Bible Verse
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Here, you’ll know & learn:
・Verse Context
・Key Words
・References from Other Verses of the Bible
・Main Message
・How to Apply this Verse in Your Life
・How to Further Study the Verse
Money has a way of keeping us up at night, doesn't it? Those quiet moments when we check our retirement accounts, wondering if we're doing enough to prepare for tomorrow. The numbers stare back at us, sometimes bringing comfort, other times stirring anxiety. But lately, there's been this gentle nudge to look deeper - to question whether our careful planning might actually reveal something about where we place our deepest trust. The story of Barnabas in Acts challenges the way we think about security and provision. What would it look like if we approached our finances the way he did - with hands wide open and a heart fully trusting?
Short Devotional
You know what’s amazing about the early church? It wasn't just that they shared everything - it was the incredible peace they seemed to have about it. Picture Barnabas walking up to his field one last time, perhaps running his hands through the soil before heading off to sell it. He wasn't just making a donation - he was making a declaration about what he believed about God and His family. The whole community had this beautiful understanding that everything belonged to God anyway, and they were just stewarding it for Him.
But here's what is really fascinating about Barnabas - he must have known that selling his field meant letting go of his personal safety net. Yet he trusted so completely that God's family would be there if he ever faced need himself. He hadn't read any retirement planning books or calculated his needed nest egg. Instead, he had discovered something far more valuable - that real security isn't found in what we can accumulate but in whose hands we place our future. Sometimes we need to ask ourselves: are we planning from a place of wisdom, or are we planning from a place of worry?
Read more about Barnabas's story in Acts 4:32-37 and Acts 9:26-27.
Let's Pray
Father in heaven,
As I sit quietly in Your presence, help me see my resources through Your eyes. The words of Jesus echo in my heart: "Life is not measured by how much you own." Yet I confess that so often, I find myself measuring my security by the numbers in my accounts.
Lord, when I look at my retirement planning, help me examine the motivations of my heart. Am I storing up treasures because I don't truly trust You'll provide? Have I replaced faith in Your faithfulness with faith in my financial strategies? Show me where fear might be driving my decisions more than wisdom.
Thank You for the example of believers like Barnabas, who demonstrated such beautiful trust in Your provision through community. Thank You that You've always been faithful to meet my needs, even when the path looked different than I expected.
Give me wisdom to find the balance between responsible planning and radical trust. Help me hold my resources with open hands, ready to be a channel of Your blessing to others. Show me practical ways to invest in Your kingdom while still being a good steward of what You've entrusted to me.
Guide me in building deeper connections within my church family, so we can support one another as You intended. Let my financial choices reflect complete confidence in Your care, whether through my own savings or through the beautiful way You provide through Your people.
In Jesus' name, I trust You with my today and my tomorrow.
Amen.
Journaling Prompts
Draw two circles: one representing your current financial priorities and another showing what priorities aligned with Luke 12:15 might look like - what differences do you notice?
What fears or concerns hold you back from trusting God's provision through His people more fully?
What emotions surface when you imagine selling a major asset to help others in need, as Barnabas did?
You know, these aren't easy questions we're wrestling with. Every time we look at our bank accounts or review our retirement plans, we might feel that tension between prudent planning and radical trust. But isn't it encouraging to know we're not alone in this? Every believer throughout history has had to figure out what it means to trust God with their tomorrow.
Some days, it might mean holding steady with our current plans. Other days, it might mean taking a step of faith that makes our financial advisors nervous. But here's what we know for sure - God is faithful, and His provision often looks far more beautiful than anything we could have planned ourselves. Next time, we'll dig into some practical ways to live this out together. Until then, let's keep our eyes open for ways God might be inviting us to trust Him more deeply with our finances and our future.
Until next time,
May the Lord Bless you and keep you;
May He make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you and give you peace
God Bless!
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