Matt. 6:19-21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NASU
How do we make sense then of what Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,…" If we don't store up treasures on earth how will we ever retire? What Jesus is trying to teach His disciples is NOT TO TRUST in our riches or wealth. The reason we don't want to trust in them is because of what can happen to them. They can be destroyed by moths or rust can corrode the buried coins and yes they can even be stolen from us. Look what just happened to everyone's 401k's because of the collapsing of the stock market. Look what is happening to your cash as inflation is at an all time high.
We are permitted to be wise like an ant but we are directed to NOT TO TRUST in our wealth. We are to trust in GOD.
Guess what God can do the same thing. He can give you a breakdown of where your heart is by how you spend your time and money. Where your heart is that is where your treasures will be and vice-versa. So choose wisely my friend. Think About This: There are two ways of being rich. One is to have all you want and the other is to be satisfied with what you have. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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1 Samuel 2:6-8 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.”
One family is financially poor and has absolutely nothing except a remarkable faith in God. Another family is wealthy and has every convenience known to man yet they are void of knowledge of God. The text says, “The Lord sends poverty and wealth.” What is your situation today? Would you identify with those living in poverty or wealth? You are in one state or the other because God has placed you there. How are you honoring God in your condition is the question that needs to be answered?
While serving as a minister at Christ’s Church of the Valley in AZ (CCV) I led a group of people to Mexico to build houses on numerous occasions. The house’s dimensions were 11’ x 22’ and they had a concrete floor, flat roof, two windows, one door and the outside was covered with stucco. There was no electricity and no plumbing. The people who received the houses on those weekends had their lives changed and I had my life changed as well. They were exalted with their new houses and I was humbled by seeing their new houses.
If God can lift the earth on its pillars I am pretty sure he can lift your burdens. God can change your life and I hope you will trust Him enough to allow Him to change your life. Think About These: It is better to appreciate something you have than to have something you can't appreciate. Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word 2 Kings 18:28-31 - Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. "Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." 'Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria,…" NASU
I laugh at Rabshakeh's statement "…nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD,…" Hezekiah had a reputation of trusting in the LORD and these Assyrian's knew it. Would anyone know that we trust in the LORD by our lifestyle? 2 Kings 19:9-12 -Rabshakeh… sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, "Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of Judah, 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you saying, "Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." 'Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be spared? 'Did the gods of those nations which my fathers destroyed deliver them,…' The answer to his question is "No" those gods didn't deliver them, but there is a big difference. Those nations didn't have the God of Creation as their God. They had gods that were not gods. Their gods were made of wood and stone. Our God is Spirit and wasn't made by the hands of men. Rabshakeh is trying desperately to destroy the confidence of Hezekiah and the Israelites that they have in the LORD. The devil is trying today using other "Rabshakehs" who will mock and ridicule Christians for trusting in the LORD God Almighty.
If you have some available time I would recommend reading I Kings 18 and 19 and see how Hezekiah is ridiculed for his faith in God. Christians today are likewise ridiculed for believing in God. We are told not to trust in the LORD, but to trust in the government or in ourselves. If you trust in the government how is that going for you today? Inflation is out of control, people have lost over 25% and more in some case of their retirement. So do you really think trusting in the government or your finances is the answer? When people tell you not to trust in the LORD my advice is simple "Don't Listen To Them".
God sent Isaiah the prophet with a message and the message from God was "I have heard you". When we pray God hears us. When we trust in God others hear us. Don't be silent! Trust in God! When others don't want you to trust in God, Trust in Him anyways. Think About This: The tragedy of our day is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word I Kings 19:3-4 - And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
God had honored him by sending fire down from heaven and consuming the water drenched sacrifice after Baal didn't answer the false prophets. Jezebel then threatens to take Elijah's life and he flees. What is with that? I really don't understand Elijah's actions here. He had defeated the 450 false prophets of Baal by trusting in God and now he is going to flee. He is not going to trust God. If I ever could ask Elijah a few questions one would certainly be: "Why not trust God one more time? Why did you flee?" Elijah had shown his faith so many times by trusting in God. He was used by God to raise the dead. He knew he had a special relationship with God. So why did Elijah become such a wimp? He runs away and hides and now he wants to die. When have you not trusted God? How did you feel afterwards? You will want to remember that awful feeling so that you don't have to feel it again. Allow that feeling to motivate you to stay faithful and not wimp out.
If I were you I would be careful because I have observed that right after a spiritual high comes a testing of your faith. This usually will result in a spiritual low if you aren't prepared to battle against this test. Not trusting God is never the correct answer. The word "beware" is used 14 times in the New Testament. Here is one from the book of Mark 8:15 says, "And He was giving orders to them, saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." He was telling His disciples to "beware" of the teachings and the life style of the Pharisees and Herod. That is a pretty good indication that we should be on guard as we walk through this life. We have an enemy who seeks to devour us. We need to beware of the teachings that the world is throwing at us today.
When it is looking very dim for you that is the time to draw closer to God and not run away from Him. You can never lose by keeping your faith in God. NEVER! Think About This: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I haven't seen. - R.W. Emerson I am organizing a trip to the Holy Land in January/February 2023. If you are interested in possibly going on this trip reply to this Pump Up and I will add your name to the list. As I receive more details I will send them to you. I am very happy to inform you that Dr. Mark Ziese is going to be our Bible Lecturer for this trip. You can read more about him and the trips he has already led on his website. www.MarkZiese.com I hope you will be able to join us on this adventure of a lifetime. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Mt. 16:21-22 - From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." NASU
Jesus then calls Peter His "adversary" which is the translation of the word "satan" and tells Pete to get behind Him. An adversary is one who opposes you or your plan and that is exactly what Peter was doing. Jesus even tells why Pete is opposing Him "…for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
Weaver had a rule that no one could steal a base unless given the steal sign. This upset Jackson because he felt he knew the pitchers and catchers well enough to judge who he could and could not steal off of. So one game he decided to steal without a sign. He got a good jump off the pitcher and easily beat the throw to second base. As he shook the dirt off his uniform, Jackson smiled with delight, feeling he had vindicated his judgment to his manager. Later Weaver took Jackson aside and explained why he hadn’t given the steal sign. First, the next batter was Lee May, his best power hitter other than Jackson. When Jackson stole second, first base was left open, so the other team walked May intentionally, taking the bat out of his hands. Second, the following batter hadn’t been strong against that pitcher, so Weaver felt he had to send up a pinch hitter to try to drive in the men on base. That left Weaver without bench strength later in the game when he needed it. The problem was Jackson only saw his relationship to the pitcher and catcher. Weaver was watching the whole game. We, too, see only so far, but God sees the bigger picture. When he sends us a signal, it’s wise to obey, no matter what we may think WE know. Copied - https://bible.org/illustration/baltimore-orioles-manager
I have to admit I have more in common with Peter than Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, you likewise have followed in the footsteps of Peter and thought God's plans for you were all wrong. Well, go ahead and get a good laugh out of it, shake your head in bewilderment of how you could be that stupid to ever think God would be wrong in what He has planned for you. Then tell God you are now willing to follow His plan for you.
What God says in Jeremiah has a much better sound and promise to it. Jere. 29:11 - For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. When God is your coach His plans for you will be exciting and great. Think About These: It is better to appreciate something you have than to have something you can't appreciate. Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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