Troubled Treasure

Proverbs 15:16, 16:8

We in the United States, live in a society where greed is prominent. The more men gain, the more they want. Humility has become an afterthought in the great ole’ “Land of the Free”. Rather than be grateful for simply having enough (food, money, property, etc.), men desire more of things, than what they really need. Oftentimes, those who desire more than enough, typically find themselves struggling with the troubles that are inevitably associated with “too much”. Rare and few are those who desire much, in order to care for the needs of others. Conversely, those with selfish motives can be found in abundance.

God commanded His people to fear Him, and keep His commandments. Obeying these simple commands requires one to always walk in humility, while appreciating the daily benefits provided by the hand of God.

Those who profess to be born-again believers, should never be guilty of greed, nor the desire to want more than what they need. “Give us this day our daily bread” should be the mindest of all who love the Lord, and strive to be His representatives in the earth. Make an honest effort to empty yourselves of pride and selfishness, then ask God to fill your hearts with His love, wisdom, and understanding.

Soul Exchange

Matthew 16:26

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Do you value your soul, more than anything this present world can offer? Would you exchange the very essence of your being for money, fame, or any other thing men hold in high regard? In the beginning, God created the world to be inhabited, and enjoyed by man. Unfortunately, things took a major turn in the wrong direction, after the infiltration of sin in the earth. Rather than give due reverence to the one who created all things, men have taken more delight in those created things, over the Creator. The apostle Paul verified this fact when he wrote that men who claimed to be wise, became fools, and served the creature more than the creator. Was the death and resurrection of Jesus enough for you to turn away from the world, and commit your soul to the Father, or have you been drawn away by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, until serving God is nowhere on your list of things to do?

When Bad Does Good

Joshua 2:1-7

According to biblical references, harlots in Scripture were considered women who were known to commit fornication and adultry, to be unfaithful, and some were even forced into the life of prostitution against their own will. While it’s known, many women willingly sell their bodies for filthy gain, some have defiled themselves because of the pressure from others.

Our text mentions Rahab, also recorded as Rachab (of the genealogy of Christ). This woman was known in her community as a harlot. Although very little details are mentioned concerning her family and lifestyle, it is noted that she owned a house. Most prostitutes seen today hang out on street corners, and some have literally no place to live. It’s unfortunate how many potentially great women have resulted to such a degrading profession, but as long as they have breath in their bodies, they can still change their way of living, and do good for God. Rather than judge those whom you have little to no knowledge concerning their situation, pray for them, and hope that God will give them a mind to change their ways, and start living for Him.

Rahab may not have been the town nun, but what she did in our text, was noted in the Bible as a great faith act. While hiding the spies sent by Joshua, and seemingly lying about it may seem minuscule at first glance, her protecting of God’s men was essential in saving her own life, and the lives of her household. Just because you’ve done bad things in your life, doesn’t exclude you from doing great works for the Lord. Although Rahab was a harlot, her act of faith, and good works literally gave her, and her family, another chance to be redeemed.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold… don’t become one of them.

Ell

No Pain, No Gain

Romans 5:1-5

During this season of pandemic and hard times, many people have resulted to exercise and other physical activities, to distract themselves from their current hardships. While it’s not always fun to workout, consistent and repetitious efforts always improve one’s levels of strength, endurance, and motivation.

There are many different exercises, that affect certain areas of the body. For example, pushups work the triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders, whereas squats build your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, and calves. Not much is gained from easy workouts, but pushing yourself to your limits and beyond, will prove very beneficial to you the rest of your life.

While physical exercise does good for the natural body, growing stronger in the spirit involves totally different exercises. The text lists the basic process of how a believer grows in God. The first step in establishing a strong spiritual relationship with God is, studying and meditating on His Word. Once you’ve developed a mature understanding of those things you’ve read, prepare yourself to be tested in some of those same areas. Aside from the normal tests and trials of life, God, at times, allows some people to go through tribulations (trouble, affliction, anguish, persecution, or heavy burdens).

The small tests of life contribute to the daily lives of the Saints, but those who endure tribulation gain immense increase in patience, experience, and hope. Patience is a spiritual muscle many fail to exercise, and when the time comes to use it, those who don’t have much of it, often break when pressure is applied.

A great deal of things we learn in life are gained through experience. After you’ve gone through something that has tested your patience to the max, the next time you face a similar situation, you’ll have the experience to overcome it with ease. Experience is a great teacher, but the key is, to actually learn from them, so you don’t repeat them.

When we hope for the right things, we’ll never be ashamed. The average person hopes for possessions like money, cars, houses, and other material things, while the end of those things is destruction. On the contrary, those who put their hope in the Lord, will desire things that have eternal value.

Exercising our spiritual muscles far outweigh any physical workout men can do, and in the eyes of God, it matters more that His people can overcome demonic forces, rather than lifting metal weights.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

The Wise Ones

Proverbs 4:1-9

Those who place the wisdom of God at the forefront of their character traits, will consistently show forth the behavior of Christ in their daily living. Wisdom is the ability to carefully assess and understand a thing, then judge accordingly. King Solomon had taken on the mantle of his father David, and realized his shoes were too great to walk in by his own intellect, so he asked of God to give him wisdom, so that he would be properly equipped to judge millions of men and women, under his watch. Without the wisdom of God directing his hand, Solomon’s reign would have no doubt ended in great ruin, like others who refused to abide by the oracles of God, but because he put God first, his legacy has become one that will be remembered forever. Godly wisdom offers tremendous benefits, that can literally advance one’s life to levels far beyond the wisdom gained of men. Aside from one being molded into the image of Christ, by becoming loyal, kind, trustworthy, righteous, humble, and teachable, wisdom ensures that the life of the believer has a great chance of being lengthy, favorable, successful, prosperous, peaceful (most of the time), approved by God, and reputable in the sight of God and men. As you journey through this life, be sure to allow the wisdom of God to lead and guide your every move. This way, you can rest assured, your thoughts and actions will be pleasing to the Father, and He will bless you abundantly in the earth.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Entering the Kingdom of God

Luke 18:18-30

One concept in Scripture that Christians never fully grasp an understanding of is, “the Kingdom of God”. The apostle Paul helps the church understand the kingdom perspective in the book of Romans, where he writes, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (14:17). In other words, God’s authority isn’t bound and restricted to the physical realm, but His rule extends beyond time, space, and matter. For example, righteousness cannot be measured by physical means, instead, it’s observed through acts and deeds. Peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, can only be experienced when one has the Spirit of God living on the inside of them. Many people think of the kingdom of God as Heaven or the church. However, the kingdom of God is not an actual physical place. God’s kingdom is different from the Kingdom of Heaven, because Heaven is where His physical presence resides. His kingdom, or sovereign rule, extends to the earth, and all the vastness He brought into existence.

Jesus attempted to help a rich young ruler understand the way to enter into the kingdom of God, in this text. The young man asked Jesus, what can he do to inherit eternal life. Jesus began mentioning the original commandments to the man, of which he proudly admitted to keeping from his youth, but he wasn’t expecting what Jesus would say next. Knowing the man was wealthy, Jesus tested his true allegiance and commanded him to sell all he had, and distribute it to those who were destitute and in need. Doing this would open an eternal heavenly account for the young man that holds far more value than his earthly bank account, and he could then freely follow Christ with no worldly treasures restricting him from doing so. Verse 23 reads, “And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.” Money can offer so little in the realm of the Spirit, but love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, and the other attributes of the kingdom of God can offer so much more.

There’s a song by Blackstreet that says, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love”, and it can’t. We live in a world where our understanding of godly living has been reduced to prosperity and riches, when Christ specifically told us to love not the world, neither the things in the world. The reason it’s so hard for men to enter into the kingdom of God is, they have a tight grip on their earthly treasures, and are unwilling to let go, and allow God to teach them what purposeful living is all about. The rich man in our text proved to Jesus, and those gathered around, that his wealth was more valuable than his soul. It’s easy for those reading this story to criticize this man, because many of us aren’t in his position, but I can guarantee if someone hit those numbers and was planning a trip to Tallahassee to collect that 500 million I saw posted on a billboard, as I drove home from work today, their tune would change rather quickly (I don’t play the lotto, never have… never will).

The kingdom of God is a realm where believers are free to express God’s love to the ends of the earth. We are in position to serve God, and allow Him to utilize us to our full potential. The world’s system is in total contrast to God’s, and this is why many fail and falter by placing their trust in material things, rather than in the God who made all things. No matter how much God blesses you in this life, never get too attached to anything that will hinder you from going all out for God. Walk in love, and exhibit all the fruit of the Spirit in all your daily dealings.

Walk in love,

Ell