Devotion: Giving Is Planting Seed

In several of our recent commentaries, we have discussed prosperity.  We have continually used Deuteronomy 8:18 as the anchor to our message, which says that God gives us the power or the ability to get wealth, although it be for a very specific purpose.  We have expressed this purpose as being “that he may establish his covenant.”  We also mentioned that it is vital that we understand there is more to the message and the purpose than just giving or as some have put it, “sowing seed for a harvest” and expecting some kind of hundredfold return based on the amount a person gives.  While being a generous giver, being obedient, and walking in faith are important ingredients in the mixture, it was understanding the true purpose that was the key to receiving the revelation of the prosperity message from God’s point of view.

So many people view prosperity as something that increases their bottom line.  Because the world places such high value on things like cars, houses, and other tangible items, we are led to believe that by amassing as many of these items that we can, we make ourselves prosperous by varying degrees.  We are taught that the more such things or “assets” we amass, the more prosperous we are and the more prosperous we are, the more highly regarded, by man, we become.  Nevertheless, God’s way to prosperity is just a little different.

God wants to prosper us.  God does not want us to prosper so that our needs are barely met or even met with the barest of necessities.  God wants us to prosper so much so that we can actually be givers.  God wants us to give, to be in a position where we can be a blessing to others.  The reality of prosperity is that we should live to give and not live to get.

The Bible makes it clear that there is a right way or a godly way to prosperity and that there is a wrong way or an ungodly way to prosperity.  Most people use the world’s roadmap, which is tied to the world’s financial economy, to obtain their riches.  When we are the source of our financial prosperity, we worry about everything.  However, when God is the source of your prosperity, you do not have to worry about anything.  God’s roadmap is different from the world’s roadmap and is not subject to the ebbs and flows of the world’s financial economy.

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

According to this passage, it is “the blessing of the Lord” that makes a person rich.  When our prosperity comes this way, there is no sorrow added with it.  It appears that having “the blessing or favor of the Lord” is the key to receiving true prosperity God’s way.  With “the blessing or favor of the Lord,” we do not have the burden or the weight of producing and/or maintaining our own riches.  “The blessing or favor of the Lord” will bless all that we do and make us prosperous with no sorrow or bad success added, for the sole purpose of enabling us to be a blessing to others.  When correctly understood, prosperity is not for us, where we amass as much wealth as we can for ourselves.  The primary goal for the prosperity is for us to be a channel for money to flow through so that God can use us “that he may establish his covenant” and that we may be a blessing to others.  Our personal wealth is a by-product of having “the blessing or favor of the Lord” in our life and is not the primary goal for the prosperity.

Again, we know that this short commentary will not settle the on-going debate about prosperity, however, it just might give those who have that same “ear to hear,” as we do, a little different perspective and a clearer understanding into the true purpose for the prosperity, from God’s point of view.  As always, we pray that our commentary will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: When You Sin

Tradition teaches us that sin is “a violation of divine law.”  And tradition teaches us that we are all sinners because we have violated the law.  While we do commit and/or practice sin, we are not sinners because of either of these reasons; we are actually sinners because we have a sin nature, a nature that was created by Adam.  You see, when Adam fell, the entire human race was constituted or formally established as sinners.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).

It was by one man’s disobedience that we were made sinners.  Adam was the first man and the forefather of the entire human race (Genesis 2:19) and the consequences of his disobedience affected all mankind.  The belief is that when he sinned, it was as if we all had sinned at the same time.  And at the same time, “death was passed upon all men” (Romans 5:12).  For it was at this point in time that the phrase, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) took on its meaning.

We know from scripture that by man, Adam, came sin and with sin came death.  These things were passed on to all mankind, so that all mankind were guilty of sinning and all mankind would die.  The fact that God would impute the disobedience of one man to the entire human race may seem a little unfair to many of you.  It really is not as unfair as you think.

“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:21-22).

