IF Money is the ROOT of EVIL, Then Why Use It Seeing What It Does To People?
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G
Blame 'it' all, your way of life on The Fall, justamazing, read Gen. 3, about what God immediately levels on man for sinning. Now, as ohzone said, Jesus set us free, and, IF we have the Son we are free, indeed, but God wants us to go out, using our talents. And, you can't fool me, I can see you have an ability to communicate so that's good for doing some 'social' job out there, even if it's McDonalds, for now. The Lord leads, He will never leave you nor forsake you, and, for now, brother, I would just take the unemployment as a sign to be in church and REALLY drawing on the faith God has inside you for direction. Maybe, put your name up on a church bulletin board and ask to work for someone. I, personally, would try to work for several people and get to know them and the Lord just may have one of them be a great beneficiary to the rest of your 'money' life, which, IF you are going into it with a love for your money like Jesus wants us to have, to love others with it, as midnightwelding said, in so many words from His Luke verse, then, YOU will just keep getting more to use for His good will and pleasure, as He leads you. The Lord leads. "...you follow Me." John 21:22
He will, like for Abraham, telling his son, Isaac, going up the mountain, 'The Lord will provide the lamb,' He will provide for you, in fact, it's a great thing when we trust in the Lord with the faith He's given us. Like Abraham, our faith will be accounted for righteousness, as Scripture says, and, that is an awesome thing since 'righteousness' = right standing with God
God bless you, brother, I am praying that you really get into the Word and your church, after having first prayed and seen JUST PERFECTLY where God wants you to go, by faith, in your life now. He will show you, I know He will, of this I have complete faith in His unseen plan for your life that is way more than you can ever imagine right now . You are 47, brother, God has for you a whole lot more of living to do here !
He will, like for Abraham, telling his son, Isaac, going up the mountain, 'The Lord will provide the lamb,' He will provide for you, in fact, it's a great thing when we trust in the Lord with the faith He's given us. Like Abraham, our faith will be accounted for righteousness, as Scripture says, and, that is an awesome thing since 'righteousness' = right standing with God
God bless you, brother, I am praying that you really get into the Word and your church, after having first prayed and seen JUST PERFECTLY where God wants you to go, by faith, in your life now. He will show you, I know He will, of this I have complete faith in His unseen plan for your life that is way more than you can ever imagine right now . You are 47, brother, God has for you a whole lot more of living to do here !
Jeremiah 1:4-10
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
I do not attend any structured assembly, that is any assembly following a doctrine other than the Scriptures. The Body of Christ, Yeshua, and all members do not need this type of organization, and most are scattered due to the constant erosion of them by the minds of men. But your arguments still do not stand in the Light of the Lamb. He teaches us not to concern ourselves too much for what we will eat or what we will wear. By my own experience, I have seen this in practice. Worship God, Yahweh, in His Only Begotten Son, and cares for this world will fade away.
A
so you can wallow in the mud instead of listening to anything anyone says or actually reading the BIBLE verses provide?
wealth is not measured in MONEY, but it seems as if that message is lost on you as well as the need to WORK and eat your won bread.
if you truly had "faith" in your beliefs why do you accept unemployment? why do you pay rent?
how is it that you have access to a computer and internet, when so many I know who are truly in need do not have either?
what would you do with the drug dealers in the world? child abusers?
If you truly believed your teachings you would give all YOUR money to the poor, give YOUR house to the homeless and feed the hungry.
Instead you tell others to give up things to YOU.
wealth is not measured in MONEY, but it seems as if that message is lost on you as well as the need to WORK and eat your won bread.
if you truly had "faith" in your beliefs why do you accept unemployment? why do you pay rent?
how is it that you have access to a computer and internet, when so many I know who are truly in need do not have either?
what would you do with the drug dealers in the world? child abusers?
If you truly believed your teachings you would give all YOUR money to the poor, give YOUR house to the homeless and feed the hungry.
Instead you tell others to give up things to YOU.
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W
Fiat money and central banking and of couse fractional banking. I think that GOD is showing all of you something on some of these threads. It is a great study and at the end will show you who and what was behind the money changers in the Temple.
