Matthew 6:19 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:"
Matthew 6:20 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:"
Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
You and I both own nothing but our love and service to ALMIGHTY GOD. Even your talents and gifts belong to GOD as well as your very soul (Eze 18:4). It's only satan's world system that has people believing they own stuff. We are just stewards of GOD's gifts and blessings. He's entrusted you with the responsibility to care over a portion of His wealth and assets, to be used in His service.
We develop and use the gifts and estates to serve our FATHER, to give Him the glory, honour and praise that He rightfully deserves. GOD is the Original and Inalienable Owner of everything. And once you fully understand this truth, a nice thick layer of scales will fall from your eyes.
If you take pride in yourself, or what you think you've accomplished with your own hands, you're taking away the glory and credit that belongs to our FATHER. The more that is given to you, the more is expected from you. That's the way it works, so don't bother comparing with others, over what you have or don't have. If anything, the more that you have, the more humble you need to be.
While you're an administrator of all that GOD has loaned to you for His service, in the flesh life, you're also building up spiritual treasures with good works. Keep your eyes on the prize, for good works are the treasures that go with you into the eternity. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
When you understand stewardship and apply it in your life, you'll be rich, indeed. Being rich and successful in GOD's blessings and having godliness with contentment are admirable aspirations, that should not be measured using carnal measurements and worldly standards.
Ecclesiastes 12:6 "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern."
Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto GOD who gave it."
When the silver cord is loosed, or the fragile jar, or golden bowl, is broken, your soul departs from the flesh life, and body, and returns unto GOD, who made it. The flesh body is done away with and returns back to dust, the earth, from whence it came. All flesh, food and material possessions come from the dust of the earth.
Keeping up with the Joneses is comparing your empire of dirt with their empire of dirt. Hoarding dirt is accumulating baggage. Worldly and self pride will weigh you down, so get rid of it. You and I live in a rigged system. When we have the money, we don't seem to have the time, and when we have the time, we often don't have the extra money. Godliness with contentment is truly great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
1 Timothy 6:7 "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."
1 Timothy 6:8 "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."
Travel light in the world and be mobile for the LORD. Don't waste all of your mental and physical efforts on material possessions. There's nothing wrong in having things, but don't put those things above GOD.
Hebrews 13:5 "Set your way of life without money-loving, being satisfied with present things; for He has said, 'Not at all will I leave you, not at all will I forsake you,' never!"
Believe it... it's GOD's promise.
Acts 4:32 "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
Acts 4:33 "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the LORD Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."
Acts 4:34 "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,"
Acts 4:35 "And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
A man that has great wealth and only spends it on himself and his immediate family, is a selfish man. There's nothing cool about him. In Acts, the multitude of Christians unloaded their baggage to help fellow brothers and sisters. They all gained mobility, while still living in this world system, to live Christ-centered lives and share the WORD. None of them lacked. Some 40 years later, the siege of Jerusalem took place, and the Roman army sacked the city, killing more than a million people (estimated by the historian, josephus). There was no loss to those that carried light, picked up their cross and followed Jesus.
Peace in CHRIST JESUS,
Spread-the-Truth
Mr baptist.
