I Want Everything! Well ... Almost!

I am a huge Barbara Streisand fan (yes, crooked long nose and all!). I have a lot of her music and I have seen all of her movies. The one movie that I love the most is the remake of a 1954 movie called "A Star Is Born." In the film she stars as a singer in a bar with a couple of backup singers and Kris Kristofferson is a singer on top of the world singing to millions around the world. They meet one night and began a romance while watching his career spiral downward in an out of control manner, all the while pushing hers upward to new heights.

During the movie she sings a song called "Everything." In the lyrics she lists what all she would like to do in her life. And for the most part, she isn't talking about material things. She is talking about things that she wants to accomplish, one being a "cure for the traffic jams." (Amen sister, if you've ever been down I-85 at Pelham Road about 4pm, you'd understand how wonderful that would be!)
My question to you is ... Do you want Everything? Our minds always go to the materialistic side of that equation. Or do you even "want" anymore?
Our country is going through some terrible times right now. There is so much uncertainty about the financial state of our economy. Stock market is having terrible losses, the price of gold which has been steadily climbing lost ground even. People are worried about whether they will be able to continue their style of life that they currently enjoy.
For them I say think on the words of the song that I mentioned above:

I want to learn what life is for
I don't want much, I just want more
Ask what I want and I will sing
I want everything (everything)
I'd cure the cold and the traffic jam
If there were floods, I'd give a darn (edited)
I'd never sleep, I'd only sing
Let me do everything (everything)
I'd like to plan a city, play the cello
Play at Monte Carlo, play Othello
Move into the White House, paint it yellow
Speak Portuguese and Deutch
And if it's not too much
I'd like to have the perfect twin
And who'd go out as I come in
I've got to grab the big brass ring
So I'll have everything (everything)
I'm like o child who's set free
At the fun fair
Every ride invites me and it's unfair
Saying that I only get my one share
Doesn't seem just
I could live as I must
If they'd give me the time to turn the tide
Give me the truth if once I lied
Give me the man Who's gonna bringMore of everything
Then I'll have everything
Everything

Notice the line above that is in bold. "Give me the man who's gonna bring, more of everything." We already have "the man" among us. God came to earth to live as a man. He brought us more than we could have imagined. We have so many books in the bible in the Old Testament, yet look at how much knowledge we can glean from just the 4 gospels that cover the life of Jesus. God gave us dominion over all of the world in the book of Genesis when man was first created. It is us who have given it back. It is us who have decided we can't, when we can. They say we use 10 percent of our brain's capacity. Start to use what God gave you. Start to want everything that God has in store for us. But you have to believe in God, love God, live for God so that you will receive what God has for you. Then we can have everything!

(11) There is a special fund-raiser for a new septic tank.

(11) There is a special fund-raiser for a new septic tank.

In many churches I think the septic tank has stopped up, for you’ll never find more poop (figuratively) in some septic tanks than what is floating about the congregation. But I’m not going to dwell on that subject for the moment.

Instead I want to talk about why the church is having a need for a special fund-raiser for a new septic system.

Too many times we live day to day on what we receive for an income. We make no effort to save anything for “a rainy day.” We choose to spend too much on too many things that we don’t have to have. Many people will argue that they have to have the many things. After going through a divorce, I had to redirect my finances, so I cut out a lot of things. I ate out less. I turned the cable tv off. I went back to “dial-up” for my internet – ¼ of the price of broadband and it taught me patience. We are a society of “I want it now!” and that has hurt us in many ways. Why don’t we want God with that much urgency? If only we did.

Two other problems arise from the above situation.

(1) Tithing is not an option. It is required. You say you don’t make much money. Then 10 percent won’t be a big sum to give! Sit at home for one weekend a month and spend time with the family watching TV, movies, playing board games. A family of four can spend $100 easily on a night of dining out and movies in the US. If you find yourself indulging in this more than once a month, consider giving it up and giving that $100 to the church. If you already tithe, this is your “offering.”

(2) Churches get in an “I’m scared to spend money” situation, especially in a tough economy. Finance committees worry about the money coming in from tithing to pay expenses, let alone repairs. So if they do have any extra, they won’t spend it. I agree that some should be kept back for emergencies, but if you truly trust God, don’t hoard years of expenses away in the bank. Be reasonable. God gave you all of that excess that you refuse to let go of now, don’t you think He can give you that much and even more when you need it again. Be smart, don’t be stupid with His money. Trust in God to provide what you need now, use what He has already given you, and make sure that you aren’t asking God for something while you aren’t giving to Him either.