I ran across this short article and had to agree with it. We must be very clear on who Satan is, and Jesus showed the world just who that evil PERSON is. Why is it so very hard for a 'rich man' to gain the Kingdom of Heaven?? Because in a rich man's eye/ opinion, they ALREADY have heaven or paradise in THIS world!! When a person is forced to go without the basics for human survival and deprivation -- just a bowl of rice and beans seems like a feast! But in the world we live in, in the year of 2012, we get a very UN-balanced view of what is normal, if we live in the richest land on planet earth, America, IMHO. The TV constantly bombards us with fluff/ and goofy advertisements of what 'we must have to be happy and content' in life....Ha! Even the so-called "poor" still have their flat screened TV's, in house laundry, refrigerators, air conditioning and plenty of food that they never worked or harvested by hand!
I came from a good farm back ground, so I know personally what goes into growing our own food, beef, hogs, grains, and bailing alfalfa hay, harvesting/ combining and shoveling tons of wheat, corn, and oats, etc., and the hard work of shoveling manure! I figure that I had a well rounded education, both academically and self taught. I thank and praise God for all I have every single day! But like the apostle Paul, I also know how to live frugally, and go without... and the bottom line is: 'We must serve the Lord, Jesus Christ, no matter what comes down the pike!!' Not like the old adage: "Our is not to ponder why -- our is but to do or die." We KNOW AND UNDERSTAND 'WHY' WE MUST DO WHAT WE DO -- IN RELATION TO OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE LORD. Why and how?? The Bible tells us so, explains everything, and the Holy Spirit allows us to correctly understand what we read and study in the Bible. Unbelievers just don't/ can't get it ! No matter what level of education or how many 'sheep skins' they may have -- they don't have the Holy Spirit, because they are too proud to bend knee to the Christ and confess Him as Lord and Savior! Pride is a killer -- more so than one of my razor tipped arrows in my quiver, designed to put venison on the table, to go along with the mashed potatoes and green beans. Simple?
My pretty wife, Terri, finally went back to work yesterday, as she was on sick leave, following her painful foot repair operation, half a year ago, and it was a slow healer. She has many friends made over the years at her work place, so it's a bitter sweet thing for her to be 'back in the saddle again.' I am happy for her, and just want her to be happy, satisfied and content. I support her in all things. Life is short, and I want some modicum of happiness for us, even in these turbulent times. And the income/ money helps to pay the bills. We learn how to live modestly after splurging this past year and getting our situations right and in order.
Personally, I am in awe for having lived such a powerful, super active, and 'crazy' life with many 'ups and downs' -- peaks and valleys, joys and sorrows, or having loved greatly and then losing very dear loved ones, in the near past. These all helped to shape my very being, personality, heart and mind. All this makes for a wild ride in a super active, vivid, colorful life -- when all I really wanted was something very simple, quiet, restrained, humble, slow life style [after I got back from the war in Vietnam: 68-70.]. I always wanted to eventually become a writer and have a few books published... but when you get married and have a few kids-- things and priorities change in a heart beat, and procreation is and always was something special to me. BTW.... GOD IS PRO-LIFE !! It's His Game, and we ought to follow the rules of the game, lest we have the wrong kind of fame, we will be to blame, and then it will be great shame on us in the end game. We don't want to be slain if we don't follow the 'game', and I hope this don't sound kind of lame -- because where is the gain in all of this, dear friends ? And yes, I also wanted to be a poet... lol.
I went to bed too early, was tired, and just felt [lately] like I ought to catch up on my sleep -- a strange sort of mood, care free and fancy free that some things are finally going right for me. It's so nice being able to live in a nice house, with someone to love you, where it's cold outside -- but warm inside. I am waiting for my muscles to settle down and heal after my first work out at the Gym in IM after all Summer trying to sell my old house in UG - Wisconsin, with many drives down 'South' to bring costly valuables U.P. North to a different State in the beautiful but frozen Tundra- MI., in a slow, messed up economic market. But wait -- it gets better !! If we do go 'off the fiscal cliff' the economy will really tank and nothing will sell- like houses! It sickens me to watch obama play with other peoples' lives and welfare-- and the Congress is also to blame-- with a very poor public rating.
Well, that is just what the devil is doing with all the world stress, violence, lame markets and super deep debts. He has got the majority of the world tied up just trying to stay above the Frey-- just barely trying to keep what we've got and not slip into the pit!! All while God's eternal purpose and Bible prophecy works it way to completion -- the clock ticking away as the 'last members of humanity are Saved and Sealed into that secret number only known by God, Himself... His Saints... before the Rapture. Now is not the time to slack off,. rest too much, get involved with goofy, side tracked ideas or ventures, IMHO [in my humble opinion]. Lord, help us to be alert, careful, awake 'Watchmen.' Amen.
Warm Regards,
Tom Schuckman
Does Faith Bring Wealth?
Q. I don’t believe there was ever a time in my life that I wasn’t saved, and I was baptized at the age of 21. However, I have had a lot of disappointments in life. Now am I supposed to believe that my faith isn’t good enough to have lots of riches. That’s what you have been saying. I know I am not supposed to have great riches, because I don’t have any. God, for some reason doesn’t want me to have great wealth. What I do have is enough. My faith is exactly what it should be. That much I know. I am exactly where I should be, going through exactly what I am going through. Does there have to be a reason some people fail in life? And if Satan is in control of the earth, why does anything good happen?
A. I think you’ve misunderstood me. I never said the Lord promised great riches to those who have great faith. I said the wealth we enjoy is proportional to our generosity. In Luke 6:38 the Lord said, “Give and it will be given to you” and “With the measure you use it will be measured to you.” He also said, “I have come so they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10) and “In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And speaking of generosity, Paul said, “You will be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11).
If what you have is enough, then by world standards you’re rich, because the majority of people on Earth don’t have enough. That’s something to be thankful for.
Jesus called Satan the Prince (ruler) of this world (John 14:30), Paul called him the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4) and John said the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19). So this isn’t just my idea. But think about it. If Satan prevented anything good from happening, people would rush to God for relief, something he doesn’t want. So he tries to make the world appear to be mostly good in order to persuade people they don’t need God. This is why faith is often stronger among people who have greater need.
Please read the passages I’ve cited and see what they mean to you. Then if you decide I’m wrong, you’re free to ignore everything I say.
A. I think you’ve misunderstood me. I never said the Lord promised great riches to those who have great faith. I said the wealth we enjoy is proportional to our generosity. In Luke 6:38 the Lord said, “Give and it will be given to you” and “With the measure you use it will be measured to you.” He also said, “I have come so they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10) and “In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And speaking of generosity, Paul said, “You will be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11).
If what you have is enough, then by world standards you’re rich, because the majority of people on Earth don’t have enough. That’s something to be thankful for.
Jesus called Satan the Prince (ruler) of this world (John 14:30), Paul called him the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4) and John said the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19). So this isn’t just my idea. But think about it. If Satan prevented anything good from happening, people would rush to God for relief, something he doesn’t want. So he tries to make the world appear to be mostly good in order to persuade people they don’t need God. This is why faith is often stronger among people who have greater need.
Please read the passages I’ve cited and see what they mean to you. Then if you decide I’m wrong, you’re free to ignore everything I say.
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