Healthy Wealthy and Wise

Dear Brethren,

Our country, as we know it, is rapidly disintegrating.   Daily, tremendous changes are taking place in fiscal policy, health resources, and religious freedom.

Syncretism is the mixture or meshing of contrary religious beliefs.  When one faith has the annihilation of another faith as its major purpose – the two cannot be reconciled.  Such is the case of Islam and Protestantism.  The word, "Chrislam," has been coined to represent a melding of the Holy Bible and the Qur'an.

Protestantism, like its predecessor Catholicism, has adopted a set of ancient Pagan customs into its core beliefs.  For example, Christmas, Easter, Sun-day worship, Halloween and St. Valentine's Day were never a part of the faith of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the apostles, or the first  century Church of God.  These were all added through the practice of syncretism.

In the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16).  He is not the same person spoken of in the Qur'an.  Jesus Christ shed His blood and died for the sins of all mankind (1 Peter 1:19).  The usurper in the Qur'an makes no such claim.

This week, the Federal Reserve authorized the printing of $900 billion in various Treasuries.  This nearly one trillion dollars will be heaped upon the impossible to redeem debt of $13 trillion already amassed.  The government has begun to monetize our debt, that is – pay their bills by simply printing new currency rather than selling bonds on the open market – because there are fewer lenders willing to take the risk.  The phrase, "quantitative easing," or QE has been coined to make the generational theft more palatable.

What is God’s intent for us?  Why are some healthier than others?  Or, wealthier, or wiser?  What if someone lacks in one or more of these attributes – is it a sign of God’s displeasure?  Should we strive with all our being to acquire these characteristics?  There is no doubt about it – God’s desire is that we do well.  Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  (John 10:10)  God wants us to work toward being healthy, wealthy and wise.

Does having health, wealth, and wisdom prove that someone is righteousness in God’s sight?  The answer is, not at all – if it did, the rich would possess a spiritual advantage over the poor, and they do not!  Jesus said, “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the Kingdom of God.”  (Luke 6:20)  Having health, wealth, or wisdom – or the lack thereof, is not an indication of God’s pleasure or displeasure in one of His people.

In general, we are blessed when we diligently seek to walk in all God’s ways.  “All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.”  (Deuteronomy 28:2)  “A faithful man shall abound with blessings.”  (Proverbs 28:20)  However, let us keep in mind that God has many things going on at the same time – from the rise and fall of nations to His firm direction and guidance in individual lives.  Sometimes, God seemingly withholds His blessings when He is correcting or chastening us.  “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.  If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?”  (Hebrews 12:6-7)

What is it about the teachings of Jesus Christ that will help provide abundant life?  Can our success be measured in terms of achievement and accomplishment in our lives, or is spiritual growth a better measure of life's success?  In today's secular culture, success is equated with health,  prestige, wealth, power, and the wisdom of this world. “This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.”  (James 3:15)  But, let's keep in mind that success in God's eyes is not synonymous with these definitions, but is something entirely different.

Spiritually, we are measured in how much we progress and develop into the image of God, because we are being created in His image (Genesis 1:26).  "We shall be like Him."  (1John 3:2)  We should understand what God's ideal for us is – and do our very best to achieve it.  “He knows our frame… and God has set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased Him.”  (Psalm 103:14, 1 Corinthians 12:18)

It is God's intention that every person becomes spiritually healthy, and wealthy in blessings, and wise with Godly wisdom  (James3:17).  Only God knows what our incredible potential is.  Our spiritual growth in this lifetime is directly and inexorably linked to our role in the Kingdom of God.  But, again let's not make the mistake of measuring ourselves as man does.  God looks on the heart of His obedient children; and indeed, some poor widow lady could vastly surpass a rich banker in God’s eyes.  "I the Lord search the heart; I try the reins, even to give every man according to his deeds, and according to the fruit of his doings."  (Jeremiah 17:10)

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Sermon:  "Healthy Wealthy and Wise"

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