This is a wonderful story of resurrection power and supernatural provision. During a time of great famine, God opened the windows of heaven and saved the people in the city. The King of Syria attacked and surrounded Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom. Food became scarce. The Jews do not eat donkey meat. It was forbidden in the Law of Moses. But now, the people were so hungry that they killed their donkeys. The donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung used as fuel for fire was sold for five pieces of silver. These are exorbitant prices. It was the law of supply and demand in action. If a product has a high demand and low supply, the price will increase. If there is low demand and high supply, the price will decrease. Market balancing occurs when demand and supply intersect to create a stable price. The people were so desperate that they became cannibals. Mothers and fathers lost their feelings of love towards their children. Just to survive, they killed their children and ate them. This is part of the curses send by God against His rebellious people (Deut 28:52-57). The King of Israel (Joram, perhaps) was totally helpless. This is a picture of total disaster, of death reigning in the city. Only God can help now!
There were four lepers who were sitting outside the the city gate. Because of their leprosy, they could not enter the city. They discussed their options: if they enter the city, or stay at the gate, they will die of hunger. The only option is to surrender to the enemy. Is the Syrians pity them, they will live. If not, they will kill them. Between death and death, they decided to surrender to the enemy. hey discovered that all the Syrians ran away and abandoned everything, their tents, food, weapons, horses, gold and silver. Imagine the joy! God fought their battle, and they did not even know it. God prepared for them a table on the midst of their enemies. They ate and drank wine. They hid some of the treasures. Then they felt guilty. They declared that this is the day of good news. Good news must be shared with others. They told the king’s officers about the story. Initially. There was joy in the whole city. Death has been defeated. The only man who did not partake from this celebration was the king’s chief of staff. Elisha prophesied that the next day, the price of food would go down to normal. But he doubted the prophet’s words and God’s power to open the windows of heaven. The next day, as the people found the treasures of the enemy, the price of food items dropped immediately. The chief of staff saw the miracle but could not partake in it. He was trampled to death by the mob who joyously ran to share in the bounty.
Spiritually, this is a story about sharing the Gospel with a dying world. In Greek, the word ‘Gospel’ is ‘euangelion’. It simply means ‘good news’. Once we become saved, we are supposed to do evangelism. Good news is not to be hidden or stored. It is to be shared. If you repent and believe the Gospel, you shall enter the Kingdom of God. If like the chief of staff, you reject the Gospel, you will die and go to hell. May we be willing to accept Jesus Christ and His Gospel and be saved!
Lessons: God is the God of miracles! God is a God of Grace. The king and the people inside Samaria were rebellious against God. That is why the curses of disobedience came upon them. But God still intervened by His Grace. The lepers went to the enemy to find mercy. The Syrians did not invite them, but they went anyway. How much more we should go to God, who invites us to find mercy and grace in time of need. God does not fight with spears. He fights with His Word. The Syrians heard the noise of battle, and they ran away. God can defeat any enemy, spiritual or physical. Trust Him! God cares for the needy! God supplies seed for the Sower and bread for the eater. Not to share in the good news is called the sin of silence! God’s Word in the mouth of His prophet cannot fall to the ground, powerless. Both in mercy and in judgment, God’s Word must be Fulfilled! Help is closer than you imagine! Help was at the gate! By God’s grace the rejected Lepers become saviors and heroes! God can use anyone, anytime! Worship the Lord!
This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Our Lord addresses the issue of faith, and its enemies, which are worries and doubt. As you can see, our Lord gives these matters serious attention. We should do the same. There is a close connection between the way we regard money and how we worry in this life. ‘Little faith’ is immature faith. The Christian believes that he is saved but he struggles with doubts when he prays about the blessings associated with salvation. We often see money as a god (Mammon). We think that money has the power to give us a better life. The natural man loves money and gathers his treasures on earth. He uses money to buy food, clothes, medicine, so that he will have a longer and happier life. Jesus uses the word ‘therefore’ to connect man’s attitude about money with the worries about his life. In other words, Mamon produces anxiety, but God gives faith and peace! The Kingdom of God is not built on intimidation, oppression, or fear. Earthly kings or rulers enjoy intimidating others. They think that oppressing people is the way to rule. On the contrary, King Jesus rules by God’s Word and delivers you from fear and anxiety. His will is that you too be totally free from doubt, fear and anxiety. Selah!
In Greek, the word ‘worry’ means being over-anxious about something, distracted, caring too much about something. To worry means to live in a constant state of unhappiness because of the problems you have or because of bad things that might happen in the future. Anxiety is your body’s reaction to stress. It is an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. Fear and anxiety are related but also different. Fear concerns the present and anxiety is mostly connected with the future, with the danger you see or imagine to be ahead. Anxiety, the fear of the future, are negative emotions that prevent God’s Word and love to mature. “The worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mk 4:19; AMP). The word ‘to choke’ means to crowd upon, to strangle, or to drown. Anxiety feels like drowning in the ocean. It is a terrible feeling that weakens the body and mind.
We are born with a sinful tendency towards anxiety. We worry too much about money and the things we can buy with money. We think too much about things that are temporal. We fall into the trap of thinking that the Kingdom of God is made of earthly things like ‘eating and drinking’. We imagine that we can ‘sponsor’ ourselves to become Kingdom’ citizens. With that mind-set, we miss the powerful revelation of the Kingdom of God. We minimize the revelation of the price paid on the Cross by our Lord, to set sinners free, so that they become kings and priests. We reduce the glory of God the Father and the glory of Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Anxiety is an extremely negative emotion. It can become an addiction, a spiritual stronghold in the mind. It is spiritually poisonous, and it damages your faith in God. It divides the mind. It produces doubt. A double minded man is like a man who has ‘two souls’. He is unstable, confused, and frustrated. God ignores his prayers (Jam 1:6-8). A double minded man lacks the discretion and the true wisdom of God. He loves to argue with himself and others. He does not have settled principles. He moves led by his emotions, easily influenced by public opinion. He cannot be a faithful friend. One day he is good and the next day, he is bad. He is a hypocrite. He is confused. One day he prays to God, then another day he prays to something else. One day he has hope to go to heaven and other day he fears that he may go to hell. He prays, but he does not wait for God to answer. He always changes the topic of his prayers. He punishes and troubles himself. This man needs deliverance. But a mature Christian has only one ‘mind’. In any situation of life, he always goes to God in prayer. He has no other god. He is settled in his mind about his identity in Christ. He has the assurance of his salvation. He is free from anxiety and doubts.
