Tag: invest

$30000 Dollar Perfume! Mark 14:5

Would you spend thirty thousand dollars on perfume for your girl friend or wife? How about that much money spent on perfume for a burial! Probably not! Most Christian’s today would have picked up a bottle of perfume at Dollar Tree for Jesus! The pence or denarius was a day’s wage in the first Century! The pence was equal to ten asses or donkey’s and would have the purchasing power to get this many for a day’s wages! The day laborer and the Roman soldier got one denarius or about 20 cents for a day of labor! The denarius was a small silver coin. So the woman that anointed Jesus with this precious perfume spent 300 days labor for this act of love! The average American worker makes about 100 dollars per day wage. So the American worker at 300 day’s labor would spend thirty thousand dollars on Jesus perfume! If you were a millionaire and made 365 million dollars per year then he would spend 300 million dollars on Jesus perfume! Is it any wonder the crowd got upset at this woman? She was making them look bad! The crowd said the money could have been given to the poor! Jesus said the poor you always have with you! Since the 1960’s the American taxpayer has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on programs for the poor but the poor population has grown in numbers since then? Jesus complimented her and told her this anointing was for my burial. What she did stands as a memorial to her forever! You will meet her in Heaven! Today it is just like pulling teeth to get Christian’s to tithe their income to the church? They will not do it unless they get an income tax deduction! Forget about the offering? I find it difficult sometimes when people want God’s Blessings but will not invest into His Kingdom? We get prayer requests for health and prosperity but not a penny investment into God’s Kingdom? The only rationale I can come up with is that they do not believe God exists but in case He does pray for me! It is like playing the lottery! Buy me a ticket in case you win! This woman had wisdom to invest in the Kingdom while she was living on earth that paid eternal dividends! Her memorial stands 2000 years later! Another interesting word us for perfume is spikenard. Two Greek words make up this English word! It literally means a genuine true beloved friend of foreign origin! Are you a true beloved friend of Jesus? Is He like a treasure of foreign origin to you? Like my grandpa used to say put your money where your mouth is! Put up or shut up! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

The Trinity of God’s Grid!

God’s grid includes God’s relationship to us. It also includes our relationship to God. Then the outflow of these first two parts is our relationship with each other! This is sometimes messy but important. The local church is the alternative relationship not found in the world. Our behavior is different which includes love and forgiveness. When you operate under God’s love relationships are maintained. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. In the phrase,”a threefold cord is not quickly broken,” it is clear that Solomon is pointing out the advantages of companionship. Moreover, he presents this illustration to show how God’s mercy provides help to those who depend on Him. Solomon explains further by examples how this concept of companionship is beneficial. He shows that there are definite advantages of working together. He also reveals how terrible the circumstances would be if one had to face adversity alone. Two is better than one! Adam was given Eve! Learn to be a better friend. The alternative society has love and respect for each other. Two can defend each other. A three stranded cord is not easily broken. Notice how God set up His Kingdom with a Trinity! How we treat each other is a witness to Jesus. Do we really love each other? Satan is the great divider! He tries to isolate us all alone in broken relationships. Do we use each other for gain? His Church gives without expecting a return! We can even be isolated and alone in a Church. You can live in a city such as New York with millions of people around you but yet be lonely! Reasons for loneliness; 1. Hurt or betrayed by someone. 2. Too busy to invest in friendships. 3. Mental clock keeps ticking with deadlines to be met. 4. Not wired to be friendly. Bashful or introverted. 5. Do not know how to make a friend. Proverbs 11:– A Gossip ! Good friends keep a secret! However, remember the strength of sin is it’s secrecy! That is why we are to confess our sin and repent. Do not hide things that are illegal. Even in the church culture people are betrayed by using prayer requests as a way to gossip about others. A good friend covers the spots of his friend. Remember our sin is covered by His Blood! You are not a good friend if someone else has to lose in order for you to gain! A good friend will confront you about bad behavior. A friend will not enable another friend for bad behavior. Confront or otherwise both will lose. We are not here to win arguments but have loving relationships. Explain to your friend this is what you did and this is how I feel about it. Do not let sun go down on your wrath! If you are married and not friends you have a problem.In searching for a marriage partner look for a friend! Romance will not last! Good friends stay close to each other even through valley of shadow of death! I found out my real friends after the tragic shooting we had in our church a few years ago. Good friends forgive. Live in community. People are not always like Jesus in the church. Be quick to forgive. Luke 17:3-4. Repent and forgive! Confront or be confronted and forgive. Do not imagine and rehearse confrontational conversations with people who have offended you. Waste of time! Talk to God about problem. Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. message given on Sunday, September 29, 2013.