Abba... The God of Material Wealth
“...For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! [The English equivalent of this Hebrew word is Daddy conveying the same level of intimacy we would understand from an earthly father’s point of view] Father!” – Romans 8:15 AMP
“...Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:12 AMP
Gold... what is it actually worth? Dearest folks, this has been an email that seemed really hard to get out because the enemy has opposed it vehemently, realising the impact this understanding would have on your life financially, your heart attitude and resultant relationship with God.
I would like to start off by pointing out categorically that contrary to what many of us Christians have been taught and have thought; God likes gold... He likes precious stones... diamonds... and all of that nice stuff... They are not unimportant things but are very prominent with Him. He has very clear cut aesthetic values He has never bothered to hide from us all through scriptures... Look at what He says of the gold in Havilah as being very good, amplified pointing out as being of high quality, and the Lord said that pearls were there, and Onyx stone (Genesis 2:12). Who could possibly misunderstand that? If I said Ben and Jerry’s Ice-cream was of high quality, would you not understand that I like Ice-cream for a start, and I am comparing Ben and Jerry’s Ice-cream to other types of ice-cream I have tried?
Father’s standard of living Paying Dad a visit in heaven if we could at will right now (we would in the millennium after the devil and his demons are confined to hell, even more He would Tabernacle among us) here’s what we would see:
“...Over the head of the [combined] living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, looking like the terrible and awesome [dazzling of shining] crystal or ice stretched across the expanse of sky over their heads...And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne in appearance like a
sapphire stone, and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with the appearance of a Man. From what had the appearance of His waist upward, I saw a lustre as it were glowing metal with the appearance of fire enclosed round about within it (Father is cooler than mercury man and the silver surfer combined ); and from the appearance of His waist downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness [of a halo] round about Him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord...” – of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. Ezekiel 1:22 – 28 (Seen by Ezekiel the Prophet)
“...AFTER THIS I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne! And He who sat there appeared like [the crystalline brightness of] jasper and [the fiery] sardius, and encircling the throne there was a halo that looked like [a rainbow of] emerald. Twenty-four other thrones surrounded the throne, and seated on these thrones were twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin), arrayed in white clothing, with crowns of gold upon their heads. Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne seven blazing torches burned, which are the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit]; And in front of the throne there was also what looked like a transparent glassy sea, as if of crystal...” – Revelations 4:1 – 6 (Seen by John the Apostle)
“...In my Father’s house are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also...” – John 14:2 & 3 AMP (Our Lord Jesus’ promise)
“...Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy (hallowed, consecrated) city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, Clothed in God’s glory [in all its splendour and radiance].The luster of it resembled a rare and most precious jewel, like jasper, shining clear as crystal.
It had a massive and high wall with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [there were stationed] twelve angels, and [on the gates] the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written: On the east side three gates, on the north side three gates, on the south side three gates, and on the west side three gates [Heaven is actually a planet, the original blueprint from which the earth was created... we know this because it has a North, South, East and West; further to this several contemporary people have been granted visitations to see it to include Kenneth E. Hagin [who also saw hell which is also an actual place that exists], Jesse Duplantis, and Roberts Liardon whom you can read about his visit in the book `I saw Heaven`]. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation [stones], and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who spoke to me had a golden measuring reed (rod) to measure the city and its gates and its wall. The city lies in a square, its length being the same as its width. And he measured the city with his reed—12,000 stadia (about 1,500 miles); its length and width and height are the same. He measured its wall also— 144 cubits (about 72 yards) by a man’s measure [of a cubit from his elbow to his third fingertip], which is [the measure] of the angel. The wall was built of jasper, while the city [itself was of] pure gold, clear and transparent like glass (It is scientifically proven that gold in its purest state would be clear and transparent – the yellow in gold are actually impurities). The foundation [stones] of the wall of the city were ornamented with all of the precious stones. The first foundation [stone] was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony (or white agate), the fourth emerald, The fifth onyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates
each separate gate being built of one solid pearl. And were twelve pearls,
the main street (the broadway) of the city was of gold as pure and translucent as glass.” Revelations 21:10 – 21 AMP
According to the Pattern If we look at the descriptions of the pattern God laid out to Moses for the building of His tabernacle on
earth, in the wilderness, we would find that contrary to the previously prevailing poverty ideology that had so beclouded the minds of God’s people, Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones played a very prominent part in the building of this tabernacle...
“...AND THE Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites, that they take for me an offering. From every man who gives it willingly and ungrudgingly with his heart you shall take My offering. This is the offering you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, Blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] (very costly material only worn by Kings in those times) and fine twined linen and goats’ hair, Rams’ skins tanned red, goatskins, dolphin or porpoise skins, acacia wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones for setting in the ephod and in the breastplate. Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. And you shall make it according to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle or dwelling and the pattern of all the furniture of it. They shall make an ark of acacia wood: two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. You shall overlay the ark with pure gold, inside and out, and make a gold crown, a rim or border, around its top (The Lord obviously didn’t think He had to be humble the way we have thought). You shall cast four gold rings and attach them to the four lower corners of it, two rings on either side. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, And put the poles through the rings on the ark’s sides, by which to carry it. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it [that the ark be not touched] (If only Uzzah had read the scriptures he would not have died for his ignorance in trying to do what he thought was the right thing to do, and not what the Word of God instructs should or should not be done, even David should have known better that the Lord had specifically instructed the Ark be carried by 4 priests not by a cart drawn by oxen... recognize the gravity of this, and relate it to His instructions for our lives and conduct today... [1 Chronicles 13:7-10]). And you shall put inside the ark the Testimony [the Ten Commandments] which I will give you [God
and His Word are One and
the Same (John 1:1; 1 John 1:1)]. And you shall make a mercy seat (a covering) of pure gold, two cubits and a half long and a cubit and a half wide. And you shall make two cherubim (winged angelic figures) of [solid] hammered gold on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on each end, making the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat, on the two ends of it. And the cherubim shall spread out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, facing each other and looking down toward the mercy seat. You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony [the Ten Commandments] that I will give you.
