Shat terd

Shat terd

Men

The hidden half of domestic violence

Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

Most of us know the story of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant worked all summer long while the grasshopper sat around, often mocking the ant....until winter came! Then the story changed radically. Once again my friends, I have a burden on my heart I want to discuss with you. You see, I have seen many in this ministry that are doing their best to serving the LIVING GOD...only to have everything go "wrong" while those around them that chose to live evil lives appear to prosper. This has caused some to doubt that God is indeed faithful to them. It has caused doubts that they are indeed children of the KING! In the next few moments, I want to share with you that all of this is...an illusion....that it is indeed the child of God that is blessed, not the one with riches untold!

Being a child of God is one of checks and balances. God does not want us to be so heavenly minded, we are no earthly good so He does want us to keep a balance in our walk with HIM. To do this, we often have to try to see things from HIS eyes...from HIS prospective. On the other hand, satan sets up illusions by making us think the wicked prosper while the saints of God go lacking. Oh, from a human prospective, this is often true but let us explore the reality of this illusion. Let's take down the mirrors and the tricks of satan's illusion.

Many of those in Shattered Men are tying to trust in Jesus through their trials but it so often appears HE is not there. We often hear jokes such as the Divorced Barbie...where she has ken's house, car and essentially all of his possessions and the reason this is "funny" is for the most part, it is men who get taken to the cleaners in a divorce. However, it does happen to women too. I do personally know several women who were taken to the cleaners too. You see, satan is a master at extremes so that few will believe the real truth. Many women who have been shattered will have a hard time believing it happens to men. and the same happens to men in reverse but lets look Let us look at this from HIS eyes.

Although it is true that the wicked do seem to prosper by having riches untold, we need to remember how they get these riches for the most part and then ask, is that means pleasing to God? Although there are some wealthy Christians for the most part this prosperous Christianity is hog wash. Throughout history, God's people have struggled from day to day. There is a purpose in this...it keeps us dependent and looking to HIM to meet our needs and not to our own resources. God provided Manna to Israel one day at a time except for the Sabbath. It turned rotten for any that tried to horde it.

This is what God tells us about the wealthy that do not serve the LORD:

James 1
⁹   Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
¹⁰   But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
¹¹   For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Luke 6
²⁴ But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Luke 12
¹⁵   And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
¹⁶   And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
¹⁷   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
¹⁸   And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
¹⁹   And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
²⁰   But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
²¹   So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Luke 6
²⁵ Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

1 Timothy 6
¹⁷   Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
¹⁸   That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
¹⁹   Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Psalm 49
¹⁶   Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
¹⁷   For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
¹⁸   Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

It is limited to this life:

Psalm 17
¹⁴ From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Luke 16
¹⁹   There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
²⁰   And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
²¹   And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
²²   And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
²³   And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
²⁴   And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
²⁵   But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
²⁶   And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
²⁷   Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
²⁸   For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
²⁹   Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
³⁰   And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
³¹   And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

They are trusting in their wealth

Psalm 52
⁷ Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

There life is uncertain:

¹⁶   And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
¹⁷   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
¹⁸   And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
¹⁹   And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
²⁰   But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
²¹   So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
²²   And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
²³   The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
²⁴   Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
²⁵   And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
²⁶   If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
²⁷   Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
²⁸   If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
²⁹   And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
³⁰   For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
³¹   But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
³²   Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Psalm 73
¹   Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
²   But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
³   For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
⁴   For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
⁵   They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
⁶   Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
⁷   Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
⁸   They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
⁹   They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
¹⁰   Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
¹¹   And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
¹²   Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
¹³   Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
¹⁴   For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
¹⁵   If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
¹⁶   When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
¹⁷   Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
¹⁸   Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
¹⁹   How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
²⁰   As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
²¹   Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
²²   So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
²³   Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
²⁴   Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
²⁵   Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
²⁶   My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
²⁷   For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
²⁸   But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

James 5
¹   Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
²   Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
³   Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
⁴   Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
⁵   Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
⁶   Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Compare

:⁷   Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
⁸   Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
⁹   Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
¹⁰   Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
¹¹   Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

(Remember, Job suffered for being righteous while his "Godly counselors that condemned him seemed to prosper)

Jesus Christ said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter heaven: My friend, what would it matter if one had the whole world but did not have Christ?

Matthew 16
²⁶ For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Galatians 6
⁷   Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
⁸   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.
⁹   And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Those that gain wealth by unjust means will often lose them to others using the same methods they have used to gain their wealth. Umm sort of like those that have affairs on their spouse and then marry them. What makes them think that this would not happen to them later on?

Proverbs 10
² Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death

.Proverbs 11
⁴ Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

My friend, do you despair because those that have wrongfully accused you seem to prosper? Do you want revenge? How about they way the wicked seem to enjoy life? Is it fair? Oh, it is not on this earth...but as we see above, God is not mocked...they will reap what they have sown. Just as the farmer has to wait to reap, each of us have to also. I promise you however that it will be worth the pain, and the suffering to do what God wants us to do and it will be worth the frustration we have to see those doing evil appear to prosper.

My friend, before you condemn them, remember, they are already condemned by a judge that will not be corrupt. If they do not repent and turn to God...the happiness they have here will be all the happiness they will have for all eternity. PLEASE do not despair because of their riches. Keep your eyes on eternity. That is where our reward is my friend and it will last....it will last.......

I'd Rather Have Jesus

Words: Rhea F. Miller, 1922
Music: George Beverly Shea, 1939

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I'd rather be His than have riches untold:
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I rather be faithful to His dear cause;
Id rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all than my hungering spirit needs.
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

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