April 23 - BO$$

Read: Matthew 6:22-24

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24 ESV)

Have you ever found yourself facing a tough decision only to realize that money is playing a major factor in how you make that decision? If your life is anything like mine, that happens. Sometimes it can be a horrible feeling.

Jesus cautioned his followers about the deceptive allure of following money as a master. His blunt statement is absolutely true. It is impossible to serve God, and your bank account or bottom line.

Personally, some of my most challenging god-moments have involved money matters. I can't help but feel like this is a direct attempt by God to lead me away from any kind of material idolatry. Those kinds of experiences are not easy. I wish I could say that I have always succeeded. The truth is that I haven't.

However, turning over every aspect of my life to God means giving Him control of my check book too. It means submitting my spending habits, savings plans, and lifestyle choices to His high standards. It can be, and has been daunting. It is a process my wife and I have been intentionally working through over the last couple of years, and it has led to some pretty cool stuff, both in terms of Spiritual and material blessing. We never want anyone to say that we served anything other than God.

11 Lessons College Teaches Beyond the Classroom

I have worked in college ministry for a decade. My wife teaches at the local university. We were talking about things we see people learn in college outside the classroom. There are many many more things that could have made the list, but here are 11 that came to us pretty quickly.

1. No one but you is going to wake your lazy butt up every day.

2. Time is valuable. You can spend it well or waste it worthlessly.

3. Laundry doesn't do itself.

4. You're responsible for your own actions.

5. Some people like you. Some people don't. Sometimes you'll change that. Sometimes you won't.

6. Math is important. Intro to Film is not.

7. Money doesn't grow on trees, puppies, or hubcaps.

8. The Internet lies, especially Social Media.

9. Choices have consequences and the future is real.

10. Friends that tell the truth, even hard truth, are better than friends that don't.

11. There are more important things than homework, but not very many.