It is not wrong for Gods servants to be wealthy!!

[anitarose]

Guys i do not want to be misunderstood again i am simply saying that if one is faithful in little things God will bless you with more.Math 25:21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

ALSO WHICH IS VITAL IS SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM and then all these things shall be added

Mat 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Money is important but more important is our relationship with God. Without money you can not be a blessing in someones life....too often have i seen a person in need and all christians do is pray for them - Acts 7:22 "Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action." there is no action - if we want to truely bless someone in a financial need we need to sow a financial seed. Again do not misunderstand me - prayer is vital - God will use men to bless those unfortunate

I do agree with you Nevin...I understand completely what you are saying..but God is trusting me with the little and I still screw it up, LOL....I'm so thankful that His love endures forever....

Anita

(sorry I wanted to say more but my nose is leaking....I hate allergies, LOL)

[Guest shiloh357]

Guys i do not want to be misunderstood again i am simply saying that if one is faithful in little things God will bless you with more.Math 25:21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

ALSO WHICH IS VITAL IS SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM and then all these things shall be added

Mat 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Well, the two are not really speaking to the same things.

First of all, it is true that God will promote you when you have proven faithful in the little things. That does not necessarily translate into greater wealth. It may simply mean more responsibility.

Secondly, in Mat 6:33, Jesus was addressing the issue of not worrying over daily needs. He was not addressing wealth. He said not to worry about food, clothing and the basic needs, since God already knows about that. He said that if we seek God's kingdom ahead of even the necessities of life, that God will meet the necessities.

[pointer]

Sometimes people are "poor" because they cannnot manage their money.

Sometimes they are poor because they have no money, and that through no fault of their own. This state of affairs is the constant concern of the Old and New Testaments.

[Nevin]

[secondly, in Mat 6:33, Jesus was addressing the issue of not worrying over daily needs. He was not addressing wealth. He said not to worry about food, clothing and the basic needs, since God already knows about that. He said that if we seek God's kingdom ahead of even the necessities of life, that God will meet the necessities.

[Smalcald]

'Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.' James 1:26-27 NIV

should Christian doctors give their total income away and live as someone making minimum wage?

Ask the right question. Should one brother be living in luxury while another starves?

No. This is why we as believers are concerned about charity and the need to keep people out of object poverty. We should indeed work toward a more just society; it is why I do what I do. But I am called to be in this field, I don't deny that others are called to be in positions that simply have higher incomes. Should they use that income to keep people out of poverty? Yes they should to the degree that they can. The question is how, how much and when? We have not really figured that out yet.

You could go and give away every penny you had today, and would not make a dent in the number of Christian brothers starving around the globe. So keep in mind this is not easy. But that does not mean we should not do it, my sensibilities are with you on this pointer. Of course keep in mind very few people in the US are starving.

Much poverty has nothing to do with people not having enough money; it has to do with complex family problems, broken families, alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual abuse suffered as children, etc. What we have found is that to stay out of poverty in the US you need to do two things. Graduate from High School and get married before having children and stay married. Not accomplishing these two things is the leading cause of poverty in the US. Around the globe it is a different story.

But remember those that we consider to have very little in the US would be rich men in a good portion of Africa. Poverty is often a matter of relativity. Most people in the US, who are lower income, have food, have TV

[Smalcald]

Sometimes people are "poor" because they cannnot manage their money.

Sometimes they are poor because they have no money, and that through no fault of their own. This state of affairs is the constant concern of the Old and New Testaments.

I would say a good portion of the time it is simply not winning the birth lottery.

However, there is poor and dependant and there is low income and working. These are much different. I have spent a good portion of my life making a low income I don't feel the need to call that "poor" even though it would be considered poor by many. Paul tells us having food and clothing with these we shall be content. We don't need 4000 sq foot homes and expensive cars, nobody does for that matter at least not Christians.

I think the place where this prosperity junk can't meet scripture is that Paul goes so far as to say those who desire to be rich, fall into a snare. So even the life desire to be rich is wrong if that is the motivating force in your life.

[pointer]

'Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.' James 1:26-27 NIV

should Christian doctors give their total income away and live as someone making minimum wage?

Ask the right question. Should one brother be living in luxury while another starves?

Around the globe it is a different story.

Indeed. Across the border into Mexico is as far as one needs to go.

But remember those that we consider to have very little in the US would be rich men in a good portion of Africa.

I don't mean that at all. I mean real poverty.

[Smalcald]

Touchy touchy

I agree pointer real poverty is something we must address.

The question is exactly how?

[Nevin]

Christians should not desire to be rich no - they should desire closeness and completeness with God - All i am saying that it is not God's intention that we be poor - but at the same time we should not love money Job 36:18 "Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside". I must not be misunderstood again here all i am saying is that we should be advertising the riches in our life as that from Christ ( this is a good family life, peace, security and money ) Money buys you a good home, money buys you security money allows a church to be built, so money allows you a church to fellowship in. I get so frustrated when Christians shy away from the money issue. The love of money is an evil not money. Money allows missonaries to go to the far reaches of the earth, money allows us to communicate on this site, money allows us to bulid hospitals , churches and schools. Money is spoken of so many times in the bible and why - it needs to be understood. Money is a tool in the hands of the true believer, the true giver , thus the true Christian. Go to someone that is is dire need and go pray with them - they will then ask you is your prayer going to provide a meal for my children tonight or your seed offering (this could be food or money and anyway you have to have money to buy the food.)

[billie]

How poor we talkin?

The Bible says we, as Christian, will always have our basic needs met. It doesn't promise anything else, materially to believers.

What it does also promise is persecution.