"Vain Desire"

 "For what hath man of all his labour, and of vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 2:22 KJV)

  "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into this 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." (1 Timothy 6: 6-8 NLT)

 For those who might be self-employed, you should have experienced the challenges you face by trying to weather the storm, which comes with just about every small business, sometimes more than just once. If you are faithful in giving, then you have a pretty good chance of making it through just about every storm that passes through; but if you have some other issues, you still might find intensity in just about every storm that comes your way. 

 Just to be clear, issues don't mean that you have some sort of sin or problem in your life; the real meaning of issues is that of dealing questions and directions, things you feel God might be telling you, but you just can't make sense of, and see how things will work out! If that is you, you need to know that God doesn't want you to know how He will do this or that, but that you just trust Him! 

 God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but that we do what He tells us, to the best of our ability; the funny thing about that, is that our ability isn't what it takes to get things done. But God is able, if we just move in the direction that He tells us to go! 

 If you know the story about Abraham, he had to be told twice to go to the place that God would show him; and when he finally did go, he took his nephew Lot with him, even though God to him to go alone! But God was faithful to bless him, because he went! As crazy as that might sound, it is the way that counts more than how! 

 I can recall Pastor Holden's testimony of when he felt God told him to go to Nineveh. He didn't even know where it was or how he would get there. He didn't even really know for sure that God was the voice he heard, that told him to go. But he ended up going and really didn't even get there, but instead had a very serious lesson in trusting God! 

 That is how our God works! We go, thinking it is all about us and our this or that; but instead, it is all about God's this or that, which is what it's all about...

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 6:6-11 NLT)