Salt & Light Blog

James 5:1-6 You Can Keep Your Eye on God or Your Wallet, Not Both

4/24/2016

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 10

James 5:1-6
The worldview says it is important to have money. Certainly living in the world without money is almost impossible especially in countries like The US. Money is a “necessary evil.” But from the world’s standpoint money is a measure of success, if not the measure of success. The world gauges their peace by how much money is in the bank and the IRA. It is not so in God’s Kingdom. Money is not what determines success or peace. Storing up money is not godly and moving heaven and earth to make more is not right from God’s perspective. Being rich is not a sin. The sin lies in the place money has in one’s heart and endeavors. Verses 1-3 read,
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.

These are the rich who have put money first, who have done whatever they can to make themselves rich. They have laid up money and left God out of the equation. They will enjoy their time on earth, but our time doesn’t end when our hearts stop beating and our lungs stop breathing. We live eternally. After this life we will either enjoy that eternity with Jesus in New Jerusalem or we will suffer the torment of Hell. The person who has put money first cannot serve God. The person who serves God understands this world and present life are temporary and live it in preparation for the real thing, eternity. She wants God’s will on earth as it is in Heaven. She wants people to know Jesus. She doesn’t lay up treasures here, she lays them up in Heaven. In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus said,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “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.”

If your eye, (your focus and perspective) is on money, earthly treasures and pleasures then it cannot be on God, His will and purpose. The wrong focus will blind you to the truth and you will not glorify God, it glorifies the self. Satan will be happy to make us richer and he will laugh as we walk blindly to Hell because our eye is on our bank account instead of The Lord. This life is temporary, it lasts 80 years. Do you imagine that 100 years from now or 100,000 years from now it will matter if you lived in a mansion and had servants? It won’t. It will matter how you treated the servants. It will matter how you loved or sinned against the people around you. It will matter how you lifted up or oppressed the people you came into contact with. It will matter if Jesus Christ is your Lord or money is your lord. Verses 4-6 read,
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

The rich who got that way through sin and oppression, who put money and their own comfort above God and love, they are enjoying all the luxury and comfort they will ever enjoy unless they open their eyes and weep over their sin and repent. Proverbs 16:5-9 reads,
Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
7 When a man's ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
9 The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.

Many of the Proverbs were written by Solomon, one of the wealthiest men to have ever lived. People heard about his wealth and his wisdom and came from very far away to see it. Even the very wealthy Queen of Sheba was floored by his wisdom and prosperity (1 Kings 10:1-13). Being rich is not the sin; the sin is in what the money means to a person and how she obtained that wealth. True wealth is in the joy of a relationship with God. Real peace comes from righteousness. Proverbs 15:15-17 reads,
All the days of the afflicted are evil,
    but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
    than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
Money cannot save us, regardless of how much we have. Are you living for The Day of The Lord or are you living for tomorrow? Proverbs 11:4 says,
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
The Proverbs have a great deal to say about money and how we should use it. Proverbs 3:9-10 tells us,
Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.
There is a great deal more to be gleaned about money from the Bible. And I know I need to learn how the Lord wants me to think about it and use. For now I want us to consider where money is in our hearts. Is money on the throne? Do you seek money or do you seek the Kingdom of God? Chasing wealth leads to sin. 1 Timothy 6:3-10 reads,
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Are you asking what you are supposed to do about feeding and clothing your family if you don’t focus on money? Are you saying, “Donna, this world is expensive and I’ve got to eat! How do you expect me live if I don’t save up as much money as possible? How will I live when I’m 75 and can’t work?” Well, I say “Pursue God, have faith that He is God and nothing is impossible for Him.” In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus answered those questions.
“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (The Message).

Just keep your eyes on God and what He desires and He will take care of all the other stuff that could take your focus. When you do what is right with your money, when you are generous and lift up the poor instead of oppress them, God will ensure you have plenty of money to live on and to continue being generous. If you trust God enough to give generously, even more than you think you can afford, He will prove your faith and ensure you will always have enough to keep giving. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says it this way,
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
In fact your generosity spreads the Gospel because God’s love and your faith in Him are evident in the act of giving (2 Corinthians 9:10-15). Do you really trust God to be God or do you lean on your bank account in case He doesn’t come through? Stop trusting money and start trusting God. Stop serving your bank account, your earthly future, or your present comfort and be courageous enough to serve God.

