However, I believe it depends on the sphere one is called to. If I were called to live and work among the power brokers of Wall Street (I don’t believe I am), to be able to communicate with them and reach them, at some level, I would have to live on their level, otherwise I would not be able to gain an entrance in their life. This could trickle down to where I live, what I drive, what I wear, etc. One could look at that and say it’s being overly extravagant if I were to live in a million dollar home, drive a BMW, wear $2,000 suits, etc. I’m reminded of the verse (and I’m not accusing you of this, I’m using it to guard my heart and keep me from doing it!), “why do you judge your brother? Before his God he stands or falls, and God is able to make him stand” (paraphrased). That’s what it really comes down to - God, what is my responsibility before You, how am I to live before You, what am I to give, etc.

For those of us who have possibly grown up in non-Christian homes with parents who were hurting, we might feel guilty if we were to go out and buy a new car even if we could afford it, and needed it. That is not from God just as much as buying a car you can’t afford.

John Wesley is becoming one of my heroes. He purposed to live on a certain amount each year, and despite making more and more each year, kept his standard of living the same. I’m not in the more and more stage yet! (more character and skill development needed) but I want to be. I also am reminded of Cornelius, whose prayers and giving came before God as a sweet incense. I know (not personally) an example of a person who is very gifted in business who lives in a simple house, and has given away millions into the kingdom, because this person’s gift is to make money. I’m sure he enjoys what he does, and enjoys the giving.

I don’t disagree, we do need to examine ourselves. However, I am not Jesus, I cannot solve the world’s problems, nor do I want to be unduly burdended beyond what is necessary (for intercession, appropriate giving, etc). I can only be faithful in my sphere and pray that others are in there’s. This calls for wisdom!!

Thank you for your insight.

I am not belittling. Please forgive me if that is how it came across. When I speak of Christians I do not mean all but most. Yes it is true some are giving but that is a ,very small part. The average American Evangelical Christan gives less than 3% of their income. We have billions in our 401k’s extra houses, savings for retirement and all the rest. I believe we Christians, me included, spend to much time hording and not giving.

Again, not all but many are living just like the world when it comes to handling God’s money. I encourage all Christians to look and see where their priorities are. Is it making more and accumulating more stuff or is it to give it away to further God’s kingdom.

Not all “American” Christians fall under that category. I don’t understand why you belittle so often. WE, as Christians, American or not, need to encourage each other, not beat each other down.

Three thousand children die everyday of malaria. Our missionaries get malaria like headaches. Thirty million people have died of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Fifty million die each year—and most die young and in agony. While you’re reading this, one hundred are dying each minute. If you could hear them all, you’d hear so many screams you’d go insane. Only God can hear them all and not go insane. God parcels out our awareness in small amounts lest we go under.

How can you live in a world like that as a loving person and rejoice in the Lord? How can we, American Christians, enjoy our many cars, our second beach houses and lake homes, our large retirement accounts, our large bank accounts, our saving plans and all of the other stuff we have when people are dying in agony each hour throughout the world. I believe God will hold each one of us accountable. And we complain when a little discomfort comes our way. May God have mercy on us.

Thanks for the reminders on suffering. We do need all of God’s counsel. I guess I’m wondering about perspective on it, and what we are to do in the midst of it. I look at the verses in Philippians about meditating on what is good, true, pure, etc. Also in Hebrews where it says that Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame. He saw the end and kept that in mind. Yet, he did suffer in His body and was sorrowful. Also, I think of that verse where it says that he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

There are clearly examples of believers around the world who suffered - Corrie Ten Boom, Richard Wurmbrand, Brother Yun of China - these are known because books have been writtten about them; there are many more others who have not been known.

I guess the point of inflection on all this is where it applies to us, what our individual callings (in the context of God’s larger corporate purposes) are, applying His Word to our lives, being related to His body and to unbelievers. It’s no accident (Acts 17:26) we were born where we were born, we were given the gifts we have, etc. I’ve read where only 5% of people are actually called to serve in full-time capacity in the church. The remainder (whatever the actual % is) are called outside, be it as a mom, student, business person, etc. Business people have mostly been relegated as 2nd class citizens of the kingdom. We don’t want to go the other way and say we’re the top dogs either. But we’re just as called as the mom, student or pastor. I believe it relates to being secure in God’s love for us.