There I will meet with you
and, from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the Testimony, I will speak
intimately
with you of all which I will give you in commandment to the
Israelites....its snuffers and its ashtrays shall be of pure gold. Use a talent of pure gold for it [Equivalent to 1,206 ounces valued at £978,246.90 GBP based on 9th September 2010 gold spot price of £811.15 per ounce reference: http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/ounces-to-talents-biblical-hebrewconversion.html], including all these utensils. And see to it that you copy
[exactly] their pattern which was shown you on the mountain...” – Exodus 25:1 – 40 AMP
Extravagant yeah, to blow £978,246.90 on snuffers and ashtrays... Temple utensils, you’ve not seen anything yet... This was the reason the Lord transferred the wealth of the Egyptians to His people, to build this tabernacle, as well as get them well acquainted with His standard of living... They had been slaves longer than they could remember so if God told them to build a tabernacle for Him, they would have probably gone and built Him a mud-hut so God had to give them very specific instructions... The Lord was trying to get that lack and poverty stronghold clear out of their minds, and build a vision of the prosperity He had prepared to bring them into from the foundation of the world, and which He had shared with theirs and our father Abraham more than 430yrs before! There was our Lord, starting them off on His Kingdom principles of prospering and increasing through giving... He was
very
explicit about it coming from a willing heart not coerced... imagine what some out of those bickering, complaining lot would have said to these latest instructions from Moses... What! My gold... to build your what?! In their minds gold was just meant to be kept and admired, and here was God asking them to give gold to use as building materials to build a house fit for Him to dwell in among them... Those lot could have spent ages griping about the gold they had to give up for
God does not understand poverty and impoverished Spartan living... if He needed anything He would just speak it unto being... We must please this latest project this man of God is trying to push to us, not realising that
note that He does not ask us to give offerings because He is hungry, for the entire world and everything it contains is His (Psalm 50:12)... all of the silver and gold on this planet earth belongs to Him [Haggai 2:8]... according to current spot price the value of discovered gold alone is $6,106,888,077,079 US Dollars... yes that’s ways beyond trillion... more than 6 Zillion if that’s been created in English language... and only the quantity discovered... and this is only one natural resource out of all the multiplicity of yet undiscovered riches He has hidden on this earth (Isaiah 45:3) [not even including the other planets and galaxies in the universe He created], not from us but for us when we come to that place of obedience He has planned for us...
Our Lord’s desire in asking them to give was to get their minds renewed to the way He thinks, off of this impoverished worldly mentality of digging up gold only to put it into a hole again, and thinking your worth in life was based on the amount of gold you had, (the silly Babylonian economic system through which nations measure their worth), and get them to understand that their worth in life was based
on their covenant positioning as His children, and if they could just get Him among them, they would begin to live out their days like heaven on earth according to the original pattern.
“...Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them upon the door posts of your house, and upon your gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the
days of
heaven upon the earth.”
– Deuteronomy 11:18-21 [This is the level of commitment to His Word God requires, for you to be able to live the high life He has planned for you... we would only have ourselves to blame if we give anything we would consider as important a higher priority than quality time spent every day in His Word-The Holy Bible, that is the 66 books Genesis to Revelations (Not all 66 books every day but you know what I mean), and relationship with the Holy Spirit based on His Word]
They needed to get that tabernacle built right quick the way God wanted it, because His very presence among them would attract wealth and cause their physical surroundings to return back to the original pattern God had set up from the beginning... In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore [Psalm 16:11] ...the wealth, comfort and splendour of the garden of Eden... Then, He could use them as advertisements of His wealth of generosity and grace to all the other nations and win them back to Himself from the prostrate circumstances, poverty and death through idolatry they had been subjected to under the dominion of sin and the devil.
Going on to David locking unto God’s desire for a permanent temple in the midst of his people to be built so He could dwell among them, the Lord told David it would be Solomon his son who would build the temple for him, and as in a previous email we saw how David and the people gave gold, silver, precious stones, marble in abundance and David prayed and they all rejoiced... here’s what happened:
“AND KING David said to all the assembly, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young, tender, and inexperienced; and the work is great,
for the palace is not to be for man but for the Lord God.
So I have provided with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood, as well as onyx or beryl stones, stones to be set, stones of antimony, stones of various colours, and all sorts of precious stones, and
in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, in addition to all I have prepared for the holy house, I have a private treasure of gold and silver which I give for marble stones
the house of my God: It is 3,000 talents
[Based on the conversion of the biblical Hebrew talent to present day ounces of 1,206 oz approximately, this equalled 3,618,000 ounces of gold which based on the 9th September 2010 gold price per ounce of £811.15 valued this offering at an unheard of £2,934,740,700 trillion GBP] of gold, gold of Ophir, 7,000 talents [8,442,000 ounces of refined silver. Silver spot price was £12.92 per ounce valuing this at £109,070,640 million GBP] of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the house, Gold for the uses of gold, silver for the uses of silver, and for every work to be done by craftsmen. Now
who will offer willingly to fill his hand [then as now, the Lord takes pleasure only in cheerful willing givers] [and consecrate it] today to the Lord [like one consecrating himself to the priesthood]? [Did you see that... your financial offerings, and your consecrated heart status before God are one and the same!] Then the chiefs of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of the thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly, And gave for the service of
the house of God-- of gold 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics, of silver 10,000 talents, of bronze 18,000 talents, and 100,000 talents of iron. And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also rejoiced greatly. Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly and said, Be praised, adored, and thanked, O Lord, the God of Israel our [forefather], forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the Kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.
