Category: Devotional

  • Unseen Idols – Consumerism

    Unseen Idols – Consumerism

    When we think of idolatry, images of ancient statues may come to mind. However, modern idolatry is often far more subtle, taking the form of internal allegiances and priorities that quietly take God’s place in our hearts. The Apostle Paul directly addressed, warning believers against the hidden idols that corrupt devotion from the inside out.

    So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centred instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].

    Colossians 3:5 (AMP)

    Defining the Idol: Consumerism in Faith

    To dismantle an idol, we must first correctly identify it. The idol of consumerism is particularly deceptive because it cloaks itself in the language of blessing and personal fulfillment. It is a mindset that can transform faith from a relationship of devotion into a transaction for personal benefit.

    Theologian Tim Keller provides a clear and challenging definition of an idol that helps us see the danger:

    “Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give.”

    Tim Keller

    This mindset finds its roots in a worldly principle. At its core, consumerism is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off. When this theory seeps into our faith, it redefines God’s role in our lives from Lord to provider of spiritual goods and services. As author Carey Nieuwhof observes:

    “Through consumer Christianity, the value of God in our lives becomes predicated on how well He fulfils our needs – whether that’s a better marriage, our emotional well-being, a meaningful life, or an enthralling worship experience.”

    Carey Nieuwhof

    Jesus did not invite followers to a life of self-fulfillment but to a life of self-denial for a greater purpose.

    “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

    Luke 9:23–24 (NIV)

    From “For Me” to “Through Me”

    Defeating the idol of consumerism requires an intentional renewal of the mind. It is a conscious decision to reject a self-serving framework and adopt the selfless posture of Christ. We need to change the questions we ask in our faith journey.

    1. From Getting to Giving A consumer mindset asks: What can I get? A Christ-like mindset asks: What can I give?
    2. From Convenience to Obedience The consumer asks: Is what is required convenient for me? The Christ-like asks: Is this what obedience to God requires from me?
    3. From Blessing Me to Blessing God The consumer asks: How can my faith release God’s blessings for my life? The Christ-like asks: How can my faith bless God through my life?

    We are chosen not to be passive recipients, but active participants in God’s redemptive work. This perspective changes everything, even the effectiveness of our prayers.

    Reflect:

    Take a moment to honestly consider your own heart and motivations in light of this message. Allow these questions to guide you into a time of personal introspection and prayer.

    1. When I pray, are my requests focused more on what God can do for me or what He can do through me?
    2. In what area of my life am I valuing my own comfort and convenience over what God requires of me?
    3. Does my involvement in my faith community depend on how my needs are being met, or on how I can serve the needs of others?
    4. Reflecting on Rick Warren’s question, “Is what you’re living for worth Christ dying for?”, what personal ambitions or desires might I need to surrender?
    5. What is one practical step I can take this week to shift my mindset from “getting” to “giving” in my relationship with God and others?

    Closing Prayer:

    We close with a prayer adapted from David’s own vulnerable plea in the Psalms, inviting God to search our hearts and expose any allegiance that competes with our devotion to Him.

    Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you—especially the unseen idol of consumerism—and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Amen.

    Watch the sermon on Youtube.

  • God’s Invitations in Our Situations

    God’s Invitations in Our Situations

    In every situation, God extends an invitation. It’s not an invitation to escape our circumstances, but to overcome them—to be shaped by His presence and purpose in the middle of the struggle.

    In every difficult situation—in the midst of bad news, storms, and frustration—God is still extending an invitation. Being an overcomer in Christ is not about escaping life’s hardships, but about disarming their power to determine our destiny or define us. Spiritual growth, or formation, is the “great reversal” of moving from being the one who controls things to being a person shaped by the presence, purpose, and power of God in all things.

