It’s All in Your Mind

b. Third, his life was totally materialistic. Verse thirty says, "(Jt,¥. «11 iluJ£. ihimµ.. [food, shelter, clothing] di,. du no1i.Mu o/ flu WNl.d H£k a/Jo.... ,, Now, on the basis of our study, a believer is considered only in the light of the world, and no better than the world, if he is constantly concerned with material things. We as believers have been caught up in the world's rat race of jobs, prestige, money, home, and all the other things that are so earthly nice. You see, as verse thirty continues, "•..,pm,. / ,al.ho luwm.nlt tlud ,µ. lu11u n.ttd o/- lhue !hintµ." What produces a doubtful mind in a believer? Selfishness-self centeredness-materialism. Verse thirty-two says, "(lw.,. ~ lllfk /Juk.,, How do you get rid of a doubtful mind? Well, Christ was a little harsh. The formula is probably unacceptable to us today. Verse thirty-three says, "&IL IJud ,µ. ~ mul gi.M.... " The answer to the fool who believed in his eternal soul was to sell and give, not keep and hoard. Was the Lord telling the disciples to sell? Some of them could have had material possessions. What about Matthew? Doubtful, anxious. Christian minds are tied to material concerns. You can analyze this in your own life. As recorded in Matthew 14:29-30, when Peter looked at the material elements, having begun to walk on the water toward Christ, he began to sink. The Lord said, "Peter, why are ye so doubtful? You became anxious, Peter. rou looked at the material world and said, •1 shouldn't be walking on water,' and you weren't." Christians have a choice; to live as fools, rich toward the world and poor toward God with anxious, doubtful minds, or rich toward God, great in faith with stable minds. Most worry and anxiety is founded on material concerns. Most Christians are concerned with the same things as the world: house, food, clothing, pleasures. It takes some sacrifice to be able to say to the world, "I don't need all the material things and pleasures. I am trying to do more for Christ." 28 r