Both riches
and honour come from You,
and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes. But who am I, and what are my people, that we should retain strength and be able to offer thus so willingly? For all things come from You, and out of Your own [hand] we have given You. For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope or expectation of remaining. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy Name and the token of Your presence comes from Your hand, and is all Your own. I know also, my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here offer voluntarily and freely to You. And give to Solomon my son a blameless heart to keep Your commandments, testimonies, and statutes, and to do all that is necessary to build the palace [for you] for which I have made provision. [What a prayer... I could modify that for my needs and just add in the name of Jesus at the end, and would enjoy God’s provision... prayers like this can be found all through the scriptures] And David said to all the assembly, Now adore (praise and thank) the Lord your God! And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and did obeisance to the Lord and to the king [as His earthly representative]. The next day they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings
Lord:
to the
1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings,
and sacrifices
in abundance for all Israel”. – 1 Chronicles 29:1 – 21
They had stepped up by now, had renewed their minds somewhat towards God’s standards so according to the pattern God laid out in detail, here’s how they built the Temple:
“THEN SOLOMON began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And Solomon began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. Now these are the measurements for the foundations which Solomon laid for the house of God. The length in cubits by the former measure was sixty cubits [90 feet], and the breadth twenty cubits [30 feet].
The porch or vestibule across the front of the house was the same length as the house’s breadth, twenty cubits [30 feet], and the height 120 cubits [180 feet]. He overlaid it inside with
pure
gold
(These were just the foundations of the house, not as impoverished building standards today where the foundations would not even see a lick of paint just because it isn’t seen). And the greater house (the Holy Place) he lined with cypress and overlaid it with fine gold and made palm trees and chains on it. And he adorned the house with precious stones for beauty; and
the
gold was gold of Parvaim.
He lined the house (the Holy place), its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls. He made the Most Holy Place, its length equalling the breadth of the house, twenty cubits [30 feet], and its breadth twenty cubits [30 feet]; he overlaid it with 600 talents [approx 723,600 ounces which as at 9th September price per ounce of £811.15 is valued at £586,948,140 million GBP] of fine gold. The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he lined the upper chambers with gold. And in the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of image work, and they were overlaid with gold...” – 2 Chronicles 3:1 – 10
If God cared so much for how a physical building, His Temple, was well presented and bedecked with the most costly jewels and gold what more we who are Temples of the Living God under the New Testament?
“...we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16
“...Christ in you, the hope of glory...” – Colossians 1:27
Do you still think God wants you living in poverty? If you watch the movie “Finger of God”, you will discover that believers all over the world have reported receiving diamonds which appeared miraculously in their meetings, and these were checked independently by diamond professionals and confirmed flawless... more exquisite than anything that has ever been mined here on earth... Not only this, believers have received gold teeth replacements for bad teeth miraculously, as well as gold dust appearing on people during services... all these accounts were given and confirmed by different people in different parts of the world.
With this settled understanding of our Father’s financial status, and the consistency of His instructions for the pattern of how His House should be built; how would we now interpret His first instructions to us when He created us:
“...Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using resources in the service of God and man]; and have Genesis 1:28
dominion...”
all
its vast
–
And the next thing He said in the next verse was “See, I have given you....seed...”
Let us now consider the temptation of our Lord Jesus by that slimy old thief satan... imagine what he was doing to our Lord... he had been kicked out from heaven because of his pride and self exaltation in wanting to be like God, a gift God gave to us freely... he conned Adam out of this inheritance God had just given him and see how the Kingdoms of the world which belonged to Adam are described... kingdoms which now belong to us through Jesus buying us back:
“...the devil took Him (Jesus) up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendour, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them [Luke the physician giving us detail in his gospel account, of how the devil said they were delivered to him, by Adam of course, and that he gives it to whomever he wills (The wicked to hoard from the just) Luke 4:6]...” – Matthew 4:8.
It was an actual temptation or the Bible would not call it so... he was offering all he had stolen but on the condition that the very living Word of God he had known from the beginning, that created him perfect from the beginning until iniquity was found in him worship him... imagine the pride... He knew this was the very thing Jesus came to get back for us, and wanted to give Him a short-cut trap but Jesus knew and He ensured He paid the full price to buy us back.
Consider this proclamation by the angel, which the sons of God all over the world are now manifesting and taking more and more ground for the Lord in...
“...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever...” Revelations 11:15 KJV
A reiteration of the vision shown to Daniel thousands of years before of the MedoPersian empire, the Grecian empire under Alexander the Great, the Roman empire (on which most or even all of our modern contemporary democracies are based), and then a stone cut out of the mountain without hands and breaking in pieces all these other kingdoms superseding them in prominence and influence:
“...And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” – Daniel 2:44
David, who was a prophet and probably the most powerful King of the time with far reaching influence also knew of this, and he wrote:
“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His Kingdom rules over
all” - Psalm 103:19
“[A Psalm] of praise. Of David. I WILL extol You, my God, O King (a conscious decision irrespective of feelings); and I will bless Your name forever and ever [with grateful, affectionate praise]. Every day [with its new reasons] will I bless you [affectionately and gratefully praise You]; yes, I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; and His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable. One generation shall laud Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendour of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works I will meditate (David revealing the secrets of his successful relationship with the Lord, and in life). Men shall speak of the might of Your tremendous and terrible acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall pour forth [like a fountain] the fame of your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness [All traits we have seen in Jesus through the gospels]. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created]. All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your loving ones shall bless You [affectionately and gratefully shall Your saints confess and praise You]! They shall speak of the glory of Your Kingdom and talk of Your power [It is rather interesting some Christians believe this confession business to be some strange new doctrine, but David who understood God more than most in his time, and even in ours knew otherwise], To make known to the sons of men God’s mighty deeds and the glorious majesty of His Kingdom [David was not just giving God the credit because he wanted to remain humble being a king of a whole nation and all, he had a revelation of God’s Kingship, Power and rulership over the whole universe... and he was well aware Who made him king over Israel in the first place... it is also noteworthy that he saw the modern church of our day, in the organised teaching and preaching of the Word of God]. Your Kingdom is an
everlasting
Kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord upholds all those [of His own] who are falling and raises up all those who are bowed down [Personally I can recount to you testimony after testimony of this]. The eyes of all wait for You [looking, watching, and expecting] and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor. The Lord is [rigidly] righteous in all His ways and gracious and merciful in all His works [We have been given this righteousness by the gift of grace; which we are to ensure we maintain by faith]. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth. He will fulfil the desires of those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him [what unfulfilled desires exist in your life today, right here is the solution]; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord preserves all those who love Him [There is evidently something in the world lovers of God are preserved and exempt from which is the curse, which includes spiritual death, poverty, sickness and disease], but all the wicked will He destroy.
My mouth
shall speak
the praise of the Lord (This confession business evidently has a major role in our Christian walk); and let all flesh bless (affectionately and gratefully praise) His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145
King Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man militarily on the face of the earth, had conquered kingdoms; was raised up and used as God’s judgement on the Israelites for
their unfaithfulness to His covenant, all at the age of 25... Here’s what he proclaimed concerning our King, God and Father after he was humbled:
“...I Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding and the right use of my mind returned to me; and I blessed the Most High [God] and I praised and honoured and glorified Him Who lives forever, Whose dominion is an
everlasting
dominion; and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. And He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand or say to Him, What are You doing? Now at the same time my reason and understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendour returned to me, and my counsellors and my lords sought me out; I was re-established in my kingdom, and still more greatness [than before] was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour
the King of heaven, Whose works are
all faithful and right and Whose ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase and humble.” – Daniel 4:34 – 37
All this from someone who would be considered as a pagan king... we don’t hear anything more from him so I am certain we would meet him in heaven. He had learnt the hard way...
Beware of Covetousness Marcus Licinius Crassus was a wealthy noble in the Roman Empire who lived from 115BC to 53BC. He entered into a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate with Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Gaius Julius Ceaser. He allegedly owned more than 200,000,000 Sestertii (ancient roman coin) at the height of his fortune, and would often extend loans to Julius Ceaser to fund his campaigns in Gaul (areas surrounding modern day France). Seeing Julius Ceaser’s victory after victory he decided it was all too easy and set about raising a legion of his own on the Campus Martius, casting his eyes on Parthia (region surrounding modern day Iran) not only as a source of his insatiable lust for more riches but because of his desire to match the victories of his two rivals Pompey the great and Julius Ceaser. He downplayed the possible resistance, referring to the Parthians as effeminate because they painted their faces... Having amassed a well trained and heavily armed group of mercenaries and conscripts, he crossed the Euphrates only to meet the shock of his life... His legion was severely decimated in charge after charge of the skilled Parthian Horsemen Archers as barrage after barrage of arrows rendered his forces helpless with men dying all around him... Even in retreat from any Roman charge, they were skilled in shooting backwards and sideways and peppered the roman lines with barrage after barrage sending them into disarray and confusion to the point that the greedy Crassus’s battle strategy reduced to a vain hope the Parthians would run out of arrows!! He was captured and molten gold was poured down his throat as a symbol of his greedy desire for wealth...
Covetousness is
not merely an act of sin but “a way of thinking” that leads you into committing that sin... Covetousness is developing a wrong relationship with material things... It is the love of money that is the root to all evil, not money itself... Ecclesiastes 10:19 says money answers all things, and chapter 7 verse 12 says money is a defence... Money is merely an amplifier of what is already in your heart... Prosperity ruins only the fool, so the answer to that is to get wisdom from the Word of God as we are continually exhorted to in the book of proverbs...
Covetousness is the Babylonian way of thinking that deceives men into putting their trust in material riches as a source of security and not in God... It is the way of thought life that seeks to meet its own needs without God... that Babylonian system of commerce started off by Nimrod back there in Genesis...
The children of Israel had just secured their first victories in possessing Canaanland and were in high spirits... Joshua was met by the Pre-incarnate Jesus sword drawn, ready to assist them in possessing the land (the Lord is more interested than we often think)... Joshua sent two men secretly to scout out the land especially Jericho, the first Special Forces... coming to Jericho, which was a very well-fortified city with a massive cubedimensioned wall the top of which was broad enough to hold six chariots running side by side, and even contained living quarters for some of the citizens... The whole area of the city enclosed only seven acres and most of the people lived in the surrounding countryside and only refuged within its walls during a time of war like what they were facing... a people whose God parted the Red Sea and destroyed one of the most well-equipped armies of the time... they clearly where not planning on being next... From the natural standpoint, it seemed physically impossible for them to ever be able to breach those walls and possess the city... clearly, they had to rely on God completely as we do... Imagine that, in the face of such a physical impossibility, here’s what the Lord said to Joshua:
“NOW JERICHO [a fenced town with high walls] was tightly closed because of the Israelites; no one went out or came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, See,
given
I have
Jericho, its king and mighty men of valor, into your hands...” – Joshua
6:1&2
Please notice the past tense of “I have given”, and remember what the Lord said to us in the first chapter of the second epistle of Peter... Why didn’t Joshua start crying and saying, “whoo... whoo... what are you talking about Lord, can’t you see these high walls... how can you say you have given us this city and their king with these high walls here...” ...No... Joshua did not entertain any unbelief and accepted the
God said I have given, and he said thank you Lord we are taking, now how shall we take! Word of God as it was...
The Lord’s instructions were very clear, detailed and distinct... God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)... He is more involved and desirous of us possessing everything He has promised than we often think; and there are
detailed
instructions available for the possessing of all these things we are promised if we would spend time with Him, and obey Him even if we don’t understand the whole picture...
Here’s how the Lord directed the Israelites... He said to keep their mouths shut primarily to avoid them speaking any words of unbelief, and march around the city once for six days with the Ark of the Covenant in their midst born by the priests, symbolising His presence with them, and then on the seventh day, they should march around the city seven times, and on the seventh circuit the priests should blow their ram horns and when the people hear the sound of this trumpet they should shout at the top of their lungs, and here’s what Joshua said as he heard from the Lord, even
before
this had taken place physically “...and the wall of its enclosure shall fall down in its place...” Joshua 6:5.
They followed the instructions closely and it happened exactly as the Lord told Joshua...
Joshua got the things he said... angels stomped that wall down into the ground like one of those controlled demolition works with the use of explosives (I was speaking to a friend recently, who mentioned about a man of God who has frequent visitations by angels [please don’t seek these as the enemy always seeks to use this to deceive God’s people, with demonic spirits appearing as angels of light, you should know anyway because they stink... they reek of fear, pride, doubt & unbelief; on the contrary, the angels of the Lord would inspire faith and peace-
we receive our failsafe guidance purely from the written Word of God], and on asking his angel what was his best memory from history, this angel said, “...bringing down the walls of Jericho...”...) The foundations of that wall and city has been unearthed by Archaeologists, you can see it as it still exists to this day ( Reference
http://www.bibleplaces.com/jericho.htm Sellin and Watzinger and later Kenyon found remains of a collapsed mudbrick wall at the base of the
stone revetment wall. Bryant Wood points to the base of that mudbrick wall. All agree that the wall fell down, but they differ on the date. Wood's conclusions are the most informed and they date the destruction of the wall to the time of Joshua (1400 B.C.)
...they discovered there was no humanly possible way this wall could have come down the way it did, even with modern weapons like missiles and such like, and certainly not with the ancient weaponry available... this is because it was like a huge cube with the same dimensions all around the city... it literally imploded on itself, and collapsed into the ground (God gets very passionate when it comes to the financial well-being of His children, and them possessing what He has prepared for them)...
God instructed them to utterly destroy the whole city with the edge of the sword because the Canaanite civilization was so totally corrupt that coexisting with them would have been a serious threat to the survival and spiritual welfare of the Hebrew nation. Israel here served as God’s instrument of judgement against those who refuse to honour Him because you notice when the pre-incarnate Jesus appeared to Joshua sword drawn, and Joshua asked Him, “...Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”, the Lord said to him “...Neither, but as Prince of the Lord’s host have I now come...”... We know this was not an angel but the Pre-incarnate Jesus because He accepted worship... From God’s point of view, their iniquity was now full [Genesis 15:16] (Imagine that... God gave these nations over 430 years to repent and turn from idolatry to Him... He gives every nation, people groups and individuals enough time to repent and respond to truth after which judgement falls swiftly)... so it is clear that they had had a very long rope from the Lord to repent but ended up hanging themselves with it by clinging
Joshua instructed the people not to take any of the gold or silver for themselves but that it would be consecrated unto the Lord, and on to idolatry accompanied with the vile practices they engaged in...
come into His treasury but a man called Achan decided to hear his own commandment of his heart... “The Lord wants us to have silver and gold... after all He gave us the silver and gold of the Egyptians.... moreover, I would need some capital to start up my family when we get our land... after all its just material, there is nothing to it... If I have it, I can even give some of it if Joshua wants to build another Tabernacle for the Lord... maybe not, I’ll just keep
He took that silver and gold and hid it... and Lord was kindled against Israel... for the
some... it wouldn’t hurt a bit...”... the verse says the anger of the sin of just one man!!
Why was this so serious that Israel lost 36 probably innocent men in the next battle against a very small city called Ai, that they even thought that two or three thousand men were all they needed to take the city... for the sin of just one man... Jericho was Israel’s first-fruits offering, God had specifically instructed them of under Moses (This is still relevant today, and is an offering separate and distinct from the Tithe with its own
blessings which we would perhaps discuss in another issue of Salt & Light), and this is why Joshua said all the gold and silver should be devoted to the Lord and no one should take any for themselves... he specifically said they would make themselves a curse... We would never know the damage disobedience to God’s instructions causes on this side of eternity... The plain truth is God will never invest a continuously disobedient child with responsibility and the accompanying rewards of it for the sake of the entire Body of Christ... Needless to say, this man Achan not only caused the death of 36 probably innocent men, but had himself and his whole family stoned to death to purge this sin out of Israel... Thank God for the blood of Jesus yeah... there is still a New Testament parallel to this folks which’s judgement is as serious...
Jesus taught us about the nature of covetousness when a certain man looked at him and thought... here’s a good Rabbi that wants us to enjoy good things in life, perhaps he will adjudicate in my case with my brother, so he speaks up and says to our Lord “...speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me...” Luke 12:13. Here’s our Lord teaching him about the Kingdom of God... things that would enable him possess the entire Universe, and all he could think about was money... probably a share of a wind-blown dust-hut on a cornfield somewhere in the countryside of Judea... This is what our Lord says to him probably with disgust seeing the man’s evil covetous heart:
“...man, who made me a judge or a divider over you...”; the Lord then turns and changes the topic of what He had been teaching previously and then addresses all the people... you must understand that for Him to do this, we would understand that the things following would be very important, not that anything He says is not but this compared to all the rest would be especially so... Our Lord then proceeds saying:
“And He said to them,
Guard yourselves
and
keep free
from
all
covetousness
(the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs...” – Luke 12:15
We must not misunderstand this as saying Jesus is not interested in material wealth... Material wealth in abundance was promised to anyone faithful and obedient under the Old Covenant which they were under at the time (The New Covenant we have has better promises), and we know Jesus was wealthy as we have shown in prior Salt & Light issues... Jesus was referring to the motivations of the heart... That man and many today see that inheritance as their only chance of a secure financial future... they live in fear and greed that they would not survive if they did not have this abundance, and not seeing God as their ever constant, ever present loving Father who meets all of their needs in abundance. Jesus then taught further on the subject, elucidating further how the process of covetousness destroyed a certain
man... We must understand that in many of His parables, our Lord used everyday examples people could relate to, and on this occasion, He was actually speaking of a certain man many of the people there might well have known... this was an actual man that lived and died during that time (the KJV indicated “a certain rich man”):
“...He told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was fertile and yielded plentifully. And he considered and debated
within
himself, What shall I do? I
have no place [in which] to gather together my harvest. And he said,
I will do this: I
will
pull down my storehouses and build larger ones [The possibility of giving, especially to the poor, which was firmly established within the commandments of God under the Old Covenant did not even occur to this man], and there I will store all my grain or produce and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up, [enough] for many years. Take your ease; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself merrily. But God said to him, You fool! This very night they [the messengers of God] will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared,
So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares].” – Luke 12:15 – 21 whose will they be?
This state of mind and process of thinking this man had led him... and has led many today into thinking their source of security is in hoarding inordinate amounts of wealth for themselves and their family without regard to the purposes of God, as well as the many people living in abject poverty all around them. This is why giving is the central commandment surrounding God’s plan of prospering His people, besides, this is how He established the earth to operate... you can’t be covetous and a giver at the same time, we are either one or the other at every
God is our source of security for everything, not material wealth... Material wealth is one of the tools... and a very necessary tool He created to be enjoyed by His children not worshipped; a tool to carry out point in time...
His work in spreading His Kingdom and nothing more! The man probably died of a disease or could have been murdered by bandits God knows, but the Lord’s message was so stern and clear as near impossible to misunderstand.
Covetousness
Babylonian thinking is so dangerous it would lead you to steal from God and the government by holding back your tithes, first-fruit offerings, and taxes and is a long slippery slope full of heart-ache and subject to the curse in the world many people are living under... Covetousness thinking would include every plan of our own for a secure financial future not founded in the purposes of God for our lives... Covetousness thinking would lead people away from His revealed plan for their lives because they cannot see any physical source of provision in the geographical area God is sending them to, forgetting
that He promised waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:20). Covetousness thinking would make people relocate in impatience because of a better paying job somewhere else without any thought for if this exists within His plan for their lives, and when all hell breaks loose in their lives they start running from pillar to post for help... He then proceeded to teach them about trust for provision through the Kingdom of God which we have commented on in a prior issue of Salt & Light, and might elucidate further in another issue.
Someone says, well I’ll be able to give tithes and offerings when I have some more... I can assure you that increase in God’s Kingdom will not happen till you become obedient where you are financially... you may feel prosperous through debt in using the world’s system, but you are only digging yourself into a deeper mess, such that you will need a miracle when that ship sinks further...
Some people say... but I only need a little bit for me and my family... this is that
covetousness thinking again, the world had trained and programmed us into thinking everything we get is for us and only us and our four, no more... and that we need to consume everything, so when we start selfish Babylonian
talking about God’s plan for financial prosperity for His people, they immediately start thinking it is a gospel of greed... and that we don’t really need much... What about the funding of the gospel being preached all around the world? What about your pastor’s welfare? What about the impoverished people all around you who can barely afford a meal? If £1000 a month is all you need, why not believe God for £20,000 a month and put all £19,000 into the spreading of the gospel, from which you will get greater harvests, enabling you to give more and more, and helping more and more people...
Why Recession happens and God’s children suffer lack... Haggai, a prophet of God and contemporary of Zechariah, both of whom ministered to Israel around 520BC; during which period Israel had recently returned to their land from captivity in Babylon and were arranging to start their lives afresh after such a long period in captivity... If you read through the book, Haggai records how every one of them sought first and foremost to rebuild and beautify their houses while the Temple of God remained in ruins...
“IN THE second year of Darius king [of Persia], in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the Word of the Lord came by means of Haggai the prophet [in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity] to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,
to
and
Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [2 witnesses], saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say, The time is not yet come that the Lord’s house
should be rebuilt [although Cyrus had ordered it done eighteen years before-Ezra 1:16; 4:1-6, 24; 5:1-3]. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins? Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
Consider
your ways
and set your mind on what has come to you. You have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put in a bag with holes in it. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways (your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared. Go up to the hill country and bring lumber and rebuild [My] house, and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, says the Lord [by accepting it as done for My glory and by displaying My glory in it]. You looked for much [harvest], and behold, it came to little; and even when you brought that home, I blew it away. Why? Says the Lord of hosts. Because of My house, which lies waste while you yourselves run each man to his own house [eager to build and adorn it]. Therefore the heavens above you [for your sake] withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its produce. And
I
have
called
for a drought upon the land and the hill country, upon the grain, the fresh wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all the [wearisome] toil of [men’s] hands.” – Haggai 1:1-11 AMP
In God’s Economic system, putting our finances into the Kingdom of God is not optional, but a requirement. It unsettles me how many people think nothing of spending loads of money towards their favourite football team, or to go and see some influential person who may or may not have the moral scruples that could add anything positive to their lives, but when it comes to putting money in church, or their pastor driving a nice car, and having lots of money to ensure he and his family are comfortable enough to enable him live well, travel to worthy conferences worldwide where he can be blessed, and also have enough time to spend with God to enable him get a Word from God that would change your life, they suddenly have a problem with that... there is obviously something fundamentally ungodly... quite straight-forward demonic about such thinking... if elements of this exists in your thought life, you will have to renew your mind as the Lord through apostle Paul instructs us to in his epistle to the Christians in Rome.
Rich like Dad Our loving Father is rich folks... He has not entrusted anyone else with your provision but Himself... If some happy chappy comes up into my family, and starts trying to buy things for my wife, I will certainly have a problem with that... He has given us
all things
richly to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17) not worship, or avoid because we are scared of worshipping... He is well able to supply and fill to the full your every need if only you will trust Him... obey Him, and walk with Him everyday...
Fill your heart with His words, accept nothing else, and
say nothing
else... even if they are long held beliefs or traditions that have existed in your church or family mindset for generations.
“...As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches (the stock market... my good job in my good company... my retirement fund... my investments... the number
God, Who richly [our] enjoyment.
of members in my church... my rich uncle, dad or mum...), but on
and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [Charge them] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart,
ready to share
[with others], In this way laying up for themselves [the riches that endure forever as] a good foundation for the future (The Lord’s promised hundredfold return now in this time – Mark 10:30), so that they may grasp that which is life indeed...” – 1 Timothy 6:17 – 19 (The apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy who pastored the church in Ephesus [Modern day Turkey] which had quite a large membership of about 10,000 or more).
the offering of the Lord is holy and must not be profaned by begging for money... This is a very To pastors, and aspiring ones,
serious matter; Abel was murdered by Cain over this offering issue... and what do we think was a primary reason Eli’s sons were judged over... Jesus said “Feed
sheep”,
My
not squeeze money out of them to meet your church’s needs... God
desires a willing cheerful offering from His people not coerced or emotionally manipulated out of them, and they are not giving to you merely to execute your projects but to God. He is the Source... your Source... If He has instructed you to accomplish a project, He will supply fully as you walk in obedience and wait on Him even if your people are not willing to give... even if He has to use Ravens (1 Kings 17:4 – 6) and Fish (Matthew 17:27) to supply your needs... you need to renew your mind and build your faith for His financial provision like everyone
His church, and the gates of hell will not prevail over it... He will build not you... It else, and look only to Him for your supply... He said He will build
is a waste of time, energy and money to try and pressure people to give to meet your needs by appealing to their charitable natures which in all reality does not exist in human nature, and at best all you will get are pennies, because charity in most people’s religiously trained traditional mind-sets means just that... chicken change... leftovers... and not the choicest of the pick as God has instructed for His work... Someone says, what’s wrong with putting chicken change in the offering, well the Lord said, would you give that to the government as your Tax? (Malachi 1:6-8)... people need to be taught to give because this is how they receive in God’s Kingdom Economics not because you believe your project is compassionate enough, or if they don’t give, your church will close down... the only people being closed down are the Babylonians so you may seriously need to reassess if you have missed an instruction from
the Lord somewhere which would always be the reason for lack; unless you
if you keep speaking words of lack, your situation would keep worsening instead of improving... God is only committed to confirming the aspect of His Word that is preached... if God’s desire for financial prosperity for His people is not being taught, continuous lack will be the result... How can have decided to call Jesus a liar (John 16:23)...
people give in church if they are struggling financially because of a lack of knowledge of God’s Economic system, and as a result, never have sufficient to take care of their own families? In declaring your lack, you are misrepresenting God to the effect that if
Being afraid to teach financial prosperity for fear of persecution and then turning round to receive offerings from people is hypocrisy of the basest kind which will be judged. Those He cannot provide for you, what hope do the people have?
whom Jesus rebukes and chastens, He loves (Revelations 3:19; Proverbs 3:11 & 12)... only sons of perdition (John 17:12), goats (Matthew 25:31 – 46), Tares (Matthew 13:24 – 30)... implants of the enemy into the congregation of the Lord, illegitimate bastards (Hebrews 12:8) with no part in this inheritance are without correction [if you are concerned about your status, it is a clear sign you are not one of them]... Not everyone we think are nice dutiful Christians actually are... [This is really strong on the Lord’s heart... this section was practically dictated to me by the Spirit of the Lord Word for Word] Jesus says, “...if you do not judge yourself, repent, turn and amend your ways, I will come and remove your candle from his place.”