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Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Why Should I Tithe?

3/8/2016

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“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Malachi 3:10

Deuteronomy 14:22-29
This passage of Moses giving the law to Israel a second time as a reminder before he died and they entered The Promised Land without him talks about tithes. Can I hear laptop lids closing? Can I hear fingers taking readers to browse other sites? Can I hear mind shutters going down to protect you from hearing something that may offend you? Don’t worry. I will not be offending you. Now if you or I are convicted by The Holy Spirit, well that is not up to me. Tithing is actually supposed to be a joyful sacrifice. It is something we do, that supports the Church, the building, body, and the member in more ways than you might expect. Verses 22-23 read,
“You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.”
The tithe which was made up of the first fruits of crops of the farmers and the first born of the herds for the herders was to be brought to The Tabernacle in Jerusalem every year and enjoyed together. Why? Was it so The priests could line their pockets or the richest family have a good place in the congregation? No, it was so they would learn to fear the Lord God always.
Coming together and eating, which was part of their worship of offerings, allowed them to fellowship, to get to know each other in a context of relating to The Lord, and helped them remember the purpose for each step of sacrifice. They all had a part in what they were doing. It wasn’t one or two leaders making the plans, they were corporately carrying out the Lord’s commands, each doing the part he had been given, from high priest, to priest, to congregant and sojourner. It was the same for the tithe offering. Once a year they had to bring the best and first of their earnings to devote it to The Lord.
Tithing is not the same today. We don’t bring the firstfruits of our crops or herds for sacrifice and a meal. We bring the first fruits of our earnings, normally in the form of money into the church and give it to church upkeep, beneficence funds, and sometimes salaries for clergy. But we are still supposed to come together to do it. Nowhere, in the Bible can you find someone mailing or sending tithe in by proxy. They come to the Temple, they stay and eat and talk, listen and learn. The tithes and offerings are an important aspect of worship.
The tithe comes with feeling an ownership of what is happening in the church. When you give, you know that the widows are being take care of by the power of God as he uses your money. When you tithe, you know that you have a part in the ministries being done by your church. You care a little more how the money is being spent.
The Promised Land was large, some people would live far from Jerusalem. Bringing all those oxen and sheep, or all those crops would be difficult on a walk that could take days to make. So the law gave them an alternative. They were not excused from bringing the tithe, they just did it differently. Verses 24-27 read,
“And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.”
They turned the tithe into money and when they got to Jerusalem they didn’t purchase the leftover herds for sacrifice. The bought whatever food and drink they wanted and they ate it there together, all of them rejoicing. They had to make sure the Levite from their town enjoyed the food and wine as well, since he had no other way to participate except through the people of the tribe where he lived.
The actual killing of the sacrifices were serious and grave. The blood spilt was not something to gloss over, but after it had been killed and prepared and it was burnt on the altar the sacrifice became joyful meals shared together and provided for everyone because everyone brought their part.
The tithe reminded Israel who God is and that their blessings came from Him by His will. Leviticus 27:30-33 describes the tithe.
“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. 31 If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. 32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord. 33 One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”
The Israelites were not supposed to choose which 10%, they were not supposed to decide they could give this up but not that. It was given back to The Lord, it was His as is. He let them have the rest. Do we do that today, do we look at our budget first before we give the tithe? I have to pay these bills and buy this and if there is any left I can give, or Wow I can’t tithe on my gross income, I‘ll let the government take my tithe and I’ll give the second ten percent of the leftovers to God. That is not the tithe, that is an offering with a lie attached.
Jesus fulfilled the law of the tithe. God gave His first born, His only born son, He gave 100% to us, and we accept it freely. Though the law has been fulfilled it is still part of loving the Lord with all our heart soul and strength to give him our firstfruits. 10% is not a requirement. But if Israel without the Holy Spirit, and with shaky inconsistent faith could do it, then can’t we God’s very own children do at least that? God promised that their tithes would come with blessings and provision. Verses 28-29 read,
“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.”
Every three years instead of going to Jerusalem, to the Temple, the tithe went to the town. This enabled the towns to be sure to care for the Levite, as well as outsiders traveling through the towns, widows and orphans. Everyone was to partake of the meal and provision. And God said if doing so, being charitable would make their herds and crops, blessed.
Don’t we trust God to be God and provide for us? He doesn’t merely provide, He will bless the work of your hands and give you more. Not tithing is really a statement of no faith in the Lord. If we want to hold onto our money so tightly are we really worshipping the money? Matthew 6:19-24 reads,
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “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.”
Your money can go to the kingdom of God and increase your inheritance in eternity or it can go to your desires on earth and will not even exist 50 years from now. To not be willing to freely give to God what is his already shows you for who you are, perhaps not as dedicated to The Lord as you profess, perhaps not even a worshipper of God but a worshipper of money, wealth, power, or yourself.
There are not many places where God says to test Him, but the tithe is one place where he does. He says, ‘go ahead, let me prove it to you! Obey me and tithe, obey me and give by faith and I will show you it is worth it.’ Malachi 3:10 reads,
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

