All people everywhere desire and hope to have the nice things for their life. Everyone would like to have fine food, and enough to share with friends and guests; proper clothing, and enough to change often, especially for the different occasions; a good house, strong and large enough, with a roof good for all seasons.
We also hope to have on hand an amount of money to meet all expenses, for our business, or medicine in case of illness, and even enough to travel to see our friends in another city.
Everybody wants the feeling and assurance of being successful, even with extra on hand to meet unexpected expenses.
Jesus, in St. Matthew 6:32, spoke of God’s knowledge of our needs. Also in St. Luke 12:30, “....for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.”
Throughout the Scriptures nothing is mentioned about our God of heaven and earth making any difference to the many races or colors of people. In His all-wise planning, God knew all people need the same provisions.
God has also made it possible to obtain these supplies for life. He even has a specific plan for every one.
The main reason for not having our needs met is not a fault with God. Nor should we blame nature around us. Nor is the fault with other people about us. But many suffer and struggle through life and do not find the reason for their failure.
Too many people keep on using wrong ways to gain their needs of life. . . But why should anyone expect good results, from wrong ways? ? ? God said, “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work” (Exodus 20:9).
Even God does not expect that the lazy, or unwilling worker, or unfaithful person, shall have food enough. WHY should we expect it? ? ?
If we are not willing to properly face our work for six days a week, let us not expect to have the nice things of life. Nor should we think that begging for food, or money, will win progress and respect from any one.
When you are idle on your job, when your master doesn't see it, you are cheating him. Don’t expect that your workmen will do any better, when finally in latter life you may hire some. Your invisible attitude is fully known to our invisible God. This God will repay us for our doings. We read in Deuteronomy 32:35 and also in Romans 12: 19 that vengeance for our evil deeds will come from Him.
Our first test, as to whether or not we are worthy of success, is early in life. It is on our obedience to our father and mother. If we fail on this first and most important test, we have no promise of success in life. Let us read Deuteronomy 5:16: “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Let us also read Ephesians 6:1-3. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother: which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Cursing our parents may only lead to death. See Exodus 21:17: “And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.”
The second test is on the trustworthiness to your master who has hired you. If you cheat him, whether he is your friend or enemy or government, don’t expect that progress will come to you. Even if your master does not know that you are cheating in time or materials, we must nevertheless know that the great God of heaven, before whom nothing is hid, is keeping record of your attitude and deeds. In the Bible, Numbers 32:23 we read: “... and be sure your sins will find you out.” In Luke 12:2 Jesus said: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: neither hid that shall not be known.” In St. Luke 16:12 Jesus makes this even more clear. He said; “And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Let us not expect to gain anything for ourselves if we have in any way been dishonest with another person’s property or material or time. Rather, we must honestly help to promote the business of our master, who is paying us our wages, before we can expect that good will come to us.
If you have promised to pay; if you have promised to come for work; if you have promised to return what you borrowed; if you have promised but do not make good your promise: do not expect that God will make His promise good to you. If your words cannot be trusted, don’t expect that success can be entrusted to you. Or if in any way you speak a lie, make an untrue statement, don't expect that the truth will be spoken to you. Just think of the end of liars . . . in the New Testament, in Revelation 21:8, we read: “. . . and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire, which burneth with fire and brimstone.”
People who find it easy to speak the untruth and lies, may also find it quite easy to steal. If you are a thief, you can also expect to lose to other thieves. In 1 Corinthians 6: 10 we read: “Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioner, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Or if you have gained some quick and easy money, through a private and personal scheme, do not expect to keep it. You are not as clever as you may think. In Proverbs 13:11 we read: “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” We can expect a “get rich quick” business to end with “get poor quick.” Proverbs 28:22 reads: “He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come in the end.”
And let us look at the sin of bribery -- the taking or receiving of unearned money or gifts illegally in order to have a more pleasing attitude. Whether you are in a position of authority and power or not, this is a grievous evil that is reckoned with other grave sins. Let us read Psalm 26:9- 10: “Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of BRIBES.” And again in Amos 5:12-- “For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they tum aside the poor in the gate (or court) from the right.” Also in Exodus 23:8 we read thus: “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.” If we have taken a bribe from anyone or against someone, we can expect that others will also take a bribe against us. Corruption and bribery are some of the worst enemies to progress, in a community as well as a nation.
