“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.” (1 Tim. 6:17 NLT)

God richly gives us all we need…for our enjoyment…

Have you ever heard anyone make the statement: “If it’s fun…it must be sin!” ?

Yeah…that makes me chuckle too; and just so you know…that’s not a verse in the Bible. I don’t know who needs to hear this…but God is not ‘anti-enjoyment’, nor is He opposed to you having ‘fun’ and enjoying richly…a life lived to the fullest. He just wants to make sure you know that HE…is to be the source of that enjoyment and abundant life. That is, after all what He came to bring those who turn to Him with all their hearts (John 10:10).

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, God is not opposed to you ‘having things’. He just doesn’t want those ‘things to have you’, because then it becomes a problem for us, and a big one at that.

Would you take a moment and turn to Deuteronomy 8 and read vs. 6-20 on your own. This is where Moses is laying out the plan to that next generation of Israelites who are about to enter the land of Canaan and take possession of it. Please note in vs. 7 that Moses calls it a ‘good land’, going on to describe some of the wonderful features and blessings they will find there, while telling them they will ‘lack nothing’ (9).

Then comes a gentle and loving warning to them: “When you have eaten and are full…then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments…” (10-11). Continue reading the list of blessings that the people are told that God will ‘multiply’, things like beautiful homes, herds, silver and gold and all that they have (12-13). Then another reminder of the danger that lies close… of their hearts being ‘lifted up’…and they ‘forget the Lord who brought them out of slavery and bondage’ (14).

You do realize this is not a hard thing to do, to ‘forget the Lord’? And how do we ‘forget Him’? Go back and read vs. 11 again- we ‘forget Him’ when we fail to do what He tells us. I hope you read through the rest of that chapter 8 because there are serious consequences to ‘forgetting’ Him. That was not just an ‘OT thing’ either. Take a look at Hebrews 2:1:

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” It can happen, especially when our focus changes and we end up loving, if not ‘worshipping’ the things that God has created….instead of the Creator Himself. (2 Tim. 4:10). You do realize how easy it is for us to ‘drift’, because it can be so subtle that you are not even aware of it happening; much like being in a small boat on a lake, or even your car driving down a two-lane road.

Yes, there can be a very fine line here with this idea of God giving us ‘all things for our enjoyment’…and pursuing pleasures that separate us from God. This is why it is imperative that He first has our ‘whole heart’, and that ‘seeking Him and His righteousness’ first and foremost over everything else is so critical (Matt. 6:25-33).

Hence, the personal example I shared in yesterday’s message, how God needed to remind me not to let anything or anyone slip in and become the source of joy and happiness over Him being that source.

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4).

On a ‘side note’ here…I remember clearly, going in to the 2016 presidential election, making the statement on more than one occasion how regardless of who won that race, I was going to wake up Wednesday morning depressed, given the two candidates we had to choose from. That’s when the Lord rebuked me, asking me: “Since when does your source of joy and peace comes from who lives in a ‘white house’? Point made!

Speaking of another personal experience I had that became one of those clear and decisive ‘teaching moments’…let me share with you what God spoke to my heart back in May of 2023, when I was finishing up a two week stay in Alaska. Long story short- it was a trip of a lifetime that God blessed me with, spending two weeks helping a friend with his whale excursions. When we were not doing whale tours and launching drones from his boat to record those majestic mammals from above, I was out photographing bald eagles and bears. There are no words to explain how full my heart was at the conclusion of my stay there.

We already knew by then and were planning our move out west to California where we could be a part of our grandsons’ lives. But I also remember some moments there, walking amongst this small town in Alaska…how my heart had grown quite fond of that place - the people…the scenery…the wildlife, etc. Waiting for a seaplane to take me back to Juneau on that last day, my heart welled up with gratitude for having this time, and I remember even asking God…if it was part of His plan to ‘call us to Alaska’ to reach so many of the ‘broken people’ who flock to that beautiful state. I mean…I was excited to be moving closer to our boys…but something special was stirring in my heart for that current location at the time. And that is when I once again heard His loving voice, so clear and concise (My sheep hear my voice…John 10:27)…

“This fullness of joy and peace and contentment that you are feeling in your heart right now has nothing to do with mountain scenery or whales or people or locations. It’s Me and My presence that you are basking in. I gifted you with this experience and as you continue to abide in Me, you can walk and experience this place of peace, rest and joy. If you were to choose to remain here while My Spirit moved on, you would quickly discover that true peace and contentment has nothing to do with things, people, or places.” (paraphrased message He was conveying to me in that moment).

And as my eyes once again filled with tears, I expressed thanks to My Father, and assured Him that I only want to be wherever He is. That is what ‘abiding in Him’ is all about. As Peter asked Jesus one time: “Lord…where else could we go? You have the words to eternal life” (John 6:68)

But this is where those lines can get blurred…when we pursue pleasure first, thinking it is ‘God’. This is what men will be tempted to do in these ‘perilous last days’ (2 Tim. 3:1,4)...but more on that tomorrow…I’ve already gone long here today. Sorry/Not sorry ;-)