Jesus, Me, and an iPod

I bought a nano. So now I can listen to bible teachings and music anywhere. Currently I am listening to the teachings from the Calvary Chapel 2005 Missions Conference held in Murrietta, California last January. Next in line is the 2005 Pastor's Conference. While I use it mostly for teachings, here's some of the songs on my iPod: Deeper by Delirious, the Comfort CD by Calvary Chapel Philadelphia, several songs by Selah, Who Am I by Casting Crowns.

I've learned that it's a worthwhile investment to spend money on my walk with God. I'm obviously not advocating being wasteful. But if $20.00 will buy a CD that has songs that will help me worship the Lord, that's a good buy in my opinion. So I bought an iPod. When it all comes down, the most important thing in life is to spend time developing a deep relationship with the Lord.

I'm trying to help Genesis, our two-year-old, with this as well. I love buying her things. Recently, I was in line to pay for a DVD for her. I had let Genesis hold the DVD and she starting unwrapping it. A friend of ours who was in front of us in line took the DVD and proceeded to hand it to the cashier. Before I knew what was happening, our friend had paid for the DVD, it was bagged and in my hand. This friend of ours was making an investment in the spiritual life of our daughter. This is a great point - let's spend money on other people's relationship with the Lord as well.

Generosity is the way of the Kingdom. A pastor friend of mine took me to a Christian bookstore one time and helped me pick out a bunch of CD's and paid for them. That's the Jesus style. There is so much freedom in being generous. In fact, the wise apostle Paul writes, "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." All of 2 Corinthians 9 teaches us to be generous.