Look at it this way if you are willing to work for something that someone can push a button or even better yet just add zeros to a computer for your efforts. What could possibly go wrong. It might lead to a handful of less than honest men running the world from behind the seens. Turnning the whole world into a giant slave sweat shop for debt. We have got to live in this corrupt and perverted world there is no way around these facts. However that doesnt mean that you cant be aware of satans plan for the control of the world and how he does it. If you look who owns all the central banks well then you will get to look behind the curtain and see the ones who are pulling the strings and who they really serve. Money in itself is not evil or disfunctional but unfare scales of interest are. That is why GOD made interest for only 7 years so you wouldnt be able to artificially inflate the price of land or any thing else. That is how you avoid a $160 trillion debt. I mean could you imagine the size of that gold bar LOL Blessings.
Look at it this way if you are willing to work for something that someone can push a button or even better yet just add zeros to a computer for your efforts. What could possibly go wrong. It might lead to a handful of less than honest men running the world from behind the seens. Turnning the whole world into a giant slave sweat shop for debt. We have got to live in this corrupt and perverted world there is no way around these facts. However that doesnt mean that you cant be aware of satans plan for the control of the world and how he does it. If you look who owns all the central banks well then you will get to look behind the curtain and see the ones who are pulling the strings and who they really serve. Money in itself is not evil or disfunctional but unfare scales of interest are. That is why GOD made interest for only 7 years so you wouldnt be able to artificially inflate the price of land or any thing else. That is how you avoid a $160 trillion debt. I mean could you imagine the size of that gold bar LOL Blessings.
Matthew 28:18
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Revelation 2:26-28
[SUP]26 [/SUP]And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
[SUP]27 [/SUP]And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
[SUP]28 [/SUP]And I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 11:16-19
[SUP]16 [/SUP]And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
[SUP]17 [/SUP]Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Revelation 2:26-28
[SUP]26 [/SUP]And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
[SUP]27 [/SUP]And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
[SUP]28 [/SUP]And I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 11:16-19
[SUP]16 [/SUP]And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
[SUP]17 [/SUP]Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
The key is to beak down what money is/represents into it's simplest form. It was a convenient way to move beyond the cumbersome notions associated with barter and trade. Problematically, it converts value/effort into a vague operative, open to corruption and misrepresentation. The bottom line is we all spend 24/7/365 doing something. And so what's that worth to other's and why? With sufficient trust and understanding, money would not be necessary. Invariably it is to buy something now or in the future from another, who in turn seeks the same from another. We all must work somehow to serve one another's needs, everyone. The blindness of expectation in what the numbers in your pocket will buy somehow. Greed is merely an expression of this uncertainty via overcompensation to assure piles of $$$ against some exchange idea in real time. Time, 24/7/365, and we all have the exact same amount of time. Leveraging time over others of faceless masses is capitalism. When the faceless masses begin to have individual faces, capitalism is no longer viable or possible. 2012, the end of time to leverage profits over debts/costs credibly, believably, acceptably in all eyes. But the reality won't surface till likely the hindsight of 2020.
B
All my life I have not understood what the Lord meant with that verse because the wording implies,
a) it's wealth of unrighteousness,
b) the wealth belongs to the person you're to make friends with not to you, and
c) when the wealth is gone, why would the friends be welcoming you into eternal habitation?
Is not acquiring anything unrighteously also an error for one's soul?
a) it's wealth of unrighteousness,
b) the wealth belongs to the person you're to make friends with not to you, and
c) when the wealth is gone, why would the friends be welcoming you into eternal habitation?
Is not acquiring anything unrighteously also an error for one's soul?
Money represents value so we can more easily trade with one another. Without it, we would have to resort to a bartering system. The bartering system is incredibly flawed because you end up with huge trade triangles.
The reason we pay taxes is because we live in a system in which the government operates off of our money. The reason we pay bills and such is because we can't just live for free. Someone has to convert and transport the energy that goes to your house. Someone has to clean and transport water to your house. These people are working for a paycheck of their own.
If we didn't pay our bills, then what reason would there be for others provide us with power, water, etc.? If we stopped paying our bills, the people who work at the power plant would essentially be working for nothing. They would have no choice but to quit. Nobody is going to toil for 8 hours a day without expecting some kind of payment, and rightfully so!
Money is just a means of making trade easier and more accessible.
We don't get paid just to waste time. We tend to spend roughly 40 - 45 hours a week working, that's roughly the amount of time you spend PRODUCING a good or service. What is it worth to others? If we're speaking literally, our worth is determined by supply and demand. The value from working comes from supplying others with goods and services they need or want!