God offers to impute the righteousness of Christ to the account of a believer, making that person’s record as good (or as perfect) as Jesus Christ’s just as he imputed the sin of Adam to the account of all of mankind making everyone sinners.  Imputed righteousness in place of imputed sin; sounds fair to us.  Death came into the world because of what man (Adam) did.  And it is because of what this other man (Jesus) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead.  Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results.  But all who are related to Jesus Christ will rise again, as members of his spiritual race.  Death came into the world because of what man (Adam) did.  And it is because of what this other man (Jesus) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead.

By one man’s disobedience, sin entered into the world.  And with that sin came death, spreading throughout the world; for all die because of Adam.  And because of Adam, everything began to grow old and die.  But by one man’s obedience, sin’s curse was defeated.  And with that defeat came the resurrection of the dead, for in Christ shall all be made alive.  But now we want to look at the contrast between the one who started all of this and the one who ended all of this.

“… so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Adam’s sin brought punishment to all, causing all to become sinners because he disobeyed God.  It was the righteousness of Christ that made man right with God again so that they could live.  Christ gave many the opportunity to be made acceptable to God; all because he obeyed.

The free gift of God does not work the same way that the transgression of man did.  Because of one man’s sin, the death penalty was brought to many, but this free gift of God is so much more.  This gift, a gift of grace, is given by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  He has taken away all sin and replaced it with glorious life.  But this gift does not have the same effect as the sin of the one, Adam.  Adam provoked a judgment that resulted in the condemnation of everyone.  The gift of grace, however, resulted in the justification for a multitude of transgressions.

Again, you are not a sinner because you commit and/or practice sin, you are sinner because of the sin nature that was created and passed down by Adam when he fell.  By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, you be in Christ and Christ be in you.  When you are in Christ and Christ in you, then your sin nature is changed and you become a new creature or creation.  And as a new creation, your old sinful nature be passed away and a new nature is created in you, a justified and upright nature, a nature that is Christ-like.

We pray that today’s inspirational message will give you a new perspective on this thing called “sin.”  We pray that that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read this message.  If blessed, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Giving Is Not The Main Ingredient In Prosperity

In many religious circles, the prosperity message has become a dividing force in the body of Christ.  Misused and abused by some religious leaders for personal gain, many believers now completely tune out any messages that even skirts the issue of money, finances, tithing, and/or prosperity.  Though we understand the negative connotations associated with the prosperity message and the views of both sides of the issue, we thought it to be extremely important that we attempt to discover the truth about prosperity from God’s point of view and not just man’s viewpoint, since so much is written about the topic in the Bible.

We will be the first to admit that we are not scholars nor do we claim to be any experts in the field, but we do have a love for the word of God and we seek the truth in his word.  We will also admit that our motives for discovering the truth are somewhat selfish; however, we do share any and all results with those who have that same “ear to hear” as we do.  We previously found that God gives us the power or the ability to get wealth, but it is for a very specific reason; so “that he may establish his covenant” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  This is God’s viewpoint, his purpose for giving us the ability to get this wealth, and the main reason why we need to talk about prosperity.  This is completely different from man’s viewpoint of prosperity, which is only to “increase one’s own self.”

It is vital that we understand there is more to the message and the purpose than just giving or as some have put it, “sowing seed for a harvest” and expecting some kind of hundredfold return based on the amount a person gives.  Being a generous giver, being obedient, and walking in faith are important ingredients in the mixture, but understanding the true purpose is the key to receiving the revelation of the prosperity message.  In order for any of this to work God’s way, all must be done with the right motives, with the right intentions, and with the right heart.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7).

Attitude plays a very important part in understanding God’s point of view about prosperity.  Each of us must make up our own minds and decide in our own hearts as to what to do with this revelation on the purpose of prosperity message.  No one should force you to participate nor should you participate grudgingly, reluctantly, out of necessity and/or under compulsion because this is not God’s way.  However, understanding the purpose will make you a cheerful and joyous participant in helping God to establish his covenant, which is the true purpose for the prosperity, from God’s point of view.

