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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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