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I was asked this question by a dear brother the other day:  How do I bring glory to God when I buy things for myself that are more luxuries than necessities?
Here's my response...what are your thoughts?
Brother, I don't want you to think I have been avoiding answering your question. It is such a profound one that I wanted to take a couple of days to pray, think and search scripture to formulate my response. After all of that I know my response will be inadequate.

One thing that I know is never inadequate is the power of God's word to pierce the heart and by the working of the Holy Spirit to bring us to right understanding. So consider these parts of scripture as they may relate to your question:

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:17

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:6-11

Here's my point, I do not see anywhere in scripture where obtaining luxuries for the sake of obtaining them ever glorifies God. It seems the opposite is true in the sense that the man obtaining those "things" is glorified in his own eyes. Does that make sense?

What we have to be careful of as "American Christians" is that we do not confuse our need to have certain things with our ability to obtain other things. To use your example, we need to wear clothes. Purchasing a pair of jeans can be an opportunity to glorify God in that we can purchase an adequate pair of jeans that may not be "in fashion" knowing that the money we saved in doing so can be used to help someone in need, support the mission of the Church, etc.

I am sure my response has left you wondering why you asked me and questioning my ability to answer a question at all. I am sorry for that. One thing I am thankful for and I praise God for is your desire to think through your faith, your relationship with the Lord, and your love for Him!

In all things, Soli Deo Gloria!

I received the following email from a friend this morning and it hit me between the eyes.  Take a read:

Do People Bore You?
May 10, 2008  |  By: John Piper
Category: Commentary

I'm working on a book on the new birth. The final chapter is designed to give encouragements for personal evangelism. I just added a quote by C. S. Lewis that I love. Here's the whole section to help you move toward people:

Find People Interesting

Be encouraged that simply finding people interesting and caring about them is a beautiful pathway into their heart. Evangelism gets a bad reputation when we are not really interested in people and don't seem to care about them. People really are interesting. The person you are talking to is an amazing creation of God with a thousand interesting experiences. Remember the words of C. S. Lewis:

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. (The Weight of Glory, 14-15)

Yet, most of us don't think this way. The gods bore us and we return to our video games. Very few people are interested in others. If you really find their story interesting, and care about them, they may open up to you and want to hear your story—Christ's story.

It is estimated that on average 1,202,000 abortions are performed monthly worldwide. Some studies show there are approximately 2 million gay men living in the United States and almost 1 million lesbians (I think that estimate is probably low). One study showed that on June 30, 2006 there were 2,245,189 prisoners held in Federal or State prisons or in local jails in the US.

So what?

Here’s my question: As Christians, are we really willing to love these people? Are we willing to hold the mother who just aborted her child against our chest while she sobs? Will we put our arm over the shoulder of a man who has lived so many years in the confusion of homosexuality and show him Christ love? Can we look with compassion into the eyes of a murderer and say “God loves you and still wants you to be His.”?

There is a popular saying, “Hate the sin but love the sinner.” Exactly! This is what I’m saying. The problem as I see it is too often we hate both. It is almost as if we say “God loves you, but that does not mean I have to.”

Come on Christians!

It haunts me to think where I would be heading if Christ would have said that about me: “Mike, my Father loves you, but I can’t. I can’t love someone who has been addicted to pornography and cigarettes. So I won’t endure Calvary for you.”

So you do not think I am on a soapbox here, let me share something with you. I’m writing this for me as much as anyone. There are many homeless who have been passed with a judgmental look from me. For years I have thought of mothers who would have an abortion as unforgivable murderers. If all of the stones I have thrown were tossed back at me, I would be crushed beneath their weight.

John 3:16 begins, “For God so LOVED the world…” At that moment in history, with His creation having built a wrap sheet filled with evil and vile; knowing that His Son would be spat upon and crucified, God still LOVED the world. Let’s do the same Christians. Let’s Love. We know Our Father will judge each and every man, woman and child He has ever created. Let us be about the business of bringing more in to that Saving Relationship with Him through the reflection of His Love in us.