Do not expect that education, or even advance training will rid anyone’s life from corruption and evil. Only a change of heart and character, through the atoning blood of Christ can redeem our life from hidden vice and crime.
If you wish ill or evil to your neighbor, enemy or friend, do not expect anything else but that your evil wish to him will come upon yourself. Read Psalm 35:7-8, “For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.”
If you have quarreled or fought with others, do not expect your life to be peaceful. Fear and disturbance are apt to follow you, until you again make peace.
If you happen to be the finder of someone’s lost articles or money, do not take it as your gain. If you do not honestly try to return the lost to the loser, do not expect that your lost things will be restored to you.
Don’t expect the riches of a wealthy friend to carry you through. His money may vanish and both of you will be disappointed. It will be better to earn your own. In Proverbs 11:28 we read: “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”
There is no need to teach the small children to beg or ask for money from others. What may be an innocent practice in a child is sure to become a bad habit in the adult. Let us rather accept life with its lowly struggles and go to work for six days a week and teach ourselves to give, instead of asking for something free. Instead, let us teach ourselves and our children to give. In II Corinthians 9:6-8 the Apostle Paul writes on this subject--“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” Jesus taught that it is better to give than to receive, Acts 20:33-35.
If anyone is lazy, and is hating, or refusing to work, and then chooses rather to be a preacher or pastor, or pose as a missionary or prophet, without God and His people electing him, and hoping the people will pay him . . . let him not expect that he will come to a good end. No amount of preaching or prophesying will make a lasting cover for secret laziness. False prophesying, even if sincerely pretended will only bring the greater condemnation. Let us read II Peter 2:1-3: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness (wishing for money and honour) shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
Let us not expect to reap or harvest better things than we have planted. If you do not help the helpless or the widow, we must not expect help when our day of suffering comes. If you are not willing to sustain your parents in their old age, do not expect that your family or relatives will want to care for you in your old age. Let us read Proverbs 21:13: “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” And again in Galatians 6:7-8: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Let us not expect that the modernization or the development of a community must come before we can prosper. Holy and Godly men of old did not wait for much advantages. God blessed them in spite of handicaps and adversities; in spite of friend or foe; in spite of wet or dry season; in spite of cold or hot season; in spite of small or large yields. Nothing can stop progress if we are in the will and plan of God. Though there will be times of testing, and even distress; but God will comfort and help.
But let us remember that unfulfilled promises become lies.
Cheating and dishonesty become stealing.
Hating and fighting become murder.
Living in sin and corruption brings only misery in this life-and if unrepented of, will bring the judgments of God, and eternal doom in the end. The Godly honest will want to remember and fulfill his promise very carefully, even if it is much more difficult than he thought at the time he made the promise. In that way he does not become a liar. The Godly honest will not cheat, even if he or she has a secret opportunity to do so--In that way they do not become thieves. Those whose hearts are full of the love of God, (love for everybody) will avoid evil thoughts, and quarrels and fights.--In that way they do not become murderers.
If you have earned a little or much; if you have been successful in a little or in a big way; if you then spent it for things of your personal taste or pleasure, or use it for gambling or lottery . . . don’t expect to have enough on hand when the real needs arise.
WASTEFUL LIVING MAY BRING WOEFULWANTING.
In Proverbs 21:17, we read: “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” Do not expect to find success in rebuilding your character in any other way or plan than the redeeming love of Jesus. Give yourself to HIM. Repent, reveal and confess your past sins. Do not depend on your own virtues, or merits or good works. Man is an utter failure without CHRIST.
Nor is there any hope that incantation or the service of a native doctor can invoke the desired program for you. The oracles and divinations of the witch and wizard have no power to bring success to anyone. The cost of the sacrifice is another loss.
BUT--
We can expect the great God of heaven and earth, to make good all His promises to us, if we will humbly follow HIS plans. If we will repent and be converted, there is hope. On HIS part not one promise will fail. Let us read what King David says in Psalm 37:17-31: “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright; and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (children) begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed (children) is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”
Read also Proverbs 19:17: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
If we have turned to God with our whole heart, and repented of our sins and found forgiveness, and are yielded to our Master’s plan for us, and have kept His orders for our life, and have worked six days a week, and have provided well for our families, and have given to the poor and the work of the Lord, and have been honest with others and their properties . . . then it will also be possible to keep His final command in this matter. Let us read Matthew 6:31-33: “Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.”