MONEY THE ROOT OF ALL....

Well, there's several ways to finish this quote.... The Bible tells us that money is the root of all evil...? No, it really tells us that: "(1 Tim 6:10 KJV) "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Most people will quickly say that they don't love money. They want plenty of it so they can buy what really makes them happy. (Often the happiness is short lived...)

Christmas is a time when most people would like to have a lot of money. Then we could buy a lot of happiness for those we love, and also have what we want. This time of year Charles Dickens Christmas Carol is played a lot on TV. It shows the evil of loving money and the joy of giving it away.

Charles Dickens wrote: "I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,C. D. December, 1843.

(He was 31 years old at the time.)

If “the love of money can be the root of all evil,” it’s also true that money given by those who love God and put him first, can be the seed of every kind of good. It’s true value according to Jesus is infinite because it keeps on multiplying itself.

Looking back over our ministry we have been blessed to be the leaders of some very large projects. We’ve preached and sang to thousands at a time. On other occasions we ministered to small groups of just a few dozen. We've put together a medical team and treated the poor in the Amazon Jungle until we ran out of medicine. ($40,000.00 worth) Yet, all through our ministry we have taken the time to lead a single individual to Jesus.

We understood many years ago that this is the exact method and kind of ministry our Lord had. He was just as much at home with the 5,000 as he was with a single woman of poor character at Jacobs well. Everything is important to God.

Soon Maggie and I will have been married and working for the Lord together for 58 years. We decided in the beginning of our ministry that we would never ask for money, but just take what God provided for us. It's been a wonderful way to live. We have given away several hundred thousand dollars, and still give away what God places in our hands. The bank of heaven has never been robbed and so our future is secure.

In everything we’ve done there have been many thousands of unsung, and unknown hero’s of the faith who have provided the money for us to do what God called us to do. God is keeping a record, and he will never forget their faithful contributions. On the last and final day, when God rewards those who were obedient we will all stand together, we will hear his— “well done, you good and faithful servants enter into the joys of the Lord.”

My daughter Debbie Jansen and our Son-in-law Ron has followed in our footsteps and are kind and generous people. They have passed that wonderful quality to our grandchildren. Amie, Jamie and Kenny are kind and generous people. We are of course good to one another and that's a blessing.

The kindness shows up outside our family. For years they have had a family tradition of going to areas where the Salvation Army volunteers are ringing their bells and collecting money for the poor. The whole family buys hamburgers, hot coffee and takes it to the grateful volunteers. This is just one of the many caring projects they enjoy doing.

Wow! That's what I would call random acts of kindness. Everyone gets to feel good.