Jesus said: Matthew 6:24-25 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.
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.
32-33 (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.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Comments by Joan Boney
If we are thinking about money and about getting money, we will be following the wrong thing and we are in danger of bringing on ourselves much sorrow.
We cannot follow after money and righteousness at the same time.
But God has another way to bring us into "prosperity".
If we seek first God, HIS way, HIS will ... and focus continually on that scripture which is brought to mind by the Holy Spirit, doing that scripture constantly, God leads us step by step, scripture by scripture, to a position where we can prosper and have good success.
But our focus is not on money but on scripture. We follow the verses brought by God and by that we end up in the right place for the blessings of God.
The scriptures are like stepping stones through the wilderness.
*****
Several years ago, Pam Padgett was working as a secretary at a bank. She realized she was bored in her job. She asked God to help her to get into a type of work she would enjoy.
This was in the days when computers were just starting to be used in business.
The department Pam worked in had been given two computers. Her manager asked Pam if she could take a look at these computers and see how they might be used. (Pam knew nothing about computers at that time.)
Pam was willing to try. She asked if she might take computer courses at the local college. That was approved and Pam selected a course named, "Basic."
It turned out this was a course in basic code writing for computer.
Pam loved it. She left the first night of class, saying to God, "This is IT".
God opened doors for Pam to get a job in computer programming and she ended up working for Fed Ex as a computer programmer.
She was paid a very large salary without trying to get a large salary. She just followed her interest.
Had Pam set out to get a job that paid a big salary, she would have been following after money. Had she said, "I'm going to study to be a computer programmer for it pays a lot of money," she would have been going in a wrong way.
But to follow a type of work that interested her is the right way to go.
Had Pam set out to get a job that paid a big salary, she would have been following after money. Had she said, "I'm going to study to be a computer programmer for it pays a lot of money," she would have been going in a wrong way.
But to follow a type of work that interested her is the right way to go.
This is the way of God.
Some people go into types of jobs they do not even like just because those jobs offer more money.
They follow after money ... rather than following after God.
And by doing such they bring much trouble upon themselves.
There is another way for us to live.
I Timothy 6:6-12 godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
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.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
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.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
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.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
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.
*****
Certainly God can lead you into a type of work you can enjoy and HE can prosper you when you follow scripture brought to your mind by Holy Spirit.
Our focus is on verses of scripture ... thinking on them and trying to do them in our lives.
When we do this, following scripture instead of money, the following will happen to us.
Psalms 1:1-3
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
*****
What scripture burns through you today?
That is the focal point for you at this time. Let it lead you.
***
The scriptures that burn through me at this time are the following:
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:25 exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Every morning, I get my coffee and muffin and sit down to share with you those things commanded to me by God ... and those things put in my heart by God.
I follow the above scriptures for they lead me in that which I am to do.
I am strengthened and encouraged by these scripture and therefore I can be continually diligent to share with you that give me by God through His Spirit.
And I delight in doing this. It is not a burden and it is easy for me to do.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
*****
It might be God's will for you to do a project ... now you need to know how to do that project.
Be sure you have both God's will (approval) ... and God's way to do the project.
Example:
I know God has given me a spiritual gift of exhortation for the church and I greatly desire to share with the church ... I know God's will for me.
If I tried to do this by travelling about from church to church and nation to nation, I would destroy myself physically and financially.
God has made it possible for me to exhort the church daily on Internet while staying at my own home.
So I have both the will of God and the way of God.
*****
Pastors from around the world often ask me to send them my books for their congregations to use and study. But that is a hard yoke. I do not do that. Everything I write is free and published on our daily blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortataions.
Also Internet is the way God showed me to go. (Dream: March, 2012)
If an individual wants to purchase a book, he can go to Amazon and have one shipped to him. Amazon is equipped to deal with overseas shipping and customs. (We are not.)
And we are not given any paperback books by the publisher. We have to purchase our own books from Amazon.
Amazon gives us a way to distribute our books through them all over the world, but the church person needs to make these arrangements through Amazon for himself.
Or the church person can obtain what I write for free from our Internet blog: Jesus Ministries Exhortations
God's yoke is easy: He showed us to set up a blog and use Internet
Man's yoke is hard:
*****
So follow the scripture given you by the Holy Spirit ... think on that scripture day and night ... do that scripture as God shows you how to do that scripture ... continue in that scripture.
This is righteousness ... and to do this leads you to prosperity and good success.
*****