Actually, there's a good reason for money to exist in all systems, even those where you can trust people 100%. Goods cost money to create. Goods that use rarer and more valuable resources tend to cost more to produce. Companies have to find a balance between cost effectiveness and efficiency. If we didn't have money, people would have no reason not to use the rarer and more expensive materials. They would be wasteful without even knowing it! It's money that pushes people to use resources more wisely. People worry about us running out of gas, but if gas ever did start to dwindle, the price would go up. Again, this has to do with supply and demand. If the demand is high, but the supply is low, prices will go up preventing people from wasting the last of resources. This means people will have to use them only for the things that are most important or worth using the material on.
Because of capitalism, our lives are BETTER than they ever were before! Do you know humans had to do before they started walking into work for a paycheck? They had to break their backs farming for food so they wouldn't die. Working sucks, but capitalism has us working for one another, which is good! Instead of breaking your back in the fields of a farm, you can go to a restaurant and order food. What about the poor "exploited" workers in the back? They're going to drive home and play video games, or they're going to use their money to find things to do with their friends, or spend their money on their family and children, etc.
You said we waste 24/7/365 "doing something", and you expressed that during capitalism we organize a portion of that time to work. OH, HOW EVIL?!?! Oh wait, that's the same no matter what. We work roughly 7-8 hours / 5 days a week / about 260 days a year. Without capitalism, we would STILL be working just as often! Everything wonderful we take advantage of, such as the computers we type on, wouldn't even exist were it not for a system of trade, whether it be capitalism or socialism (I won't go into why capitalism is more ethical than socialism and more efficient as well).
My point is, we do spend a lot of our lives working. But what we get paid in return is wonderful! And we wouldn't be able to take advantage of any of this stuff if we all chose to merely work for ourselves, or expect others to work for us while we do nothing.
People.
The reason we pay taxes is because we live in a system in which the government operates off of our money. The reason we pay bills and such is because we can't just live for free. Someone has to convert and transport the energy that goes to your house. Someone has to clean and transport water to your house. These people are working for a paycheck of their own.
If we didn't pay our bills, then what reason would there be for others provide us with power, water, etc.? If we stopped paying our bills, the people who work at the power plant would essentially be working for nothing. They would have no choice but to quit. Nobody is going to toil for 8 hours a day without expecting some kind of payment, and rightfully so!
Money is just a means of making trade easier and more accessible.
We don't get paid just to waste time. We tend to spend roughly 40 - 45 hours a week working, that's roughly the amount of time you spend PRODUCING a good or service. What is it worth to others? If we're speaking literally, our worth is determined by supply and demand. The value from working comes from supplying others with goods and services they need or want!
Actually, there's a good reason for money to exist in all systems, even those where you can trust people 100%. Goods cost money to create. Goods that use rarer and more valuable resources tend to cost more to produce. Companies have to find a balance between cost effectiveness and efficiency. If we didn't have money, people would have no reason not to use the rarer and more expensive materials. They would be wasteful without even knowing it! It's money that pushes people to use resources more wisely. People worry about us running out of gas, but if gas ever did start to dwindle, the price would go up. Again, this has to do with supply and demand. If the demand is high, but the supply is low, prices will go up preventing people from wasting the last of resources. This means people will have to use them only for the things that are most important or worth using the material on.
Because of capitalism, our lives are BETTER than they ever were before! Do you know humans had to do before they started walking into work for a paycheck? They had to break their backs farming for food so they wouldn't die. Working sucks, but capitalism has us working for one another, which is good! Instead of breaking your back in the fields of a farm, you can go to a restaurant and order food. What about the poor "exploited" workers in the back? They're going to drive home and play video games, or they're going to use their money to find things to do with their friends, or spend their money on their family and children, etc.
You said we waste 24/7/365 "doing something", and you expressed that during capitalism we organize a portion of that time to work. OH, HOW EVIL?!?! Oh wait, that's the same no matter what. We work roughly 7-8 hours / 5 days a week / about 260 days a year. Without capitalism, we would STILL be working just as often! Everything wonderful we take advantage of, such as the computers we type on, wouldn't even exist were it not for a system of trade, whether it be capitalism or socialism (I won't go into why capitalism is more ethical than socialism and more efficient as well).
