God wants you to be happy, He wants you to be healthy, content and whole, He wants you to be financially sound, at peace and fulfilled.
This is the message of many churches today in what is called the western, or civilized world and anything that deviates from that is seen as a falling away from the Lord, or one who has incurred His displeasure for various reasons. All the world has to offer, and heaven included.
“They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;” (Heb. 11:37)
These examples in Hebrews eleven were that to many, just examples, not what will happen to them, for the Lord loves them and wants them to live long and happy productive lives. They see Lazarus sitting at the rich man’s gate full of sores but pray that the Almighty does not chose that for them, they see Paul whipped and beaten for the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ Himself being ostracized and forsaken, so perhaps its best to just keep those things of Christ in the church where its safe.
Here is one saying of the world I believe you can apply to the Kingdom of heaven; I will let you decide, “No risk, no rewards.”
As you are reading this there are people being tortured and killed for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there are people living in squalor praising His name, there are born again believers giving thanks for that single piece of bread.
“There but for the grace of God go I” or “Thank you Lord for not making me like them.” You decide, you know your heart.
I have never been able to understand properly how those who profess a faith in the Savior can be, or at least claim to be happy or even content when the only place and time they seem to serve Him is in that church setting for an hour or so on Sunday morning. How can a servant, at least as much as any servant can, believe himself to be profitable when the entirety of their week, in fact the whole of their lives, is spent on the pursuit of self, save for that one morning each week? What makes them happy, the numerous things they possess, what makes them content, the security of the items of the world?
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)
“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 25:30)
Do those in nations where the Word of God is prohibited, where speaking His name in public will cause imprisonment desire that fine house and nice car, several choices of clothing, a grocery store just down the street and the financial wherewithal to find contentment in the world, or do they humble themselves and say, “Thy will be done?”
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) That peace does not leave because of disadvantageous circumstances, it is not relative to the items of the world, it does not rest in what you consider happiness, contentment and security, it rests in Christ and the path that He has chosen for you.
I fear in the coming days that many are going to be shown that their faith was not in Christ, but what they believe He has given them in this world, and when these things are removed, when sadness and tears replace happiness and security, they will see that they were not on the path they supposed themselves to be on.
Some may be given time to repent, many will not.