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Zephaniah 1 God Warns us for a Reason.

9/6/2015

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But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34 on photo of Pelican Flying in Blue Sky by Donna Campbell

Zephaniah Chapter 1

Do you ever wonder why God warned people about imminent events? He sent prophets to His people time and again, sometimes they listened and sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes as in the case of Jonah and Nineveh, the people listened and heeded the message. (Jonah 3:6-10). But more often they did not pay attention to The Word of God. But the Lord is Just and He always makes a way for salvation.

Zephaniah was a prophet to Judah and Jerusalem during the days of King Josiah. He had a royal lineage, his great great grandfather was King Hezekiah. (Verse 1). In this chapter God warned Judah and Jerusalem about the upcoming Chaldean invasion. King Josiah was a good King who sought the Lord and who made sweeping changes to rid the nation of Idolatry. (2 Kings 22-23). Perhaps he listened to Zephaniah. We know he listened to other prophets. (2 Kings 22:14).

Verses 2-6 read,

“I will utterly sweep away everything
    from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
3 “I will sweep away man and beast;
    I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
    and the fish of the sea,
and the rubble with the wicked.
    I will cut off mankind
    from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.
4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
    and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
    and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
5 those who bow down on the roofs
    to the host of the heavens,
those who bow down and swear to the Lord
    and yet swear by Milcom,
6 those who have turned back from following the Lord,
    who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.”

Josiah’s father was Amon, he was a very wicked king like his father Manasseh who brought lots of idol worship and evil to Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Kings 21:19-26). The Lord is a Jealous God. (Exodus 34:14). He wants nothing else between us and Him. He wants our entre heart, not the small part remnant that isn’t taken up with the flesh. Deuteronomy 6:5 reads,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

When Jesus quoted this scripture, He took it one step further. Luke 10:27 says,

“And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus added that we are to love the Lord with our minds as well as our heart, soul, and strength. Our minds can get so busy, so cluttered with to-do lists, entertainment, and work. Those things, even seemingly good things can take God’s place in our minds, hearts, service, and spirit. Ask yourself, are you so busy doing God’s work that you are putting that ministry above The Lord? Are we heeding the Truth of the Word of God? Are we listening, trusting, and obeying Him? Is our disregard for The Lord’s message causing us to be disciplined?

The Day of the Lord is near. He is coming. His judgement is perfect. He has warned us. Are we heeding the warning? Verses 7-9 read,

“Be silent before the Lord God!
    For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
    and consecrated his guests.
8 And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice--
“I will punish the officials and the king's sons
    and all who array themselves in foreign attire.
9 On that day I will punish
    everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master's house
    with violence and fraud.”

