23 July 2023
Two-Minute Features | 30 July 2023 | 16 July 2023

The Christian & The Material, Part 3 (TMF:2145)

Friday, July 28, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Christian & The Material, Part 3 (TMF:2145) - Daniel Litton
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       If we lose something, we’re okay with that. We’re not afraid of someone stealing our possession because we have relinquished any strong attachment to it. I know for me, myself, personally, if I would of heard or read what I just said five years ago it would have not been too welcome in my heart. In the Giving Up Control method I have outlined, I have described how we come out of this kind of attachment to things (or even people). If we have a strong desire to obtain more, or to have this or that, whatever it is, we need to give that desire up. We can do this in light of, first and foremost, the realization of “All that matters is God.” Second, we can do this in view of the fact that when we give up our strong desire, this allows God’s power to flow freely in our lives. This means that if we have a desire that is good for us, good for someone else, good in general, God’s power will work to see that what we first desired will begin to come into our lives.

The Christian & The Material, Part 2 (TMF:2144)

Thursday, July 27, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Christian & The Material, Part 2 (TMF:2144) - Daniel Litton
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       The commonly held belief is that a person should own less and less, and therefore imitate Christ more and more. Again, though, that’s an external appearance that props up one’s own self-righteousness, just in the opposite direction. No, what God wants is an attitude that one has about his or her possessions in that he or she is not too strongly attached to them. What this means is that we can have all that we want (yes, you have that right), we can have all that want provided we hold onto it and view it within ourselves correctly. If we have something we value, we hold onto it with a loose grip in that if something happens to it, we are not devastated. It may bother us at the moment, but that feeling quickly passes. This is because “All that matters is God.” When we really believe that, our attachment to possessions becomes less and less. If we lose something, we’re okay with that. We’re not afraid of someone stealing our possession because we have relinquished any strong attachment to it.

The Christian & The Material, Part 1 (TMF:2143)

Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Christian & The Material, Part 1 (TMF:2143) - Daniel Litton
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       So, the reason a person may love the material versus others can be that the person has a low sense of self-worth. But I thought you just said the person is self-righteous? How can self-righteousness and a low sense of self-worth go together? Well, the truth is, that a person who seeks to acquire more and more does so to boost his or her self-image. Isn’t that why a woman may spend so much time looking for a perfect outfit to wear to some event? Isn’t that why a man wants to own a collection of this or that to show off to his friends? Not always, but a lot of times this is the case. The low self-worth causes the person to keep obtaining the material, which in turn causes the person to become self-righteous based on what they now have. The person who really is after God’s own heart in this area is the one who holds onto things loosely. This isn’t what is commonly believed in Protestant circles. The commonly held belief is that a person should own less and less, and therefore imitate Christ more and more.

Not Focusing on the Right Things, Part 2 (TMF:2142)

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Peace to Live By: Not Focusing on the Right Things, Part 2 (TMF:2142) - Daniel Litton
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       It’s sin because it goes, first, against the natural order of the world that God has designed. Second, it’s sin because it’s not “making the best use of the time.” We are just living life doing things we think we’re supposed to do. Does the earth rotate around the sun because it’s supposed to? Does nature flow so abundantly because it is self-aware and realizes it better or else? We need to get into alignment with ourselves if we are really going to enjoy our lives and pursue happiness. What leads a person to be full of love for the material versus love for God and others (notice I just contrasted the two) is that a person is full of self-righteousness. That might seem like a surprise connection to some. But, if we stop for a moment and think, we know this is what Jesus has taught us. So, the reason a person may love the material versus others can be that the person has a low sense of self-worth.

Not Focusing on the Right Things, Part 1 (TMF:2141)

Monday, July 24, 2023
Peace to Live By: Not Focusing on the Right Things, Part 1 (TMF:2141) - Daniel Litton
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       When we live in sin, and don’t seek to be pleasing to God both with big choices and everyday items, if we never pray, if we don’t know the Scriptures, if we are inattentive in helping others, if it’s all about us—as it was for the people making the profit here in James—then we are missing the whole picture. Another thing I would say is that it is important for us to consolidate and focus our lives. What I mean is that a lot of us spend time on things, whatever those things be, of which aren’t really fruitful for us. How fruitful are your relationships, your friendships? Are you are aligned with the right people? Does the church you attend really represent your internal beliefs, and are the people supportive and positive? Or, in certain areas do you find resistance? You find that you are just going through the motions but those motions really aren’t coming from your heart; they aren’t what you really want. I believe it is sin for us to spend our time focusing on things that don’t come from our hearts.