Less Stuff, Less Baggage - pt 4

More is not always better.  Supplies, tools and appliances can make life easier, but there's a limit to how much you really need.  Physical possessions can require an extensive amount of your time, maintenance, resources and space, so you must choose wisely.  Less stuff often means less baggage.

Many people assume that man-made objects, especially large and complex structures, will stand the test of time, or stick around forever, which simply isn't true.  Some folks marvel at the sight of beautiful buildings, skyscrapers and bridges, and give praise to the works of men.  Yet, buildings and bridges will fall apart over time, without year-round maintenance and labor from men.  Usually, the more complicated and expensive the machinery, the more maintenance it requires.  You need a full-time staff to take care of a large bridge or skyscraper. 

If you make an idol of an object, it eventually owns you and you'll be enslaved to it.  The worldly and carnal seek perfection in the works of men, desiring the philosopher's stone, and turning to carnal knowledge, or the key of solomon, to become immortalized (so they think).  They don't realize that the stone that they've rejected is the Chief Corner Stone, Jesus CHRIST, who also holds the master key, the Key of David.

Psalm 118:22  "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."

Psalm 118:23  "This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes."

Matthew 21:42  "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the LORD's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"

Jesus CHRIST is the master key holder; He is Truth.  The key of David opens all doors to truth, unlocks the parables, and provides understanding of the two genealogies, or seedlines, beginning in Genesis.  The Adamic seedline (Adam and Eve - Seth) is the lineage from which would come the Messiah, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ.  The other seedline belongs to the serpent, or satan, and his offspring are known as the children of cain (from the sexual union between satan and Eve - cain).  Genealogies in the Bible are accurate and detailed, which is why Adam's genealogy is listed separately from that of Cain.  The occult's obsession with "false" duality and the number "11" start from the "sin" in the Garden of Eden.  The original wheat and tare grew up together as twins - Abel and Cain.  With the key of David, you don't need a mountain of keys to open doors.  One Key starts the journey in the Word and the Key is Jesus Christ.  Now go back to the "Origin" or "The Beginning" in the Book of Genesis.

Accumulation of material things is worthiness only in the eyes of men.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with saving for a rainy day.  But let's face it, for many of us, the bulk of our material possessions have little to do with rainy days, and more to do with just wanting more - bigger, fancier and better.  Come out of babel, or confusion, come into the Light, which is Jesus Christ.  Put His yoke upon you, for His yoke is easy, and He'll lift your burdens and free you from bondage.  

Matthew 11:28  "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:29  "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I Am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Matthew 11:30  "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

Isaiah 46:4  "And even to your old age I Am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."

There's no heavy weight or burden, when you're yoked with Christ and carry Him in your heart and mind.  Love GOD and love your neighbor as yourself.  Don't love things.  Seek Truth as for hidden treasures.  Remove the excess in your life and put your focus on CHRIST.  If you spend too much time dedicated to physical objects, you end up spending less time with loved ones.  There's only 16 hours in a waking day; it will only stretch so far or spread out amongst so many things and persons.  Make time for your FATHER.  Your time can be better spent as One-on-one time with the HEAVENLY FATHER, or in ministering to others, as well as spending quality time with quality people, or with the spiritually meek and hungry.  Satan's world system can never waste your time, when you spend it studying the Word of GOD.

With wisdom and experience, you'll also cast your pearls less often.  Share the Light and the love of our Heavenly FATHER and our Lord Jesus CHRIST.  Yes, you'll be rejected at times, but know that they rejected Christ first, and therefore, you'll be rejected, too.  Seek open fields, with fertile ground, and open doors to plant seeds of truth with the spiritually meek and hungry.  Sometimes, an opportunity with someone is a one-time thing.  If the ground turns out not to be fertile, you move on.  Christ didn't come for the self-righteous, He came for sinners.  Those sinners that want to hear the truth are out there, so it isn't fair to them for you to spend all of your time on soil that isn't fertile.  You can only plant the seeds, but they need the former and latter rain from GOD to sprout and eventually produce fruit of their own. 

Your spiritual rewards come from sharing truth, doing truth, ministering and living truth.  It can be in any field of work, in any country, and among any kindred or tongue.  You put loving and serving GOD first in every area of your life.  Put in the effort and work and do your very best in all that you do for GOD's glory.  Be a fisher of men.  A fisher needs sleep; a fisher needs food and water; a fisher works; a fisher needs shelter and tools.  Seek the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you.  Let GOD show you how to live and become a successful fisherman with His blessings.  FATHER's blessings and hand will help, encourage and guide you to do your work with all of your might.  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.  Do it His way and not according to worldly wisdom and the precepts of men.

Peace in CHRIST JESUS,

Spread-the-Truth

Mr baptist. 

Less Stuff, Less Baggage - pt 3

When you travel or head out for a day trip, do you prefer to carry more things (in terms of weight/volume; number of items - bags, accessories, etc), or do you prefer to carry light and have just enough to deal with?  If your answer is to carry light and just enough, then realize that this entire life in the flesh is just a longer version of your trip or day out.  Towards the end of your life's journey, you'll be glad that you carried less or just enough.  And when you have a bit more, it should feel good to have the means to share and give away some of the surplus. 

If you were going on a short vacation, to a remote island somewhere, and you knew that you could freely use all of its resources and amenities, would you store more than you need?  Knowing that you're there for a brief duration and you can't bring anything on the way back home, why would you hoard anything from your trip?

Matthew 8:20  "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the SON of man hath not where to lay His head."

Matthew 28:18  "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."

Christ has dominion over the Earth.  He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, and every knee shall bow to Him.  Our FATHER owns everything and the Earth is His footstool.  GOD is in control and He owns it all.  Your very breath is from GOD, and every material, every possession, is from Him.  He doesn't need man, but man needs Him.

Jesus bored the sins for all those that would believe on Him and repent, yet the Savior owned very little in material possessions.  Jesus borne our griefs, carried our sorrows and was wounded for our transgressions (Isa 53:4-5).  Through His stripes we are healed (Isa 53:6).  Christ carried the heavy burden of our sins and shed His blood on the cross for us.  He carried heavy, yet He carried light.  Jesus was the perfect steward.

Instead of trying to accumulate as many material things as possible, try owning as little as you can.  Be more minimalist and less of a hoarder.

Luke 12:15  "And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

covetousness = G4124. pleonexia (pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah); From G4123; avarice, that is, (by implication) fraudulency, extortion: - covetous (-ness) practices, greediness. G4123. pleonektēs (pleh-on-ek'-tace); From G4119 and G2192; holding (desiring) more, that is, eager for gain (avaricious, hence a defrauder): - covetous (Strong's Concordance).

avarice = extreme greed for material wealth.

When wealth/material accumulation and worldly comfort is the end game, or main desire, for a man, he lives his life without purpose and meaning.  Those material objects become his idols and his face is turned away from GOD.  Thinking he doesn't need the CREATOR, the man turns his worship to the creation.

Luke 12:16  "And He spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:"

When Jesus speaks, we listen, absorb and meditate on His teachings.  When your crops flourish from the former and latter rain, given by GOD, give Him the credit, honor and thanks.

Luke 12:17  "And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?"

This foolish, wealthy man "thought within himself" and never sought GOD for guidance and counsel.  He doesn't understand stewardship and that man owns nothing, for if he did, he would be able to carry his possessions out of this world (death).  Man is not an owner, but a trustee, because GOD is the inalienable Owner of all.

Luke 12:18  "And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods."

He has no room in his carnal mind for contentment, therefore, his barns (plural) weren't good enough for him.  He didn't bother to find out if someone else was down on their luck and could use a little help.  Take note, this parable doesn't say that the man had ill-gotten gains.  Greed and the love of money are evil enough.

Luke 12:19  "And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."

This man places his confidence, trust and security in himself and temporal things.  So convinced of his worldly wisdom and the strength/security of his goods, he tells himself that he can take it "easy" from now on with a new retirement nest.  Planning for the future and being financially responsible are good traits, but don't put yourself into bondage over material gain or have your life be controlled by greed.  He plans his life according the ways of this world, as if he were a little god, knowing exactly what tomorrow brings.  Yet, his planning is shortsighted and fallible.

Luke 12:20  "But GOD said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

Luke 12:21  "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward GOD."

The rich man is actually poor.  The world is backwards, supposing gain is godliness.  Those folks around you that are arrogant and proud in their worldly riches... don't ever be envious of them.  Put your trust and confidence in GOD.  Jesus CHRIST is Lord and Savior.

Even with all the power and wealth in the world, you still have to eat, sleep, use the bathroom and move around just like everyone else.  And unless you're a baby, sick, or the elderly, absolutely no one is going to wipe your butt for you.  Your flesh body, just like your material possessions, will return to dust.  There's only 16 hours in an average waking day, and even a billionaire is confined to the same number of hours to eat, play and do everyday stuff.  He might have a toilet made of gold, and dead presidents to use as toilet paper, but his poop stinks just like everyone else on the planet.  Not even a billion dollars can truly reverse aging or even cure a stomach flu.  How powerful do you think you can be, when a simple flu or headache can put you out for the day, or even for a week?  Money and material wealth cannot buy you salvation, peace of mind or good health.

Peace in CHRIST JESUS,

Spread-the-Truth

Mr baptist.

Less Stuff, Less Baggage - pt 1

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.