THE POVERTY OF JESUS 02

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          This afternoon we will be looking at the concluding part of this amazing series titled, "THE POVERTY OF JESUS". In our previous part, we looked at what poverty means according to the world system and according to God's kingdom, we analysed the poverty of Jesus, we even went as far as citing some examples of those who knew this and walked in the reality of it. If you haven't read the first part, please do, you will be blessed by it. In this concluding part, we will look at the keys to stepping into this kingdom realities. These keys I will be sharing is not all there is, rather I am discussing a select few which has been overlooked. Let's look now at the full picture of our opening scripture which we used in part 1 of this series.
2 Cor 8:1-10  

KJV:Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2

KJV:How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3

KJV:For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

4

KJV:Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5

KJV:And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

6

KJV:Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

7

KJV:Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

8

KJV:I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

9

KJV:For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

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KJV:And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

keys to stepping into kingdom riches 
1. Giving yourself wholly to the service of God:

         I know the first thing that will come to your mind will be that what I am trying to say is that, you should become a pastor, Bishop or priest etc. No sir, no ma, you don't have to be a pastor to be engaged in the service of God. What does the service of God mean? The service of God is going about doing the work of God joyfully not as a result of duty or responsibility. It is going for mass evangelism organized by your local church enthusiastically because of your burden for souls not because your pastor has made it compulsory, it is preaching the gospel to the unsaved without complaining of schedule, it is taking part in your local church activities without being begged or cajoled. It is giving your all for kingdom advancement agendas. Remember Jesus' admonition in Matt 6:33. In verse 5 of our major scripture, we see that the Macedonians first gave themselves to the service of God. How we will come to realise that God expects us first before our money, tithes, seeds etc. He wants you, yes you first before any other thing. This is something that is supposed to be easy for us believers but it isn't because we don't love God that much. Don't get me wrong please, I am not saying you shouldn't work to earn a living, I am not saying you have to be in church 24/7, I am asking you, what is your first reaction when your local church embarks on outreaches, giving to orphanages, prison visitations? or when God tells you to do something for Him? Who says you can't serve God fully and wholly as an engineer, doctor, soldier, lecturer, lawyer, social works etc. The degree to which you love God is the degree to which you will give yourself wholly to him for true and genuine service.

2. . Giving wholly to kingdom advancement projects:

24

KJV:No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

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KJV:Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought 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 meat, and the body than raiment?

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KJV:Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

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KJV:Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

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KJV:And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

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KJV:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

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KJV:Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

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KJV:Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32

KJV:(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33

KJV:But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34

KJV:Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

           Now let's take a critical look at the above scripture. Jesus exhorting his disciples told them that worrying about money for food, clothes and other necessities of life wasn't how it was going to come. I believe you know persons who have died of high BP because of money for children's school fees, some have even committed suicide because they could no longer bear the poverty. Jesus was saying, "come, your worrying won't bring what you need, see the secret, be committed to advancing God's kingdom on the earth and all these other things that men spend their whole life chasing will just be doing soft walk and following you". Personally I know that there isn't a way you would love God, be committed to serving Him and not be committed to kingdom advancement. I have never liked when churches embarked on projects and they would first have to beg members to support financially before they would see the need to support. If only we understood the spiritual principle to this. The funny thing is this, all spiritual principles if applied accurately will yield the same result whether they have been applied by occultic persons or by Christains. If we understood the role alms giving and seed sowing etc plays in our kingdom financial stability. Probably your excuse most especially for those of us in Africa, would that you don't want to give money to beggars on street because you don't know who is who. OK, I agree with you but sir/ma why not go to that orphanage home, hospital or prison and be giving them something monthly, it doesn't have to be million million. A packet of tissue every month is something. Scripture says he who scatters gathers while he who withholds looses what he has.

3. The right mindset:

God won't bless you financially if you have the wrong mentality. Until you come to the realisation that everything you own is to be used to the glory of God you won't really step into financial riches. I mean coming to the point where money is like dust to you, the point where whether or not you have the money it won't determine the way or your qualitybof service to God. Most of the time just before God brings us into this level, He tests us thoroughly. He will do so because He doesn't what anything else to take His place in your life. You should realise also that it is God who gives the ability to make wealth. It isn't a function of the many nights you spend working or the amount of tithes or seeds you give nor is it a function of your smartness, intelligence or connections. 

   I hope you have been blessed by this write-up. Please even as you have read and are blessed, please also share to your friends on any social group you belong to, so as to be a source of blessing to them too. Write to me on my gmail at anointedsaviour1@gmail.com so you can automatically receive these posts in your mail. Remember the world is in dire need of the word of God, so join us spread this word. God bless you richly. Shalom