False sense of entitlement

You've thought it when you passed the guy or girl driving the car of your dreams, "I deserve that." (for me it's a four door jeep---it's not personal but I don't like you if you have one:-) Or to quote Alanis Morissett in her song Ironic "It's when you meet the man of your dreams and then you meet his beautiful wife"... you think "I deserve that." (I dated myself with that one) It's when the person at work gets the job promotion and you know they cut corners you think "I deserve that."

False entitlement is a dangerous and infectious disease. It will leave you bitter, disillusioned and ungrateful. I think it is 0ne of the top reasons people are upset with God and give up on church, God's "religious franchise." (as some of them describe it)

The problem comes in when we begin to expect something from God that he never promised. It happened to the hired workers in Matthew 20. They were upset when the people that worked less time got paid an equal amount of money. "That's not fair...we deserve more", they complained. Jesus response was simple and direct. I gave you what I promised. Essentially they were upset that he didn't provide something he never promised. If I was God (and we are all glad I'm not) that would be totally frustrating!

So drill down in your own life. Just one moment of brutal honesty. If you are frustrated with God, disillusioned, given up on church, feeling He has been unfair in some arena of your life...here is the question you need to wrestle with. Are you mad, frustrated, disillusioned over something God never promised? It's a valid and possibly freeing question, if answered honestly.

Don't forget...the simple fact that you drive a car, or have a three meals a day or drink clean water, makes you rich in the world's economy! Only 8% of the people in the world even have a car. Somewhere around 800 million people won't eat a single meal today. Somewhere around 1 billion people don't even have access to clean drinking water. So if there is any one who has a valid claim to "that's not fair"---it probably isn't us. Truth told, we don't deserve the abundant wealth that God had allows us to enjoy. We are blessed beyond measure. I am passionate about mobilizing followers of Jesus to pay that wealth and blessing forward! (Click Here for more)

False entitlement is a dangerous and infectious disease. "I deserve...is a dangerous path to allow your thoughts to follow." Just a thought. Hope to see you this weekend at Ridge Church.