Tag Archives: poverty

Real riches (Revelation 2:8-11), May 13, 2017

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Today’s Podcast


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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Are you rich or poor? Do you really know what poverty is? Jesus did, He shares some information with us about poverty and real riches.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 2:8-11
    2. The One: Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Smyrna. “These are the words of the First and the Last, the One who was dead and returned to life:

“I know your deeds and the difficult ordeal you are enduring and your poverty, although you are actually rich. I am aware of the offensive accusations preached by those who call themselves ‘Jews.’ But these people are not the Jews they pretend to be; they are actually the congregation of Satan.  In the face of suffering, do not fear. Watch; the devil will throw some of you into prison shortly so that you might be tested, and you will endure great affliction for 10 days. Be faithful throughout your life, until the day you die, and I will give you the victor’s wreath of life.

“Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches. The one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death will escape the second death.”

  1. Devotional
    1. In this country, we are obsessed with wealth.
      1. TV show, “Lives of the Rich and Famous”
      2. Drive for promotion, salary increases, better jobs
      3. Get upset about Social Security or changes in interest rates
      4. Looking for quick returns on investments
      5. Lotteries everywhere for quick wins
    2. We think we understand poverty in this country, but we don’t
      1. The poverty guidelines for 2017, $24,600 for family of 4
      2. Average income in the United States $61,248
      3. Average income in Qatar $105,091
      4. Average income in Congo $394
      5. Nine countries less than $1,000 per anum income
      6. $35-$100 a month isn’t even enough to survive as evidenced by the malnutrition and high death rate among children in those countries
    3. If you are listening to this podcast, you probably have a smartphone or a computer you’re listening on. Luxuries most of the world cannot afford. We are materially very wealthy in this country
      1. Probably had breakfast or chose not to, but it was available if you wanted it
      2. Probably have more than one television in your home
      3. Probably have more than one car in your drive
      4. Probably have several pair of shoes and several outfits to choose from as you dress each morning
      5. Probably don’t worry about drinking water or water to bath in each day
      6. Although you may live in an apartment, you probably don’t share your home with several families in the same apartment
      7. We really don’t know poverty in this country
    4. Church at Smyrna understood poverty
      1. As Christians they couldn’t buy food in the market
      2. Lost their jobs
      3. Lost their homes
      4. Lost their families
      5. Lost whatever support systems they had except the church and everyone in the church was under the same pressure
      6. They did not know where their next meal would come from
      7. To win their material fortune back, all they had to do was renounce their faith
    5. Jesus said although they were in poverty, they were really rich
      1. Why?
      2. They shed the burden of unforgiven sin
      3. They had Him in their life
      4. They had eternal life
      5. What is that worth? It’s priceless
  2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

I’m just a caretaker (Luke 21:3-4) December 30, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Revelations 18-22

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 21:3-4
Jesus: I’m telling you the truth, this poor widow has made a bigger contribution than all of those rich fellows. They’re just giving from their surplus, but she is giving from her poverty—she’s giving all she has to give.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

What does it mean to give all you have to God? Does He expect us to turn all our cash over to Him and go home with nothing in our pocket? Not necessarily, but sometimes He might. Does He expect us to live in poverty, not knowing where our next meal will come from? Not necessarily, but sometimes He might. Does God expect us to be so poor we live on the streets at the mercy of the weather and the other street people we meet there? Not necessarily, but sometimes He might.

That sounds pretty non-committal, doesn’t it? The point is, we must be willing to give everything we have to God. Recognize the fact that it all belongs to Him and we are only stewards of the things He lets us use from time to time. So how does He want you to use the things He gives you? For your own benefit and pleasure or for His plans and purposes?

Using assets for His plans and purposes doesn’t usually mean you will be penniless and poverty stricken. Using assets for His plans and purposes doesn’t usually mean you will not enjoy life and have comforts that others enjoy. But those things won’t be what drives you. You’ll find that if God decides He wants them, you don’t have any problem giving them up to Him when you remember they are not yours to start with. They all belong to Him and we are just borrowers. Things are on loan to us while we are here to be used for Him.

So if God decides He wants it for something, it’s His. He can do whatever He wants with it. That’s the hold we should have on things. Hands open ready to release whatever God wants. Houses, money, jobs, things, doesn’t matter. Whatever God wants, He can have it.

That was the attitude of the woman in poverty who gave her last penny in the temple. She didn’t have it to give, but she also knew that it wasn’t hers anyway. She felt God wanted her to give it that day and she put it in the offering. It became an object lesson for Jesus’ disciples and everyone who has read those words ever since. I doubt if she had any idea the importance of her contribution that day. All she wanted to do was please God with the assets He entrusted to her.

The wealthy that crowded past her to make a scene of the large offerings they made really didn’t make any sacrifice that day. They, too, became object lessons, but I doubt if they would like the way their example was used by Jesus that day. But He was right. They gave out of their abundance and it was a pittance compared to the woman who gave her all.

The world teaches us to hold on tight to everything we have. Life is short they say and the boys with the most toys win. But the world is wrong. What are you going to do with the toys in the end? You can’t take them with you. And something I’ve learned as I’ve grown older and maybe a little wiser. Every one of those toys take time away from something else. All of them demand attention. None are time savers. We sometimes buy them because they are advertised as time savers, but I have yet to find any time savers that really live up to their claims.

Sure I can mow the yard faster with a riding mower than a push mower, but that riding mower sure takes a lot more maintenance than a push mower. And I still have to get out the push mower or a weed eater or something, because the riding mower doesn’t get as close to the trees and shrubs and house. The same is true with just about everything. The time saver takes more maintenance or we will find more projects to use the time saving device on because it does such a good job. All it does is take time away from God or family or His plans. So, yeah, not such a great time saver after all.

Maybe it’s time to realize the world has it wrong. The simple life Jesus lived is probably the more satisfying life. Don’t get bogged down with stuff. Am I saying stuff is bad? No. There is nothing good or bad in stuff. It’s just stuff. But when it gets between you and God’s intentions for you, then the stuff is closer to God that you are. Just think about that a second.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything between God and me. So I’ll chose to keep my hands open and let Him use whatever He entrusts to my care anytime He wants it. It’s His anyway. I’m just a caretaker.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.