Monthly Archives: October 2025

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS -4b

Bible Study, ,

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

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So, in one of Jesus’ teachings about money, its use and abuse, which we examined yesterday, His second principle gets to the heart of the matter…you will serve who or what you love! It’s as simple as that!

In order to determine where your love lies, you will need to take the long look. It all depends on in which direction you are looking when you make decisions and choices about the use of your money. 

Jesus used a colourful and commonly-understood word picture to explain what He meant. Just as one’s physical eyes allow light to enter the body to see, or dysfunctional eyes prevent the body from seeing, so one’s spiritual vision depends on the “light” that enters or doesn’t enter the heart. 

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What “light” would Jesus be referring to, do you think?

In the Bible, “light” often refers to God’s Word. For example…

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and…

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭130‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If we add verses like these to the mix, we begin to understand that, when we allow the light of God’s Word to enter us through our our spiritual “eyes”, we will view life and our attitude towards people and our money from God’s perspective. If we are blind to the needs of others, we will hoard and use our resources for ourselves. If we see, through Jesus’ eyes, the opportunity to share our resources with others in need, and we do so because we love Him, it become clear whom we serve because of whom we love. 

Paul takes these principles and weaves them into an instruction to Timothy. In a world corrupted by greed and the love of money, Paul urges Timothy to understand and teach the truth about the use of money and wealth. Some of God’s people were already entangled in the powerful pull of money, drawing them away from loving God to a life of greed and eventual destruction. 

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How many, in our day, have fallen into this trap! The “prosperity gospel” is a case in point… a corruption of the truth. 

There is a philosophy that God’s people need to embrace… 

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”

…and a warning…

“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Therefore, Timothy, and all God’s servants, tying together the teachings of Jesus, must…

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…GOD’S TREASURE – 3

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“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭33‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Not only are God’s people His treasure, belonging to Him because Jesus bought them with His own blood, but He also is our treasure, providing for us during our time on earth. 

Unlike ungodly people who belong to and live by the standards and practices of this world system, God’s people live in two opposing realms simultaneously. We live in earth, a fallen planet, but our citizenship is in heaven. 

Paul explains this distinction. 

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

People who live only in this world live for self and for now. God’s people, on the other hand, live for Jesus now and for the future. 

Jesus, in His  high-priestly prayer, made this distinction clear….

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The problem that God’s children face in our life in this world is that we have two natures in us. The remnants of our old nature that agrees with the world remain in us. We have a strong pull to live for ourselves now. However, we also live in God’s kingdom. He has given us His nature with its desire to live in obedience to Him and under the influence and power of His Spirit in us. 

These two natures are in constant conflict, the desires of our flesh and of our spirit pulling us in opposite directions. 

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Isaiah provides an answer to this dilemma. God has prepared a deposit for us, a treasure of stability (salvation), contained in the wisdom and knowledge of His realm, Zion, where His seat of government on earth rules in justice and righteousness. 

He has given us access to this treasure by a key…

“The fear is the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

The fear of the Lord is a big subject but, for our understanding here, let me simplify it. The core of  the fear of the Lord is to hold Him in such awe, reverence, and respect that we take His Word seriously and obey Him implicitly.  

This application has many spinoffs but, for us in this context, when we obey the Lord because we honour Him, the door opens to the wisdom and knowledge we need to live under His authority despite the darkness all around us…as Solomon said…

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now let me summarise…

When we honour God and obey His Word, He opens the door to His treasure store of wisdom and knowledge. These enable us, empowered by His Spirit, to live under His rule 

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…TREASURES ON EARTH – 4a

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Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

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We have learned, so far, that God’s people are His treasure. He created us in His image. Humans are the only creatures on earth that resemble God, have fellowship with Him and are His partners in managing the earth and administering His kingdom on earth through prayer. 

The Father redeemed the human race from self-destruction through the Son. The Spirit lives in those who believe in Jesus to transforms us into the image and likeness of the Son. He leads us to know Jesus and to do the Father’s will on earth. 

