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Words Of Life Ministries, Inc. 24148 Iowa Rd PO Box 652 Lebanon, MO 65536 Located in downtown Sleeper, MO 417-532-8050 |
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BIBLE-BASED FINANCIAL GUIDANCE, Part 4
by Jerry Dewey
This picture represents your financial situation: the seat of the stool is your financial foundation; the legs are the support for your financial foundation; and the glass full of marbles is the status of your financial situation. Most people, if they were being honest, would say their finances are in a mess and no matter how hard they try, they never see any improvement; some of you are saying to yourself, “the harder I try, the worse it gets.” The reason you do not see any improvement simply means one or more of the supports are missing. You will not see any improvement as long as a support is missing. All three supports have to be in place and remain in place in order for you to see any positive movement in the status of your financial situation and eventually, it getting better and better. To keep your financial foundation upright, you must tithe, give, and save in faith and you must be consistent. Not tithing, giving, and saving in faith and/or being inconsistent in any of these areas will cause you to experience financial problems and difficulties because God is not pleased with your stewardship. No matter how hard you try and no matter how much money you make, as long as God is not pleased with your stewardship, any positive movement towards financial independence will only be temporary. You will only experience lasting and substantial positive movement towards financial independence when God is pleased with your stewardship. Hebrews 11:6 states, “but without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to Good must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Doing something in faith means you do it without question; you do it in spite of how you feel about it; you do it even though you don’t think you have the ability to do it; you do it in spite of how those around you feel about it; and, you do it regardless of the immediate results. You do it because you have confidence that God’s rewards and blessings will materialize. Based upon what God has done for others in the past, you put your full, uncompromising trust in the fact that God that will do it for you in the present and the future. Actions are the demonstration of your faith; they are a physical manifestation of your confidence and your certainty. Active obedience demonstrates genuine belief. Lack of faith-actions proves you have no faith, which is exactly what is said in James 2, verse 17 (“even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone”), verse 20 (“but wilt thou know…that faith without works is dead”), and verse 26 (“for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”). It is not enough to know or say you believe; God says, so what, the devils know and believe (James 2:19, “thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble”). What is the difference between the saints listed in the faith hall of fame and the devils (Hebrews 11:4-38; notice, Jonah is not mentioned here)? Those people did what God told them to do, whereas, the devils never will. God’s blessings are conditional; they are either preceded by the word “if” or the implication of the word “if” is there. Obedience is the key – you must trust God so much that you will do what He expects you to do, regardless of the circumstances. If you’re not tithing, giving, and saving in faith, in God’s eyes, you are not tithing, giving, and saving – you may say and/or think you are, but this is not the way God sees it. All you are doing is going through the motions, but God will not honor your actions. You have chosen your will above God’s will, which is contrary to Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “…take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36). Jesus knew that God’s will was going to cost Him dearly: unbearable suffering, separation from God, and death. Yet, because of His love for His Father, and us, He relinquished His will (to continue living) for something far more priceless. Jesus said we must to do no less in John 15:13-14, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” A Christian who truly loves God will gladly give up their self will to follow God’s will and obey all of His commandments; if you are not obeying all of His commandments, you are living in sin and outside the will of God. 1 John 3:4-10 (Amplified) makes this very clear: “Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God's law by transgression or neglect--being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will). You know that He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away [upon Himself] sins, and in Him there is no sin [essentially and forever]. No one who abides in Him [who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him--deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin. No one who [habitually] sins has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him]. Boys (lads), let no one deceive and lead you astray. He who practices righteousness [who is upright, conforming to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action, living a consistently conscientious life] is righteous, even as He is righteous. [But] he who commits sin [who practices evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done]. No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God. By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God's will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).” Finally, you must be consistent. This is not a sprint, but a marathon – it’s a way of life. It is a lifestyle of steady and continued action towards obtaining and maintaining a Christ-like persona. Acts 26:20 (Amplified, “...to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.”) says a Christian should do works and live a life consistent with and worthy of their profession of faith, while Matthew 3:8 (Amplified, “Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart];”) says your fruit should be consistent with your profession of faith – in other words, your life should prove your change of heart. If you would like more information, click on the Contact link and send us an email; someone will contact you shortly thereafter.
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email address: wofl@wofl.org | ||
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