    The pathway to spiritual maturity often involves making peace with difficult truths that sound like bad news, but each truth holds a powerful invitation from God. We are invited to:

    1. Live from Victory, Not for Victory: Although life is hard (John 16:33), we are invited to take heart and live from the victorious salvation Christ has already secured through His defeat of death.
    2. View Death as an Extension of Eternal Life: While we are destined to die (Hebrews 9:27), God invites us to view death not as extinction, but as a doorway into our continued eternal existence in Christ, motivating us to live out the ways of heaven on earth now.
    3. Make Peace with Human Limitations: Recognizing that “you’re not that important” allows us to find freedom in living within limits, setting us free from trying to assume attributes that belong only to God, such as always being in control or striving for perfection. Our unwillingness to live within limits is a deep source of burnout.
    4. Experience the Joy of a Significant Life: When we accept that “your life is not about you”, we are called to follow the example of Jesus who came to serve others (Matthew 20:28). God invites us into the joy of a significant life (adding value to others) rather than just striving for success (adding value to ourselves).
    5. Come to God and Let Go: Although many are the plans in a person’s heart, it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21). The invitation is to embrace a faith that surrenders to the unknown, opening ourselves up to heaven by letting go of our own control.

    Reflect

    1. In what specific area of my life am I striving for victory rather than confidently living from the victory Christ has already won?
    2. If I truly viewed my physical death as only an extension of my life eternal in Christ, how would that change my priorities or the way I love others today?
    3. Which of God’s attributes (like needing to be in control or always having the answer) am I exhausting myself trying to live out, and how can I let go of that impossible striving and find freedom in my human limitations?
    4. Am I currently prioritizing success (adding value to myself) or significance (adding value to others), and how can I shift my focus to experience the complete joy that comes from bearing fruit for the sake of others?
    5. What bad news or frustration am I desperately trying to control right now, and how can I open myself to God’s prevailing purpose by letting go and choosing to trust Him as my good God?

    Closing Prayer

    Heavenly Father, we come to you with our bad news, knowing that in every challenge, You extend a divine invitation. We choose our “yes” to Your invitations. We pray for the grace to let go of our fear of death, our need to control, our drive to prove our worth, and the idea that our life is about us. Shape us by Your presence and power so that our trials lose their ability to define us, and instead become powerful testimonies of Your goodness and sovereignty. Amen.

    Watch the sermon on YouTube

  • Blessed to be a blessing

    Blessed to be a blessing

    When dealing with money, the ultimate issue is the state of our heart and mindset. This is crucial because money promises things that only God can truly provide.

    The topic of money is often difficult and rarely spoken about in church, leading to confusion about its role. Historically, some believed that to be poor meant being spiritual, while having money suggested one was backsliding. However, God loves you and desires to bless you, including financially.

    The key message regarding finances is that God blesses you to be a blessing; the wealth is not intended solely for your use. When dealing with money, the ultimate issue is the state of your heart and mindset. This is crucial because money promises things that only God can truly provide.

    We must recognize that money is both physical and spiritual, and this duality is where conflict often arises. If we only treat money physically (focusing on income and expense), we mistakenly think that obtaining more money will solve our problems.

    Tithing is essential for engaging the spiritual dimension of money. Tithing is an act of obedience, not generosity, returning to God what rightfully belongs to Him. When you tithe, you move the money from the physical realm into the spiritual realm. When money is placed in God’s hand, He works with multiplication and exponents, leading to exponential growth, rather than the world’s system of addition and subtraction.

    God is the Owner of everything; therefore, money is a resource, and God is the true source. We are simply stewards who will eventually have to give an account for what we did with the money entrusted to us.

    Debt, which the sources suggest is a form of bondage, is identified as a major weapon used by Satan to prevent us from fulfilling God’s intended purpose. If we find ourselves struggling financially due to past decisions, we must realize that we do not have to remain there.

    We are invited to the King’s table, meaning God has provided us with everything we need for life and living. To break financial bondage and see God’s blessing, we must put Him first. This shift involves changing our habits and behaviors. Even starting by committing 1% of income to God demonstrates placing Him first, which redeems the rest of our money, enabling God to provide.

    ReflecT:

    1. What is my attitude towards wealth and financial matters, do I secretly associate wealth with being unspiritual?
    2. Am I dealing with my money only in the physical sense (income/expense), and what steps do I need to take to acknowledge and address the spiritual aspect?
    3. In my current financial struggles, where might money have become my primary source of security, rather than trusting God as the true Source and Owner?
    4. Since God blesses me to be a blessing, how are my current resources enabling me to impact the lives of others and the community?
    5. What concrete decision can I make today to begin intentionally putting God first in my finances, trusting His power of multiplication over my current circumstances?

