As a relatively new member, I am very impressed with the wealth of ecclesiastical knowledge possessed by many of you. My question is, how many of you are actual Biblical scholars of some sort, with titles, degrees, or just plain read up a lot? I would imagine it's a thoroughly fascinating field, and sometimes I wish I'd been inspired in that direction (though I know that the Lord has guided me in different directions for His reasons, whatever they might be). What is your backround, and how did you basically wind up investing your life so?
17 years, several hours a day. When we get saved, scripture says. "
Behold, all things have become new, former things have passed away."
That means how we operated in the World before is now to be completely different. As I told one Brother years ago, the Word of God is the laws of how the spirit governs the natural realm. More time in the Word, means less time dealing and learning natural things.
Not everyone is called to spend hours a day in the Word and prayer. That does not mean there should not be time set aside everyday focused on the scriptures you need to come to pass in your life. That is how I started, I saw some things in the Word at the time that I thought would be real nice if they where true in my life.
If you have a business for example.
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph 5:16-17)
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
(Luk 16:10-12)
A business should put the Lord first in giving a portion back to the Kingdom and be interested in enabling people to be sent out. A business should be believing the Lord for the best equipment that saves time, not using time to save money. A business needs to know when to close the doors, and serve God somewhere, and get direction from the Lord every day.
A business needs to learn to hear direction from the Holy Spirit, and not be led by the best looking deals, or look to pay the least.
A business needs to understand the whole point in power to get wealth is to establish God's covenant. If a business is not putting God first, then No need for God to prosper the business.
A business owner that goes to our church, the Lord ask the man to be a door opener all week during the Copeland meeting. He had 3 small contracts he was trying to close, but told them he could not, he had to serve at the church. So he closed the door all week, lost those contracts.
However, he is following the direction of the Holy Spirit, the business is not first, God is first, and if God asked him to hold a door open for people all day fora week, that is what He did.
His testimony is that the week after the Copeland meeting, a man came in and just happened to have contacts with Walmart. Something impossible to do, but He got the contract with Walmart, and that one contract made him more money than all 3 years combined in his business. That led to a contract with Target.
All the guy did was give up 3 small mom and pop contracts he desperately needed to keep the bills paid to open a church door for God.
So, even business owners in my example need to be in the Word, be hearing God, be believing God for the best equipment.
