30 July 2023
Two-Minute Features | 06 August 2023 | 23 July 2023

Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 3 (TMF:2150)

Friday, August 04, 2023
Peace to Live By: Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 3 (TMF:2150) - Daniel Litton
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       Besides, all these things purchased and revered, what do they amount to? What I mean is that often the great feeling we get when we buy something shiny and flashy is gone in a month or two. We believe in obtaining this item, whatever it is, that it will bring some fulfillment to our lives. We thought, “Once I get this thing then I will be truly happy, completely satisfied, and utterly content.” But what happens? Unfortunately, our flesh lied to us. It told us those things, but we have come to find death after the newness has worn off. Now, this isn’t the case for everybody. Again, it all comes back to one’s perspective, one’s heart attitude. Some people buy things, and after buying them, find they do actually add to their lives and they are indeed content. However, with a lot of things it seems to be the opposite. Disillusionment occurs with these flashy, new possessions because of the false idea we had about them to begin with. We all know, deep down, that there is only one person who fulfills, one things that makes us truly happy. That’s God.

Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 2 (TMF:2149)

Thursday, August 03, 2023
Peace to Live By: Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 2 (TMF:2149) - Daniel Litton
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       I think a good ‘external’ and ‘obvious’ baseline test a person can take in regard to being overly attached to possessions is to consider whether or not you are in debt. I’m not talking about a home loan or a car loan. What I’m talking about is unnecessary debt. Indulgent debt. I mean, are your credit cards maxed out? Perhaps you have bought a home or a car that was too much for you to bite off and chew. The banks have gotten better about this, in trying to protect people (and themselves of course) from this happening. But, debt can tell a person if they are too strongly attached to things—to buying things. Even if the reasoning behind it wasn’t just to have nice things, but rather to impress other people, it is still a problem. It’s still something a person needs to deal with, especially for the Christian. I think Christians should be good role models when it comes to money. In other words, we shouldn’t be racking up unnecessary debt for things that are worldly. It’s not wrong to spend and buy if you have the money, but when you don’t, that’s a problem.

Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 1 (TMF:2148)

Wednesday, August 02, 2023
Peace to Live By: Attitudes Toward Treasures, Part 1 (TMF:2148) - Daniel Litton
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       The goal is not for us to lay up treasure, as James talked about. That’s not what we are here on this earth for. Why, the earth itself, we should know by now, is in the process of becoming, just as we are. What we see around us is not going to be so in the near future. God’s going to create a new earth, and of course, a new outer-space. All in this current Universe is torn down and rebuilt anew. Again, it’s not that collecting possessions is wrong. I’d be a hypocrite if I said otherwise. I personally collect things. You collect things. Lots of people collect things. The point from James, the point from God, is how do we view those things. Is our life tied into them? Are they are life? What would happen if we sold them? Are we highly stressed out in that case? If so, then perhaps we are putting too much emphasis on this current world. But if, upon internal evaluation to the best of our ability, we pass the test, then we are free to collect.

God's Power Flowing in Our Lives (TMF:2147)

Tuesday, August 01, 2023
Peace to Live By: God's Power Flowing in Our Lives (TMF:2147) - Daniel Litton
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       This concept of God’s power flowing in our lives, of gaining what we desire, is not a foreign concept to God, or one that should be labeled as anti-Christian. This isn’t just a charismatic concept, though, undoubtedly charismatic Christian’s often understand it. It’s not a New Age idea that’s been ported over to fit into Christianity either. This is how God really works. This is the truth that is behind, remember, Jesus’ admonitions to ask and receive. Remember those? Jesus wasn’t just saying those things to give people false hope and make them feel good. The thing of it is, like I was just saying, is that to a person on the lower levels of consciousness, these kinds of concepts, God being on our side, God’s power flowing, God giving us exactly what we want, those kind of concepts are going to seem false to the person. This is because the person’s mental state is too negative and too much negative power is flowing in their lives for them to first, understand it, and second, to actually see it.

The Christian & The Material, Part 4 (TMF:2146)

Monday, July 31, 2023
Peace to Live By: The Christian & The Material, Part 4 (TMF:2146) - Daniel Litton
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       Now, I know, this may be kind be hard for many people to believe. It goes against the very nature of our minds. Our minds, just like James has described for us in the passage I just read, believes that we have to struggle, and maybe, just perhaps, rip other people off, do them harm, etc, to get what we want. Yep, this is what James has just said to us. Do people really admire those who act in these ways, even though they are rich? Well, obviously not. The person may have all the possessions in the world, the beautiful house, the nice cars, the prominent position in the world, the basketball and tennis courts, the bank accounts full of money unlimited. But what does this really get the person? The person is just like Old Man Potter in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). He has everything, but he doesn’t have life. Who has the life? Well, George Bailey has the life because he has the things that truly matter—he has the family and friends that love him; people respect him. He doesn’t have all the money, but he doesn’t need it.