YONDER BREAKS

Sometimes I write to work things out. Maybe that's obvious if you regularly read this blog , but I thought I'd state that because I'm about to get into some deep thoughts about money. I go back and forth about how I feel about money. I'm not really sure how  to feel about it, honestly. It runs the world really, especially this country. It dominates a huge portion of our lives, our thinking. Most of us want more, for various reasons: fun, leisure, stuff, travel, generosity. I can't blame anyone for that. But money also is the cause of a huge number of problems in the world -- or the love  of money rather. Still, greed is corrupting our nation from the top down, and we see it everyday. -- But godliness with contentment  is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  Those who want to get rich  fall into temptation and a trap  and into m...

I really love this band, and their newest album  Let's Be Still  is only better than their first. Here's a sample of their title track: The world's just spinning A little too fast If things don't slow down soon we might not last. The world's not forgiving Of everyone's fears. The days turn into months the months turn into years. So just for a moment, let's be still It begs the question: are you ever still? I tried it, and it's really difficult. I felt like I needed to be doing something, or I was simply wasting time. Our lives are either about productivity or entertainment -- creating or consuming. To sit and do neither feels like time misspent. But is it? I did a  search  to see what the bible says about being still. Here are some standout verses: Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10) The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. ...

Here is the second sermon by Judah Smith in the "Jesus Is _____." series. It's based on Luke 19:1-10. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.   He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.   So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.   When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”   So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.   All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”   But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”   Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this hou...

Here is the third sermon in the Elephant in the Room series, by Josh Surratt. It's pretty practical financial advice with biblical backing. I know a lot of people who exist in a state of debt, particularly when it comes to cars. Finance a car, pay it off, finance another one to replace the older car, pay that off...do it again. It's a cycle of constant debt; it's the American way. There are some pretty gnarly statistics here about debt in the US. I fall into it as well -- buying what I want with money I don't have. Why do we do that? Is it a lack of patience? Is it the desire to keep up with our neighbors? I understand things like house loans and student loans -- large amounts we could probably never get around. Or could we? I have a friend who was saving up to buy a house with cash, and at the time I chided him for it. "No one does that," I said, probably with a hint of jealousy in my voice. It's true, no one does that anymore. But as Christians, ...