The Lord Jesus commands that we should not worry about life, the body, food, or clothes! The Lord does not say that we should have a passive attitude about the things of this life. He does not say that we should be lazy, and never think or make plans about the future. He points to the birds. God the Father feeds them. But, at the same time, these birds ‘work for food’. They fly everywhere to find worms or seeds to eat. They do not store food for tomorrow. They wake up every morning trusting that God is still alive and will provide food for them for that very day. Jesus says that as God’s Children, we are more valuable than birds. God is our ‘heavenly Father’. For example, if a man takes care of his pets or animals, he will surely not neglect his own children. The birds don’t have faith. They have a survival instinct. That is how they look for their food. They do not know that it is God who gives them food. But as God’s children we live by faith. God appreciates and rewards faith. Faith in God is strong and active. Living by faith does not mean to be lazy. Each morning, we pray for health for our bodies and for the provision of our daily bread. Faith and our works combined are the secret of godly successful living. Selah!
Taking the birds as an example, we also are to work for food, for clothes to wear, and to pay bills. In fact, God’s Word says this: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2Thess 3:10). Our Lord reminds us that Life is a gift. It is God’s gift. No man decides to come to this earth by his own power. God created all people, one by one. The deduction is that if God created you, then He will take care of you. To create something from nothing is harder than to keep that thing who is already created. Jesus says that if God created you, He would not abandon you because He created you for His purpose.
It is strange to see how much of our energy is used in worries about temporal things. Even the Christians think, talk, argue about the price of food and clothes. Jesus says we should look at the birds. This is a simple fact. God feeds them. But man’s way of providing food and clothes is different than that of the birds. Man must work so that he can eat. God told Adam: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Gen 3:19). Here, The Lord compares the birds with men so that we can see the lower and the higher. Jesus says, if God provides for the birds, who are lower in the level of creation, how much more God will provide for men, who are made in the image of God and have faith to believe in God? This is wise thinking: Compare things and conclude. For example, the Bible says: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32). If God gave us His Son to die for our sins (the higher price), He will surely give us food to eat (the lower price). Jesus is saying: Work but don’t Worry! To work is good! To worry, it is sin! The root of worry is doubt, pride, and rebellion. You need to repent of it.
Another reason why you should not worry about your life it is because The Gentiles seek after material things. All unbelievers live in fear, anxiety and doubt. But we must be different! If the Christian worries about food and clothes, he demotes himself to the level of the unbelievers. Jesus said that God the Father knows all your needs. Once you stop your anxiety, God will start being anxious for you! Don’t drag tomorrow’s pain into today. It will become anxiety and depression. God gives us a portion of His mercy, grace, wisdom, strength, and provision only for today. If you worry about tomorrow, the burden for today will be too much for you to bear. When you go to sleep this evening, have faith that God will still be God in the morning, when you wake up. Lesson: Jesus does not want you to worry about your life!!! Re-surrender your life totally and unconditionally to Jesus Christ, the King of kings! Live by that faith!
Anxiety or worry connects with the future. Our Lord uses verbs to describe the future. The Christian who worries is a Christian who doubt God’s sovereign care over his future. He may have faith for things concerning today, but he is not sure that God will help him in the future. He doubts the scriptures reveal God as the Master of the future. Listen to God: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). Only God knows the future. But He really knows it because God gives us the future. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isa 46:10; NIV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Selah!
What is the cure for this anxiety? Doctor Jesus recommends the activity of seeking the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Practically, it means to enthrone Jesus as King over every circumstance. You cannot stop anxiety by yourself. The only way to defeat it is by using your strength to seek the Kingdom of God. The greater revelation you have about God’s Kingdom, the more you shall live in the Freedom, Provision, Peace and Joy that He provides. Why do people worry about food and clothes? Without food and clothes, you lose the pleasure of eating and the compliments you receive for dressing well. Being naked in cold countries can kill you. Life is not only about experiencing natural pleasures. If we worry about food and clothes, we have forgotten the greater, eternal things. Life is fulfilled by knowing God, being saved and going to heaven. Jesus said that the Lilies are beautiful. But they do not work for food. They drink the water God supplies thru the rain. As you can see, God loves to make beautiful things. That is why the grass is green, the sky is blue, and the flowers have many colors. Learn to enjoy your life on earth every day! Be good and do good. In that way, you will never be worried about tomorrow. Selah!
Jesus says: “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”. He says that Life is more important than food. God will keep you alive until His purpose on earth for you is fulfilled. To worry is useless. If you worry, you cannot prolong your life. Worry may even shorten your life. He uses this figure of speech referring to the length of life. In other words, by worrying you cannot add one hour to your life. It is a fact that medical science and the doctors’ skill cannot prolong life. We think that living in a big city that has good hospitals gives us a better chance to live longer. But this is just an imagination. In any country and in any hospital, it is a fact that people die. Sometimes, the same sickness kills one and the other survives. Life is a gift from God. He determines when life starts and when life ends. Our lives are in the hands of God. If we trust God completely, worry has no place in our hearts. May our life and love give God all the glory! Amen!
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:9-11).
This is one of Apostle Paul’s prayers. If you study them, you discover that each prayer is intelligent, passionate, unique, and powerful. He always prays with both his mind and with his heart (his spirit). His prayers are based on deep understanding of doctrine and application to the present need. He always thanks God for the good he sees in the church and encourages the weak believers in the assembly. He is a balanced Christian. Paul’s first request is that God will grant the Christians in Philippi that their “love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment”. He acknowledges that the believers over there know how to love God and others. But their love must grow, become deeper, more mature, abounding in practical insight, and producing fruits of righteousness (of good behavior). In Greek the word ‘abound’ means to overflow, or to excel above all. Mature Love has this unique manifestation of an excellent wise spirit. The word ‘excellent’ means to be the best quality, unsurpassed, lovely, noble, royal, and a wonderful leader. Love chooses God’s will in every matter. Love is the world champion. Love always wins the gold medal. No other gift or skill rivals love in creativity, strength, perseverance, courage, and wisdom. The enemy of the best is not the bad, but the good. Love is the only power that can oppose sin and evil face to face and fight it to finish. Lovers never give up! Love abides forever! Love is even greater than Faith and Hope! Love never fails (1Cor13:8,13).
