Introductory Comments
- With all the problems and evil our culture is
facing why does the Des Moines Register attack a local ministry that
strengthens marriages and families? The accusation is that they are not
licensed? Members of the media are not licensed. Political leaders are not
licensed. Some of the best talk show hosts are not licensed. We have major
problems and this is not one of them. Des Moines Register article is found
here: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100806/NEWS/8060350/Unlicensed-family-coaches-collect-millions-as-charity
- Daniel 9:26 – The coming anti-Christ is
described as being a descendent of the people who destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem
in 70 AD. The people who destroyed the Temple
and Jerusalem
in 70 AD were the Tenth Roman Legion (Legion X). History records that the
Tenth Roman Legion broke through the city wall,
dismantled the Temple, tore down Jerusalem’s walls and were stationed in Jerusalem for the
next 200. Indeed, they were Roman citizens who were commissioned as Roman
soldiers, but the people in the Tenth Roman Legion were not from the city
of Rome or from Italy. The people who destroyed
the Temple and Jerusalem
in 70 AD were from the land that is today Turkey
and Syria.
POINT: Here is another definition of the religion, the region and the
person of the anti-Christ. If the anti-Christ were
to arise today and this verse were fulfilled in our time he would most
likely be a Muslim leader who rose to become a Caliph and the Twelfth
Imam. If this is correct then Islam would then be the religion of the
anti-Christ which according to scripture will desire to occupy Temple Mount, radically deny the Christian
God and destroy the Jews. At this point in history this is not a stretch.
Time will tell. . .see blog here: http://galynwiemers.blogspot.com/2010/08/people-of-ruler-who-will-come.html
Matthew 6:19-24
Jesus mentioned rewards
several times in 6:1-18. Now he addresses those “Treasures in Heaven.
6:19 – is present tense in
the imperative mood so it means “Quit laying up treasures” or “Stop the practice
that you are actively engaged in of laying up treasures.” Jesus was telling his
followers it was decision time.
The topic is priorities
concerning money, things and prosperity.
It was about balancing
possessions with purpose.
Jesus was addressing the
attitude not possessions and wealth
This was not a message just
for the wealthy or a message against the rich.
Poor people in poverty can
have the same wrong attitude concerning wealth.
1 Timothy 6:10 says the
“Love of money is the root of evil.”
Notice: You can have the
“love of money” without actually having any money!!
Life is about production not
about possessions.
There is no room in
Christianity for glorifying poverty.
- Poor people are not closer to God
- There is no glory in poverty
- There is no special place in heaven for poor
people
- Poverty is not next to godliness
- Through out scripture poverty is a curse
God created us to need food,
clothing, shelter, medical care, education.
No parent can safely have a
baby without having some form of “treasure stored
on
earth” to take care of that baby – food, clothes, shelter, transportation,
education, etc.
So, it becomes fitting that
it is God’s plan and a Christian virtue to create and
have some level of prosperity.
Read these verses to
identify God’s attitude concerning poverty and prosperity:
- Proverbs 3:1, 9, 13-15
- Proverbs 6:9-11
- Proverbs 8:17-21
- Proverbs 10:4, 15, 22
- Proverbs 11:24, 25
- Proverbs 12:11, 27
- Proverbs 13:11, 21, 22, 25
- Proverbs 14:23
- Proverbs 17:16
- Proverbs 20:4, 13
- Proverbs 21:25
- Proverbs 22:9
- Proverbs 23:4-5
- Proverbs 24:30-34
- Proverbs 28:19-20
- Proverbs 28:27
1 Tim. 4:3-4; 6:17; 6:10;
6:3-11
James 5:2-3 – pay the
workers what they deserve
Colossians 3:1-2 – Set heart
on things above
Revelation 14:13 – Deeds
follow them
1 Corinthians 3:14 – Receive
his reward