Money -

Why should we Follow after Patience?

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1 Timothy 6:11

How is your patience these days? Short, medium, or long? Some of us may have to learn to think outside of the box, which is a metaphor to think differently in what we believe. Our Lord Jesus Christ is revealing a new way of living in how we think and behave. Patience is the ability to tolerate delay or suffering without getting mad or angry. Patience is endurance for what you are suffering under. The apostle Paul is saying to all of us to flee from the root of all evil which is the love of money. If we have food and clothing, we should be content. Coveting after money means you are no longer focused upon Christ. Going after money brings selfish desires to the forefront where you begin to serve it rather than serving God. The focus changes and you are no longer walking in faith. We must remember the words of Jesus in the following scriptures.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and money.”
Matthew 6:24

The apostle Paul first states that we are to flee from these things. The things are what came before verse eleven in 1 Timothy chapter six. The many hurtful lusts that drown men in destruction and the state of eternal punishment. We are not always taught to be separate from this present world system. This present world system is under Satan’s dominion and greed along with selfishness is a force for evil for it has no concern for the other person. We are to partake into the divine nature in Christ and not the nature of this world. We are kept by the power of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Lest we forget we are being changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ [see 2 Corinthians 3:18]. It is by the Spirit of the Lord, and not of our own works that we are changed into the image of Christ.

We ask God for help in whatever we cannot obtain. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness are virtues of Christ. These are what we follow after instead of the things in the world. We must fight the good fight of faith in order to hold onto eternal life [see 1 Timothy 6:12]. It takes patience to continue in the faith of one’s profession in Christ. It takes patience to forbear sufferings that besieges us for unknown reasons that one cannot understand. Let us remember Job’s patience in what he endured. Job was blameless and upright before God [see Job 1:8]. Job lost his family, possessions, and health. Job trusted in the sovereignty of God. When Job prayed for his friends who had accused him, God restored a double portion back to him. In Job chapter 42, verse twelve, states that the latter end of Job was more blessed than the beginning of Job’s life. Through Job’s experience in suffering, he gained more knowledge of the Lord God.

I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
Job 42:2

God can do anything, and no human thought is withheld from Him. Read what James said about Job in the following scripture.

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”
James 5:11

The restoration of Job is the end result of the Lord. He is pitiful and of tender mercy to have restored Job and blessed him with more at the end of his sufferings. Job’s heart was established in the Lord. James the brother of Jesus tells us to look at the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience [see James 5:10]. Abraham had patience to wait for the fulfilling of the promise of a son. We hold onto the promises of God and believe that what He has promised, He will not withhold. With patience also comes godliness.

Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2 Peter 1:5-7

Temperance to patience and patience to godliness. How one virtue begets another virtue in succession. The oxford dictionary had this sentence for the second meaning of temperance, “the whole multitude of men lack temperance in their lives, either from ignorance or from want of self-control.” I could not of state this any better. Self-control is what we need today. Self-control will give us patience to endure whatever comes our way. Let us follow patience which is a virtue of Christ and flee from all selfish desires that would take us away from the love of Christ.

I Am Their Inheritance

And it shall be unto them for an inheritance; I am their inheritance, and ye shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.”
Ezekiel 44:28

What inheritance will you have? For some it may be a strong desire to have in so much that some go out of their way so to see to it that they receive what they believe is owed them. The uncontrolled longing to get gain is a driving force for many.

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning: but the end thereof shall not be blessed.”
Proverbs 20:21

What should be our attitudes be towards an inheritance? When it comes to money it always brings speculation and everyone is judged as to their individual actions towards the one who has a will. Many families are broken up because of a will of a testator. Everyone in the family believes that they have a right to what is left of an estate by the testator. We forget to do the right thing in everything we do here on the earth. When we look at the house of Israel the main grievance that the Lord God had against them was harlotry along with idolatry. The house of Israel was unprincipled and immoral in their actions towards the house of the Lord. They have abused the sanctuary of the Lord and in Ezekiel’s vision in chapter 44, God is setting things in order and only the priests from the Levites are allowed to stand before the Lord. The Levite priests are given instruction to teach the people the difference between what is holy and what is common, to discern between what is clean and unclean [see Ezekiel 44:23].