God has also given us a treasure to guard and to guide us on our journey through life. Jesus came from the Father armed with grace and truth. Grace provides the strength to overcome the obstacles we face on our journey, and truth renews our minds to believe what God has said, not what the world says. 

The resources we need to live under a corrupt world system with honesty, integrity and by faith are part of the treasure God has provided for His children. He knows what we need. He gives us what we need and some to share with others so that we live together in a shared life of fellowship and caring. 

Since we are in training for the life to come, what we do with our treasure now is one of the greatest tests of stewardship, faithfulness, and obedience to Jesus we will ever face. How we fair in this test in our lives here before we relocate to eternity, will determine our role in God’s eternal

Kingdom.  

““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. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There we have it! Our use of money, not our doctrine or even our faith in Jesus or our love for each other, will determine how and where we serve in the life to come. 

Jesus knew that the way we handle our money will always be the acid test…

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…capturing the hearts of even God’s own children. 

Money is not only the currency that drives the world and its systems. It is also the seat of demonic control where and when people have submitted to its power. Jesus used the word, “mammon” rather than “money”, to indicate that there is a demonic influence behind the greed that holds people captive. His own experience on earth was that of the spiritual leaders…and even one of His own disciples…controlled by avarice, the demonic power of money. 

Jesus had much to say about money, teaching and warning His disciples to beware of its power and to be faithful in its use. In Matthew 6, He taught two great principals to guide us in our attitude to and use of money. 

The first principle…your heart will follow your treasure. 

““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves I’ll follow do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭21‬, ‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If your treasure is hoarded in an earthly “treasury”, to be used exclusively for selfish purposes, your wealth is in danger of being corrupted or lost in the failure of worldly systems. 

If instead, you use at least part of your wealth to benefit and bless others, your worldly resources become a part of God’s heavenly treasury. You can make withdrawals by faith as needed when you participate in the life of God’s kingdom by sharing your resources on earth. 

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The problem with being preoccupied with money, collecting and hoarding it, or lacking it, because our trust is in money and not in our Father’s faithfulness to His promises, is the issue of worry. Worry cancels trust, worry enslaves, and worry changes our focus.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? …Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?…“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬, ‭27‬, ‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When our focus is on money, not on the Father, our heart will be stuck in the wrong place and captured by the wrong preoccupation…

To be continued…

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…BELONGING – 2

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Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God created humans with the deep need to belong. By instituting the sacred bond of marriage, safeguarding it in a legally-binding covenant for life, He created families to satisfy and nurture that need to belong. 

One of the cruellest tricks the devil has played on the human race has been to destroy belongingness in the family. He has cheapened both the sacred estate and the exclusive sexual union of marriage to the extent that marriage is scorned and casual sexual intercourse has become a form of recreation and entertainment in society all over the world. The outcome is many generations of orphans who belong to no one. 

Then, despite the network of family ties God intended, Satan’s next step was to ruin those ties through selfishness, conflict, and even permanent “cancellation” within the family. The first two siblings, Cain and Abel, were separated forever by Cain’s murderous act against His brother. 

God’s purposes were put on hold but never obliterated by human wickedness. His plan to reconcile His people, alienated from Himself  and from one another by their sin, was perfectly fulfilled when humans “cancelled” His own Son by crucifixion in the belief that they had finally got rid of Him. 

Despite the belongingness of the ties God wants us to have within the human context, there can be no greater belongingness than to the God who created us to belong to Him and to one another in His divine and forever family. 

A while ago, I was reading the following verses in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and puzzling over its meaning. 

“No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In these words of Paul, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — the things God has prepared for those who love him—“, I recognised that I had read words like this somewhere before…

Aha! I remembered!

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…similar words but not exactly the same. Like a miner digging for treasure, I began to dig into the meaning of “wait” in Isaiah’s version, “love” in Paul’s quote…Where was the link?

