Monday, January 17, 2005

Re: About Prosperity

 
What kind of father wants to see His kids begging for bread, without clothes or shelter?

If we are led by his Spirit we feed the poor, cloth them and shelter them.  

  (Joseph of Arimathaea was rich.  Matt 27:57 and I believe that most of His apostles were men of wealth.  Abram was wealthy also.  They all had one thing in common...they loved God more than they loved their wealth.)  

They used their wealth for the Lord. Abraham was called out of the world to a city of God, he walked in faith.   Joseph as well as Nicodemus were secret Christians, who came to bury the Lord. The prophecy was fulfilled that Jesus would be laid in the grave of the rich after first dying with thieves.

  Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

(He blesses us so that we may be a blessing to others.)

  Yes, but being rich is not our goal, but serving God.

     (This man had no hope...his wealth was his god.)

  True,  

 (These were godless people.)  

 Yes, money was their God. Some big time ministries think they are ok because they drive expensive cars and live in extreme luxory...Jesus had no place to lay his head. What do they preach? Are they preaching the gospel message? They are known by their fruit. I have nothing against the Copelands, they speak positive words. 

Wealth is not the focus as we see through God's greatest servants, our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul. Peter and John were fisherman who became fishers of men.   Ministries who run on a large budget that are doing the Lords will, these are ministries blessed for his service.

Always there is the temptation of putting wealth before God. We must be good stewards of what hehas supplied, not to use the abundance to feather our own nest. Looking rich, is not a virtue. Being rich in him is.  

 Psa 37:25  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.


Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

We are children of the king and shall inherit all things the same as Jesus. His life we pattern ourselves after.   Gary

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