Money
Stir in me an eagerness for your direction that will replace the desire for more money, properties, and stuff. ~ Psalm 119:36 (ABP)
The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. ~ 1 Timothy 6:10-11 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Love God and his ways rather than wealth.
PRAYER:
Generous God, you are the source of all that is good in life. You have even given me some money to manage on your behalf. Sometimes, though, I get lost in the idea of what money can do for me. I fantasize about being rich. But somehow I never get around to fantasizing about being more faithful to you. God, keep me real and in touch with your priorities for my life. I'm not going to worry about getting rich and I'll pour all that energy into becoming a faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle follower of Jesus. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
