus asked to love your neighbour as yourself?

          Also, to honour your father and your mother is important as they are to be respected in opinion but not necessarily agreed with.
• OrthodoxFellowship

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  Thanks but I don't know I don't think it is wise to give what money you need to be stable yourself and start your own business to the poor but Jesus praised the lady who gave all she had even though it is little
  But why does it take so long for someone like me to make money on my own is it because I have not yet learned to love the poor and God is not helping me I should be content with inheriting my fathers business because it is well enough but I want to increase my talents and gain real world experience on my own to help people learn to succeed on their own and to enjoy my career and invent or create something while making more money for myself to give to the poor or do I really want to live for myself and not pay them from my hard earned money because I am depressed for not gaining fame and respect and friendships for myself and not winning many souls to the kingdom ? Jesus said make friends by unrighteous mammon my perfectionism stops me from even getting anywhere
  
  If one gives everything to the poor what else can he give to the poor in the future ? How would he store up riches in heaven. ?
  
  My Hindu friend said people are not going to listen to your Christianity if you are not successful yourself
• [Deleted User]

  October 2014

  I barely ever read the bible, so I guess Im being a hypocrite by telling you to read this chapter, but I guess it somewhat has something to do with what you're talking about

  
  

  Matthew 25:1 - 46
• mabsoota

  October 2014

  it sounds like you have a lot of anxious thoughts about this.

  did you speak to a doctor about this?
• mcarmichael

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  OrthodoxFellowship said:

  Thanks but I don't know I don't think it is wise to give what money you need to be stable yourself and start your own business to the poor but Jesus praised the lady who gave all she had even though it is little
  But why does it take so long for someone like me to make money on my own is it because I have not yet learned to love the poor and God is not helping me I should be content with inheriting my fathers business because it is well enough but I want to increase my talents and gain real world experience on my own to help people learn to succeed on their own and to enjoy my career and invent or create something while making more money for myself to give to the poor or do I really want to live for myself and not pay them from my hard earned money because I am depressed for not gaining fame and respect and friendships for myself and not winning many souls to the kingdom ? Jesus said make friends by unrighteous mammon my perfectionism stops me from even getting anywhere
  My Hindu friend said people are not going to listen to your Christianity if you are not successful yourself
  If one gives everything to the poor what else can he give to the poor in the future ? How would he store up riches in heaven. ?

  I understand exactly where you're coming from, I think.

  
  

  It's frustrating when you really don't have the means to help others in need, but remember that God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills. So in other words, I would refer you to 2 Thessalonians (very popular amongst my Protestant brethren): "If a man shall not work, he shall not eat", and "let each man work with his own hands, that he might be able to provide for those in need".

  
  

  It's a little frustrating, because as the Lord said, "no man can serve two masters", yet we're expected to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning, brush our teeth, and some people even have to wear a necktie. I'd like to know who's brilliant idea it was to start the day at 7:00 AM, but that's probably another topic.

  
  

  I hope nobody minds me putting my two cents in, I think it's an issue that a lot of us deal with.
• OrthodoxFellowship

  October 2014

  Thanks all your replies were helpful
• OrthodoxFellowship

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  Anymore replies?
• ShareTheLord

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  The theory is simple. The practice is complicated. 

  
  

  Do not seek wealth, do not love wealth. Seek God, love God. The later does not imply you cannot be wealthy. Success is essential to glorify God. But your foremost objection is to love God and radiate God's glory to those around. Your prayer should be one to plead for God's mercy and continuous guidance to use you as a tool to evoke His glory. If, subsequently, God puts you in a position of wealth - then it is his means to provide for His children. If you are a father, regardless of wealth, you must provide for your family and care for their health, their well being and their growth in the Lord. So part of the wealth is due to that commandment so that your family may also be able to be that same tool to glorify God. You then continue by providing for your church. The church does not get land for free. The maintenance of the church and all the like do not come without costs. It requires support from its congregation. Without those who helps the church through their successes, the church could struggle significantly financially. But offcourse God provides but it is though tools like us. I know of a few people who are very wealthy. They opened a church and took the blessing of investing substantial amounts for that church that accommodated many lost sheeps. 

  
  

  So to answer your question: "What is the Christian way to live life. ? Should Christians try to use their talents to succeed as much as possible ?"

  
  

  Yes, it is your commmandment not to store your talents in the ground. But it is also a struggle that must be fought to not take pride in your talent and make your talents your objective. God is the objective. the talent must be returned to God. Ambitions that are selfish or simply ones that please you, can be destructive. Pray that God bless your talents and uses it the way that is beneficial to Him. 

  
  

  "Don't we have a responsibility to make companies have employees and not ruin the economy and stability of our country ?"

  Your responsibility is to God and God only. By being solely focused on God, you would never destroy your country. Focus on God, and care not for the economy and stability of the country. If God sees your talent to be a successful financial pillar of the country, then so be it, that would be God's plan and His glory. But it is only through listening to God's will that He will develop you the way that is perfect. 
• [Deleted User]

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  Wow.. that was amazingly said.
• OrthodoxFellowship

  October 2014

  Thanks it answered my question