Lastly, John Wesley is becoming one of my heroes of the faith (in addition to the Biblical heroes and the ultimate HERO). He purposed to live a on a certain amount each year, yet sought to excel in business and God blessed him. He also fasted 2 days a week (I’m not there yet but I want to be!) until 4 PM (Wed & Fri’s) and impacted two nations (at least) - England and America. Also consider Cornelius, his prayers and giving came before God as a sweet incense. How about Job, who was a godly and wealthy man of whom almost every believer has had the opportunity to read about his life - literally billions of people!!

Blessings,
Dennis

Your article has challenged me to treat my associates at work with compassion realizing they don’t know how to act without Christ. I have Holy Spirit within me and know how to treat others; to not do what I know is right toward them is sin. Thanks for the teaching! Keep them coming!

We are witnesses for Jesus Christ in the world. When filled with the Spirit, we are led by the Spirit and will be found where He wants us for His purposes. It does not matter if in business or working on the land or being a slave. Our desire is to do His will and to be obedient. We desire to serve Him and worship Him alone.

We have died to our own fleshly desires and we have taken up Christ to be changed by trial and tribulation, by fire, into the image of Christ. We do not seek the things of this world, the pride of life, the lust of the flesh. Business or no business is not important. To be obedient ONE day at a time, sharing in love, having compassion, giving a word of encouragement, or an exhortation, meeting and praying for strangers and loved ones.

To be christlike, to love Him, to be holy, to be filled with joy! To know Him and the power of His resurrection. Jesus. Every knee shall bow, whether riches, wealth, honor, pride of that which is on earth or in heaven or under the earth.

Put your eyes upon Him and then He will give you the desires of your heart ( to know Him, to fellowship with Him, to walk with Him…). Do not think about the things below (on earth). When your eyes are upon Him, then you will endure anything, suffer long and your hope will not be ashamed.

Now therefore, let us lay aside that which the world offer and put our eyes on Him, the author and finisher of our faith.

May the Lord, the Omnipotent One, who can do more, beyond what you could see or imagine, strenghthen your faith and make you abound in His love so that you may know Him and His purpose in this end time.

Thanks for this message. It confirms the word he has given me.

Sometimes suffering does not stop.

But in this fallen world of futility that is not all that sustaining grace does.

Not grace to bar what is not bliss,
Nor flight from all distress, but this:
The grace that orders our trouble and pain,
And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

One of the young men in our church is going through some deep waters right now which are testing his faith almost to the limit. He said to me recently: it would be easier if Jesus hadn’t healed but instead had given grace to endure the absence of healing. One of the things I said to him was this: That’s exactly what Jesus did do—and for that very reason—in 2 Corinthians 12:9–10. God’s grace ordains that Paul have a thorn in the flesh for the sake of his humility and then will not remove it in answer to prayer. But he says,

My [sustaining] grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.

To which Paul responds,

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Our experience and the Bible teach us that grace does not prevent pain, but orders and arranges and measures out our pain, and then in the darkness is there to sustain. For example, Bob Ricker, the president of the Baptist General Conference, spoke of precious reminders of God’s sustaining grace. Not quite ten years ago Bob and Dee’s daughter was in a serious automobile accident. She is alive today for one reason. In the car behind her was a doctor who happened to have an air tube in his pocket. By the time he got to her she was already turning blue. He forced the tube into her throat and saved her life. At her wedding a few years later, Bob told her: those facial scars you have to live with—they are memorials of sustaining grace.

Now Bob Ricker is not naïve. He knows that if God can ordain that in the car behind there be a doctor, and that this doctor have a breathing apparatus in his pocket, and that he have the presence of mind to use it savingly, then this God is fully able to prevent the accident in the first place. In fact, earlier Bob had quoted Ephesians 1:11, “We have been predestined according to his purpose who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” And he stressed: “All things, means all things”—including, I assume, the paths of cars and airplanes and arrows and bullets.