...And when we give something to our pastors, brothers or sisters, please let us not change how we relate to them, carrying ourselves like big-shots as if we did not receive all we have... let us not seek to take their dignity away for whom Christ died... we would in likewise be expecting to receive from God and would not want to be so treated... when we sin so against the brethren, we are sinning against Christ and He does take it personally when we don’t properly discern the Body...
Also, when the Lord instructs us to give to someone we don’t believe needs it because in our minds we have decided to guide our own affairs instead of depending completely on the Lord, such thinking is depriving us of God’s best...
it all belongs to God for a start even though He has given you stewardship over it, and if you are unfaithful with the little He has given you, how can He make you a ruler over much? (Matthew 24:44 – 25:14 - 46) According to our Lord Jesus in that parable, because of self-willed thinking and disobedience based on the Babylonian system of man meeting his own needs without God in the equation, people are actually in danger of loosing the little they have which they have held tight to through fear, and not only their economic means, up to and including their eternal destinations... We are now realising how serious this money
issue is... because according to these passages in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, servants of the Lord were judged for what they did with the money they had control over... in actual fact, some
virgins
[which would denote a perceived walk of
personal holiness] didn’t make it because they didn’t buy oil...
they didn’t
invest in the things of the anointing...
some other chaps were judged for refusing to work, and being lazy and unprofitable in their financial affairs, and others were judged for forsaking the hungry, naked, those in prison, and lack of help towards foreigners... all of which the Lord took personally as a treatment to Him.
The
end of Babylon
The Babylonian system is real folks and it has fallen, and about time too... personally, I have had enough of coming across people who think they are something because they have had better advantages than others under this wicked (and this word does not mean “cool”... Noah Webster defines the word as “Evil in principle or practice; deviating from the divine law; addicted to vice; sinful; immoral...”) system that does not require a character change in order to encircle them, and enshroud them in the trap of a pretence to meet their needs which it doesn’t... The health system is failing and overwhelmed... the educational system is wholly inadequate, and the religious system is a farce... an empty shell... the financial system keeps going up and down like a yo yo turning once worldly rich families into impoverished beggars in seconds... giving others a false sense of security, and dulling their minds as to the need to seek God till they are hit with a thunderbolt of reality... that all of that money they made god over their lives can do nothing to restore their failing health, repair their broken families, and fill the eternal void and longing in the heart of every human being for a relationship with God.
If you cut a leaf from a tree what happens to it... it shrivels up and dies doesn’t it... but not immediately, it would still look green for a while... you can try all you like to even plant that leaf but as long as that leaf is not connected to the roots of its tree, you can try and save it as much as you like but its destiny is certain... to shrivel up and die... it is
God is Life... and everything outside of Him, not initiated by Him and imagining to not require His guidance and help is already dead... in fact already dead as soon as it is separated from the tree...
Heaven does not know what recession means folks... Have you ever come to God to meet your needs and He said to you... ah... ehm... my child it’s really rough right now, I didn’t plan for this... in fact, I couldn’t make the payment on the pearly gates and they had to be re-possessed... I’ve even had to lay some angels off, and Peter is even now digging up some of the golden pavement to sell so we can eat up here...
Divine Judgement has already been pronounced folks [Revelations 18], and the world’s way of doing things is finished and doomed to failure... The time has long been for the children of God to understand the ways of their Father and walk in them... In the early to mid part of the 1900s the revelations of God’s provision of divine health for His people began to gain prominence again and this was for a reason... Our loving Father knew of the new plagues and diseases that would come on the scene, which exist in our generation today, and devised by satan to kill, steal and destroy... and The Lord was endeavouring to get His people to build their faith and fortify themselves and their families through His living Word against these terrible diseases that He knew were to
He is bringing His purpose for our financial prosperity to prominence because of the financial straits that the entire world outside of God’s house is going to increasingly come under... Jesus is the author come... Now in our generation,
and finisher of our faith, keep your eyes focused on Him... draw near to Him and walk with Him... obey Him... He is your life and the length of your days... He is your Senior Brother and Friend, the First Begotten of the Father, and guess who you are... a son [a hereditary title without specific reference to gender-Galatians 3:27 & 28 tells us that as many of us have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is now no distinction between Jew nor Greek which is no racism, there is neither slave nor free which is no social classes, and there is not male and female which is no genderism, for we are all one in Christ Jesus] (Romans 8:19)...
of God
about to manifest
Jesus is your health and prosperity... Like David understood,
Treasure to be sought and had...
God is The
“...This is My commandment:
Love
each other in the same way I have loved
you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are
My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in His slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me . You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. This is My command: Love each other. If the world hates you, remember that it hated Me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? A slave is not greater than the master. Since they persecuted Me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to Me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of Me, for they have rejected the One who sent Me...” – John 15:12- 21 NLT
My brothers and tell them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.” – John 20:17 NLT “...go find
Your brother in Christ, Temisan
P.S. In conclusion, please note Babylon is not a physical institution, even though
Babylon is a way of thinking which presumes to conduct a way of life without God at its centre which is the way of death and untold sorrow no such like devoted to its philosophy exist today but I will spare you...
human being was created to bear... Neither your manager, tutor nor your government or church pastor is a Babylonian... We are exhorted as Christians to first of all remove the plank from our own eyes, and then we will see clearly to be able to remove the speck of dust in another’s eye, meaning that this Word is applicable to you personally, and is not a basis of judgement of your brother or sister. No human being but the Lord only, knows the innermost motivations of our hearts, and every one of us will give personal account before the Lord for our own lives.
“...You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father...” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:13 – 16) New Living Translation