To be able to minister in the inner court of the sanctuary, one must offer his sin offering. After the cleansing and sin offering, this is when an inheritance is set up where God himself shall be their inheritance and He is also their possession. What does it mean to have an inheritance. Is it not an irrevocable gift of God? This takes some thought and meditation to think it through in its meaning.

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.”
1 Corinthians 7:23

Who has bought you with a price? Is it not Jesus Christ who died as a sin offering in order that we may all stand before God in the inner court. Are we not to consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, [see Hebrews 3:1]. The answer is yes. A Christian after hearing the gospel of Jesus and believing in the truth of Jesus is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and this is the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, [see Ephesians 1:11-14]. We have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things to the glory of God. That is why we are not the servants of men, but of Christ instead.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that faded not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
1 Peter 1:3-5

God has provided an incorruptible inheritance for the children of God. This inheritance will not fade away and it is reserved for us in heaven. We are kept by the power of God through our faith in Christ Jesus. No one can take this inheritance away from us. Take note that a price was paid in order that an inheritance could be made. Let us not abuse the privilege that God has given us. An inheritance that is gotten hastily by a person is not innocent because he has fallen into temptation and a snare because of his own lust. Coveting brings destruction to all men even in the house of Israel. We should think twice about our earthly inheritance as to not abuse the written will of a testator as well as the Lord God.

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”
Proverbs 13:22

Have you ever wondered about why in Proverbs it states that a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children and not his children? Why should we leave an inheritance unto the next generation? Does this not take into account the future generations rather than the current generation which has already benefited by his parents love and support. Lest we forget that “children are a heritage from the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward,” [Psalms 127:3]. God knows the heart of man and in what state his heart is. I have witnessed and experienced the war one can wage in getting more than their fair share of a will. I was left standing alone many times as a young child, and as a teen by my own mother. I was born out of wedlock. Almost given up for adoption and used as a slave rather than a child/mother relationship. My mother disobeyed her parents and went her own way. It was my grandparents who kept me in mind in their will. And I am reminded that a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. I received a portion of the will but received a letter from a lawyer that my mother was contesting the will. I received a copy of the will and showed it to a cousin. My cousin could not believe or understand why the will was being contested but told me that I was entitled to what the written will had stated.

At that time, I was not sure what the real issue was in regard to the will except for the fact that my mother wanted more. It was not the fact that she needed it, it was the fact that she desired more. I gave her what she wanted knowing that God is my inheritance. I knew that my grandparents were good and trusted in God. The labor of their hands God did bless. I have not spoken to my mother in over 40 years. She is estranged from me and has been since my youth. God has provided for my needs when I did not have a penny to my name, and this was before the death of my grandparents to whom I have never seen. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light,” [Romans 13:12]. Our attitudes must change to the mind of Christ. We must know what is clean and unclean. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts, [Romans 13:14]. We must not walk in strive and envying, we must walk honestly before all men. We live unto the Lord, and we die unto the Lord, for we are the Lord’s.

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”
Romans 14:9

Remember we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. “The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit,” Romans 14:17. Lord help us to follow after the things which make for peace. Let us give thanks unto the Lord who is our inheritance and has provided a place for us in heaven. Keep us from all forms of evil and help us to discern what is clean and unclean. In Jesus name, amen.

Labor not to be Rich. . .

Labor not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.”
Proverbs 23:4

Who will heed this warning? Labor not to be rich that you become so righteous and think that your wisdom has gained you this position. Do not trust in what you have. Remember that you cannot take it with you when you die. Know that whatever you do in this life, it is God who gives the increase. Why the warning, and what does it mean?

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
1 Timothy 6:17

It is God who gives us all things to enjoy. Why does Paul state to Timothy a son of a Greek Gentile father not to trust in uncertain riches? These are warnings that Paul gave to those in ministries, but even the lay person can learn from the warnings that Paul gave to Timothy. Paul states that it is enough to just have food and raiment [see 1 Timothy 6:8]. Just food and clothing seem so little. Why? It is what your mind is focused upon. Having to strive to get money takes your eyes of off God. That is why the love of money is the root of all evil. Listen to what Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:10.

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.
1 Timothy 6:10

The root of all evil begins with coveting which is a strong desire to have something or obtain something that you do not have at that moment. It is coveting that many have misjudged themselves to do wrong in order to gain something. That is why we have laws in place to direct our behavior. Everything has its place in society in order that we may live in peace. A Christian’s behavior is to become more like Christ. A Christian prays that he may live a godly life. Paul comments that “godliness with contentment is great gain,” [see 1 Timothy 6:6]. A Christian is thankful to God for what he has provided. Have you ever considered the views regarding money? Have you read about the self-made millionaire Steve Siebold? Let’s look at a couple of statements what he found in researching out the wealthy. Think carefully! Is there wisdom in these statements?

Rich people believe money is liberating …while the average person believes money is controlling.

Are rich people liberated from having money? It is what you believe, but it may not always play out to be the truth in what you believe. They may believe that they have more freedom; however, with more money there is more responsibility that one does not take into consideration. Despite the fact that they may have the freedom to spend on what they desire, it is the individual’s attitude towards money that is the key. Why? Because many times it is money that will control you instead of the other way around. That is why Jesus said that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, for they are not able to let go of what they have. In otherwards, money has a great hold in their life to where they cannot separate themselves from the money that they have. Many times, money becomes a power play for an ideal status of an individual rather than an individual living in moderation and being content with what they have. We really need to change our behavior and attitudes towards money. That way it will be liberating to both the rich and the average person.

Rich people believe in working for fulfillment …while the average person believes in working for money.

Here again it is a matter of how you view money in general. Everyone knows that one has to have a job in order to make money. It all depends upon your state of mind. Evaluation of individual talents and gifts is what can motivate you to work. But if you are in the wrong job, it will not fulfill your desires no matter what amount of money you receive. You will always be dissatisfied. What you love to do becomes your passion and that passion should fulfill the desires of your heart. Work should be an adventure or journey rather than just something you just have to do to make ends meet. Focusing on money brings stress and anxiety. God wants you to use your hands to some kind of work that will not only bless you but others as well. Ask God to reveal the work you should be doing. The reason why you should have money is not only for your own personal needs but for the needs of others. The rich know that creative thinking is the highest paid skill in the world, so any kind of training you have is meant for not only for your good but for the good of others. Ask God to help you find solutions to difficult problems and to guide you into the right passions for the work you do. He will supply you with the answers and the right position in a job where you are fulfilled.

We are to remember the things that bring blessings. One of them is the work of your hands. God desires is to bless the work of your hand.

The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thine hand; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.”
Deuteronomy 28:12

Lending to many nations such as giving to the poor are what God desires. The church is meant to teach people to distribute to the needs of others. The early churches did just that. They gave to each other when there was a need and to further the Gospel of Christ.

“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
Proverbs 19:17

When I read how giving to the poor is lending to the Lord, it amazed me and the fact that He will pay him again was something I did not expect. Yet, I have seen the benefits in my own life where my needs were supplied, and debts were paid off when I gave to the poor. God will always supply your need when you place your faith in him and not on something else like money. It is God who gives the increase for the work of our hands, and we should thank him every day for what he has given us in material wealth that we may continue to give to others who have need of certain things. The early church was taught to give and distribute, but we rarely witness this today. Some of us have to be shamed into giving.

If ever we need wisdom is now . . . we need the wisdom that God can provide, and the way to find it is asking. In James chapter 1 verse 5, it states that God will give it when we ask for it. The only condition is to ask in faith [see James 1:6]. It is the wise that will inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools [Proverbs 3:35]. In the scriptures there is much to meditate upon when reading. Within its pages is the truth and wisdom for each of us to take hold of. Take time to read and heed it, for it is your life.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.”
Proverbs 4:7

Lord God, help us to get wisdom and most of all help us to get understanding. Let us learn what the will of God is in all things. Guide our thoughts to the truth about money that we may have the right attitude towards it and that we may be willing to give to others who are in need. Help us to have an attitude towards giving and distributing to others. May it become a way of life. Bless those who give and have wisdom to share and teach others. In Jesus Name, Amen.