Author: C.A. Phillips

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:18-25 (ESV)

MISPLACED HOPE

It’s so easy to read the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18 with an air of superiority and self-righteousness. I’ve caught myself judging this Pharisee, wondering how he can be so blind to what Jesus has to offer. And, then I come to a harsh and painful realization: I am just like him.

Most of us would likely agree that Jesus offers more than we could ever hope for, and infinitely more than we deserve. Yet, we are still lured by worldly treasures and prefer to engage in perception management (fooling others into believing something about us) rather than being ALL IN on God’s agenda.

This man was all about “checking the box.” He was so confident that he had followed the Ten Commandments to a tee; ironically, he was oblivious to the fact he hadn’t made it past the First one: “You shall have no other gods before me.” And yet, something still prompted him to ask Jesus how he could find eternal life.

Jesus shares with him the key to finding true joy: by removing the barrier to discovering True Life – i.e., selling all his possessions, giving them to the poor, and following Him! The man walks away dejected, hoping there would be a way he could hold onto all he had – all that had a hold on him – and still find salvation. But Jesus says it’s not possible:

“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 6:24-26 (ESV)

How about you? What are you holding onto that has its talons gripping you even more firmly? What do you need to surrender to discover God’s best? When heaven becomes your focus, earthly riches will loosen their grip on your heart!

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Luke 12:15 (NLT)

THE FOOL’S AMBITION

On Tuesday, I shared some sobering statistics about the self-storage industry in the United States. What you may not have realized is that the self-storage industry has existed for more than 2,000 years!

On one occasion, the crowds had begun pressing in as Jesus was teaching. A man in the crowd implored Jesus to tell his brother to divide his inheritance with him. Jesus responded as he often did – with a parable. He shared the story of a wealthy man whose land had produced an incredible harvest. The man wondered what he should do because he didn’t have the space to store all his crops. So, he devised a plan:

“Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ Luke 12:18-19 (NLT)

What a novel idea! I’ll build bigger storehouses for all my stuff! I’ll have it made, and I can party like it’s 1999!”

How did the Lord respond to this man’s plan?

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (v. 20-21 ESV)

This is a warning you and I need to heed! God always provides enough for us, but we often desire more. And there are times when God blesses us far above even our desires – and it is in these moments our hearts are put to the test! Will we look for ways to bless others, or will we search for ways to stockpile our riches?

I don’t ever want God to call me a fool! Let’s keep our hearts tender and be on the lookout for ways we keep our focus on building a firm foundation on Christ.

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.

James 5:2-3 (NLT)

TREASURES IN HEAVEN

There have been a couple times during our marriage when Amy and I rented a temporary self-storage unit. Both times, we had put our home on the market, and we needed to stage it to make a more positive impression upon potential buyers. In other words, we needed to de-clutter and “open it up” a bit more.

What you may not realize is how vast the self-storage industry has become in the U.S. These numbers are astonishing:

• There are now more than 1.7 billion square feet of self-storage space in the U.S. (as of 2022)
• Another 53 million square feet of self-storage space is being added to that figure in 2023
• 1 in 5 Americans currently use self-storage

Yesterday, we talked about contentment. Well, this is a further indictment on this same subject. We think more will satisfy, but it simply doesn’t.

Even 2,000 years ago, long before Beverly Hills, Lamborghini, and Rolex – Jesus knew the pitfalls of accumulating worldly riches:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

Even if we’re not bound to be featured on an upcoming episode of Hoarders, you and I can likely do better at heeding Jesus’ sage advice. Here are some questions for us to ponder today, as we wrestle with the tension we create in our own minds of “Not Having Enough vs. Having More Than Enough.”

• What do you think Jesus means by “Treasure in Heaven”?
• What’s one step you can take personally to begin to build up treasure in heaven?

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

James 5:1 (NLT)

CONTENTMENT: SATISFIED WITH WHAT I ALREADY HAVE

Through the years, I have taken many a personality assessment: Meyers-Briggs, DISC, True Colors, and the one you have likely heard about in recent years, Enneagram. In short, I am an Enneagram 1: Perfectionist. I like to control the outcome and plan ahead. While this can be advantageous when planning a vacation, it can be detrimental if I place my heart’s focus on the wrong things.

For example, if I have my sights set on the perfect outcome (in any situation) and try to control and manipulate all the variables at the expense of someone else, I’ve not only caused damage to another person; I’ve damaged my relationships, as well as my witness. I can easily lose sight of the bigger picture if I am determined to find a more comfortable path for myself.

James is imploring his audience – the wealthy landowners and businesspeople of his day – to stop putting their hope in material possessions, which they accumulated by cheating workers out of fair wages. James isn’t just talking about earthly troubles that await these people; he is referring to God’s final judgment – the true misery that awaits those who put their faith and hope in anything other than Jesus Christ!

It’s no easier today to cease putting our hope into material possessions. Digital media and social media have compounded this problem, making it far easier to compare ourselves to others.

Essentially, this is about contentment. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Caesarea Philippi, wrote, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Today, instead of thinking about all the ways your life could be better with a newer/better ______, meditate on the blessings God has already provided. Like Paul, you very well may realize the Giver far outshines the gift!

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Draw Near To God (James 4:8-10)

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.— James 4:8-10

Today, we continue our journey word by word, verse by verse through the book of James. The Bible is God’s written word to us, so we believe that every word matters and has a bearing on our lives!

James 3:9-12 speaks to the inconsistency of the tongue. The same tongues blesses and curses. This incongruence should not be! James goes on to make use of illustrations from nature to make his point.

The Cure For Conflict (James 4:7)

7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. — James 4:7

Today, we continue our journey word by word, verse by verse through the book of James. The Bible is God’s written word to us, so we believe that every word matters and has a bearing on our lives!

James 3:9-12 speaks to the inconsistency of the tongue. The same tongues blesses and curses. This incongruence should not be! James goes on to make use of illustrations from nature to make his point.