Smart Investments

	What would you consider a smart investment? Maybe holding a few shares in Sun Oil Company, or maybe some stock in a big drug company. If you look in the business section of any daily newspaper you will see hundreds and thousands of stock reports on people's investments. They took into consideration a lot of aspects of the investment and what it would return over a certain time period. Many people have got a lot of money back from 'smart investing'. Bill Gates is one of today's biggest success stories--or is he? Bill Gates is most certainly NOT a success story at all for his investing. First of all, what can you possibly obtain by having wealth in material things? Psalm 49:6 says, "Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!" Wealth on this earth is counted as nothing in the Kingdom of God. We were brought into this world naked and with no earthly possessions and will leave the same way. So what then, if not to invest in earthly treasures and what the world calls a 'smart investment'?
	To spend time listening to someone who needs or wants to talk. To do something for someone out of divine love and looking for nothing in return. To be an anonymous donor of something that someone really needs or just to give secretly to those in need. For Jesus says in Matthew 6:3-4, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Imagine that, giving so that only God knows what we have given. What a place to be spiritually to be content with only God knowing of our generosity. The human heart would want some kind of thanks or praise from the recipient or some respect from someone who found out what we gave. But Jesus tells us to "Not let one hand see what the other does". 
	The rewards for spending time with a person whether young or old are guaranteed to beat any returns ever made in the stock market. It is like you are investing time into a person's life and then later on in life the rewards are evident and that person is grateful that you took the time. Sometime it is not even investing time in a person, it could just be investing your money in things that honor God. Or giving to obey the scriptures is a great way to invest your money. Mark 10:29 "29“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life". That means that if we give up money or things in this life to obey scripture we will be blessed so much more in this life and also in the life to come, eternal life!  We remember what happened when the widow of Zarephath obeyed scripture and invested her only food as Elijah told her to do. She gave up her only food just as Elijah had told her to do and when her son became ill and died, Elijah took him by the hand and prayed and God brought her son back to life. It was an investment of the only thing she had left and she had faith that God would supply just as Elijah told her that He would. In Mark 12 the widow gives two pennies, she gave all she had and what a step of faith that was. To have no means of income and give all she had. Back then they didn't have food stamps or Access cards, she had to depend on God and His promise to supply for the next days needs. "Give us 'this day' our daily bread" we pray and she prayed that same prayer in faith when she gave all she had. "What if I gave all?" the song says, well what if? A little giving goes a long way when done in a truly Christ like humble spirit. 
	The repercussions of not investing time in a child's life follow them their whole life. It may seem that a kid doesn't want you involved in their life. Whether they don't talk much or tell you much about what they do or where they go. Or if they just seem like they don't need you in their life anymore. No matter what the feeling you get from them about how much they don't want you around, they DO!! They do want you to be there and to be involved, they want you to ask questions. It is a pride thing for both parents and children sometime that they cannot sit down and just open up to each other. And more important than anything else,, be honest with the kids, even if you do tell them your short comings in your life, it is a great opportunity to discuss and say, "I've been there too". A mother and her song were in counseling because the son had a DWI. The mother and the counselor were talking to the kid and he got enough and turned to his mother and said, "What, mom, didn't you ever drink and drive?!" She replied, "No, son".. When the honest truth was that yes she had several DWIs in her life. If only she had said "yes, son" and connected and related and said, "I've been there". It would have been a great opportunity to talk and connect and relate and comfort her son..instead she chose to be the "I've never done wrong parent". And we know that the "I've never done wrong parent" doesn't exist. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, and we all screw up sometime! Admit it to your kids and you will be a more approachable person not some high and righteous person who kids don't feel like they will ever measure up to what you make yourself out to be !! 
	Part of investing in a child's future is staying with the person that you chose to marry! God hates divorce! Malachi 2:16 16“I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel.." If you have ever thought of divorce or are considering it, you would obviously have to disregard God's word on the matter. But if you chose to leave God out, that is your choice. But, one more step, before you divorce, hold your five year old daughter in your arms and tell her that you are leaving her mom and her and never coming back. If you can do that with a straight face and a clear conscience then you have more problems that just the divorce. My point is that you took a step, and made a promise to God and to another person. Now to break the promise will have horrible effects on innocent children and you would be doing it for your own aspirations without the well being of the children in mind. Mark 10:9 "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." That is pretty clear to me! 
	How about when you are driving or walking and someone asks you for some money? Do you take the time to invest in their life? They may look like the scum of the street or just down and out, but did you ever think to take the time to sit down and talk to them about Jesus. Ask them, "Did you know that Jesus loves you?" share God's love and mercy with them, and of course give them the money they asked for. Think of what a little bit of your time could do in a lost person's life. Just because you took the time to invest a few minutes in asking the most important question of any, "Did you know Jesus loves you?". It could open up the way to share the gospel message and then your investment could pay off when you see them in Heaven. And think about it, we are 'representatives' for Christ. We are to act, talk, walk, etc. like Christ, and we know from the Bible that he hung out with what we would tend to call, the scum of the street.. or at least 'un-favorable' people. In Luke 5, the Pharisees asked the disciples why Jesus ate and drank with the tax collectors and 'sinners'. But Jesus told them that its not the healthy who need a doctor,, but the sick.. that He did not come to call the righteous to repentance.. but the sinners. We need to share Christ's love with what we like to call the 'low lifes' instead of turning the other way. If a person is asking for money, no matter what we know or think they will do with it. We are told in the Bible to give it cheerfully and we will be blessed. Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." 
