your article regarding 'self' confidence
Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:16 pm
so what do you want us to do, just sit down & wait for god to feed, clothe & shelter us?
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
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When we read the Bible, we can understand what God wants us to know. It takes diligence (I Timothy 2:15), but if we patiently and prayerfully meditate on the meaning, we can learn the answers to our necessary problems (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:2-3).Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. (Psalm 119:97-102)
[The apostle Paul speaking:] ... how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets... (Ephesians 3:3-5)
In fact, wealth is not necessarily a bad thing. It can be an earthly blessing and protection for us (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12), and it can enable us to helps others. Furthermore, we are admonished to work, so we can give to those who have not (Ephesians 4:28). However, we must be very careful not to pursue it to the detriment of our other responsibilities. Remember, acquiring money is not a sin, but "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (I Timothy 6:10). We must be extremely cautious that we do not commit other sins in our desire and pursuit of money. Finally, we must be careful that we do not worry about wealth; otherwise, we will find ourselves in great misery, possibly spiritual ruin (I Timothy 6:6-11).Paul by inspiration wrote:For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. (II Thessalonians 3:7-12)
Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:22-24)
Not only are Christians to do their best in work, "as unto the Lord", but wisdom teaches us do our best, because we will not have a second chance (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Furthermore, a Christian's stubborn failure to work is actually grounds for disfellowship (II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15).
Now, that doesn't mean that New Testament Christians are not supposed to contribute to the Lord's work. They are commanded to do so (I Corinthians 16:1-2); however, God wants them to give no more than they want to give or can give (II Corinthians 9:7; 8:12). The only promise that comes from this is a spiritual reward. The gospel of "health and wealth" is a sham cooked up by tele-evangelists and other greedy scam artists milking religious minded people."I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices Or your burnt offerings, Which are continually before Me. I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." (Psalm 50:7-15)
"For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart -- These, O God, You will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17)
"With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:6-8)
This man's wealth stood between him and Jesus. Because Jesus loved him, He cut to the chase and asked him to lay it on the line. Notice, Jesus did not want the money: He instructed the rich young ruler to give it to the poor - not Him or the church. He just wanted this man to truly follow Him, and his wealth was all that stood in the way of a pure relationship with his God."Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:17-22)
Is Jesus telling us not to work for food? Of course not, but He wants us to set priorities. What is our ultimate goal? What have we put first in our life - in word and deed?John, recording Jesus, wrote:Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him. (John 6:27)
Why are you worried? What do you want? And, why do you want it? Are you worried that you will lose something that you need or something you want? What is most important to you? We must all constantly check ourselves with these self-examining questions.Matthew, quoting Jesus, wrote:But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
God has promised salvation and every spiritual blessing to His children (Ephesians 1:3). He has promised food and clothing too (Matthew 6:19-44; Psalm 37:25). Beyond that, we have no confidence, because no promise was given for anything more. Setting your heart on anything more will ultimately produce despair, because you will ultimately be disappointed. But, does that really matter? If these excess things do not matter to you, then you can have ultimate confidence, assuming you have already become His child. If not, please let me know, and we can discuss that point further, which is the greater question to be answered.Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. (Philippians 4:11)
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. (I Timothy 6:8)
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)