As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God's Mercy

One night, after Solomon had finished building the temple where God would choose as the place of sacrifice, God appeared to Solomon and said:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).

God went on to tell Solomon that if the people, which are called by his name, would humble themselves and pray, search for him, seeking his face, and turn from their evil wicked ways, he would hear them from heaven and would forgive them of their sins.  He would also heal their land.  This appears to be a reoccurring theme with God.

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2).

John the Baptist preached in the wilderness and taught that all should be baptized as a sign that they had chosen to repent, that is, choosing to turn their back on sin and turn to God so that he could forgive them of their sins.

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus also preached a very similar message of repentance, instructing all he encountered to turn from their sins and to turn to God so that he could forgive them of their sins.  Jesus was once quoted as saying to the scribes and Pharisees, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Even Peter, who had the opportunity to speak to the crowd after healing the crippled man who sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple, told them to repent, to change their mind and attitude toward God, to turn away from their sins and turn to God so that he could cleanse away their sins.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Therefore, humble yourself in the sight of God and he will lift you up.  As you give yourself humbly to God, draw close to him and he will draw close to you.  God wants you to turn from your evil wicked ways and to turn to him.  God has been so patiently waiting for you, without punishment, for you to repent or to change your way of thinking about sin and seek him so that he can forgive you of your sins.  God’s kindness and his goodness are meant to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4).  This is “God’s mercy” in action, at its best.  But do not be deceived, for justice, judgment, and condemnation will come to all who choose to continue in their evil wicked ways and refuse to repent or change their thinking about their sins.

We pray this inspirational message will give you a new perspective on what is meant by “God’s mercy.”  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Can Live In The Kingdom Of Love

Scripture tells us, “God is love.”

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (I John 4:7-8).

The passage tells us “to love one another, for every one that loves is born of God and knows God.”  But what does this “to love one another” thing mean exactly?  Does it mean that we are to be loving and kind to everyone, without exception?  What does this “love which is of God” mean?  This same verse also tells us “if a person loves not, then he does not know God,” because “God is love.”  Does not having this “love which is of God” mean that we are not born of God and/or that we do not know God?  The answer to these questions can be found in defining this “love, which is of God.”

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (I John 4:9-11).

According to this passage, God showed just how much he loved us by sending his only begotten son into this evil, wicked, and unjust world “to be the propitiation for our sins” so that through him we might have life, everlasting life.  “The son” is the one who sacrificed himself on the cross to atone for our sins; not just those who are now children of God, but for the sins of the whole entire world (I John 2:2).  This is a little different than how the world shows love.  As we previously defined, worldly love attempts to mimic true love, often calling for “tolerance in the name of love,” while incorporating all kinds of sinful and destructive behaviors that moves in opposition to the love expressed by God and by “the son.”  But God, in his wisdom, opened the eyes of those who accepted the call to salvation to know that “the son” is the mighty power of God that saved them and “the son” himself is the center of God’s plan for their salvation (I Corinthians 1:24).

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (I John 4:20-21).

We believe that this “love, which is of God,” is a “saving kind of love,” and not “tolerance in the name of love” kind.  This “saving kind of love” involves the message of the cross, which “is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18).  It is this “saving kind of love” that we ought to have for our brothers and show to them because we believe God when he tells us that he loves us and has saved us from the penalty of sin.  It is this “saving kind of love” that grows perfect and more complete because we live with “the son,” who we know is the mighty power of God and the center of God’s plan for salvation.  It is this “saving kind of love” that in the day of judgment, we can face God with confidence and joy, not shame and embarrassment, knowing that we have truly showed loved the way as God and “the son” did when they gave to save the world from the penalty of sin.

This is the “love, which is of God,” that we are to have for one another.  This is the “love” that is born of God; that is born of truth; that is born of righteousness; that is the “saving kind of love” that allows God to live within us and allows us to live in God.  This has the “love” that this evil, wicked, and unjust world needs, a “saving kind of love.”  Therefore, let us love one another, for he that is born of God and he that knows God already has this “love, which is of God” living within.  Our love for God and our love for our brother come as a result of God actually loving us first, showing us what we should do.

We forever pray this inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Open Eyes

None of us are perfect nor do we have a perfect understanding of all of the scriptures.  So many of us are at different levels of understanding in our walk to discover the truth about the things of God that we should not discount anyone’s ability to help propel us to the next level.  Just because a person makes a few questionable statements does not mean that he or she cannot contribute something to help in our understanding.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  This lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.  If we reject every person who makes statements that we do not agree with, then we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.

If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possibly know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.  Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding to rightly divide the word of truth and pick the harmful item out of the ocean of knowledge.

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that we have to do.  God has told us to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions.  God has also told us to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things.

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:5-7).

God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know in his word, but we have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to understand in our own earthly wisdom.  We do not recognize the revelations that he gives us because they, the revelations do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  We do not accept those things that he has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can understand the things of God, however this is not the truth.  God wants us to understand.  God wants us to know, but we have to follow his instructions.

To obtain wisdom one must earnestly seek it, much like a prospector searching for gold.  The search is directed by the conditions for obtaining wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-4).  The consequences of obtaining wisdom are then listed which includes knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:5-8) and right conduct (Proverbs 2:9-22).  In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism, denominationalism, or that one-cup from the vast oceans of knowledge.  Limited knowledge leads to a limited life.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

We pray that God will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.  We also pray that the eyes of your understanding be opened.  May today’s inspirational message abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Love Gives

Most believers know that God loves them.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18).

We know from this passage that God loved this world, that is, the inhabitants of this world, so much that he gave “his only begotten son” so that through him, the inhabitants of this world might be saved.  Scripture tells us “God loves us” (I John 4:4-20), but do we understand the depth of this love and what this kind of love actually means?

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Live within my love.  When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your cup of joy will overflow!  I demand that you love each other as much as I love you.  And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends; and you are my friends if you obey me” (John 15:9-14 TLB).

We know from this passage that Jesus also loved this world, which is reflected in his statement, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  We know that Jesus eventually gave his life for the inhabitants of this world (Romans 5:7-8), but again do we understand the depth of this love and what this kind of love actually means?

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.  And wherefore slew he him?  Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.  He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him” (I John 3:10-17)?

Based on scripture, we can now tell those who are children of God and those who are children of the devil, for those who do unrighteousness is not of God, neither are they that do not love their brother.  A child of God understands the depth of this love and knows what this kind of love actually means.  A child of God has the love of God within and is willing to lay down his life for his brother.  A child of God will see a brother in need and will help him because he has God’s love within.  Anyone who sees a brother in need and will not help him, hates his brother, is really a murderer at heart just like Cain.

If you possess the things a person needs to make it in this world, be it spiritual or be it material but you refuse to share with those in need, then how can you say that you have the love of God within?  When you see a brother doing something that leads to condemnation, out of love, you owe it to him to tell him the truth of God’s word.  By this, we will know for sure that we belong to the truth, for our love will not be in word or speech but in deed and in truth.  God so loved us that he gave “his only begotten son,” who also so loved the world that he gave “his life,” so that we, the inhabitants of this world, may live.  Surely, we can have this same level of love expressed by God and by Jesus for our brothers and not the kind of love that Cain had for his brother.

However, do not be deceived by the world’s definition of what love is.  Worldly love is selfish, self-serving, impersonal, and is more about what it can get than what it can give.  Worldly love attempts to mimic true love, often calling for “tolerance in the name of love,” while incorporating all kinds of sinful and destructive behaviors that moves in opposition to the love expressed by God and by Jesus.

As always, we pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW