Thursday... Is it enough for us to enjoy?

Thursday... Is it enough for us to enjoy?

Paul in his first letter to young Timothy gives some important advice and encouragement on this. He says in 6:6-8 (NLT), "Yet true godliness is itself great wealth. After all. we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content."

And then in verse 17 he says, "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment."

Two words here that are so important for us to see. The first one is the word enough and the second is enjoyment. He tells Timothy and us, "So if we have enough food and clothing." The Message says, "if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough." And the NLT says "So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." 

Now just take that in. We live in a world that is filled with commercials and advertising. It is all about us not being content. But Paul says to Timothy. "if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough." Now that is easier said than done but it is so important in our enjoyment of life.

And then in verse 17 it says, "Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." If we trust God. 

The Message in verses 17-19 says, "Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage - to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life."  Now that is what enjoyment is all about.

Proverbs 21:26 (NLT) says, "Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give." The Message says, "Sinners are always wanting what they don't have; the God-loyal are always giving what they do have." Verses 25-26 in the Amplified Bible says, "The desires of the lazy kills him, for he graves all the day long [and does no work], but the righteous [willingly] gives and does not withhold [what he has.]."

So is what you have enough to enjoy? Verse 17 in the Amplified Bible says, "As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." Now that is where real enjoyment come from. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning