THANK GOD for His clear teaching in His Word which brings us to a clear understanding. I don't judge people. God is the only One who will determine if someone will spend eternity in heaven or hell. The same chapter that tells us not to judge (Mat. 7) tells us to inspect the fruit of those who claim to present God's Word.
How can ANY Christian live in luxury on this earth while SO many people around the globe are dying of hunger, and WORSE, so many people have never even heard the gospel for the first time. At this website: http://www.gfa.org/bundles/equipping-missionaries/ I can spend $5 and buy 1,000 gospel tracts that a missionary can use to get God's message to people who have never heard.
The good used car that I drive cost me $4,000 a few years ago. I could have chosen to spend $50,000 on a car, and felt justified that I deserve it "because I do so much for God ...". With that $46,000 that I DID NOT spend on the vanity of luxury, I can buy 9,200,000 tracts for missionaries to at least make a little dint in the need of the 3 or 4 billion souls on this planet who have never heard.
How can I say that I have love is I live in luxury while living a lower standard of wealth would make me able to help others?
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1Ti 6:9 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. 1Ti 6:10 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. 1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Several years ago, I was sitting in a church where a preacher was making an urgent appeal for sacrificial giving to the need of building a bigger church but at the same time, he was justifying his own luxurious lifestyle. At that moment the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to my heart and told me: "NEVER give sacrificially to a ministry that does not live sacrificially". Since then my "sacrificial" giving (giving to the point where it "hurts a little")has always been to ministries (such as www.gfa.org) who LIVE sacrificially, and God has TREMENDOUSLY blessed me financially much more with much more ability to give.
The reason that I put "hurts a little" (in quotations) is because I would be ashamed to say I "give until it hurts" living in the USA. Embarrassed I admit I've never gone without electricity nor running water nor quite a few other luxuries for the sake of giving. Sometimes I almost wish that I had been born in another country for the shame that I know I will feel at the awards banquet in heaven when SO MANY from other countries will be SO well awarded because they REALLY gave sacrificially.
God bless you all _________________ Michael Strickland
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