Cactus Christian Fellowship
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Staff
    • Elders
    • Weekly Newsletter >
      • Offering & Attendance
    • Church Directory
    • Bible Reading Plans
    • Contact Us
  • Ministries
    • Cactus Care
    • Pastoral Care
    • Prayer Ministry
    • Missions
    • Men's Ministry
    • Women's Ministry
    • Teens
    • Small Groups >
      • Tuesday
      • Wednesday
      • Thursday
    • Service Opportunities
  • 9am Bible Classes
    • Adults
    • Teens
    • K - 6th grade
    • Nursery
  • Sermons
  • Calendar

Doing More With Less

3/7/2018

0 Comments

 
I will never forget the statement of my brother-in-law after I had just purchased a car from him.  He was preparing to go and live in Europe and had just disposed of his last major piece of property.  He said, “What a wonderful feeling to be unburdened!”  There was no particular spiritual philosophy behind that statement; just a relief that his last major possession had been disposed of.  From an American point of view that truly is an odd way of looking at things. We always seem to identify ourselves on the basis of what and how much we own.  We continually define our self worth in terms of dollars and cents.
But the Word of God mercilessly attacks such a philosophy of life on at least two fronts: 1) First of all, because of a terrible tendency toward a self-imposed blindness.  In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) we see this tendency carried to the extreme as we hear the selfish, miserly speech of the rich farmer dotted with “I” and “my,” “me” and “mine.”   Jesus had to remind His audience that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  2)  The second problem with defining ourselves by our possessions has to do with dependence upon God.  There appears to be a relationship between trust and poverty.  It is not a necessary one.  There is no spiritual law that says a person can’t be wealthy and faithful at the same time.  But the two definitely seem to fight each other in practice.  The Apostle Paul learned about this the hard way when he experienced a weakness in the flesh about which he prayed fervently.  He was told by the Lord that His (God’s) power “is made perfect in weakness.”  That turned on some lights in Paul’s mind so that he could ultimately say, “I delight in weaknesses….for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
All of this has a bearing upon churches too.  We church leaders also fall prey to the temptation to define success by buildings built, record attendances and great offerings.  But what about those of us who lead smaller flocks in little buildings?  We must also understand that our relationship with God is not at all diminished by limited physical resources.  The presence and power of God is there wherever God’s people assemble.  We hope you are aware of that each time you drive your car toward our parking lot at CCF.

 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Bud Downs

    Senior Pastor of Cactus Christian Fellowship

    Picture

    Archives

    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

2401 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032  
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Staff
    • Elders
    • Weekly Newsletter >
      • Offering & Attendance
    • Church Directory
    • Bible Reading Plans
    • Contact Us
  • Ministries
    • Cactus Care
    • Pastoral Care
    • Prayer Ministry
    • Missions
    • Men's Ministry
    • Women's Ministry
    • Teens
    • Small Groups >
      • Tuesday
      • Wednesday
      • Thursday
    • Service Opportunities
  • 9am Bible Classes
    • Adults
    • Teens
    • K - 6th grade
    • Nursery
  • Sermons
  • Calendar