    Closing Prayer

    Father God, we thank you that you have given us everything we need and have invited us to come and feast at your table. We confess, Lord, that we have not always dealt with money in the way you planned. We acknowledge that you are the Source, and we are merely stewards. We pray for the discipline to deal with our finances in the physical realm, and the wisdom to honor you in the spiritual realm, so that you may bless us. Help us to put you first in our lives. We pray that you provide what is needed for us to move forward and receive the abundant life you promised in Jesus’ name, amen.

    Watch the sermon on YouTube.

  • Masters of the Heart

    Masters of the Heart

    Our hearts are central to our being, and God’s Word instructs us to guard them diligently.

    “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23

    Our hearts are central to our being, and God’s Word instructs us to guard them diligently. Jesus spoke extensively about money as a significant threat to our hearts, describing it as the only thing, other than God, that seeks to sit on the throne of our hearts. Money, like power and sex, has both a dark and light side.

    Jesus taught us about where our treasure truly lies:

    “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

    This calls us to choose between earthly and heavenly treasures. He also contrasted a “good eye” with a “bad eye,” referring to generosity versus stinginess. Ultimately, Jesus makes it clear: “You can’t serve two masters”—God or Mammon.

    Another challenge Jesus addressed is worry. He encourages us not to worry about daily needs, assuring us God will care for us, just as He cares for the birds. Jesus’ solution to worry is profound: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” This challenges us to examine our values and where we place our trust.

    Consider two wealthy men who encountered Jesus with distinct outcomes. The rich young man went away sad, unwilling to part with his many possessions. In contrast, Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, declared he would give half his wealth to the poor and repay anyone he cheated four times over, leading to Jesus declaring, “Today, salvation has come to this home.”

    Biblically, the “heart” refers to the totality of our being—our mind, emotions, and will. We are called to bring all that we are to God.

    The Bible refers to only one person as “a man after God’s own heart”—David, the King of Israel. Despite his failures, David remained “a man after God’s own heart” due to:

    • Wholehearted Devotion: He was utterly devoted to God, determined to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem and establish proper worship.
    • Genuine Humility: He recognized everything came from God, and his repentance for his sins was profound and sincere.
    • Faithful Trust: He demonstrated complete faith in God, as seen in his encounter with Goliath, declaring “the battle is the Lord’s.”
    • Worship: He was a profound worshiper, pouring out his heart in the Psalms and passionately dancing before the Ark.
    • Kindness: He extended kindness even to his enemies, seeking out Mephibosheth, Saul’s crippled grandson, restoring his inheritance.
    • Generosity: He was generous, giving extensively to the temple project and encouraging his people to give sacrificially.

    Today, Jesus knows our hearts intimately. He is gracious and loving, desiring for us to come to Him and find freedom. Our response might involve a step of faith like tithing, giving more generously, or repentance in a relationship. As we approach communion, we are invited to search our hearts and respond to God’s heart for us, remembering His immense grace and self-sacrifice.

    Reflect:

    1. What “thing” currently seeks to sit on the throne of your heart other than God, and how can you intentionally guard your heart against it?
    2. In what ways do you find yourself storing up “treasures on earth” rather than “treasures in heaven,” and what practical step can you take to shift your focus?
    3. Are you serving God or Mammon? When confronted with a tough choice, where does your true allegiance lie, and how does this make you feel?
    4. How does a “scarcity mindset” manifest in your daily life, and what does it mean for you to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”?
    5. Reflecting on the examples of the rich man, Zacchaeus, and David, what aspect of having “a heart after God’s own heart” do you feel God is calling you to grow in right now (e.g., devotion, humility, trust, generosity)?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that You alone are worthy of the throne of our hearts. Forgive us for allowing other things to distract us. Help us to guard our hearts, store up treasures in heaven, live with generous “eyes,” and seek Your Kingdom first. We pray for a heart like David’s—a heart of wholehearted devotion, genuine humility, faithful trust, fervent worship, deep kindness, and abundant generosity. May Your grace empower us to respond to Your call, finding freedom and wholeness in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

    Watch the sermon on YouTube.