Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Several years ago, I heard the following: "One step at a time ... it is enough."
The world plans ahead, mostly trying to work out ways to get more money.
But for us who belong to God, there is another way ... It is a focus on today, not on tomorrow.
It is a way of peace and faith in God rather than faith in ourselves and our plans.
We believe God will work it out for us on this earth ... We believe God will provide for us on this earth as God provided for the children of Israel in the wilderness.
We focus on that which we have heard from God and do what we are told by that word and develop a very good root system so we can bear good fruit on this present earth.
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I do not try to get more money. Even before I was born again, my focus was not on getting more money. I took jobs where I had an interest in the work.
The love of money is the root of all evil. I Tim. 6
Following blindly after pursuit of money is a way of darkness of this world.
God has another way for HIS people. Jesus explains God's way in Matthew 6.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye:if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters:for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air:for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Take care of that which is in front of you today.
Pray over that which is concerning you about tomorrow. But focus on today.
Seek God to see what HE wants you to do today and how HE wants you to handle the various issues that appear today. (seek HIS righteousness today)
In the Bible we are told life is like a vapor which is here today and vanishes away. We are told we came into this world without any possessions and we will depart the same way. We will even leave these physical bodies behind and God will give us a new body which will not be subject to decay and disease!
In Bible we are told to hold fast to the word given us by God and focus on that and God will give us all needful and good things. I have certainly experienced this. And I have seen all that I do prospers as I have focused on doing what I believed God showed me to do and as I held fast to what God told me and rejected all other ways.
And truly, God leaves nothing out.
Turn as the path turns.
If you hear an instruction which you believe to be from God, do it and keep doing it until you are given another instruction. Rest in HIM, in that which HE tells you. Certainly it is enough. You do not have to strain to do more. God never falls short.
Get out of debt. Stay out of debt. If you go into debt, you are likely to be drawn away from the way of God and you will begin to focus on money rather than what God wants. The Bible shows us that. Jesus says we can't serve God and "mammon".
And Paul warns us:
I Tim. 6 ... (If you come across a person who) supposing that gain is godliness:from such withdraw thyself. (That person will influence you incorrectly.)
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich (those who seek money and make money into a goal for life) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
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Live below your means.
Every month, I have money left over from my social security check. Money just accumulates. Then when something breaks down, there is always money to fix it. It is not a strain.
Jesus says: In the world ye shall have tribulation:but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jn. 16
If we are content with food and clothing and focus on today rather than tomorrow, we come into rest.
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In 1975, I was born again. At that time I owned a small business. From the time I was born again until now, my interest has been the Bible, the word of God, doing that which God showed me to do. Daily I tried to do what I was shown to do by God, not making my own plans nor my own goals based on my reasoning. I just read Bible and tried to do what I saw to do from Bible. Daily this was my pursuit and still is. Then when I heard something to do and was persuaded it was the Holy Spirit showing me to do that, I did it immediately. Through the accumulation of 30+ years this has been my way of life.
I never expected to have a house "of my own". I never sought after cars or physical goods. I sought after the Word of God daily, as I knew that word was great treasure, worth hunting daily. And when I found a word, I tried to do that word... daily ... year after year.
"And all these things were added to me." (Mt. 6)
In 1980, I lived in an apartment. I didn't even have a washer/dryer. We had coin operated units at the back of the apartment building. I had a 1976 car which my dad had given me. I drove that car until 1988.
I didn't take out mortgage, though people said it was the right way to accumulate goods rather than throwing away money on rent. I was persuaded debt was not a good way to go. So I just rented an apartment and paid as I could, not going into debt. (Debt is a pressure and can lead you wrong way.)
In 1985, I moved to the city where my mother lived. I built 2 apartments on a lot which we owned. I did not take out a mortgage. My dad had left me $50,000. I had $22,000 from sale of merchandise when I closed my business to go into ministry. We sold my mother house trailer and put that in on construction and we used about $20,000 from money accumulated in ministry fund. This gave us enough to build the 2 apartments. (Both apartments were given to the ministry.)
In approximately 1988, I saw a lot on the golf course in the city where I lived and could purchase it for $13, 700. I had accumulated the cash so I could pay for it so I bought it.
In 1990, I put the apartments up for sale. One sold for $56,000. I rented the other apartment and it accumulated over $40,000 over the next 10 years. I had a house built and moved to the lot I had purchased. I moved my mother into the house with me. I paid cash for the construction.
I lived within (or even below) my income ... thus putting no money pressure on myself.
In 2002, my mother died. I put the house up for sale immediately. The house sold for double the construction price. I bought a lot in Lubbock, TX, and began building a house there, putting the money from the house and from the sale of the second apartment and the accumulated rent from that apartment into the construction of the house where I live now.
Not once did I try to get something better. I lived within my means and paid for that which I could afford when I made a change.
One step at a time ... it is enough ... said God to me.
And all these things were added to me. All I did was focus on what I saw in Bible and what God showed me by HIS Spirit, living within my means and staying out of debt as I went forward. That was a daily work, making decisions which I felt were based on the word of God.
Mt. 7 ... Jesus said ... 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.