Mature, fruitful love multiplies in two ways: ‘in knowledge and discernment’. Love changes both the mind and the heart. Knowledge means truth, doctrine, or revelation. We must study God’s Word to understand how God loves. We look at the price Jesus paid for love. Like Jesus, we chose to live a life of sacrifice. We apply the Bible doctrines in our daily lives. Paul prays that we see how intelligent love is. Many Christians are ignorant of God’s Word. They make mistakes and blame it on ‘love’. For example, a Christian man says that he fell in love with an unbelieving girl. He wants to marry her saying that God will ‘understand’. He uses love as an excuse for being disobedient to God’s Word. But Agape Love is not selfish, foolish, wasteful or childish. Love is extremely intelligent and has a ‘PHD’ in human relations!!!
Love must also grow in discernment. This is the second ‘fruit’ of mature Love. Discernment is the skill, the power to see what is hidden, what is not evident to the average mind, and to find the excellency ‘behind the scenes.’ It is the ability to judge circumstances and people well, according to what God shows you. Love’s discernment manifests as excellent sight and pure vision. Only Love sees the best inside the worst of men. Love has the eyes of an eagle. Love sees the difference between what is true and what is false, between what is right and what is wrong. This discernment is extremely powerful. It’s God’s opinion in any matter. Discernment is to have the mind of Christ, to think Biblically. By testing we find the true value of someone. “Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1Thess 5:21,22). “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1Jn 4:1). This ‘testing’ is Love’s discernment to always make the right decisions!
To love is not easy. There are many snares in the path of love. Discernment is valuable in making decisions. Discernment grows only by the study of God’s Word and prayer. For a believer, discernment is not a luxury, but a necessity. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb 5:12-14). The more you apply discernment, the greater your love and your wisdom will be, and the less mistakes you will make in life.
“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right” (Charles Spurgeon). Love fine-tunes our emotions. For a baby Christian, discernment starts with the insight to know the truth about himself. An immature Christian has difficulty in knowing his own soul. He does not see clearly the difference between the works of his flesh and the fruit of the Spirit in him. He is still selfish. His decisions are based more on self-confidence than on agape love. He can be deceived. But the mature Christian sees himself clearly. He is humble and not afraid to take risks to love. Unfortunately, discernment is an area where most Christians stumble. They make legalistic decisions based on fear, doubt, or confusion. Their Love is still immature. Discernment is clearly manifested in those who are pure in heart because they see God (Matt5:8). If you see God, then you will see the truth in all situations. You will live in freedom. You will have peace with your decisions as you practice love.
Discernment is also a great weapon in spiritual warfare. The Bible commands that we should discern the strategy of the devil before we attack with prayers. “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2Cor 2:11). “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1Jn 4:18). Love and fear are opposites. Love brings people together. Fear separates them. The word ‘perfect’ means to be whole, complete, fulfilled, lacking nothing good. It also means to be trained, accomplished, and skilled to successfully bring a matter to an expected end. When Jesus died on the Cross He said: “It is finished!” (Jn19:30). He perfectly brought the work of salvation to an expected end. Fear relates to torment. The word ‘torment’ means punishment, serious pain and suffering in the body and especially in the mind. The victim becomes weak and feels like dying. We are told that Hell is a place of torment (Lk 16:23, 28). Therefore, fear is a sample of hell on earth. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Tim 1:7). Perfect Love is the ideal Love. No one of us can achieve the fulness of this Love while on earth. But we strive towards it. May God help us!
Practically, the best way to show love to another is not to buy a gift, but to pray for him (her). Prayer based on spiritual discernment is the best gift you can give to anyone, if he is poor or rich. To pray that a Christian may know and experience the overflow of agape Love, that he may love another and produce fruits of righteous behavior is an eternal investment paid in your heavenly treasure. Money cannot buy these gifts. This is the practical purpose of the preaching of the Gospel. The Christian must prove his love not only in times of peace, but especially during painful conflict. A mature Christian is extremely sensitive to what is of God and what is evil. This capacity grows with time, as the Christian pays the price for fruitful love. May our eyes be opened to that which pleases God, who is Love Himself! Amen!
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2Cor 5:20). “(Pray) for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph 6:19, 20).
An ambassador is King’s (President’s) highest-ranking representative to another nation. An ambassador is a strong leader, not easily discouraged, a good manager and communicator, a successful negotiator, and a respected representative of his country. His duty is to influence the country where he is posted with the good will of his King. He studies the people in the country where he is posted. He helps the citizens of his own country who live in the diaspora. He is totally committed to his king. When speaking in public, he never gives his personal opinion in any matter. He only voices the opinion of his king.
An ambassador never becomes a citizen of the country where he works. That means betrayal. He is totally protected by his King. He is well paid. His King pays for all his expenses while he is on duty. He is not voted for by people. He is appointed by his King. None can arrest him. Based on international law, ambassadors have diplomatic immunity. They have the right to resist their random arrest while on official duty. If he is suspected of a crime, the host country will not arrest him, but it can expel him. His King is the only one who can call him back from duty. The ground of the embassy belongs to his country. (For example, when a Nigerian living in France enters the Nigerian embassy in Paris, he is on Nigerian soil. Nigeria has 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally).
Ambassadors must navigate complex political and cultural landscapes while representing their country’s interests. This requires a high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to handle difficult conversations and negotiations with wisdom and skill. Ambassadors are special people. They have leadership qualities. They tend to be artistic, intuitive, discreet, sensitive, articulate, original, and expressive. They are enterprising, adventurous, ambitious, extroverted, energetic, confident, and optimistic.
God has always used men to represent Him, to speak in His name. For example, at the burning bush, God called Moses to be His servant, prophet, and His ambassador to Egypt. Moses was well educated in the best universities of Egypt. But now, as an old man of 80, living as a shepherd in the desert for 40 years, Moses has lost his confidence that he could represent Jehovah. He argues with God saying that he is not qualified for such a high position. God encourages him saying that He will be with Moses in and out of Egypt. “Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Exo 4:10-12). God tells Moses that because Pharoah will reject him, Egypt will be punished and let go of all the Jews living there. Soon, about 2 million Jews who were slaves, left Egypt as free people. Who is like unto Thee, Oh, Lord! Lesson: God does not call the qualified. God qualifies the called! Selah!
The Greatest Ambassador of God is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God the Father sent God the Son to earth, to become a Man, to teach men His will, and to die for them. He came as the King of God’s Kingdom. He came as the Ambassador of heaven, speaking on behalf of God the Father. Thru the Holy Spirit, Jesus had access to all the resources of heaven. He said that He does not speak His words and He does not do His will. Jesus, the perfect Ambassador of heaven, only speaks His Father’s Word and does His Father’s will. “Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (Jn 8:28, 29). “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (Jn 14:10-12). Jesus is our Example, Mentor, and King!
In Greek, the word ‘ambassador’ means an elderly person, a senior citizen, the King’s representative. As Christians, we are servants and ambassadors of Christ to all the nations. It is the highest privilege. We preach the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. We manifest agape love to all. This work is a mystery. God uses us to advance His Kingdom to the ends of the world. We are totally protected by Christ. He provides us with all that we need. As ambassadors, we do not advertise ourselves. We lift the name of King Jesus, speaking only God’s Word! “We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2Cor 4:5). King Jesus prepared us as His ambassadors saying: “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Lk 12:11,12). He gave us full authority in His name, to bind and to loosen. Jesus said: “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:21-22). As ambassadors of the Prince of Peace, we need to be filled with His Spirit, expanding God’s Kingdom. Rejecting us means rejecting our King! To represent King Jesus is the highest privilege given to man! May we always please our King in the work He gave us to do! Amen!
Questions: When people look at you, what impression do you give? By your words and deeds, how do you represent God’s Kingdom to others? Look at yourself, examine yourself. Do you give the impression that all you are interested in are the things of this world? Are you so experienced in cooking, or in the latest fashion style, in the latest news in politics, or the gist of Nollywood? Or do you have the revelation of eternal life, standing as a signpost, faithfully pointing people to the Lord! May we be found faithful! Worship the Lord!
WEALTH IN THE KINGDOM
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:19-25)
Jesus spoke about wealth more than about any other social issue, including marriage, work, sex, politics or power. This is a difficult subject to preach and hard to listen to. But we must give our attention to it, examine ourselves and repent if necessary. Jesus exposes the sin of loving and trusting money. This attitude has no place in God’s Kingdom. All unbelievers are greedy, and selfish. They hoard money and possessions. This is natural for them because they do not believe in a God who cares for men. Christians should be different in attitude and behavior. But even the Christians fall into the sin of greed. These days, wealth is displayed and advertised openly. For example, to sell an expensive car, the advert says: ‘Imagine yourself at the wheel’. Trying to imagine that you may fall into the sin of covetousness. Someone asked a question: ‘What are you willing to do for one million dollars?’ Half of the people said that they are ready to spend time in jail, divorce, or never see their best friend again. May God open our spiritual eyes to see the truth that sets free! Amen!
King Jesus commands us, the believers, the citizens of His Kingdom how to make and handle wealth. First, we are told not to lay (or store) our treasures on earth. The reason is that they will surely be lost, either gradually in this life (thru rust, moth or by thieves) or at death. “As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand” (Ecc 5:15). This is a fact: storing treasures on earth is never safe. To save is wise. King Jesus redirects our desire to save. He said that we should ‘lay up for ourselves’ treasures in heaven, where none has access to destroy or steal. This is a fact: storing our treasures in heaven is safe forever. Jesus does not forbid us to work hard, save money or plan regarding money or property to be used in the future. The Bible commands us to work hard and save. “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children… ” (PV 13:22). We are told to study the ant because she works hard, to store food for the winter (PV 6:6-8). We are commanded to work hard, to take care of our responsibilities, to save money and to be generous. “A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion… He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor” (Ps 112:5, 9). “There is one who scatters yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself” (PV 11:24, 25). “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (PV 22:9). “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever” (2Cor 9:6-9). God provides wealth and the wisdom to manage it, for our good and for His glory! Selah!
God commands blessings on those who are generous and invest in God’s work on earth. When we give money to God’s work and to God’s people, we show thru our actions that our King is good. Generosity is a proof that we are saved, and we are citizens of God’s Kingdom, where there is no lack. Greed is a sign of unbelief or backsliding. By giving to others, we worship God; we remove the hindrance that stops the river of grace coming from heaven to earth, being a channel of blessings to others. God in return promised to bless us the more.
Jesus said that where we deposit our treasures, there our hearts will go to. If you store your treasures on earth, your heart will be earth bound, and you will be filled with doubts and anxiety. If you lay your treasures in heaven, your heart will be set on heaven. You will be filled with hope, faith, peace and joy, having the assurance of your salvation. You will not fear the devil or hell anymore. How do we store our treasures in heaven? By studying the Bible, prayer, by loving God and our neighbors, by paying tithes and offerings for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom on earth, by helping the poor, the sick, the weak, the elderly and the prisoners. This is a fact: the only safe place to keep our treasures, is heaven, for God’s protects them. This is God’s Word: “Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]” (Col 3:2; AMP). Examine your spiritual focus!
It is true that people love money. But it is also true that wealth alone does not satisfy. “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its gain. This too is vanity (emptiness)” (Ecc 5:10; AMP). Why then men think that money can be a god to compete with Jesus in their hearts? What is the powerful attraction of Mammon? The word ‘Mammon’ means money, or riches, especially when you love, admire, and lust for them. Mamon is a god that demands people to trust in wealth, social status, and fame. Mammon is not like our God. He is like a god among other gods. He is not jealous! He does not mind part-time worship, combined with adultery, selfish ambition, and love for power. Even as a secondary god, Mammon has the power to corrupt the heart and the mind. The point of entrance for Mammon is the eyes. The lodging place is the soul (the mind and the heart). Jesus says that the eyes of the believer must be good. In Greek, the word ‘good’ also means pure, generous, whole or healthy. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be filled with light, truth, and divine health. If your eyes are bad, there is spiritual darkness in your mind. The word ‘bad’ also means evil, wicked, or jealous. What you see affects the health of your body and your mind. For example, Jesus said that adultery starts with the lust of the eyes. Its ‘virus’ enters the mind and makes it restless. The body becomes weak and sick. In the same way, through the eyes, Mammon can negatively affect the soul and the body. If you gaze long at your neighbor’s expensive car, or house, your eyes become evil or jealous. This jealousy leads you to dream of sinful ways to make more money. This is a warning to protect your eyes. Be careful and wise! Do not look too long at seducing adverts for material things that do not belong to you. You can appreciate a nice car but be careful not to covet it. There is a thin line. Learn to keep your eyes on Jesus! Learn to discipline your eyes! Be careful with the videos or pictures on the internet. Pornography has the power to pollute your heart. In the same way, expensive, luxurious things the rich people boast of can temp you. This is a simple sign that you may be under the influence of Mammon: If your little son asks for a bicycle, then you answer: ‘we cannot afford it now…’. The answer is a sign that Mammon influences your mind. Money is your master telling you what you can afford and what not you cannot. The better answer may be: ‘this is not the time to buy a bicycle’. To be protected and free, the power of the Cross must work in you! “So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God]” (Col 3:5; AMP).
As you cannot be greedy and generous at the same time, so you cannot serve Mammon and God together. A slave belongs to only one master. Many people look at Jesus as their boss in the office. They think that they can have three jobs, and three bosses at the same time. But King Jesus is not your boss. He is the King of His domain and demands total allegiance. He provides all that you need according to His riches in glory. A righteous man never needs to beg for food. King Jesus searches your eyes and your heart. The cure for evil eyes and stingy hearts is Loving God and loving your neighbor. Jesus said: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:30, 31). To love God with all your heart, be sure that your heart is in love with Jesus. To love God with all your mind it means to meditate on God’s Word. To love God with all your strength, it means to use your natural and spiritual power to invest in eternal things, in obeying God’s Word to deposit your treasures in heaven. This is the only way you can live a good, clean, peaceful, joyful life in this difficult world. This is the price to pay for the ideal testimony to have favor with God and man. In the absence of this wisdom, you will surely become anxious and troubled, no matter how much money you have stored in the bank. He who has ears to hear, let him hear now!
This is a touching story of how God supplied much needed help thru His prophet Elisha. A woman who was married to a prophet in Israel came to Elisha, desperately asking for help. Her husband died and left her and their two sons poor. He borrowed money and now, the creditor came to take his money or the two sons as slaves. The prophet did not make plans to take care of his family. That was no good. But the good thing, according to his widow, was that ‘he feared the Lord’. The Word of God promises blessings upon a man who fears the Lord (Read Psalm 112). Here we see that a man who fears the Lord is celebrated by heaven and earth. He is a worshipper of God. His family and children are blessed. He is a fruitful man. God’s light of revealed truth comes to him even during spiritual darkness. He is kind, loving, generous, and discreet. He is strong, courageous and fearless, a true spiritual leader of men. His reputation among angels and men is established. His heart is established. Wealth and riches are found in his house. His descendants are mighty on the earth. They are champions and heroes. The enemies of the righteous man are totally disappointed and defeated. These are mighty promises that this widow should have known. But the reality was that she and her sons were poor. She went to the prophet Eisha having just two things: faith in God’s Word in her heart and a little olive oil in her house. This little treasure was more than enough for a miracle. Elisha tells her what to do. She borrows many vessels from her neighbors. Behind the closed door, she pours the little oil and miraculously, she fills all the available vessels. She sells the olive oil. She pays off the debt and uses the rest to live well with her sons. This is a story of miraculous supply which is found in the realm of God’s Kingdom.
Lessons:
*God is alive! God does miracles! God is merciful! Nothing is impossible for God!
*God is our Provider! He answers prayers, especially desperate prayers of faith in His promises.
*When you are in trouble, seek God’s wisdom thru fasting and prayer. Ask a mature Christian that you trust for prophetic word and prayer!
*The Bible commands that we treat widows, orphans and needy with kindness. The creditors are wicked! Only God can save us!
*Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and joy! It was used as fuel for the lamps, to anoint kings and priests, and for the healing of bodies.
*Elijah’s prophetic word to the widow in Zarephath was that the oil in the jar will not run dry (1Kg 17:16). Elisha’s word to the widow was that the oil would pour and fill all the empty vessels. Both prophecies are symbols of God’s fountain or blessings that never runs dry!
*Jesus said that when we pray to God, we should do it in the secret place (Matt 6:6). Shut doors and open hearts are the key to answered prayers and miracles. Publicity, desire to be seen by men, to achieve fame in the religious world, interrupts the flow of the Holy Spirit.
*Have faith in God’s Promises found in the Bible. God’s Word is settled in heaven. It must manifest on earth. Circumstances bow to God!
*Trust and obey God’s commands! Do what He says! Cooperate with God. Do the little you can, and God will do the rest!
*Humble yourself! Ask for help from other Christians, your spiritual neighbors.
*Be ready to give to God the little (oil) you have so that God can use it to bless you and others! Little (oil) is much when God is in it!
*Gd gives you the wisdom and power to make wealth! God also gives you the wisdom to manage your wealth!
*God does not waste His resources. He never gives too little, in such a way that you cannot solve the problem. He never gives too much!
*God does not only save you from poverty, slavery and death. He keeps you alive to testify to His glory!
*God helps you thru miracles of provision to pay your debt. The only debt that cannot be paid in this life is the debt of Love (Rom 13:8). Jesus died to pay our debt to God, for “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:23). Therefore, we too must pay the debt of love to Jesus, by preaching His Gospel (Rom 1:14).
*Remember to testify to God’s mercy, goodness, and power! Give all the glory to God! Worship the Lord!
LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (42)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (10)
This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:16-18; Psalm 112:1-10; John 21:15-17.
THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD
Love is the greatest word in the Bible. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed. It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!
Question: what is the difference between human genuine love and agape love? Human love can be as strong as death. Many unbelievers have loved others and sacrificed their lives for them. But there is a vital difference between human and agape love:
*The Source of Agape love is found in the Cross. Christ died for me. He loved me first. Therefore, I love others. Human love is based on the flesh, on emotions, which can fail anytime. Agape Love proceeds from the Will. Phileo Love proceeds from emotions. Selah!
