2007-01-05
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The Holy Spirit leads me to continue writing about materialism, a problem in any wealthy country like ours. From God's lofty and thus, more accurate point of view, any person with a lot of material wealth is in spiritual jeopardy. That doesn't mean that this person will allow the evil one to lead him to sin, but the opportunity is there if the person is not keenly aware that he must keep his life God-led. In my mind is a picture of that person standing on a steep and slippery spiritual slide that takes a lot of faith and grace to keep from plummeting down at a tremendous speed. The faith must be acted upon by the believer; the grace is a gift from God. I looked in the book of Proverbs for God's point of view. PR 30: 8-9, Keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need. If I have more, I might say that I do not need You. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God." For most of us in this country, I believe that God answers this request in the affirmative. Of course, there are glaring exceptions for various reasons-some of which only God knows. One reason might be so that those of us who have might take the attitude that my congregation is trying to take right now. Woodbury Lutheran Church is designing and implementing programs that reach out to and help serve those who are in need. Our church is trying to do this all through the year, not only at Christmas time. Even in OT times, God has commanded His people to help those less fortunate than ourselves. DT 15: 7-8, 10-11, "If in any of the towns in the land that the Lord your God is giving you there is a fellow Israelite in need, then do not be selfish and refuse to help him. Instead, be generous and lend him as much as he needs...Give to him freely and unselfishly, and the Lord will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some Israelites who are poor and in need, and so I command you to be generous to them." God's teaching has always been consistent.
I believe that God allows certain people to become materially very wealthy, while at the same time very spiritually rich. That is because He knows that this person will use the extra wealth beyond his personal needs to help others. There is a couple that I know, for example, who live quite modestly. However, this couple is very wealthy indeed. They use their excess to fund God's work, and this has to please God very much. They are spiritually storing their riches in heaven, just as Christ asks us to do [MT 6: 19-21]. We can be reminded of the virtuous woman described in PR 31: 10-31. These 22 verses, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, describe a woman who honors her husband, family, and most of all, God. Let me give you an excerpt just to get the idea. PR 22: 23-27, "Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens. She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants. She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future. She speaks with a gentle wisdom. She is always busy and looks after her family's needs." It is not wild extrapolation to say that she and her husband are likely to be materially wealthy, but she turns that wealth into a service which extends beyond her family's home and provides income. She is not afraid of the future, because she has faith in God and is obedient to Him. She is well respected, because she doesn't use her money to gain personal control over others or to do any kind of evil. Instead, she speaks with gentle wisdom, wisdom that comes directly from her willingness to let God be the Lord of her life. She is responsible, taking care of her family as anyone with a family should according to God's teaching.
2 COR 5: 20-21 is a very important passage with far-reaching implications. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." This is a passage worthy of a good deal of meditation, so I hope each of us will take the time to do that. Faith in God through Christ has nothing to do with how much material wealth one has. There are good and evil rich people, good and evil poor ones. When I spoke about this issue with my husband, he reminded me of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, both of whom are close friends. Both men are billionaires and have given much to others in need, while at the same time living comfortably themselves. They are buddies who play bridge together and have been given the joy of a wonderful friendship. Truthfully, I don't know about their spiritual lives, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that God is big Part of their equation. As for being Christ's ambassadors, I believe that cuts into every aspect of a person's life-what responsibilities they take, their behavior toward others, their humility and obedience to God, their love of God, others, and self, and a host of other things. We must remember that no matter how much we have materially, we owe everything we have to Christ, Who by His death on the cross, made it possible for us to live and learn to have righteousness-something only God can provide. Those with little material wealth can be very well-to-do spiritually. Through obedience to God, they have let the Lord open the way to a life full of spiritual blessings.
PRAYER: O Lord, as we stand before You today, we are humbled and awed by what You can do to bless the lives of those who love You. There is such great truth in 2 CH 16: 9. "The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." PS 107: 43 also comes to mind. "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord." You are right here with us! We are honored and blessed by that. You will take us by the hand and direct us, keeping us safe from the temptations of the evil one. While he is smart and sly, he is not stronger and more wise than You. PS 31: 3-5, "You are my Refuge and Defense; guide me and lead me as You have promised. Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me; shelter me from danger. I place myself in Your care. You will save me, Lord; You are a faithful God." Where material things are concerned, we need Your wisdom in decision-making, Your teaching on what is a need versus what is a want. If it is Your will that we are materially wealthy, we beseech You to guide us away from accumulating things just for ourselves. Instead, let us use those resources beyond our real needs to help others who are unable to help themselves. For Dearest Abba, You have given us major illumination on our lives and Your purpose for them in EPH 2: 8-10. "For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do." If it is Your will that we not be materially rich, then we plead with You to bless us with spiritual wealth, so that we don't give in to bitterness, refuse to reach out to others for You, or get caught in a tangled web of deceit and/or recriminations. Break through the vicious cycle of self-pity and carry us to a life in Christ, as only You can do. You are a wise and compassionate God, One Who deserves our worship, adoration, thanks, and praise. We offer You all of that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Next week, I am led to write about the disciple's cross, a concept taught in the year-long MasterLife course that I have taken, written by Pastor Avery T. Willis. This is a way of presenting ministry possibilities laid out for the believer by our Lord. This can give us some practical ways to be Christ's ambassadors on earth. If space permits, we will then begin looking at how spiritual maturity in service has an attitude which doesn't focus on material wealth or poverty. It is my personal belief that the measures of importance that are worldly- things like how you dress, your marital status, your educational level, how much money you make, what kind of house in which you live, and what you do for a living-aren't important in heaven. What matters is what we learn in MICAH 6: 8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." PS 24: 3-6 gives us more illumination. "Who has the right to go up the Lord's hill? Who may enter His holy temple? Those who are pure in act and thought, who do not worship idols or make false promises. The Lord will bless them and save them; God will declare them innocent. Such are the people who come to God, who come into the presence of the God of Jacob." Does living righteously mean avoiding temptation? Of course! God alone can give us the strength and wisdom to do this. That is why I consider the Bible God's "love letter" to the faithful. He reveals Himself to us through studying it and through listening to Him in prayer. He allows the circumstances of our lives, so that we may be strengthened by Him, as "His eyes range throughout the earth" to see us [2 CH 16: 9; PS 33: 13]. Praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn