Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
On of the lost treasures of the American Christian faith is the ability to be content with what Jesus said to be content with.
The Son of God said this during His sermon on the mount: Matthew 6;19-21 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. This statement by the Christ has largely been ignored in the mainstream Church system and even among those who claim to be outside of it. When Jesus began His ministry His lifestyle was one of simplicity, necessity and humility. Jesus makes it clear that we are not to attempt to build our Kingdoms here on earth which is made evident in our obtaining material possessions and striving after them. The Son of God says where our treasure is our heart will be. We see the evidence of this in the lives of Americans as Americans are known for their heavy consumerism. Unfortunately, one can't tell the difference between the worldly person and the Protestant/Evangelical church goer in this regard. However, this materialism is rampant among other Christian groups that claim to be outside the mainstream. While many excuse makers will pop up and try to justify Christians being rich and striving after wealth, the fruit of such a attitude is evident in the almost universal apostasy among the American church. The lack of Kingdom evangelism in the highways and bi ways of America is a direct result of a comfortable wealthy church that has sought the riches of the world rather than Jehovah's riches of the Kingdom. The mainstream Church system has brought in all kinds of wicked lifestyles into the Church which is evident of it's desire to popular with the world. This desire for worldly acceptance has it's roots in a love of money as it prevents persecution and draws unconverted people into the church. The more people you have the more money comes in. Even the unbelieving world mocks American Christianity for disobeying the teachings of the Son of God about not loving money and building your treasures here on earth. The Protestant/Evangelical church is actually known for their love of money as that's the first thing unbelievers throw back at Christians when they start preaching against the sins of Homosexuality, abortion etc. Because most of the esteemed men and women of the American church life soft and luxurious lifestyles they cannot preach against building your treasures here on earth but they actually preach the opposite of what the Son of David taught. This justification for acquiring riches is all the people in the pews need to hear: 2nd Timothy 4:3-4 3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. Notice that Paul says that the people will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts. Because of the way American Christians have been institutionalized, they automatically think of sexual sins such as Homosexuality, adultery and any sex outside the marriage covenant. However, sexual sin is only a small portion of what constitutes the sin of lust. The love of material possessions and money is a big part of what constitutes lust. In fact, greed (covetousness) is called idolatry: Ephesians 5:5 "For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" Paul says that a covetous man is an idolater. There is no mincing words here, if you covet after the material things of the world you are an idolater and Paul says you will not inherit the Kingdom of God and Christ. This fits perfectly with the teachings of the Son of God. While Christians today would deny they are covetous and excuse the abundance of their of their material possessions, the fact that they have them is evidence of their covetousness. To covet means "to desire", to stretch out after". Just to desire something qualifies as coveting. This is when we desire material things that we don't need. When we desire heavenly things it is good because we are seeking the Kingdom of God. When we desire material possessions then we are covetous which eqauls being an idolater. To "stretch out" after material gain means to strive after it and this is seen when we over work, make it a goal to climb up the corporate ladder etc. To buy things that we don't need or things that don't feed our spiritual growth is to be covetous. If we do happen to have excess finances they are to be used for the Kingdom. Generous spending on the Kingdom and thrifty spending on ourselves is good. Generous spending on the Kingdom would include giving to the brethren in need. Just as Paul said, a covetous person is an idolatrous person who has no inheritance in the Son of God's Kingdom. This because they have chosen pursuing treasures on earth instead of heaven. Colossians 3:5-10 5 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 6 for which things` sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: 7 wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; 8 but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9 lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: Paul says that we as Israel are to put to death the sins listed in verse 5 and verse 8 of Colossians 3. Two things that often get overlooked when it comes to sin is "uncleanness" and "covetousness". Again, Paul says covetousness is idolatry (verse 5). It is clear that covetousness is a serious sin in the eyes of Jehovah God. We don't hear this preached in the churches much because then the many of the Pastors would be implicating themselves and many of their congregants. As stated earlier, it is in the best of the Pastors to not emphasize the sin of covetousness. The Greek word for "uncleanness" (Strongs 167) is "akatharsia" and means "morally or spiritually unclean, soft and profligate (luxurious) living". You never hear this definition of the word "uncleanness" from the pulpits of Christendom because often times the Pastors are living these type of lifestyles. In order to keep up with the Jones's the Pastors also need many of their congregants live pursue that lifestyle so as to keep generous tithes and offerings coming in. Living an opulent lifestyle is sin, there is no other way around it. Unfortunately, many consider an opulent lifestyle something that only the rich live. However, many people in the middle class range also live this type of lifestyle. It is not uncommon to go into an American Christian's home and see it tricked out with all the gadgets and plush furniture all throughout the house. An American middle class lifestyle would be considered an opulent one in most parts of the world. One doesn't need to be what is considered rich to live soft and luxurious but one can live this way on a middle class salary. Those who live on blue collar salaries don't live opulent lifestyles, however they can be just as guilty as the sin of "uncleanness" by desiring to live one and spending their money on things they don't need in order to have "the better" things in life. Among the working class and poor, we often see them trying to keep up appearances with nice cars they can't afford, expensive clothing and getting into housing mortgages they have no business in. The sin of "soft and luxurious living" (uncleanness) can apply to anyone regardless of income level. Even the homeless on the streets are often guilty of mis-spending the money they get from sympathetic good Samaritans. They don't live soft and luxurious but they still have the same heart as those who do they just aren't good at it. The heart of the homeless person that mis-spends money is the same as the filthy rich man who can afford to buy whatever he wants. Their hearts are rooted in not being content. We can expect this from unbelievers but "soft and luxurious living" should not be seen among the body of Christ. Paul says to put to death any desire to live "unclean" i.e. soft and luxurious living. This means we have to be drastic when it comes to this sin. Nobody should be able to even think this of us. We are to kill with aggressiveness any desire to live an opulent lifestyle. Paul says we need to put to death any idea of soft and luxurious living which denotes that there should be zero evidence of us living one. Can the Pastors of Christendom say they have put to death the desire and appearance of living unclean? Sadly it is the most admired Pastor's and theologians that exhibit the sin of soft and luxurious living: John MacArthur Greg Laurie Raul Ries Franklin Graham Rick Warren A couple of the above men rail against the Prosperity preachers yet they are guilty than they are because at least the prosperity preachers don't hide it. These hypocrites (John MacArthur & Raul Ries) supposedly expose the health and wealth Pastor's but they themselves have fed themselves off the back of the sheep and are very rich with evidence of living soft and luxurious lifestyles. Let's now go to the sin of covetousness mentioned in verse 5 of Colossians 3. Paul again equates this sin with idolatry. Remember, Paul says coveters will not inherit the Kingdom of God and Christ. This means they will be cast into the lake of fire. This is a sobering proposition being that the most admired and respected Pastor's in America don't qualify to inherit the Kingdom of God. What is even more sobering is that these men have convinced their multitude of followers that they too should strive for material wealth and they often devalue and demean the Christian's who are content to live poor and simple lives. In verse 8 of Colossians 3, Paul says to put away all these things which include those things said in verse 5 such as uncleanness and covetousness which is idolatry. America's Evangelical Pastors and their admirers need to follow Paul's command and put away the sins of soft and luxurious living and coveting after material gain. These pastors, by living opulent lifestyles, have proven that they are not a new creation of God but rather they are still the old man which is caught up in sin. Paul says that in order to be created new in the image of Jehovah God one must put away the aforementioned sins. By putting away the sins of covetousness and uncleanness we then can be renewed unto knowledge after the image of the creator. To be renewed unto the knowledge of Jehovah God is to meditate on His law and walk in righteousness, which is contrary to desiring after material gain and living and soft and luxurious lifestyle. The righteousness of Jehovah God was perfectly exampled by Jesus Christ who absolutely rejected and taught against seeking material possessions. Jesus taught us to be content with food, drink and clothing. Jesus himself had nowhere to lay his head so if we have shelter that's actually a bonus. Jesus also said a servant is not above his master yet Evangelicals somehow think their Pastors have a right to live wealthy lifestyles: Matthew 10:24-25 24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? It is enough for us to be like Jesus and suffer persecution and only having the guarantee of food, drink and clothing. Yet, these pulpit preachers will go out of their way to either twist or ignore Jesus words to justify their filthy lifestyles. Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" True Christians take up their cross and deny themselves. They don't seek the material gain of this world nor they do they seek fame or position in this world. Taking up our cross is a daily thing and it is a concept that has been largely lost in mainstream Churchianity. Ask yourself this, do Pastor's who live on big incomes and gain the treasures of this world heed Jesus words about denying ourselves? That question should be an easy one to answer. When we look at the life of Jesus compared to the pulpit preachers of America then it is obvious that these men don't have the first idea what it means to take up their cross. Taking up our cross and denying ourselves produces the opposite of what American Christianity is known for. If you heed the words of Jesus in Luke 9:23 then you will not strive after earthly treasure nor seek position in this world which is the pride of life. Pastors making six figure salaries and living luxurious lifestyles is the very opposite of denying self and picking one's cross. The next two verses show that you cannot have it both ways, either you forsake Christ or you forsake the desire to be rich: Luke 9:24-25 24For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.25For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own self? To save one's life in the context of Luke 9 is to not deny self and instead to fulfill the desires of one's heart. The fulfilling the desire of one's heart normally entails obtaining and building earthly treasure. Those who seek the material gain of this world will lose their life at the judgment and be cast into the lake of fire. The opposite is true which is that if you deny self and pick up your cross you will have eternal life in the age to come. Unfortunately, Christendom's Pastor's have left their flocks a horrible example and the loss of souls at the last day judgement will be great due to the blind leading the blind. Later in the book of Luke Jesus has a stern warning for those who think they can bypass picking up their cross: Luke 14:27 "Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" The Son of God says it plainly yet the pulpit preachers of Christendom and their flocks will outright deny that Jesus meant what He said here. They will twist His words or say they only apply to Jews. Rather than submit to the simple words of the Son of God, mainstream Christians will call those who take these words literally legalist and even go so far as to say they are preaching a false gospel. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 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.10 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. Paul says godliness (righteousness) with contentment is great gain. This echoes the sentiments of the Son of God in the sermon on the mount. In fact, in verse 8 Paul exactly repeats the teaching of Jesus in that we only need two things to be content and that is food and clothing. Our contentment in the bare essentials is partly because of the fact that there is nothing we gain in this life that can be taken with us in the age to come. The earthly treasures in this life only have momentary value. Paul says the words that most Pastors and American Christians ignore: "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare" You almost never hear this taught from the pulpits mainly because the Pastors would be implicating themselves and indirectly pointing the finger at their congregants. See, Christians in America are taught to pursue the best for themselves and their families. This is taught from the pulpits and this "pursuing the best" usually entails getting a degree at a secular university and then pursue a high paying job and honoring your employer by being the best worker thereby moving up the corporate ladder. Paul says that those who desire to be rich will into temptations and many hurtful lusts. This is not an "if" but rather it is stated as fact. We see this play out in the secular world all the time on Wall Street with many suicides being committed due to loss of riches because they have put trust in their riches. We see this with athletes and Hollywood actors spending their money on their base pleasures. Also, many lottery winners quickly lose their winnings due to spending it on their lusts. Most notably for us in the faith we see this in the churches where well known Pastors get caught up in sin whether sexual or financial. Most times what has preceded these Pastors being caught in sin was them getting rich. Men like Bob Coy, Ravi Zacharias and Jim Baker among others have been exposed for sexual sin. They have used their wealth to entertain their sexual lusts. See, what most of Christendom misses in all this is that the sexual sin was just a by product of the desire to be rich. The three above men were filthy rich and built their own kingdoms here on earth by amassing earthly treasures. It was this desire for the treasures of this earth that resulted in them eventually falling into sexual sin. The three men above are only a very small sample of the mainly so called Pastors of mainstream Churchianity that have fallen into sexual sin after having gained the wealth of this world. Paul says that those who desire to be rich will be drown in destruction and perdition. I already the suicides on Wall street, however this also takes place in Christendom as Ravi Zacharias threatened to commit suicide after a woman he was have an on-line adulterous affair with threatened to tell her husband. Actually suicide is not all that uncommon among so called Pastors. Often times, grievous sin or the exposure of it ate away at the conscience of these men and they ended their life. The love of money is the root of all evil yet the churches and their Pastors don't live as though it is. Their lifestyles reflect where their heart is which is on money and material possessions. Paul says that those who covet and love money err from the faith meaning they apostatize. We know that this erring from the faith means that these coveters and lovers of money have apostatized because Paul says they have pierced themselves with many sorrows. Contrary to what the world teaches wealth brings sorrow not happiness. Paul says there are those who were of the faith who coveted after money and in doing so pierced themselves with many sorrows. Again, we see many who were once in the faith covet after earthly treasure and the result is sadness, depression, anxiety and loneliness. This is an inescapable principle in that anyone who is in the faith will end piercing themselves with many sorrows if they covet after money. Covet means to desire or stretch out after. To covet something does not necessarily mean you have to be obsessed with getting it, but it simply means that you desire it and stretch out after it. It doesn't take much to qualify one to be covetous. Why such a strict definition of covetousness where simply desiring something can qualify one as an idolater? Because Jesus set a high standard in terms of being content and where our minds & hearts are to be focused on: Matthew 6:22-23 22 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! This is in the context of Jesus saying to not lay up for yourself treasures on earth but rather to lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. Jesus says that if your single eyed then your body will be full of light. What Jesus means that if you are single minded about the Kingdom of God then your whole body shall be full of the light of the Kingdom of God. To be single minded about the Kingdom of God means to build your treasures in heaven. However, the opposite is true in that if your eye is evil then you are filled with the darkness of Satan's kingdom. To be evil eyed means that you have built your treasures on earth. Jesus said your heart will be where your treasure is. Jesus doesn't say you can have both, it's either one or the other. This is the problem facing much of institutional Churchianity as it's members have been taught that they can have their cake and eat it too. They have been taught there is nothing wrong with building wealth and having earthly treasures. They are taught this by Pastors who themselves have built their treasure here on earth. The Pastors and some Christians will proudly say we must have that old "Protestant" work ethic. While we should have a good work ethic it is to be used in laboring for the Kingdom not to move up in the corporate world. Matthew 6:24-25 24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Jesus makes it clear that you can only have one master and that if you serve money then you will hate God. You cannot serve both money and God according to the Son of God. This statement by Jesus refutes any of the fork tongued Pastors who say you can be rich and still serve God and still inherit the Kingdom. Now of course, there may be those who were rich before their conversion or even after as a result of getting an inheritance but the same still applies in that they cannot serve money. The rich brethren will be asked by God to communicate their material wealth with the brethren who have lack. When you see a Pastor who has gotten rich off the gospel you are seeing a man who does not love God no matter what he says or how he tries and justify it. Even the congregants of churches who are striving after money and material possessions are those who do not love God no matter how many good works they do. John 6:27 "Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed" We are not to be lazy as that will be the accusation of the lukewarm Church goer that loves this world and things in it, however our hard work is supposed to be for the eternal Kingdom that does not perish. Laboring for the Kingdom is our priority. Jesus doesn't want us spending our hard work on the temporal physical food that perishes but rather for Kingdom. Again, the churches today ignore this verse by doing the exact opposite in working for the food that perishes and not working for the bread of the eternal Kingdom. Even spouses who are lukewarm will persecute you because you are not working hard for the temporal food but rather you are spending your time laboring for the better things of God. Why does Jesus say this? Because souls are at stake and He has a Kingdom to be built. Mainstream Christians prove their lack of faith in Jesus by doing the exact opposite of what He commands (Matthew 28:19). They will condemn others to "hell" for not being a Christian but then spend most of their free time laboring for the earthly treasures by over working at a secular job. They do not have a sense of urgency in saving others from eternal death. Matthew 6:32-33 32 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 his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus makes it clear, unbelievers (Gentiles) serve money and build their treasures on earth and worry about what they are going to eat and be clothed with. True faith knows that the Father will provide for us.
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