*The Power to sustain Agape Love is through the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. It never fails. Human love is sustained by emotions and personal commitments which can fail anytime.
*The Goal of Agape Love is to give glory to God. The goal of human love is to make humanity ‘a better place’. The goal is earthly.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).
The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen! God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory! It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen 1:26-28). God created the human beings to populate the earth. He created them male and female. He created them in His own image and likeness. God blessed man and gave him authority over the earth. “The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, But the earth He has given to the children of men” (Ps 115:16; AMP). God did not give authority to men over the heavens. God commanded man to subdue the earth. The word ‘subdue’ means to control something by force and discipline, to master or to overcome it. To subdue someone, it means to establish superiority. Practically, God commanded man to master the earth by planting and producing harvests, by digging into the ground and bringing out gold and diamonds. Because of man’s rebellion, the earth was cursed to produce thorns and thistles. Now, it is harder for man to work, to master the earth, to produce harvests (Gen 3:17-19). It is only in Christ that there is redemption for man and for nature. Christ, as we understand our position as Kings and Priests, we can produce harvests, to prosper supernaturally like never before. Praise the Lord!
God gave them ‘dominion’ over all the animals. The word ‘dominion’ is a Kingdom Word. It means to have sovereign authority, absolute power to rule, to control or master another. Even at creation, before sin entered, God’s plan and purpose for them was to be kings in their domain, to be royal priesthood in Christ. Man was to rule and reign over all the animals, but not over one another. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Glory!
The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!
THE ESTABLISHED HEART (Psalm 112:1-10)
This is God’s sure promise to us: “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself” (Deut 28:9). In Psalm 112, we find a heavenly royal banquet of spiritual food. This is the ideal Christian testimony, having favor with God and with men. Christ is our Righteousness. He died to save our souls from the condemnation, guilt, pollution, and shame of sin. Righteousness is defined as the right standing before God. Practically, it manifests as being good and doing good to the glory of God. Here we see that a righteous man is celebrated by heaven and earth. He is a worshipper of God. His family and children are blessed. He is a fruitful man. God’s light of revealed truth comes to him even during spiritual darkness. He is kind, loving, generous, and discreet. He is strong, courageous and fearless, a true spiritual leader of men. His reputation among angels and men is established. Even his enemies agree that this one is a righteous man, favored by God. To have an established heart and confirmed testimony is our portion in Christ! Glory to God!
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments”
It is always good to praise the Lord! The proud man praises himself. The righteous remembers to praise the God of His salvation. The believer not only fears the Lord, but also loves the Lord. He is a respectful and responsible son. The religious unbelievers like to listen to Bible stories, but they hate God’s commandments. It is not the rich, handsome man who is blessed. We do not read that God blesses the man who fears in general … but the one who fears GOD! The object of fear is most important. It is the child of God who loves the Bible. He becomes “bold as a lion” (PV 28:1). He does not fear “evil tidings” (Ps112:7). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (PV 9:10).
“His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever”
It is better to leave behind godly children than money in the bank. The descendants of the godly are ‘mighty’. In Hebrew, the word is ‘Gibor’. It means to be a champion, a wealthy man of valor, or a courageous man of war. It is a fact that the children born in homes where both parents are committed Christians have an advantage over other children. They know God’s Word and feel God’s presence. Many of the great men and heroes from all nations come from a Christian background. The blessings upon the descendants are both spiritual and material. God not only gives wealth, but He helps the righteous man to manage his wealth. When riches increase, he does not get proud. He is not deceived by material wealth. He uses it to bless others. In the Old Testament, God’s blessings upon the descendants were counted as the greatest blessings. Both God and His child have something in common: Their “righteousness endures forever” (Ps111:3). God uses this man to do good things that are rewarded eternally. God takes care of his needs and protects his legacy. “The memory of the righteous is blessed” (PV10:7). This is a mystery, how, for a long time, people remember the godly with love in their hearts!!! Selah!
“Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous”
Most men admire the sunsets, but few wake up early enough to see the sun rising. Each sunrise testifies to light’s victory over darkness. God promises to reveal His truth and light to the righteous man. In all circumstances, during attacks of the enemy, sickness, persecution, bereavement, or loneliness, the Christian has hope and peace. To him, depression is a foreign language and confusion is a stranger. He manifests agape love to all, friends or enemies. Pain does not make him rude or selfish. He is always kind to people. God’s light of revelation increases daily. “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (PV 4:18; NIV). The future for the child of God is better than his past or present!
“A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion”
A Christian is good with money!!! Lesson: to have a generous heart you need a good mind. God blesses him materially. He is wise when helping people. He is not wasteful and not greedy. He uses money as a spiritual weapon for blessing others and helping them to be free. He never gives too much and ends in poverty. He never gives too little in such a way that the recipient cannot benefit from his gift. The gift of money mixed with prayer, given by a godly man, is powerful and effectual to help others in their times of need. The lesson we learn in poverty is patience. The lesson we must apply in riches is generosity.
The righteous man is discreet. Discretion is a form of wisdom. It is the skill to behave well, in a quiet humble way, not attracting much attention to yourself. It is freedom of personal choice. You do what you plan to do. None manipulates or intimidates you. You speak and behave in such a way that you do not embarrass yourself or others. Discretion tells you when to say yes and when to say no. Like Jesus said, when doing good, your right hand does not know what your left hand is doing. Discretion is the queen of good behavior. The steward needs discretion when working for his master. He knows the mind of his master. Knowledge or wealth, without discretion, is like a sword in the hand of a mad man. When working for God, Discretion becomes power, protection, and progress in life. Selah!
“Surely, he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies”
The Righteous man will never be shaken, slip or fall. His testimony is secure. Security is necessary for happiness. His testimony and his memory are protected by God. He is not afraid and does not expect bad news. These may come but he does not welcome them halfway. He is not intimidated or anxious by negative stories. The reason for this strength and peace is total faith in God. His heart is steadfast, prepared, made ready for any possibility. The word ‘steadfast’ means to be like a nail, firm in its place, staying in one position for a long time, constant, and not changing suddenly. His heart is established in the Lord. To be ‘established’ means to be strong and confident; to have a deep foundation, like a house built on the Rock or be like a tree planted by the river. To be established means to be approved and honored by people as the right person in the right place. This man cannot be uprooted or fired from his place. He increases in strength, wisdom and resources. It never gets weaker. He is fearless, strong and courageous. He is a pillar in God’s house. He perseveres in battles until he sees his desire upon his enemies. Because he is a man of grace, his desire is that his enemies repent and surrender to Christ. He does not take pleasure in private revenge. But if the wicked continue in their evil way, the godly man will witness their downfall.
“He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor”
God blesses the righteous man with material blesses. This man is not selfish. He loves to share with others, especially with those who are in need. His generosity is a matter of principle. He gives out of a deep well of agape love expecting nothing in return from men but trusting God for His reward. This man is our hero. Everything he does has eternal value. His reputation as a servant of God is approved by God and cannot be damaged by evil people. His memory is blessed! The horn of an animal is a symbol of power. It is a container filled with olive oil, to anoint kings and priests. It is a trumpet that sounds the victory sound. The horn is like a bank, filled with gold. The horn is also a sign of maturity. The mature Christian shall be honored by all for his spiritual strength, consecration and resources.
“The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish”
After describing the righteous man, we are reminded that not all men are like him. In this world, there are evil people who take pleasure in hurting others. Like their master, the devil, they desire to steal, kill, and destroy. But their evil plans are powerless against the righteous. The wicked see the righteous blessed and envy them. But the same wicked cannot see their own desires fulfilled. God knows all men. God rewards all men according to their works. This is a reminder that there is a final judgment and a hell. May we examine ourselves. May we be found in the Kingdom of God, where there is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit, and eternal life in Christ alone! Amen!
THE SUCCESS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Over the years, God sent prophets who told the people of Israel that one day, the Messiah King will come. Great kingdoms like Babylon, Persia, and Greece, rose and fell. They all played a part in the history of mankind. But God decided to send Jesus during the time of the Roman Empire. Though not perfect, it was the best model to understand God’s Kingdom. God never makes mistake. His timing is perfect. The Roman Empire had a King (the Ceasar) who desired good for all the people. He invested much in the economy. There were human rights, safety, peace, and prosperity. The Jews hated the Romans and refused to submit to them. But the truth is that the Romans were fair to the people they conquered. When Jesus spoke about His kingdom, men understood what He was talking about, because they saw examples in the Roman Empire. An Empire is an expansive territory, a group of countries, that are under the control of a single ruler (king).
During its peak, the Roman Empire was the most successful empire. From the time of Augustus, who became the first Roman emperor in 27AD until the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180AD, the Empire expanded and prospered like no other. The empire doubled in size, from Great Britain to the North of Africa. A quarter of the world population belonged to the Roman Empire. New righteous laws were instituted. For example, Augustus decreed that all the soldiers in the Roman army should be paid their pensions not by their military commanders, but directly from the public treasury in Rome. This law made all the soldiers have peace of mind about their retirement and not afraid of manipulation from their senior commanders. Augustus created a governmental system that could investigate and punish corruption found in the governors who exploited their position for personal gain. Once the Roman army conquered a territory, if the local king submitted to Rome, and agreed to pay taxes to Rome, then he will remain in charge of his domain. The people in the conquered territory were treated well. They were not forced to change their customs or their religion. This kind attitude towards kept peace in the Empire.
Augustus destroyed all the oppressors. He killed all the pirates on the Mediterranean Sea. He built big ships and encouraged free trade on the Sea. Under Augustus alone, Rome built 50,000 miles of new roads that eased the movement of troops, information and goods. These roads were well built. Many of them are still used till today. Rome built bridges and ports. Water flowing through Roman aqueducts allowed cities to prosper. The Romans gave citizenship to good locals. Most people learned Latin, took Roman names, changed their hair styles, fashion and customs to be like the Romans. Life was better and happier. Every city had their own amphitheater where they did chariot races. For the first time in the ancient world, the Romans built public baths and toilets. Using a mixture of volcanic ash, lime, and seawater, The Romans were the first to use concrete and built mighty structures. The Colosseum in Rome still stands to this day.
The Roman army was very well organized. This is the first army that trained its soldiers. There was discipline, new improved weapons, and good strategy. For almost 200 years nobody could defeat the Roman army. At its highest the Roman army was made up of half a million well-trained soldiers. Only men were allowed to be soldiers. A soldier had to be at least 17 years old, and at least 1.6 meters tall. The soldiers trained very hard. They were forced to walk 20 miles daily, rain or shine, using full armor. Any soldier who disobeyed his commander or was found sleeping on duty was punished with severe flogging or even sentenced to death.
Roman society was divided into citizens, non-citizens and slaves. Citizens had many rights, including the right to vote (only male citizens had this right) and the right to a fair trial. Except for treason, the Roman citizens could not be sentenced to death. Non-citizens could earn their citizenship if they achieved something special, such as faithful service in the army. But the life of a slave was difficult. They were considered the property of the family they served and could be beaten for little or no reason. Latin was the main language of the Roman empire. Women, whether citizens or not, had very few rights in Rome. They received a very basic education and were expected to take a traditional role in the household, preparing and cooking meals, making clothes and raising children.
As we have studied the Roman Empire, we deduce that in the Kingdom of God there is economic prosperity, order, discipline, peace, joy, security, justice (sin is punished), hope for greater things, submission to authority, creativity, respect and love among people.
DESTROYING THE STRONGHOLD OF POVERTY
“How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (PV 6:9-11; NIV).
This is a warning given especially to the sluggard. A sluggard is a habitually lazy person, who loves sleep and hates work. In the Bible, poverty is described as an armed robber that attacks you in the night, when you sleep! Do you love sleep? Sleep is a good servant, but a bad master. Do not take sleeping pills! Too much sleep is a sign of sickness, depression or laziness leading to poverty. Do you fear armed men coming to attack you at night? The attack of poverty is worse than an attack with EK47. Poverty is a spiritual bandit. It attacks when you relax too much, when you are not watchful and prayerful (ask Samson, he will tell you..) Once poverty pounces on you, it will chain your feet, your hands, your eyes and your mind. You become its prisoner. It will carry you to its smelly dungeon and steal all your dreams. It will kill the wonder, the romance of your worship. You will not be able to make progress in life. Your hands become too weak to work. Your mind becomes too tired to think well! You become easily bored, restless, blind to opportunities to invest, foolish, fearful, and confused, especially when it comes to financial decisions!