Many who claim to be Christians, do not actually worship The Lord God Almighty. They worship a god they created, who has an outlook similar to their own. He is not named Jealous, or Lord of Hosts, or Justice. He is love, but not Agape. He is requires no repentance. And he lets them do anything they please or he requires strict adherence to rules. But whoever it is they worship, it is not The One True and Living God. They jumped the threshold and think they have entered the church but they have only entered the building. They’ve tried to steal salvation when Jesus already paid for it and is giving it away. They will be sadly shocked when The Day of Lord arrives. They will cry out “Lord, Lord! Wasn’t I a good Christian? Look at all the work I did for you!” but God knows they do not submit to Him. He knows they are idolaters. He’ll reply, “Go away, your work was for evil, I never had a friendship with you.” (Matthew 7:22-23).

Verses 14-16 read,

“The great day of the Lord is near,
    near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;
    the mighty man cries aloud there.
15 A day of wrath is that day,
    a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
    a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16     a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
    and against the lofty battlements.”

To the lost, The Day will come suddenly and swiftly. To the saved who have paid attention to the warnings and signs, it will come exactly on time. We do not know the day or hour but we now the season. We know the signs. We have time to prepare. We have time to warn people and give them a chance to repent and call on Jesus as Lord and Savior. Matthew 24:36-44 reads,

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Nothing and no one can save except Jesus Christ, The Lord of lords and King of kings. All the money in the world won’t do anyone any good on The Day of the Lord. It won’t matter if you’ve memorized the entre Bible if you do not take it to heart. It won’t matter how strong you are or who the president is. You can look everywhere for salvation, but you will only find Him in Jesus. Verses 17-18 read,

“I will bring distress on mankind,
    so that they shall walk like the blind,
    because they have sinned against the Lord;
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
    and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
    shall be able to deliver them
    on the day of the wrath of the Lord.
In the fire of his jealousy,
    all the earth shall be consumed;
for a full and sudden end
    he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.”

Don’t waste your life worrying about your money, your goodness, your strength, or your pleasure. Spend your time investing in eternity. Be concerned with The Kingdom of Heaven, God’s wealth, Jesus’ righteousness, The Lord’s power, and His joy. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus said it this way,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

A few verses further He told us we didn’t have to worry about all the earthly stuff. Matthew 6:32-34 reads,

“For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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James 5:1-6 Weep Now,Rich Man Before you Gnash Your Teeth Forever.

8/24/2015

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James 5:1-6

In whom do you trust? Where is your paradise? What gives you joy? Some people, many put their trust in money, and create paradise on earth where they can have as much joy as they can possibly into life. I’d say the majority of people want a “happy life” And as we grow in this world what to do we discover? That things make us happy, that getting something we want or need makes us happy, and that the people who give us those things make us happy. Sure maybe that happiness only lasts until the ice cream is melted, or maybe until the friend who shared it with you leaves, but for many the way we are raised teaches us that money will give us what we want and having what we want makes us happy.

But James had a warning for wealthy people. Verses 1-6 read,

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.”

Not every rich person got rich oppressing someone else, but look at the history of how that money was gained and chances are someone’s grandfather had his foot on the back of someone else’s grandfather. How important is it for you, whether you consider yourself financially well off or not to hold on to your money? Did you work hard to earn it? Do you deserve it? I’m sure you feel your money, be it sufficient small, or abundant was earned through hard work, sweat, and tears. You have amassed that money and it is yours.

When you put that money in a savings account for your retirement, when you put that money in a savings account for the Aruba vacation, who were you taking it away from? Was there a hungry family that could have used a Publix gift card but the money went toward your happiness? Was there more money for you because you pay your gardener a dollar over minimum wage? Was there more for you because you skimped on your employees’ health insurance? It is your money do, what you want with it.

But consider if your faith is in your money or The One True Living God Jesus Christ. Even if you’re poor your faith can be in money. It’s just easier to allow God to meet your needs when you don’t know how to make $20 buy a week’s worth of food. But it’s also easier for a poor person to assume that happiness is found in money. We say if I had a boat like that, a house like that, a theme park pass like a –insert desire here—like that, I’d be happy.

Happiness is not based on things. But ask someone with lots of things to give them up and chances are they won’t be able to give it all up. They’ll say they need a few things. It isn’t that a rich person can’t be saved, it is that most rich people and the majority of the poor and mid-incomers have put their faith in money and let their happiness be dictated by the stuff money can buy. If Jesus told you to your face, that you would be saved if you gave your brand new expensive smartphone to the homeless man on the corner, ask yourself if you really could and would do it. Jesus had a conversation with a wealthy young and important man in Matthew 19:16-22.

“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

When the man left despondent Jesus turned to the disciples and continued the conversation with them in verses 23-30.

“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

The rich young ruler was despondent because he only understood present life. He was too afraid to trust that eternal life is real and matters much more than this temporary life we life. He liked his money, who wouldn’t? But he didn’t understand that when he died, his robes would rot along with his body. His treasures would rust, most would dissolve to dust along with his bones. But his soul is eternal and the results of following Jesus never die, rust, or turn to dust.

Even those of us who proclaim Christ, forget sometimes we are living eternal life and that the joys and possessions we have on this earth will mean nothing in eternity. I wonder how long we’ll even remember our present lives in the face of eternity. Do you think in a million years, we’ll be hanging out saying “Hey, remember how much fun we had playing Candy Crush Saga?” or “The i phone 8 sure was the best thing that ever happened to me!” or “I’m so glad I invested in the Blu-ray collections of all my favorite films.”

There is nothing wrong with money, possessions or happiness. But if they are such a priority to us that they keep us from loving the Lord with all our heart, strength, soul, and mind then we are not following Jesus, but following our flesh. Money makes us want more, it makes us want to hold onto it for security. We think it is money providing the fridge full of groceries, and the constant flow of power to the A/C, TV, and Computer, but it is Jesus providing the job the money and the charity. And it all belongs to Him in the first place. (Psalm 24:1).

Just as the Lord used Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy follower to be generous when he gave Jesus his tomb. He also uses other wealthy Christian and some not so wealthy to love people through their generosity. It is not impossible for a rich man to be saved, it is just difficult because it is hard not to dend on money instead of God. I know a man and his family who never blink twice when God says, “give.” I’ve seen them give someone who asked for one thing from the grocery store and entire grocery cart full of food. I’ve seen them tell the apartment management company to tell the tenant the rent is $200 less per month than it is, and then secretly pay the difference themselves. I’ve seen them time and again give and give. I know if Jesus said to them right now, sell your house and give all the proceeds to that church in Ecuador, they would do it. Because they have faith, not in money, but in God. They have put their trust and happiness in Jesus, not their big screen TV. They have put their hope in the Holy Spirit, not their smartphones. They have stored their treasures in Heaven, because eternity is the reality, this present life is a moment, a shadow teaching us, and an opportunity to teach others. After Jesus encourages us to give to the needy and pray well in Matthew chapter 6 and before He tells us not to worry about bills, clothes, and life’s concerns, He tells us to store our treasures in Heaven. Matthew 6:19-24 says,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “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.”

What are those treasure we store in Heaven? They are the fruit of our walk with Jesus, the testimony of our lives, the way we used our gifts, and the people who were won over to Christ. We can either focus on and pursue the Kingdom of Heaven and see the world from the healthy perspective of faith in Jesus or we can pursue happiness on earth and put our faith in money and our own power and not have Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life indwell us. We can die eternally rather than live eternally.

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Psalm 62 Who is Your Rock?

7/22/2015

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Psalm 62

Where does you hope sit? In whom does your faith rest? Do you put your confidence in money? Do you put your expectation on family? Do you look to the government to fulfill promises? Do you look for help in people or possessions? None of that can ever meet all your needs, hopes, and yearnings wholly. Only God can perfectly give you what you need, satisfy every promise He made, and give you the desires of your heart. He answers every request perfectly and in your best interest. There is only one God and He is enough.

David knew this. He had money, power, an army at his disposal, trusted friends, and women. But He didn’t depend on any of that to conquer his enemies, to satisfy his longings, or rule a nation. He looked to the One True and Living God. Verses 1-2 read,

“For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

Our prayers, our fellowship with the Lord shouldn’t be a one sided conversation. It should have sufficient time of silence, waiting for The Lord, listening to The Spirit’s counsel, and wordlessly giving The God of Justice our hearts. David had many enemies who viciously tried to remove him from his position, who fought against Israel, and who would want nothing more than see him dead.

We have one enemy and he prowls like a roaring lion hunting his prey. (1 Peter 5:6-11). The people he uses are not our enemy they are his prisoners in a war they are oblivious to. The devil makes them think we are their enemies. But it is only him and his minions, who are our true enemies. He is scheming. Verses 3-4 read,

“How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

Satan, our adversary attacks the children of The Lord ferociously. The stronger we are in Christ the more afraid he becomes and the harder he will attack. He wants us to be ineffectual. He wants us to forget who we are. We are royal priests, distinctive, and holy. We belong to Awesome God. (1 Peter 2:9-10). We are the children of Holy Mighty God. (John 1:12-13). We are citizens of Heaven. We are the bride of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2-3, Revelation 19:6-9).

The devil tries hard to knock us of the foundation of Christ. He lies to us about our identity. He accuses us of wrongs. He twists words and uses partial scripture out of context to try and hurt us. The devil is called the accuser (Revelation 12:9-12) and he is a liar! (John 8:42-45).

We don’t believe the devil. We do not listen to his lies and accusations. We don’t give in to the temptations he dangles to lead us astray. We depend on The Lord God. We know He is Our Victorious Lord of Angel Armies. He is awesome! So we can rest in Him as conquerors. Verses 5-8 read,

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah”

What is it that God of Truth has told us? Who are we in Christ? We know we are a royal priesthood, distinctive citizens of Heaven, children of God, and the bride of Christ. But we are also victorious. We are conquerors with Jesus. United completely with Him and nothing can separate us from Him. He loves us deeply. He is our refuge and our firm foundation. Even the most turbulent earthquake cannot shake us off of the Rock on which we stand. (Romans 8:31-39).

The devil lies, he accuses us of horrible wrongs. But God doesn’t. He brings convicts the lost but then sets us free, He never again considers our sins. If someone is condemning us, accusing us, and filling us with guilt it is not The Lord. The Lord condemned sin and doomed the devil to eternal hell. He rescued believers and set us free. Romans 8:1-4 reads,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”

Our wealth or poverty means nothing in the Kingdom of God. Our power and position in the world have no bearing in the Kingdom of God. The world is temporary. Our physical lives are merely a breath compared to eternity. It is Eternal Holy God, our Savior, and our Wonderful Advocate who matters. Our brief life is an opportunity to glorify Him and effect the Kingdom of God by demonstrating the Love of God to everyone, rich or poor, prince or pauper, believer or prisoner. Verses 9-10 say,

“Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

We will all be judged on the same criterion. It will not be how good or bad we were. It will not be how many people we led to Christ or how many people we killed. It will be only whether or not we covered by Jesus’ righteousness. Did we accept or reject Christ? That is the only measure that matters.

We can put our hope in money, but money cannot save us. We can put our faith in power but the power of the world is nothing compared to God. Seeking more worldly money, power, and influence gains us nothing. We set our hearts on God. We put our hope in Jesus. We set our feet firmly on the Rock. We let God be God. We are still and we know that He is God and we know who we are in Christ.

Verses 11-12 read,

“Once God has spoken;
    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work.”

Power is God’s. And the only thing that will matter when we face Him is did we make Jesus our Lord and did we put our faith in His resurrection. That is the choice that gives us eternal life or eternal hell. When we accept Christ, we enter God’s rest. We don’t worry. The enemy is defeated. He can’t hurt us unless we allow him to do so.

But there is another judgement. This judgement doesn’t affect salvation but it will show us how much we allowed the devil to keep us from God. This judgement tells us where we chose to store our treasures. Was it on Earth or in Heaven? 1 Corinthians 3-10-15 reads,

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

Trusting The Lord leads us to glorify Him and brings people to Him. It is by our dependence on Him and our unity with Him that we pour out His love on the desperate prisoners of war and on the suffering brothers who try to fight the enemy alone. Our works which depend on God lead to eternal treasures. Our dependence on self, money, and earthly power leads to unproductive and futile accomplishments that will burn away on The Day of Fire.

Where is your hope? Where are your treasures? Is your life glorifying God or pleasing Satan?

