Dear Members & Attenders,

Because of my involvement with the Navy SEAL Foundation, I recently got to be with some of these very special warriors. They’re more trained in weaponry than probably anyone else on our planet. And yet they do not wall themselves in with their skills. They go out beyond the safety of fortresses to engage dangerous enemies. They risk their lives to protect people like you and me, and to drive back evil.

What if we used our wealth like the Navy SEALs use their skills with weaponry? What if we would not wall ourselves in with our wealth? We are spiritual warriors, citizens of eternity! What if we learned to use our temporary wealth like a weapon for good against evil?

Now we are grateful when people train to handle weapons safely because we recognize their power (for good and for harm). So do we believe that earthly wealth is just as powerful – for good and for harm?

How many people will be in hell because of their misuse of weapons (for violence)? And how many more people will be under God’s eternal judgment because of their misuse of temporary wealth (for greed)? And if it’s this clear, why don’t we train our children to handle a dollar or a debit card like they were handling a weapon?

What are we to do in such a wealthy and wealth-obsessed culture? How can we be secure in the face of such an ever-present threat? I believe Jesus saves us from this peril too. Jesus solves problems I cannot solve! He not only died to bear the punishment I deserve for my misuse of God’s creation, He also fulfilled the Father’s good design for me where I was broken. He lived completely free from idolatry to anything in creation (even Satan’s enticement with “all the kingdoms of the world,” Matthew 4:8-10). So by His Spirit in my heart, He can empower me to be satisfied with the Father’s love – to be content with His good provision and not covet for one thing more. By His Spirit’s eternal fullness in my heart He can free me from the love of temporary wealth.

Tomorrow at worship, I’ll be looking at the dangers of wealth – as the second lesson in a 3-week series on stewardship. You ARE armed and dangerous. My only question is, “If we take care to handle a weapon responsibly and safely, what if wealth is even more powerful?”

Things to pray for:

– Humility. Humble yourself before the LORD. Bow humbly before your Maker and Owner, praising Him for His surpassing worth, and confessing how we lose sight of Him in the dazzle of temporary wealth.

– Thanksgiving. Give thanks for God’s goodness in His care over you, and for His amazing provision to you.

– Our congregation’s eternal perspective. Ask the Lord to give us an eternal point of view, rather than getting mired down chasing the treasures of this world. Pray for such joy and fullness in Christ that we’re eager to use all our earthly means to fight for eternal purposes.

– Courage. It’s one thing to know what is right to do, but it’s another to actually follow through to do it. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with courage to live obediently and wisely even as the world thinks we’re crazy.

Tim Rice, Lead Pastor & Director of Church Planting
Trinity Presbyterian Church
301 N. Florida Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33801
863-603-7777
www.trinitylakeland.org