The subject of material prosperity and poverty is something that interests everybody. Right now, I am speaking only to believers in Christ. As children of God, we must have the mind of Christ. We must view everything thru the eyes of Christ, as it is revealed in the Bible. We must avoid and reject the worldly way of preaching prosperity. As Christians, we do not love money and we do not hate money! We love God and hate the devil! This is a fact: There are more ‘poor people’ in this world than the ones called ‘wealthy’. But poverty is relative. A hut in your village may be a palace in my country. Let me be more practical… There is something called ‘poverty mentality’. It is a spiritual evil stronghold in your mind, the devil’s seed, possibly planted in your youth. If you water it with anxiety and doubt, it will become a harvest of lack. Even if you work hard, you will always be in need. Even when you have money, you feel poor. As a child of God, you need to discover this evil plantation, uproot it and destroy it. God’s Word has greater authority than any idea, imagination or theory in your mind! This stronghold affects the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate. It is a spiritual wall that forms a hindrance in your mind when you want to think about material prosperity in life! That is the danger! Selah!
These are some of the characteristics of poverty mentality type of stronghold in the mind:
*You hate spending money. You feel guilty after spending more money than you have planned.
*You think that opportunities to make money are limited. You think that material success is temporary and hard to achieve.
*You are anxious when trying to start a business. You feel it is too risky.
*You stay passive or neutral. When it comes to finances you choose to follow than to lead others to a greater level of prosperity.
*You fear that you’ll never be able to save money.
*You are silently jealous of others who have more money than you.
*You love being on a form of welfare plan and you do not plan to stop it; you love receiving ‘free money’ and ‘palliatives’ from others.
*You daydream about being wealthy, winning the lottery, thinking that one day ‘you’ll hammer’ (Naija) but you can’t visualize it clearly.
*Your mind-set concerning money is to eat and enjoy and not to plant! You are a consumer and not a creator!
*You have an inferiority complex when it comes to your finances.
*You see the world through the lenses of the poor people who hate the rich! For example: If a poor man driving keke enters in front of a car and injures himself, you tend to blame the owner of the car just because he is richer!
*You see wealth as a mysterious stranger who is mocking you from afar! For you to stay poor is more comfortable; The path to stay poor is easier than the ‘wohala’ of struggling to make money!
Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the revelation of the root of this poverty mentality and bondage. We take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and we destroy every chain or stronghold binding our minds concerning God’s material blessings. Holy Spirit please take control! Open our eyes to see the freedom and the blessings we have in Christ, as citizens of God’s Kingdom! We destroy all yokes of bondage, all wrong ways of thinking! From this moment on, by the grace of God, we shall make spiritual and natural (visible) progress in life! Our testimony is to the glory of God! The long-waited season of change has come! We arise and shine for the glory of God is risen upon us! Thank You Father God! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!” Worship the Lord!
PENTECOST OPENED THE ROYAL ETERNAL TREASURE OF AGAPE LOVE
Before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, agape love was still a stranger to the apostles. Jesus talked often about Love. He told them about the God the Father’s Love for Him and for them. He talked about His own Love towards them. But it is interesting to observe that not one of the apostles told the Lord: “Jesus, Master, Lord, I love you”. They worshipped and honored Him but could not express their love in words. After the Resurrection, when Jesus met with them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and prepared breakfast for them, the topic of love was brought again. Jesus wanted to reinstate Peter after his painful backsliding. He did it through Love. Three times Jesus asked Peter: “Peter, do you love me?”. Three times Peter answered Him, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love you”. During the first two questions, Jesus uses the word ‘agape’ for Love. But Peter could not rise to that level. He answered using the word “phileo”, which is a friendly type of love, a lower level of love. The third time, Jesus lowers Himself to the level of Peter. Like him, Jesus uses the word “Phileo”. Peter is grieved, hurt, sad, that Jesus is still asking about love. Sadly, Peter answered saying “Lord, I love You” still using the Greek word “Phileo” (Jn 21:15-17). Lesson: to love with agape love, you need to be born again and Spirit filled! Selah!
How does Jesus restore a backslider? How does Jesus disciples a weak believer who has failed in his commitment? Three times Jesus asks Peter about Love. “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!” (1Cor 16:22). Lacking Love is a curse. Love is the way to disciple a believer and to help him repent! Love never fails! Love is the greatest!
Here you see that even the great Apostle Peter could not rise to the heights or Agape Love before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came as Wind and Fire. The Wind separates the wheat from the chaff. The Fire burns the chaff. In Greek, the Word used for Holy Spirit is ‘Paraclete’. The word ‘para’ means ‘to be beside’. The word ‘kaleo’ means to call or to come to your side. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the Christian’s truest and most faithful Companion and Friend, walking beside him, giving him strength, wisdom, comfort, guidance, and encouragement, every moment, especially felt during the challenges of life. Praise the Lord!
The Holy Spirit fills the Christian, helping him to become like Jesus. The Holy Spirit doesn’t bypass the personality. He uses it. He polishes it and transforms it to become a new creation. The mind becomes sharper. The memory (remembering God’s Words) is alive and never fails. Emotions follow the mind. Love manifests as a sound mind. The Holy Spirit makes the Christian zealous, creative, spontaneous, and free. The Holy Spirit brings new thoughts into the mind. The believer acts on them without advance preparation. He experiences hot, pure and deep emotions for Jesus and for people. The flesh is dead. Each believer becomes unique. None imitates the others. Only the Holy Spirit can create such original, unique people. They manifest an unquenchable, untiring love for others. Love does not wait for the recipient to appreciate it. Love is not tiring to love. Before Pentecost, the disciples were not capable of loving with such profound intensity. Their souls could not contain such fire. After they got filled with the Holy Spirit, their very souls were given strength and protection to contain this fire of agape love. Like the burning bush, they burn, but are not consumed. This is a miracle. Worship the Lord!
Green Pastures 