Does God wants Us To Have Things?

[Ian Gentles]

Is it wrong to wish for well luxuries of sorts?
OK I love Golf, does God mind that i play? Had one game this year.
Does He mind our puters, our TV's?
Does He mind if we desire to eat out, go to cinema etc?
Seems these are the simple pleasures of life that give us a break, enjoyment.
I was however wondering if this was squandering resources, or is it God makes ways for us to have fun?

LOL i could try and justify golf in that it helps me relax :)

[Mike Wooldridge]

I think we should live balanced lives. Jesus certainly didn't work all the time so there's no reason we should.
As far as our "things," in a balanced life we have things, our things (cars, computers, TVs etc.) don't have us.

[Ray Brock]

Anything that keeps you from God is an idol. So if any of those things keep you from God it is your idol and you know what happens when you worship idols. So only you can decide for yourself as you have a free will to choose.

[Wilson L. Deaton]

What did God say?

Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.[/COLOR]

How did the early church interpret his words?

Acts 2:45
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

What do we say?
We say, "That can't be right."

Wilson

[Ian Gentles]

Possessions, it would seem, within reason make life possible in west. I just kinda wonder about extra spending is it allowable. Take for instance a sport we may enjoy, it may do us the world of good in helping us relax, but is its expense justifiable?

[Hans Deventer]

Possessions, it would seem, within reason make life possible in west. I just kinda wonder about extra spending is it allowable. Take for instance a sport we may enjoy, it may do us the world of good in helping us relax, but is its expense justifiable?

That is up to you. No one can answer that one for you.

[Ian Gentles]

Some of us who do play golf in the mission have talked about what is justifiable expenses to play. We are actually very good at finding cheapest golf courses and deals. I for instance would never play at weekends as prices always go up. Also different times vary prices. At course i play, at present, if you go on after 2pm price is half, but you have to be qick to get round before dusk. I think in summer same applies after 6pm
With other items, lets say TV, one we have Terry my son got from a thrift/charity shop free as they wont handle electrical goods. I did thing about getting "Sky" as you get sports channels such as "The Golf Channel" but decided this was an unnecessary.
expense
We don't eat out as we can cook for our selfs, feeling restaurant prices are too much.
This just my example of how i look at things, luxuries yes, but throwing away money, no!

[Marg Webb]

I think we should live balanced lives. Jesus certainly didn't work all the time so there's no reason we should.
As far as our "things," in a balanced life we have things, our things (cars, computers, TVs etc.) don't have us.

Well now Mike, my gift from my husband this Christmas may be a "thing". Lovely very large extra special PEARL EAR-RINGS.
i WEAR THEM EVERY PLACE EXCEPT TO BED. WOULD NOT GIVE THEM UP FOR ANYTHING.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course this was the last gift from him and was in Nov., but isn't that great. I love things.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gina Stevenson]

Well now Mike, my gift from my husband this Christmas may be a "thing". Lovely very large extra special PEARL EAR-RINGS.
i WEAR THEM EVERY PLACE EXCEPT TO BED. WOULD NOT GIVE THEM UP FOR ANYTHING.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course this was the last gift from him and was in Nov., but isn't that great. I love things.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Know what you mean, Marg. The last thing my hubby got me [knowing we had fun with a few little "toys"] was the electric train for under the tree (his idea, not mine---on sale just a couple of days before Christmas, of course, as we didn't have much). That's carefully packed away, tho' I don't "need" a train; didn't have a tree up, so it didn't get used lately ... but I'll keep it for when there is a tree again.

As for jewelry ... now wearing a birthstone ring he got one b'day ... have a couple of others gotten for such occasions ... so I really didn't need anymore jewelry.

One thing that still makes me feel badly is that the chain I was wearing a few things on broke one day and I didn't notice until a few minutes later; I went back to the area of this one store where I tho't it had happened ... looked all over ... asked kids/people there ... "no one" had seen anything. It had on it not only an eagle I'd had for a couple of decades & worn everywhere (my Isaiah 40:31 eagle, I called it), but a musical charm & also a heart, both from Danny ... can't really replace sentimental things like that. Have a few things that were around here before that I've put together again, but not quite the same as those from him, so I know what you mean about never giving them up, Marg. [Somewhere around here there's an eagle that was Danny's ... a bit larger than the dainty one I had. 'Guess I'll wear his someday, since mine was lost.]

[Edith K. Thurmond]

Well now Mike, my gift from my husband this Christmas may be a "thing". Lovely very large extra special PEARL EAR-RINGS.
i WEAR THEM EVERY PLACE EXCEPT TO BED. WOULD NOT GIVE THEM UP FOR ANYTHING.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course this was the last gift from him and was in Nov., but isn't that great. I love things.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, Marg, you now have Pearls from Heaven! How blessed you are, dear lady, and they will probably become your 'signature' jewelry from your post above. Pearls are beautiful things from the Creator to be enjoyed by the created.

Blessings this Christmastide,

* Pearls from Heaven: by Mary Grace Birkhead

[Edith K. Thurmond]

'Know what you mean, Marg. The last thing my hubby got me [knowing we had fun with a few little "toys"] was the electric train for under the tree (his idea, not mine---on sale just a couple of days before Christmas, of course, as we didn't have much). That's carefully packed away, tho' I don't "need" a train; didn't have a tree up, so it didn't get used lately ... but I'll keep it for when there is a tree again.

As for jewelry ... now wearing a birthstone ring he got one b'day ... have a couple of others gotten for such occasions ... so I really didn't need anymore jewelry.

One thing that still makes me feel badly is that the chain I was wearing a few things on broke one day and I didn't notice until a few minutes later; I went back to the area of this one store where I tho't it had happened ... looked all over ... asked kids/people there ... "no one" had seen anything. It had on it not only an eagle I'd had for a couple of decades & worn everywhere (my Isaiah 40:31 eagle, I called it), but a musical charm & also a heart, both from Danny ... can't really replace sentimental things like that. Have a few things that were around here before that I've put together again, but not quite the same as those from him, so I know what you mean about never giving them up, Marg. [Somewhere around here there's an eagle that was Danny's ... a bit larger than the dainty one I had. 'Guess I'll wear his someday, since mine was lost.]

Gina, may God grant that each treasure you still have from Danny become a wonderful 'pearl of remembrance' for you. When you see them, enjoy them, or remember them, may they also be Pearls from Heaven to you.

Best wishes and blessings this Christmastide,