Be Content
David A. Cawston
Exodus 20:17
Introduction
Our American culture is totally based upon the unbridled desire to have. . . to have the best, the newest, the latest, the most advance, the safest, the most fashionable. Our national motto has become "Shop till you drop".
As one pundit has described modern day consumers, they are those who buy things they don't need, with money they don't have, to keep up with the people they don't like.
I am not saying that it is wrong to own property, purchase the goods and services we need or to succeed in private enterprise. But I am calling attention to an obsessive spirit in America the drive to consume beyond the boundaries of need.
Crown Ministries financial study says, "the average person in our country is three weeks away from bankruptcy. He has little or no money saved. Regular or fixed obligations to support relatively high lifestyle, significantly monthly credit obligations, and a total dependence on next weeks paycheck to keep the budget afloat."
There is so much personal debt from our desire to have that in this country the average person has been described as someone
- driving on a bond financed highway,
- in the bank financed car,
- fueled by a charge card finance gasoline,
- going to purchase furniture on the installment plan
- to put in his savings and loan financed home.
This tenth commandment brings us to the understanding that God wants us to learn to be content with where we are.
Paul wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 6:6-10 and stated
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed ...
David A. Cawston
Exodus 20:17
Introduction
Our American culture is totally based upon the unbridled desire to have. . . to have the best, the newest, the latest, the most advance, the safest, the most fashionable. Our national motto has become "Shop till you drop".
As one pundit has described modern day consumers, they are those who buy things they don't need, with money they don't have, to keep up with the people they don't like.
I am not saying that it is wrong to own property, purchase the goods and services we need or to succeed in private enterprise. But I am calling attention to an obsessive spirit in America the drive to consume beyond the boundaries of need.
Crown Ministries financial study says, "the average person in our country is three weeks away from bankruptcy. He has little or no money saved. Regular or fixed obligations to support relatively high lifestyle, significantly monthly credit obligations, and a total dependence on next weeks paycheck to keep the budget afloat."
There is so much personal debt from our desire to have that in this country the average person has been described as someone
- driving on a bond financed highway,
- in the bank financed car,
- fueled by a charge card finance gasoline,
- going to purchase furniture on the installment plan
- to put in his savings and loan financed home.
This tenth commandment brings us to the understanding that God wants us to learn to be content with where we are.
Paul wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 6:6-10 and stated
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed ...
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