When Christians celebrate Christmas, what are they celebrating?  Everyone knows they are celebrating the birth of Christ.  When Christians celebrate Easter, what are they celebrating?  Everyone knows they are celebrating the resurrection of Christ.  Many non-believers celebrate Christmas and Easter.  They can pretend that they are celebrating something else but they are partaking in Christian celebrations.

When Christians celebrate Halloween, what are they celebrating?  Of course they don’t think they are celebrating the “Roman feast of Pomona”, which is the goddess of fruits and seeds.  Of course they don’t think they are celebrating “The festival of the dead” called “Parentalia”.  They don’t think they are acknowledging harmless or harmful spirits.  They aren’t practising harmless divination.  Christians are just pretending that Halloween is just a fun time for the kids to eat sugar and scare each other.

I wonder what God thinks about Christians who celebrate a holiday that represents pagan idols, witchcraft, and spirits?  I wonder if He thinks it’s okay if we dress the kids up as angels in order to celebrate these things?  I wonder if this grieves the Holy Spirit?            

In Deuteronomy chapter 8 starting in verse 10, the bible says to remember God when things are good. It is God who gives us the ability to build wealth.  If we become proud and forget God when things are good by following idols (stuff), well, let’s just say it isn’t good. 

Many believers in Christ have become hung up on their stuff.  If you are afraid to lose it, you are hung up on it.    

When I fear losing what I have, it helps to remember how what I have got there in the first place.  God put it there.  God can put more resources under my management just like He always has. 

Contentment is easier to find when we review all the blessings we have.  Focusing on what we have instead of what we don’t have or might lose is a benefit. 

There is a debate in the church about whether God wants people to be rich.  The only people who are really rich are the ones who are rich toward God and have put their treasures in heaven.  No one is truly rich with earthly materials.  I believe there are many people who think they are rich who really are not.  God wants all earthly possessions to be used for Him.  They belong to Him and should be used to help others gain the riches of heaven. We shouldn’t waste material resources on ourselves.  That is often easier said than done.   

People who want more stuff are not content and have a poor mindset.  People who have enough are content and have a wealthy mindset.

In Luke 14:33, Jesus said we must give up everything in order to be His disciples.  In Matthew 19:21, Jesus was talking to a rich man.  He told him to sell everything and he would have treasure in heaven.  Jesus also said it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  Why did this amaze His disciples?  I think it is because many people in the time of Jesus believed that Godliness was a means to gain.  Paul refutes this in 1 Timothy chapter 6. 

I wonder just how rich this rich man in Matthew chapter 19 was.  We don’t know what he had but we do know what he didn’t have.  He didn’t have a computer, automobile, cell phone, plasma TV, electricity, or running water.  I would estimate that most people in the U.S. have more luxuries than the rich man I have discussed. 

I believe God owns everything.  If we take ownership of our stuff we are taking ownership of things that won’t last.  We need to put everything in God’s hands.  Once we realize it belongs to God, we can manage it for Him.  I believe the parable of the talents demonstrates that God wants what He puts under our management to grow.  It belongs to Him though.  If He tells us to sell the car, that is what we should do.  If He tells us to buy a car, we should do that. 

In John chapter 6, Jesus fed 5,000 men with five loaves of bread.  Then He instructed His disciples to pick up the leftover pieces so nothing would be wasted.  Jesus does not want us to waste anything.  I think that includes wasting things on ourselves also.         

God wants us to put Him first.  He does not need or want our leftovers. 

When we see others in need but do nothing, we are leaving Jesus cold and hungry.

A person with $100 who gives $20 gives ten times as much as someone with $10 million who gives $200,000. 

Just because someone has little does not mean they are not rich.  Just because someone has much does not mean they are not poor.

In John chapter 6 verse 12, Jesus asked His disciples to gather up the scraps of bread that were left over after feeding 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread.  Jesus said not to let anything be wasted.  They picked up 12 basketfuls of scraps.  Isn’t it interesting that Jesus didn’t want any of the increase wasted?  Did He need the bread or was He just concerned about leaving a mess?  I wonder what He did with the leftovers. 

In Mark chapter 8 verse 15, Jesus warned of the yeast of Pharisees and of Herod.  We often don’t think of Herod in this passage, but who was Herod?  He was the government. 

The Forbes list of the riches people is out.  The richest people in the world have lost billions of dollars.  I have a question.  Where did it go?  Do they have less stuff?