My point is, we do spend a lot of our lives working. But what we get paid in return is wonderful! And we wouldn't be able to take advantage of any of this stuff if we all chose to merely work for ourselves, or expect others to work for us while we do nothing.
People.
M
All my life I have not understood what the Lord meant with that verse because the wording implies,
a) it's wealth of unrighteousness,
b) the wealth belongs to the person you're to make friends with not to you, and
c) when the wealth is gone, why would the friends be welcoming you into eternal habitation?
Is not acquiring anything unrighteously also an error for one's soul?
a) it's wealth of unrighteousness,
b) the wealth belongs to the person you're to make friends with not to you, and
c) when the wealth is gone, why would the friends be welcoming you into eternal habitation?
Is not acquiring anything unrighteously also an error for one's soul?
The previous and following verses to Luke 16:9 should help explain more.
The principle I see the Lord telling us is that BECAUSE the people of the world deal so shrewdly with one another,
We as a light to the darkness are to be an example with not only our spiritual wealth but also any worldly wealth.
Since we should do all things for the Lord right
Not just praise him in spirit but go to work to pay the bills as a separate endeavor of the flesh.
And if we go to work doesn't the bible also tell us to work as if working for the Lord.
A couple examples could be if say your car broke down and I loaned ya a vehicle to use.
While I may not be wealthy wealth is subjective in comparison to one who has and one who has not.
Or perhaps take two doctors
One doctor becomes a doctor to get in it for the money.
While another person becomes a doctor to aid people and the wealth is simply a result of that.
But the motives coupled with what one does with that wealth can make it righteous or unrighteous.
In the example of Luke 16:9 the shrewd businessman was commended by his master(or boss) because he took compassion on the debters making their situation more comfortable without being greedy or without giving them something for nothing.
As well I'm sure the Lord knew that money would be a factor of debt and economy in our lives. So it is good to have examples of how to deal with these types of situations so that Godly men and women (people of the light) may be placed in charge of these types of positions to keep it from being so corrupt such as using it to leverage people (blackmail).
If instead more Christians were in these positions of finance and economy it would be a light to the world by showing compassion and understanding to those who are either down on their luck or in need.
Since we are also told in Prov 11:1 how the Lord detests dishonest scales, this also ties together in setting up simple honesty within business.
The following verse Luke 16:10
[SUP]10 [/SUP]“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
I believe the Lord knows who to trust and bless with much in order to achieve his principle.
On the other hand he also knows who to take it away from. How many actors and singers have we seen rise to the top only to be bankrupt a few years later.
If we we dealt as shrewdly with our worldly wealth as does the world, what credit is that to us?
Thats very much the same as the verse in Luke 6:32 explaining....
How are we any different if we only love those who love us back
Even the sinner does this.
Were called to love our enemies in peace if that be possible.
I also believe that all these things tie in together with the whole storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven since any worldly wealth isnt to be stored trying to save it forever. Much of the treasures in heaven are what we do for others in showing Gods love. But treasures in heaven shouldn't be our motive neither or we just negated the whole principle.
---We have nothing that has not been given---
God is trying to teach us nobility with anything he has made us or given to us to be a steward over.
Noble is to use it to help others more than helping ourselves, give to those less fortunate, since it is the Lord who has made us fortunate in the first place. If we're stingy the Lord may just say,
"Ok well, I tried to trust you with little but you wanted it all for yourself and didn't share your toys so now Imma take your toys away. And actually these aren't YOUR toys, they're my toys, I'm just letting you use them for awhile so ya better be good with 'em." This also means if you have two banana splits and I dont have one ...
As far as acquiring anything unrighteously, think with me about what methods would be unrighteous
Proverbs 13:11 has a good example
Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
I hope this helps
E
It's all in how you look at it. It's like the internet. It's evil as well. But yet, you still use it. Don't contradict yourself. Everything in this earth has it's purpose. You can either use it for God, or for the pleasures of the world. The choice is really up to you. God gave us all the free will. This world is only temporal. And it's certainly filled with evil. But, you can look at the bright side of this. Every cloud had a silver lining. What you choose to do with the things God has given to you is basically up to you. You can use it for good, or you can use it for evil. If we're going to talk about how evil everything is, then we might as well migrate to another planet. Evil is everywhere. But yet, evil can be used as good. You just have to find out how. Look at money from a different perspective. Maybe then you'll realize that it actually has some good.
God bless. Have a good day.
God bless.
Have a good day.