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Born
in a barn!
Why was Jesus born in a
manger if they weren’t poor?
If you will notice, the Bible says in Luke 2:7
that there was no room for them in the inn
(motel). They
must have had money to stay in the motel, for that is
what they had planned to do.
GET
RID OF EVERYTHING!
Jesus told the rich, young ruler in
Matt.19:16-23, to sell all he had and give to the
poor. Isn’t
that proof that God doesn’t want us to be rich? That
conclusion isn’t consistent with the rest of
Scripture.
In Luke 6:38 we read,
“Give, and it will be given to you; good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running
over will men give into your bosom, for with
the same measure that you use, it will be measured
back to you.” Other
verses that agree are Gal.6:7-9 and Obadiah 15.
These say that we reap what we sow.
Could it be that Jesus is trying to get him
into God’s system for prosperity, and get even more
wealth to him? The
young man’s problem was that he loved the money more
than he did Jesus.
What would have happened had he obeyed?
Matt. 6:33 says to seek God
first, and then all other things would be supplied
as well.
WAS
JESUS HOMELESS?
Didn’t Jesus say that foxes have holes and
birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to
lay His head?
Yes, in Matt.8:20 and Luke 9:58.
Does this indicate that Jesus was homeless?
No; Jesus is saying to a man who wanted to join
the team; look, we’re traveling right now, and it
isn’t going to be comfortable. Notice in Mark 2:1, it says that Jesus entered Capernaum and
was in “the” house.
Whenever Jesus went into a house, the
Scriptures say whose house; but not here.
Could it be that this was His house?
Many think so.
BURIED
IN A BORROWED TOMB.
That
account is in
Matt.27:57-60. Well,
He was only going to need it for three days!
THINGS
DON’T MAKE US HAPPY.
Luke
12:15 says that life does not consist in the abundance
of ones possessions. True, but keep reading.
Verse 21 has your answer: So is he who lays up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. See,
there are two ways to prosper; the world’s way, and
God’s way.
WOE
TO THE RICH!
Doesn’t the Bible say that?
Yes; it’s in James 5.
But again, keep reading.
You will see that the people James is
addressing are evil rich.
ISN’T
MONEY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL?
In
I Tim. 6:6-10 is
another place that sounds like it’s wrong to be
rich. But
read it carefully.
Those who desire to be rich are headed
for trouble! That’s
verse 6. Now
in verse 10 we
read: “The
love of money is the root of all kinds of
evil.” It’s
all about where your heart is.
RICHES
RUIN PEOPLE!
You may have heard that.
Well, if you are a fool, they will!
Prov.1:32 says, “The prosperity of fools
ruins them.” So
don’t be a fool!
DON’T
HAVE TREASURES HERE!
Doesn’t
the Bible say not to lay up treasures on the earth,
but lay them up in heaven?
Yes; that is in Matt. 6:19-21.
The key words are, “For yourself.”
If you are a giver, a generous person, God will
abundantly bless YOU!
Prov.11:25 is one verse that says this.
And, Luke 18:30, (They
who have given up things) “will receive many times
more in this present time, and in the age to
come, eternal life.”
Luke 6:38,
“Give, and it will be given to you …”
BUT
WASN’T JESUS POOR?
Consider why the soldiers gambled over Jesus’
clothes at the foot of the cross.
If he’d been destitute, they would have had a
servant gather them up and burn them.
They wouldn’t have even touched them.
In Mark 15:24 it actually sounds like the
soldiers all wanted the clothes, so had to gamble to
see who’d get what!
Consider also that Jesus and His disciples had
a treasurer. Does a poor group need a treasurer? And in John 12:6, it says Judas was that man, and that
he was a thief and used to take some for himself.
Yet Jesus let him be in charge of the money. AND, apparently the others didn’t miss it.
At the Last Supper before Jesus was arrested,
Jesus told Judas to go do what he was going to do.
The others didn’t know what it was, but
thought that he was going to buy food or give to the
poor (John 13:29).
Now why would they think he was going to give
to the poor, unless Jesus had him do it many times?
God’s
will to prosper you:
Prov.10:22,
“The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and
He adds no sorrow with it.”
II
Cor. 8:9, “For
you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He BECAME poor,
that you through His poverty might become rich.”
(Chapters 8 - 9 are about money.)
Joshua
1:8, “This
book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but
you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may
observe to DO according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will
have good success
III
John 2 Beloved,
I wish above all things that you would prosper and be
in health, even as your soul prospers.
Deut.
28:1-14 …you
shall lend to many… but not borrow.
The Lord will make you the head and not the
tail…
Prov.
22:4 By
humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor
and life. |
