Your Independence

Your Independence

          In the 61st chapter of Isaiah, he said this - "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound."          

          Today marks our nation's Independence Day, a time to reflect and be thankful to God for the vision of a free country given to our forefathers, and how during the course of several trying years they courageously overcame nearly impossible odds and many gave their lives so we today could experience the liberty and freedom from being an independent nation.

          We are living a free country, but many are in bondage in their finances. This bondage of debt takes its toll on people physically and mentally over time. It has resulted in people of both high incomes and low losing homes and cars, strife in marriages and even divorce. 

          God plainly and accurately stated it in Proverbs 22:7 that "the borrower is servant to the lender". You know from your own experience for this verse to be true, in how you work day after day to satisfy the lenders you've borrowed from, and it can feel like an endless cycle of servitude.

          But God has shown us a better way - in Romans 13:8, "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another". Of course this sounds desirable and positive, but how do we get there? God shares a basic approach in Proverbs 21:20, "There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it." He is simply telling us to spend less than we make.

          If you click on the archives section under November 2019, the post titled "Seeds from A to Z" has a large group of areas where you can make changes immediately to free up money, allowing you pay down existing debts.

          Just as there is an almost limitless amount of things and places you can spend money on, we all have our own unique areas of spending that are different on where we can be tripped up. You know what areas of discretionary spending that you've indulged which have caused your debts to swell. If that is in question, write down every expense over the next month and it will show those areas.

          Where you want to be one month from now is having achieved an incremental level of independence over debt, even if it seems small. Perhaps by making a change in one area you freed up just $10 which helped lower your credit card bill... that is progress, that is applying your faith, that is demonstrating to you the positive result of what you did. God will certainly bless you for making that initial effort - we have seen it repeated many times where God brought financial blessings to people who began that effort.

          You will see your independence from the lenders evolve more and more, as balances are reduced, then credit cards and other bills are retired. The sense of freedom gained by removing debts is exhilarating, and I can tell you from experience of having lived free of debt for nearly 20 years that it is absolutely worth the effort and the only way to go.

          Lastly, believing that Jesus knows all - including the difference between serving Him and being in bondage to the enemy, keep with you and cling to these words: "Come to Me, all you labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest."

          

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

Your Hope and Expectation

Your Hope and Expectation

          "Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is a latter end [future and reward] and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off."

           These few words from Proverbs 23:17-18 are powerful, in that they communicate three key areas we can focus on that will lead us and keep us on the path of obedience - including in our finances which we will concentrate on here, as well as provide confidence and encouragement.

          Let not your heart envy sinners - we're exposed to faulty ideals from TV, movies, performances, books and music, promoting extravagance and frequently taking evil or unscrupulous methods to obtain these things. This can promote a greed for a lifestyle that cannot be obtained.

          Beyond entertainment portrayals, people also get roped into trying to keep up with and impress those around them. What is unseen is the stress and hardship those others have trying to pay their bills... due to those persons trying to keep up with those around them. You may see nice things a person has and desire those items or their lifestyle, but you may not want to trade places with them if you could see their bills and their debt.

          Continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord - in April's post we covered the healthy fear of the Lord, which is to have reverence for Him above all other things and people. We are to fear the Lord more than fearing man over what he will think and trying to gain his approval.

          In doing so, we'll regard what God's Word says about honoring Him with our tithes and offerings, spending less than we make, keeping out of debt and being generous towards others above trying to emulate sinners that are on a self-destructing path.

Here is a simple picture of what that looks like:

          

          Your hope and expectation shall not be cut off - this is the inspired Word of God, delivering to you His answer personally and lovingly, that something as intimate and priceless as your precious hopes and expectations will be fulfilled.

          He assures you in this because it is conditional, knowing that you have guarded your heart to not envy the sinner and his way, and that you've drawn close to and reverenced Him with obedience. Therefore He knows that your hopes and expectations line up with His will and He will move all mountains and align all circumstances to make it so.

          Lastly, take with you this verse from Isaiah 40:31, sharing clearly where our hope is to be and what we shall receive from it - "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

          

                   

How You Listen

How You Listen

          "A sower went out to sow seed..." is how Jesus begins to tell the parable in Luke 8. You may be familiar with it, recalling the different environments the seeds fell in, and the different outcomes:

- Some fell along the traveled path and was trodden underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up.

- Some fell on the rock, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away because it had no moisture.

- Some fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it off.

- Some fell into good soil, and grew up and yielded a crop a hundred times.

          Jesus later shares that the seed is the Word of God, so the weight of this parable covers every area of our lives. And I want you to also contemplate that larger scope while we look at how it illuminates our handling of finances, as His Word contains fitting instruction there as well.

          Regarding our finances in this parable, the seeds include the command to bring our tithes and offerings to the Lord, to keep out of debt and owe no man anything but love, to spend less than we make, to be content in our circumstances, and to be generous towards others.

          So how do we at times end up off track? Jesus disclosed his divine and intimate knowledge of us starting in verse 12 - "Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts..."

          How do we avoid being in this group? By identifying the devil early, as the one coming in to carry the message away. When false thoughts or suggestions come, such as to charge for discretionary items you cannot afford or to withhold tithes and offerings, these must be confronted as darts of the enemy attempting to replace the Word of God and to be cast away at once.

          Next, Jesus tells "And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear, receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away.

          We can avoid being here by meditating on the Word that we've received to help it take root, and by drawing close to the Lord, being aware of His presence constantly. It is written in Isaiah 26:3 that "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee", if our minds are towards Him, He will give us the strength to turn away from the temptation to overspend and will lead us to make wise decisions.

          Then Jesus says "And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and care and riches and pleasures of life..."

          The best way to stay away from this it to first release our cares and anxieties on the Lord--including our finances, as in Philippians 4 it says to not be anxious but by prayer and thanksgiving to make our requests known to God. In dealing with the riches and pleasures of life we must read and recall from 1 Timothy 6 how "if we have food and clothing we shall be content". If we focus on contentment, we'll withdraw from seeking extravagance. By having compassion for and being generous and giving towards others, it will also release your attachment to riches and belongings.

          Lastly, Jesus states "But as for the [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience."

          How do we more consistently land in this group? Jesus speaks of our hearts holding the Word, and in Proverbs 4:23 it is written "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it". This follows closely to the first group, where we have to reject what is false from entering our hearts. The last word is patience, which we have to regard as a focal point, part of our submission onto God.

          Why was this post titled "How You Listen"? Because Jesus concluded by saying "Be careful therefore how you listen."  So our main take away is to highly regard the Word that we hear spoken from the pulpit and read on the pages by our own eyes as the precious, living words spoken by God, who is infinite in wisdom, power and mercy.

          In closing, I want to take the liberty of rearranging the order of verse 18, so your last thought is on the positive and what you want to be striving for:

Whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them. Whoever has will be given more, therefore consider carefully how you listen.     

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

          

Fear Not

Fear Not

          "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore."

          These words of Christ from the first book of Revelation, echo how He spoke while on this earth as well... to fear not.

          Regardless of whether or not there is a significant adversity to overcome - as is this virus situation currently, we can be steered away by giving into fears and allowing those thoughts to supplant the Truth that God has sown into our hearts from His Word.

          Consider that when Peter was walking on the water, he began to perceive and felt the winds and became frightened... and began to sink. Even a disciple of Christ, in His presence and at His bidding was a walking miracle, but when he gave into that fear it all ceased. This is why Christ said many times "Fear not".

          During a famine in 1 Kings 17, Elijah came upon a widow and her son, down to their last morsel and said "Fear not", and asked her to make a small portion for him. The widow obliged, and the Lord supernaturally multiplied their provisions until rain came to their land, and later restored life to her son, who had stopped breathing.

          Fear isn't something that should be non-existent with us. The Word speaks many times about fear, drawing a clear line - that fear of man and circumstances is a snare, while the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To clarify, the main characteristic the Word refers to in fearing the Lord is to reverence Him exceedingly. As we mature in our faith, loving Him more for who He is and His attributes, this fear and reverence occurs more naturally.

          How does this translate to our finances? Fearing the Lord more than those people and circumstances around us. We fear and reverence the Lord when we set aside the tithe to him before paying bills, when we regard what His Word says about keeping out of debt above what others may think when we make choices such as bringing a lunch to work, driving a used car or spending less on clothing. A greater challenge can be fearing the Lord above our flesh, which will always want more than our finances allow, no matter how much our income is. 

           It is at the time of temptation - to give into that fear of man or how our flesh is wanting something we do not have the money for, to use the sword that is in the illustration above... the Word of God. Remember these verses and have these swords ready as needed:

Relating to debt and overspending

"Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another" (Romans 13:8)

"There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it" (Proverbs 21:20)

"The borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverb 22:7)

Relating to fear

"The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high" (Proverbs 29:25)

"The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10)

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine" (Isaiah 43:1)

          As we all persevere through this challenging time, remember to cling to His Word. As it is written in Ephesians 6 about the armor of God, the sword - His Word, is the lone offensive weapon, sharper than any two-edged sword. And lastly, keep this verse close to you from Joshua 1:9.

          

"Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go"

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

The Lion

The Lion

          "The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way! A lion is in the streets!"

          This scripture from Proverbs 26:13 shows one of the best graphic examples of how God's omniscience sees through it all, getting to the truth and revealing it to us for our understanding, conviction and change.

          Obviously there is a not a real lion present, but the verse tells us how the mind of the slothful person actually "conjures" up an excuse, justifying in their faulty reasoning why they should postpone and usually not accomplish a task or effort.

          Most of us would not identify ourselves as a sluggard, but the related words to the definition include being inattentive, passive and slow. If we're honest with ourselves, many of us have areas we know God is prompting us to move forward in, including our finances.

          Starting with our "First Commandment" of finances, honoring the Lord with the first tenth of our income. For some, the lion is "I will tithe when I'm making more" or "when I get this bill paid". The truth is in Malachi 3 God regards this as robbing Him and those that do so are cursed with a curse, which is sadly why that cycle continues for those people until they step out in faith.

          Conversely, the verses that follow speak of God's window of blessing being open and pouring to those who tithe and give offerings to Him, even to the point of not having enough room to receive it and the Lord also rebuking the enemy in their finances.

          We are called to be free of debt in Romans 13:8, "to owe no man anything, except to love one another". Much like the subject of tithing, where our inaction undermines our ability to be blessed from God to so - indebtedness carries its own handicap in the form of interest charges. With the average credit card interest rate of 21% the balance can grow too large to overcome - unless we take steps to reduce what goes on the card to begin with.

          Consider it this way when using the credit card, if you do not have the money in the bank to pay for it now when you're charging for it... how will you have it when the 21% interest charge is added on?

          What are the lions you've imagined keeping you from stepping out and taking the reins in this area? Do they include what will people think if you brought lunch to work, spent less on clothing, did not have the latest phone, device or car? Or what your flesh is crying out for, that "I have to have this or I won't be happy?".

          We need to put those fictitious lions (excuses) in their place, and regard more highly what is real - which is the power of compound interest working against those carrying debt, that our awesome God who loves us has warned us that we rob Him and are cursed by withholding the tithe, but will be blessed beyond our room to even store it if we're obedient.

          In closing, keep this thought and verse in mind when thinking of those lions of procrastination... When we know something is right... RIGHT NOW is the time to do it. One version of Ecclesiastes 11:4 reads "If a person waits for perfect weather, he will never plant his seeds. And if he is afraid every cloud will bring rain, he will never harvest his crops."

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

          

As You Received

As You Received

          "As you have therefore received Christ, even Jesus the Lord, so walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him."

          These words from Paul in Colossians 2:6 - when viewed in the context of our eternal destiny, can increase our faith and raise our awareness towards a greater obedience to God in all ways, including our finances.

          If you are a believer in Christ, consider how you already trust the Lord to be true to His Word regarding your salvation and eternal destiny - something that is priceless and beyond our human comprehension. Spiritually, you have "gotten out of the boat" as Peter did and placed all of your trust in Christ. You trust Him in 2020, and you'll continue to trust Him 10,000 years from now, when knowing Him perfectly.

          The Bible speaks of God's people trusting Him through extreme trials and hardships, some even to the degree of being martyrs. However, as God's Word commands us in the area of tithing for example, it is simply about trusting Him with... money - the first tenth of our earnings. That is about 4+ hours of your wages for the week compared to the boundless number of years you've already trusted Him with your salvation.

          And because He loves you so and wants to show Himself to those who believe, that He promises in Malachi 3 to respond to your trust in Him by tithing, which includes to "pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it".

          Going back to our initial verse above... how did you receive Christ? 

          By faith.

          You heard the Word of God, your heart told you it was true and you believed.

          We'll also be in union and conformity to Him the same way in the other areas of our walk and our finances - hearing the Word, recognizing in our heart it is The Truth and believing by faith.

          And be strengthened towards obedience with the same eternal mindset, that you've already trusted Him with your eternal salvation and can step in faith in whatever that earthly area of obedience is.

          Finally, be encouraged and looking for this to be your future: "For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down - when we die and leave these bodies - we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself and not by human hands." (2 Corinthians 5:1)

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul