EVERY WORD OF GOD."
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him ALL THE
KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him.
ALL THIS POWER WILL I GIVE THEE, AND THE GLORY OF THEM: FOR
THAT IS DELIVERED UNTO ME: and TO WHOMSOEVER I WILL I GIVE IT.
IF THOU THEREFORE WILT WORSHIP ME, ALL SHALL BE THINE."
Lk.4:4-7; Dan.11:43.
In this current age we find the temptations of lust are just as present
with us as they have been in ages past. Possible more so...The
temptations may have subtly changed from period to period but the
human compulsion to lust or covet has not - Jer.6:13; Prv.27:20.
"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that
maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." Prv.13:7. The truth of
God's word teaches, "He that layeth up treasures for himself is not
rich toward God.'' Lk.12:21.
Therefore the Lord doth say further...''labour not to be rich: cease
from thine own wisdom" (Prv.23:4) concerning this matter, for I would
rather ye "receive My instruction and not silver; and knowledge rather
than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies...riches and
honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit
is better than gold....and My revenue than choice silver.'' Prv.8:10,
11;18, 19. Why "wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an
eagle toward heaven." Prv.23:5; Jer.17:11.
Many of God's chosen are fallen by the wayside of that narrow
highway leading towards the manifested kingdom. They are beguiled
by the deceptive subtlety of the serpent, contained in an unbalanced
teaching which advocates that all the natural riches, wealth, honour
and prosperity of this world are here for the children of God to
possess and enjoy - but in reality, "their heart goeth after their
covetousness.'' Ezk.33.31.
It is true that riches and wealth can be "a gift of God'' (Eccl.5:18-20)
but we must realize also, "unto whomsoever much is given, of him
shall be much required." Lk·12:48. This is true in both the spiritual
and natural sense of application. "If riches increase (in the natural),
set not your heart upon them" (Psa.22:10) for "there is an evil
disease" (Eccl.6:1; 2) associated with the abundance of material
wealth which attacks both saint and sinner alike. It begins
undetected, growing like a cancer and increasing in soreness wherein
we find, ''he that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he
that loveth abundance (be satisfied) with increase." Eccl.5:10. This
"sore evil" comes with "riches kept for the owners (pleasure) thereof
to their hurt.'' Eccl.5:13; 1Tim.6:9, 17; Deut.8:13, 14.
Surely, "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house" (Prv.15:17)
and bringeth sore destruction. "Woe unto him that coveteth an evil
covetousness to his house'' (Habk.2:9) thinking that in so doing, he
may be delivered from the power of evil. "Behold, these are the
ungodly, who prosper in the world: they increase in riches."
Psa.73:14.
Beloved, the prosperity God wishes above all things for his children is
that they may succeed in obtaining a prosperous and healthy spirit.
In 3Jn.2 it was certainly not God's highest wish for Gaius to be
naturally wealthy or to be necessarily in perfect health. This
interpretation would be contrary to the teachings of Jesus and Paul
and the other apostles and prophets. Here John was merely writing
to his beloved Gaius encouraging him that he might succeed in the
work God had called him to perform, and wishing in his own mind that
his physical health would be in as good a condition as his soul was in
order to prosper (succeed). There is no wish of God here concerning
worldy wealth which can be applied to the church as a whole. Nor is
such a teaching found any where else in the Bible!
Great is the responsibility required to he a faithful steward and
servant of God. This is why Jesus stated emphatically, "no man can
serve two, masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon (material wealth)." Lk.16:13. For that
"unrighteous mammon" (Lk.16:11) "which is highly esteemed
(coveted) among men, is abomination in the sight of God" (Lk.16:15)
and its root is found solely in "the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil." Gen.2:9.
The fruit of the tree appeared "good for food'' "pleasant to the eyes''
and a way "to be desired to make one wise'' (Gen.3:6), and so it
appears even this day. This fruit of' iniquity lust contained the very
seeds of covetousness. When mankind yielded to the temptation
and the enticement of this form of lust, death entered his domain
through the portals of his disobedient soul - Jas.1:14, 15; Rev.18:14.
Today we find that the "root of all evil'' is found in the love or lust for
money - 1Tim.6:10. This is multiplied and rooted in the natural
carnal nature which loves the taste of the fruit of possessing anything
or anyone. The kingdom of God cannot be found in the love or
desire to possess anything other than spiritual riches, or anyone other
than the Lord Jesus Christ. The woman (soul) was convinced by that
serpents voice that she was missing something to be desired. This
original lie is still echoing in the church corridors of today. Like Eve,
many have been seduced and convinced that the desire of earthly
possessing, is gain even unto godliness, all the while knowing not
that it really only "tendeth to poverty." Prv.11:24:28:22.
Woe unto you that strive to be rich! "Woe unto you that are rich ! for
ye have received your consolation.'' Lk.6:24. "Woe unto you that
labour for the (deceitful - Prv.23:3) meat which perishes.'' Jn.6:27.
Know ye not that "charity seeketh not her own.'' 1Cor.13:5. Therefore
said Jesus. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.'' Matt. 6:19,21. Jesus also
said that it is almost easier ''for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom (highest realm
and calling) of God." Mk.:10:24. "How hardly shall they that have
riches enter in." Mk.10:23.
Why is this so? It is because "the deceitfulness of riches chokes
the word" (Matt.13:22) for "the cares of' this world and the
deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in,
choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Mk.4:19. Self
satisfied man becomes "choked with tares and riches and
pleasures of this life and brings no fruit to perfection (into the
realm of the kingdom).'' Lk.8:14. "From the least of them to the
greatest of them (including God's own) every one is given to
covetousness." Jer.6:13. Therefore, "let us (now) lay aside every
weight" (Heb.12:1) of earthly treasures and pleasures, ''for a false
balance (in anything pertaining to the fleshly nature) is an
abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight." Prv.11:1;
Mic.6:10-13.
We are exhorted as the children of God not to let any "man that
warreth, entangle himself with the affairs of this life" (2Tim.2:4), but
rather to entangle himself "in things pertaining to God." Heb.5:1. Nor
should we allow our hearts to "be overcharged with surfeiting, and
(spiritual) drunkenness, and cares of this life." Lk.21:34. "Love not
the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not (being manifest; bearing fruit) in
him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
1Jn.2:15, 16. This lust and "this wisdom descendeth not from above,
but is earthly, sensual, devilish." Jas.3:15. Flee from those who
would tell that worldly prosperity is one of the highest blessings of
God.
Ye in spiritual ignorance "have lived in pleasure on the earth, and
been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of
slaughter." Jas.5:5. Ye "who mind earthy things" (Phil.3:19), "come
now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come
upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth
eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be
a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye
have heaped treasure together for the last days.'' Jas.5:1-3. The rust
has gathered and corrupted because ye have put your gold and silver
"into a bag with holes.'' Hag.1:6. Knowing this, Jesus gave His
disciples a preventative remedy....''sell that ye have, and give alms;
provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens
that faileth not." Lk.12:33; Matt.19:21.
A man's heart can easily become lifted up because of riches
(Ezk.28:5; Deut.8:11-18) and can find many seemingly legitimate
excuses which prevent one from doing the perfect will of the Lord.
Brethren, is that piece of ground (lands, houses etc.) you bought
keeping you from eating bread and manna in the kingdom of God?
Are those five yoke of oxen (business. work situations and
involvement's etc.) holding you back from following on to know the
Lord in obtaining the high calling of God? Is your wife or loved ones
an excuse? These hindrances and entanglements, man has desired
and brought upon himself, but it should not be so if he wishes to feast
with the Lamb in the kingdom supper - Lk.14:16-24. The parable in
Lk.16:1-8 shows that the unregenerate are often more wise and
aggressive in preparing for their future on earth than Christians are
for theirs in the kingdom of heaven!
Jesus said without compromise, that any man which hate not his own
life (in comparison - Lk.10:61-62) and does not bear his cross
(burden, reproach, suffering etc..) cannot be His disciple (Lk.14:26),
and so "likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he
hath (even his own earthly desires and ambitions) he cannot be my
disciple." Lk.14:33. How hardly shall they that have riches enter into
the kingdom of God." Mk.10:23. "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost
its savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned." Lk.14:34. We see that
Christians may easily loose their savour by laying up treasures on
earth and by catering to their own pleasures and comforts unless by
His grace the law of God's mouth remains better unto them "than
thousands of gold and silver." Psa.119:72; Deut.8:11-18;
1Tim.6:17-19.
Beloved saint, are you at the place where you can say as did Paul,
"But what things were gain to me (my flesh), those I counted loss for
Christ...for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count
them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil.3:7, 8) always "esteeming
the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt."
Heb.11:26. Let us continue to press forward in the spirit in all things
approving ourselves as the ministers of God.."as poor yet making
many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things"
(2Cor.6:4, 10), for we know that our Lord Jesus Christ "hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings" (Eph.1:3), not earthly blessings, in
Him." Prv.28:20. ''The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich.''
Prv.10:22. In it alone, is ''a wealthy place.'' Psa.66:12.
Know ye not that covetousness is idolatry? Col.3:5. "Thou shalt not
covet thy neighbors house...nor anything that is thy neighbors."
Ex.20:17. Therefore let us "take heed and beware of covetousness
...for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he
possesseth.'' Lk.12:15. "Let your conversation (life) be without
covetousness and be content with such things as ye have.'' Heb.13:5.
Still, there are many going about in the church "supposing that gain
is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." 1Tim.6:5. "Thou oh
man of God, flee these things" (1Tim.6:11). "that ye be not partakers
of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev.18:4. Gain
is not godliness but godliness surely is great gain!
Though "the tabernacles of robbers prosper" (Jb.12:6), by the eyes of
the Spirit we can know and understand how, that only "godliness
with contentment is great gain...and having food and raiment, let
us therewith be content.'' 1Tim.6:6-8. Therefore Jesus had
said..."take no thought saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we
drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed...for your heavenly Father
knoweth ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the
kingdom of God and his righteousness: and all these (necessary)
things shall be added unto you." Matt.6:31-33. And is it is also not
written? "my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus." Phil.4:19. The righteous prayer of our hearts
should be...''give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food
convenient for me." Prv.30:8. Oh Lord. "incline my heart unto thy
testimonies, and not to covetousness." Psa.119:36; Prv.15:16, 27.
A bishop (or any other servant) must be "not greedy of filthy lucre"
(1Tim.3:3) because earthly abundance subjects man to powerful
temptations "which while some coveted after, they have erred from
the faith." 1Tim.6:10. ''They that will be rich fall into temptation and a
snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition.'' 1Tim .6:9. Regarding "covetousness, let
it not be once named among us. as becometh saints...for this ye
know, that no...covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and God.'' Eph.5:3-5; Col.3:5.
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations...let
patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing.'' Jas.1:24. Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation'' (Jas.1:12) of earthly treasures, knowing that "He that is in
you'' has overcome all the temptations of worldly riches - Lk.4:5-13.
Christ has made available his greater power of deliverance whereby
we also, are able to overcome all the power and glory of the earthly
kingdom which Satan is presently allowed to rule - Lk.10:19;
Dan.11:43. Soon the kingdom age shall make manifest that "the
wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just'' (Prv.13:22) "and the
uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession" (Psa.2:8), but there
yet remaineth a work of God to be done - Jb.27:16, 17.
Follow not the example of the children of Israel who tempted God in
their hearts by asking meat for their lust. "Tho He had rained down
manna upon them to eat and given them of the corn of heaven''
(Psa.78:24-29) "He gave them their own desire" (vs.29). "Because
they lusted exceedingly...and tempted God...He gave them their
request; but He sent leanness unto their soul." Psa.106:14-15.
Rather, let us follow only Jesus who said to them all, "If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me.'' Lk.9:23.
All around us we see that "the merchants of the earth are waxed rich
through the abundance of her delicacies." Rev.18:3. Generally
speaking, "He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand:
he loveth to oppress" (Hos.1:7) for "by thy sorceries (Babylon's
deceitful systems) were all nations deceived." Rev.18:23. But it is
written and soon it shall surely come to pass in its fulfillment,
"Babylon the great is fallen" (Rev.18:2) "and the fruits which thy soul
lusted after are departed from thee...and thou shalt not find them no
more at all." Rev.18:14. If it were in the Lord's will "we would have
healed Babylon but she is not healed (neither shall she be for like the
outer world system, that mysterious woman [the fallen soul within]
shall be destroyed). Forsake her...for her judgment reacheth unto
heaven.'' Jer.51:9.
''For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose
himself, or be cast away?'' Lk.9:25. Like the Laodicean church, God
knows the works of all his children whether they be hot, cold or
lukewarm. "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Rev.13:16. Know that "out of
His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Prv.2:6) of all
kingdom principles for entering therein. Therefore his people shall
be destroyed in the earth through lack of knowledge..."Because thou
hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee" (Hos.4:6) and that
people shall have no inheritance in the coming millennial kingdom of
kings and priests.
Lukewarmness sets in when one becomes ''rich and increased with
goods'' and believes they "have need of nothing'' more, and thus they
are hindered from going "on unto perfection" (the fulness of the
kingdom of God) - Heb.6:l. They know not that they are "wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev.3:17. They
know not that "more to be desired are the statutes and judgments of
the Lord (now) than gold, yea, than much fine gold...moreover by
them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great
reward." Psa.19:8-11; Prv.20:15; Prv.3:13-17.
Beloved, "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and
heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"
Jas.2:5. Indeed He has! "Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature (kingdom), having escaped the corruption that is in
the world through lust." 2Ptr.1:4; Eph.2:7.
"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be
(truly rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest see (the folly and
deceitfulness of unrelentless striving to lay up for yourselves riches
and treasure of the earth)." Rev.3:18. "For as much as ye know that
ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from
your vain conversation (behavior) received by tradition from your
fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ" (1Ptr.1:18, 19), be "as
obedient children, not fashioning yourself according to the former
lusts in your ignorance" (1Ptr.1:14) but be found as fashioning
yourselves "according to the riches of His glory." Eph.3:16.
Know this that.."A good name is rather to be chosen than great
riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and
poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all. A prudent man
foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are
punished. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor,
and life." Prv.22:1-4
"He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth
to the rich, shall surely come to want." Prv.22:16; 28:6-8.
They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be
removed:
their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day
of the wrath
of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels:
because it is the stumbling block of their iniquity."
Ezk.7:19; Prv.11:4.
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk
not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind...who being past
feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If
so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the
truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation
(life of personal gain) the old man, which is corrupt according to the
deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness." Eph.4:17-24.
Oh faithful ones, God knows "thy works, and tribulation, and poverty,
(but [truly] thou art rich)" in spirit - Rev.2:9; Prv.8:21. Now it can be
truly said, even "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these." Matt.6:29.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor,
THAT YE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BE RICH."
2Cor.8:9. Therefore, "Charge them that are rich in this world
that they might be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches but
in the living God, who giveth us richly all (spiritually beneficial things
to enjoy.." 1Tim.6:17.
K. Ross McKay
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