If you measure the presence of *GOD*, in your life, or, the lives of others, by tangible, visible, or, material measures, you do not, yet, understand the workings of *GOD*! When you place *GOD*/CHRIST, FIRST in your life, all will come together, accordingly! This means, according TO HIS WILL! This does not mean that HE will lavish you with your hearts desires! HE, again, is NOT a genie, a dream factory, nor, the Wizard of Oz, HE IS *GOD*, ALMIGHTY, and, what HE provides, has FAR GREATER SIGNIFICANCE than material evidences of HIS presence! When we turn/return to *GOD*, HIS presence begins to work WITHIN, to enable, enrich, endow, enlighten, empower, and, encourage the TRUE being, the spirit! These benefits, in turn, bring us ever closer to HIM, NOT to wealth of the world, although, wealth is not entirely denied, as it often, is used to test, and, to further HIS voice!!!
IF we are IN CHRIST, we do NOT seek matters of the world, because we KNOW, HE WILL provide for our needs, according TO HIS WILL, and because, we KNOW these are fleeting with the hour, and, hold NO real value to our growth, other than, what is necessary to sustaining life on this planet!!!
People have judged me, and, countless others, on their status in this life, and recently, an older Woman told me that IF *GOD* were present in my life, I would be far better off! I began to explain to her, the TRUTH of HIS presence in our lives, but, she became obstinately stubborn, and so, I had to still myself! She doesn't realize, she is not challenging me, she is challenging *GOD*! I work for *GOD*, and do NOT charge for serving HIM, and, others; I do not believe that THE WORD, and, understanding, are for sale! I AM provided for; I have a roof over my head, food, clothing, and, other tangibles which IS the miraculous evidence of HIS presence in my life, but because I am not a mega-superstar of the Cloth, I am not considered to have HIS BLESSINGS! Hmmmn, that is almost frightening to me!!!
You see, a relationship with *GOD* is NOT about STUFF, it is about the spiritual wealth we accumulate! Apostle Paul wrapped this up nicely;
PHILIPPIANS 4: 11-13...
11/ Not that I say this because of need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient.
12/ I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.
13/ I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
I HAVE STRENGTH FOR EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO EMPOWERS ME! Simple, yet speaks volumes of FAITH, TRUST, BELIEF, and, of the LOVE of *GOD*!!!
1 CORINTHIANS 4: 9-13...
9/ For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike.
10/ We are fools on Christ's account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
11/ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless
12/ and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
13/ when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world's rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment.
A rhetorically effective catalogue of the circumstances of apostolic existence, in the course of which Paul ironically contrasts his own sufferings with the Corinthians' illusion that they have passed beyond the folly of the passion and have already reached the condition of glory. His language echoes that of the beatitudes and woes, which assert a future reversal of present conditions. Their present sufferings ("to this very hour," 11) place the apostles in the class of those to whom the beatitudes promise future relief (Matthew 5:3-11; Luke 6:20-23); whereas the Corinthians' image of themselves as "already" filled, rich, ruling (1 Cor 4:8), as wise, strong, and honored (1 Cor 4:10) places them paradoxically in the position of those whom the woes threaten with future undoing (Luke 6:24-26). They have lost sight of the fact that the reversal is predicted for the future.
I have HAD my portion of near wealth, I made good, easy money at times! In fact, I could have Married into great wealth, but, he wanted me to undergo alterations of ME, by having me go to finishing school, etiquette school, have some enhancing surgery, and, other such, and so, I told him, "No thanks, my world is free, free to be ME!" He liked this answer, and, understood it! So, it is not like I have never been offered the world, it is that it has never had any promising fulfillment in my eyes!!!
I have ALSO been without any means, hungry, without anything! I have to tell you, those times shaped me into the person I am! These times TAUGHT me VITAL lessons, and, PROVED *GOD'S* presence in my life! They also showed me the ways of the world...
Many of the Devout, live in extremely modest, simple conditions; they are content, because they are in understanding OF *GOD*, and, HIS promises! Many of the Ancients, did not receive the fulfillment of HIS promises in this life, yet, they clung to HIM, OVER all else, because they KNOW their recompense is coming, on that DAY of DAYS!!!
Sure, in these times, it is often, scary to think of what lies ahead, but, I have ROCK SOLID FAITH that *GOD* WILL provide for me! HE WILL NOT FORSAKE the FAITHFUL! I BELIEVE this, with ALL of me! Not only that, but, we are taught:
MATTHEW 6: 24-34...
24/ "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25/ "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26/ Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?
27/ Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
28/ Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
29/ But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
30/ If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
31/ So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
32/ All these things the pagans seek. 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 given you besides.
34/ Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.
Jesus does not deny the reality of human needs (Matthew 6:32), but forbids making them the object of anxious care and, in effect, becoming their slave.
You HAVE TO BELIEVE, which IS evidence of your FAITH, otherwise, you have FAITH in lip-service, NOT in action! Being FAITHFUL to HIM, in EVERY regard, opens UP to HIM, and, HE WILL NOT forsake you, ever, even if it seems HE has! In ALL matters of *GOD*, we are to be patient, to endure, to persevere, and, WAIT UPON THE LORD; so it is written, so it SHALL be!!!
It ALL begins with LOVE, BELIEF, TRUST, and, FAITH, which then, takes us within to the depths of the being, TO fashion the TRUE self, into righteous beings, SHINING as examples OF HIM, HIS WILL, and, HIS presence in our lives! What else is added to this, is like frosting on the cake!!!
LEARN to be content, LEARN to LET HIM do HIS WILL, and, LEARN to KEEP your thoughts on that ABOVE, NOT on matters of this world!!!
PRAISE HIS HOLY name, and, let HIS LOVE BE the wealth you so eagerly seek; it will enrich you in ways I cannot fully convey!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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