The meaning of the Hebrew word “wait”, “chakah”, has in it the idea of something being carved into or pierced. Pierced? What does that have to do with love?

There was an Old Testament practice that illustrates this process of belongingness through love and piercing. Let me explain how I came on this idea. 

“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.”…

“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭21‬:‭2, 5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wow! Look at that! A perfect match!

If he loved his master and his family who remained slaves in the master’s household, a slave could forgo his freedom by his having his ear pierced by an awl driven through his earlobe, which would become his mark of belonging. 

What is the connection between this practice of piercing and our belongingness to God? My mind went, immediately, to Jesus on the cross…

“The soldiers therefore came and broke their legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”

‭‭John‬ ‭19‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Isn’t God’s Word amazing!

Jesus was pierced in our place for our sin, so that, because we are “in Him” through faith in Him, we can now belong to God forever, His love slaves…

Now, let’s look at Paul’s words again. 

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—“

Why did Paul write, “those who love Him” and not “those whom He loves”? The two Scriptures must be a perfect match. The slave’s love for his master and to be pierced was his choice. Our love for Jesus and our identification with the one who was pierced for us is our choice.

 For us, then, our belongingness to God through Jesus was forever sealed by His being pierced for us.  No matter what separation, rejection, cancellation, alienation, happens to us on earth, we are God’s own treasured possession, chosen and bound to Him by the blood of His Son. 

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession.”

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…ISRAEL, GOD’S TREASURE – 1

Bible Study, ,

The Bible is full of treasures, both God’s treasures and ours. If we mine for these treasures, we will surely find them. 

Israel was God’s treasure. 

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Before time began, God chose one nation out of all the nations on earth to be His own possession.  

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession”, that is, His “segulah”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After He had created the nations, He assigned to each nation a governor, a member of His “divine counsel”,  

“When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

…but He chose Israel to be His personal responsibility. 

So close and intimate would this relationship be that God entered into a marriage covenant with Israel. In the language and cultural protocol of the children of Israel, He betrothed them to Himself to live within the boundaries of His covenant relationship. 

In Hebrew culture, when a young man sought a bride, he would choose a young woman out of all the maidens in Israel, get to know her, and then make his intentions known to her. 

Using the first appropriate word in this process of courtship, “lachah”, which can mean “I want to take you,” she would know that he intended to marry her. After a period of time, when he was sure of his choice, he would seal his intention with the next accepted word, “segulah”. 

“The Hebrew word “segulah”means a “treasured possession” or “special, peculiar treasure”. It refers to something of great value, a beloved and carefully guarded possession, such as a king’s prized trophies or the nation of Israel as God’s special people. The term can also refer to segulot (plural), which are small items or practices intended to bring good fortune or a blessing, like a bride’s jewelry used by a single woman to attract a spouse.” (Sourced from Google) 

At Sinai, God entered into a betrothal pact with His people. It was in this covenant commitment, embodied in the word, “chesed”, the strongest Hebrew word used to express God’s love and loyalty to His people, that God remained  faithful to Israel regardless of their unfaithfulness to Him. This love kept Him from utterly destroying them for their rebellious defiance of His covenant. 

In the worst moments of their disobedience, exemplified in their persistent disregard for His first requirement…

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…He resolved not to destroy the completely. His indictment and judgment against them was heartbreaking. 

“Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans. My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

However, God’s covenant love for Israel prevented Him for turning them into another Sodom and Gomorrah. As He agonised over His decision to destroy them, He cried out…

““How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV

Israel has always been and always will be God’s treasured possession. He has never abandoned them and He never will. He has promised that, in His predetermined purpose for all people, He will fulfil His will for His “treasured possession. “

This is the conclusion of the matter…

“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin….Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious….If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬, ‭11‬, ‭16‬, ‭25‬-‭29‬, ‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, God’s faithful love for Israel and His covenant commitment always to do good to them will culminate in and combine His purpose for them with His purpose for the whole human race…in one united family through Jesus.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility….Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭16‬, ‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