The Cure

A terrible disease has been sweeping the nation - and the world. It's affluenza. And like I said in my previous post, it's a disease that God hates, and it strikes the most u8nexpecting victims. What exactly is affluenza? It is derived from the words influenza and affluence. You're probably familiar with influenza, but possibly not affluence, which means "an abundance of material wealth and possessions." Affluence itself is not a disease in itself; but when it becomes dissatisfaction and a constant desire for more, that's when it becomes sin. It doesn't just end with a want for more possessions, however; affluenza is the whole sense of entitlement to comfort, luxury and convenience.

Why is this? Why can't "enough" be "enough?" Maybe it's because our perspective is distorted. If we actually set our minds on things above, not on earthly things, our personal comfort will have little value to us. Ouch! That is convicting for me! In a world that feeds us lies and tells us that we need more, it's hard to live a life focused on storing up treasures in heaven! That's why we need the cure. You guessed it! Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that we are dead when we are living for our own pleasure. Jesus wants to be our sole satisfaction. As John Piper said in his book, Don't Waste Your Life, "[God] is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" (36). I will ask you a question that always convicts me: Am I satisfied in Jesus? If He asked me to give up everything I have, could I do it? glorified

"Jesus Christ reveals Himself to those who follow in His steps. He draws near to those who build their entire lives around His pattern. If we feel far away from Him, it is very likely that we aren't truly building our entire existence around Him; that we are living far more for self than for the glory of His name....The moment that we actually deny our self, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus Christ...is the moment we are surrounded with the power and presence of His Spirit - not just every once and a while, but every moment of every day" (Leslie Ludy from Set-Apart Femininity, 68-69).

For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. (Psalm 107:9.)



When Jesus is our All-in-All, we don't need anything else. Is He your All-in-All? Is He more than enough?

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.)

Teenage Disease is Spreading Fast

All over the world, people are being diagnosed with a terrible disease. Although anyone is susceptible to this disease, teens seem to be the most contagious. This disease has spread worldwide, but the most cases have been reported in the wealthier countries of the world, such as the United Sates, Australia, Europe, and many more. Experts are now calling this disease affluenza. You may not have heard of it before. However, the chances are that you already have it!!! Not sure? Watch this video and see if you can identify with any of the symptoms.



Affluenza - a feeling of dissatisfaction, anxiety, etc, caused by the dogged and ongoing pursuit of more.

Have you been infected?

Wow. I don't know about you, but I am definitely guilty of breeding "affluenza" in my own life. How can any of us ever think that we've got it tough, that life isn't fair? After seeing a video like that, my little, every-day complaints appear as the awful sins that they really are.

If you have not read Francis Chan's Crazy Love, then I highly recommend that you do! These facts about our wealth are taken from his book:

If one hundred people represented the world's population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4,000 a month, you automatically make more than the average person on this planet?

I can't tell you how often I've thought that I actually need something. Need something. Not only that, but so often I find myself discontent with the possessions I have. I hate to think of what God feels about this sin. Don't you think He just wants to spit us out of His mouth??? I cannot imagine the kind of disgust He has towards my ungratefulness.

We need to wake up and see that we are blessed. Abundantly blessed! Why do you think God has put you where you are with what you have? Do you think maybe it could be because He wants us to use our blessings to provide for the needs of others, for those who have nothing? We are supposed to love those people just as much as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:39).

I want to see God's blessings in a new way. I want to stop complaining. I want to be known as a giver, not a taker.

I want to do something.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a side note, I want to mention a few ways that you can do something:

Check out  Jumps 4 Joy where the goal this year is to raise enough money to build  two wells in 3rd world countries.
Or check out  Teens 4 orphans where the goal is to raise funds to build an orphanage in Myanmar.
You also have to see Do: Living Water, a project that is working to raise $25,000 dollars for clean wells in the Congo.

Each of these organizations were started by teens!!!