	Another aspect of investing in a young person that may be overlooked or thought of as 'un-important', is what they are interested in or their hobbies. The interests of a young person or child are obviously what is important to them. And for you to take an interest in what they like would mean the world to them. It would be like adding fuel to a dieing fire, your show of interest just gives that person such a boost it can't be described. It gives them the opportunity to be doing it and getting complimented for their work or for there interest in something. Even if you don't care for what they are doing, maybe no one does. But if that is the case then think of who that person could talk to about their hobbies or interests, no one. That person could be you though, if you would just take the time to make an impact in their life. It is time that we stopped being so self centered and thinking about what is best for us and start thinking how can I make a difference in someone's life?
	All day every day, whether we are at work, school, or where ever, we think. Our minds are thinking and we dwell on things whether good or bad. That is another thing we need to have a smart investment in, what we think about. We need to think about the things of the Lord instead of the things of the world. Think about the ways we can give or help instead of the ways that we can get and stock pile. Our thoughts should be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and if they are we will think about things that are good. Praying when we get up and all day long keeping in touch with God through prayer. A prayer should be on our lips all day long, whether in song or praying to God. But when we pray, think how often we are always asking God for something or pleading. How often do we kneel down to pray and just tell God how awesome He is, just praying to exalt God !! Prayer is a good investment because everything we do has to be done through and with the approval of the Holy Spirit. But better than I can say it is Philippians 4:8 "8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." It can't be said any better than that, straight out of scripture! Thinking about such things forms our minds in a Godly way so that we are constantly thinking of the things of God we become a person of God. Be careful of the words you say, even if just in jest, it will eventually affect the way you think. Investing in good language is a very good investment because Jesus said in Luke 6:45 "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks". So if we are speaking in bad language or hating on someone, that is really our heart. We cannot hide our heart if we have a mouth that gives it away. 
	Galatians 6:7-10 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." That pretty much sums it up, forget the New York Times, forget the Wall Street Journal, who needs them when we have Galatians 6 to give it better than they ever could? A man reaps what he sows. That is how we are to invest right there, sow seeds of peace you will live in peace, sow seeds of torment and trouble, you will be sure to reap trouble and torment. God cannot be mocked, you cannot escape the harvest of what you planted. We are told to do god to all people while we still have the opportunity, not sit at home and do nothing. Be in prayer to see where God wants to use a willing heart, and be a willing heart. Ask the Lord to give you an open mind and heart to accept what He is telling you and do what He wants you to do. Our whole life from the age of accountability to the day we leave this earth must be investing in something for the Kingdom of God. No, not to gain Heaven by what we do, but to do it out of divine love for other people. "Love your neighbor as yourself", sound familiar? It should, it is a Bible command found in Leviticus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Romans, Galatians, and James. In Matthew 22 "Love the Lord your God, and Love your neighbor" are the first two commandments and Jesus said that "All of the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments". Galatians 5:14 says that "the entire law is summed up in this single command "Love your neighbor as yourself"'. So loving your neighbor and investing time and energy and money in someone else’s interest is not to gain anything but done out of the kindness of our hearts and to obey scripture. We love God and we are ever grateful for what Christ did for us on the cross, our gratitude overwhelms us and cannot be put into words, and for that reason we obey scripture. We love our neighbor and do good to those who curse us. Jesus said, "If you love me you will do what I command" John 14:15. Do we love Him, of course we do, so we have only one option to prove it, it is to "Do what I command". It is out of obedience to gain favor with God, for that is impossible, He already loves us and would die for us, as a matter of fact, He already did. He died on the cross because He loved us that much. Now it's time we invested in someone's life so that they can someday see the Kingdom of God. Our interest could be the thing that they needed to keep them from slipping off the edge into despair. We need to give them a chance again and again. As many as they need in fact. Just think, how many chances did God give you before he said, "Nope, you're done, no more chances". Well you cannot answer because He still says, I will give you chance after chance after chance until my Son returns. We need to do the same, give them chance after chance until we have no time on earth left. It is investing for the Kingdom of God and it is what we are called to do in some way or another. 
	Do you know what the biggest advantage to investing in Godly things is as opposed to the world? We do not have to hope the market does well, or hope that there are no catastrophes or anything. We have a promise in scripture that our investments will have good returns every time. And that our best investment return of all will be Eternal Life on High with Jesus Christ. Galatians 6 tells us that. "A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Notice it says "if we do not give up" that means that we have to continue to have faith in Christ and continue making 'smart investments' in the Kingdom. God calls us to be good stewards of everything we have, time, talents, money, skills, etc. 
	Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Notice the words “put it into practice”. Do not be afraid to do something for the Kingdom of God. Many may tell you that you cannot because you are depending on works for something, but be sure that in your heart you are not trying to obtain anything by the good things that you do, but just doing them out of the kindness of you heart in an act of gratitude to your Heavenly Father. 

That’s my thoughts, Thanks!                                                               9-17-03
	JF