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Psalm 1 It is the seed not the chaff that becomes the tree.

5/22/2015

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Psalm 1

Jesus encouraged believers not to look and act like the world, but to be different, to stand out, and to walk the narrow road to Life instead of the wide road to death. John 15:18-19 says,

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

The first Psalm talks about being separate from the world. We are not separated by space or walls but we are distinguished by our genuine tangible love, our attitude, our humility, and our nobility. We are children of the King of kings. We are not children of wrath. Our Father is the LORD not the father of lies. We bear our Father’s Image. We carry His Spirit. We are made righteous by His blood.

There is no capacity in Love for hate. There is no occasion in truth for lies. Verses 1-2 read,

“Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.”

In Christ we are free. But we also do not desire to live the way we did before He saved us. When we live a life of faith in God we are free to choose not to sin. It doesn’t read ‘blessed is the man who doesn’t talk to the wicked.’ It reads “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked” we do not conspire with or huddled up with the wicked. We don’t listen to the advice of the sinful. They may think they are wise and we are fools. But we know we have The Counselor to guide us. We have wisdom when we ask for it. We have the mind of Christ. Why would we take advice from the person who has rejected our Lord for Hell? To stand in the way of sinners means to walk the same path they do, to be among them as a lifestyle choice, to do and be the way they are and not the way we are called to be. So also to sit in the seat of scoffers is to do as they do to sit on the sidelines and ridicule and mock the choices that others make.

Believers have a different path. It is a path of deep and intimate relationship with The Lord. We get to know Him. One of the ways we get to do that is by reading the Living Word, by spending time meditating on it, considering it, reflecting on it, praying it, and letting Him speak to us through it. His law is Love. His Law is Truth. 2 John 1:4-6 says,

“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”

The first Psalm continues to describe the man of faith in verses 3-4.

“He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”

These verses do not promise a life of wealth, they promise that we will not live ineffective lives. Because we live seeking God, seeking His Kingdom and His will live in obedience to Him, delighting in what delights Him. The Lord promises that we will bear fruit n everything we do. That fruit is borne in us as we transform to Christ’s image. It is evidenced by the disciples we make. It is evidenced by the service we do affecting lives. We make a difference. God’s will is manifested in us. He provides our every need both our personal and our ministerial needs. He is the living water and He flows through us and out of us to the world.

Though the lost may become rich, their wealth is only good while they live on this earth. It is temporary at most it will last 120 years and then they’re dead, rotting in the dirt until The Day of Judgement. On that day, like chaff they will be burned. Chaff is the covering of the seed. There is no good fruit from chaff. The fruit comes from the seed inside the covering. The Holy Spirit, our Holy God makes the seed bear fruit. When they rejected Him, they became like chaff, just empty shells that fly away in the breeze. They may make money but they can’t manifest God’s will on Earth as it is in Heaven. Their riches are on earth. Our treasures are in Heaven. Their wealth is temporary. Our prosperity is everlasting, ever-flourishing in Heaven, and living on Earth.

One day everyone will face Judgement. For the redeemed this is a day we eagerly await, but the lost will be shocked to realize their fate. They will perish. Verses 5-6 read,

“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Believer, you and I can make a difference for them. We can love them enough to tell them the Truth, the wonderful Gospel. God doesn’t want anyone to perish. We don’t either. He told us whatever we do will prosper. So how about getting to our Great Commission and making disciples? Let’s live and walk in Jesus’ ways and love people like Jesus loves us. How many will be thrown into eternal fire because we didn’t act? How many have we doomed because we walked in the counsel of the wicked, stood in the way of sinners and sat in the seat of scoffers? How many of the lost would know Jesus if we walked in Love and Lived by the Spirit?

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James 5:1-6 You Can Keep Your Eye on God or Your Wallet, Not Both

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Why Should I Tithe?

Zephaniah 1 God Warns us for a Reason.

James 5:1-6 Weep Now,Rich Man Before you Gnash Your Teeth Forever.

Psalm 62 Who is Your Rock?

Psalm 1 It is the seed not the chaff that becomes the tree.

Donna Campbell

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