EMBRACE WISDOM FOR ABUNDANCE, POVERTY IS NOT A VIRTUE
13 HERE IS ANOTHER BIT OF WISDOM THAT HAS IMPRESSED ME AS I HAVE WATCHED THE WAY OUR WORLD WORKS.
14 There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it.
15 A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. BUT AFTERWARDS NO ONE THOUGHT TO THANK HIM.
16 SO EVEN THOUGH WISDOM IS BETTER THAN STRENGTH, THOSE WHO ARE WISE WILL BE DESPISED IF THEY ARE POOR. WHAT THEY SAY WILL NOT BE APPRECIATED FOR LONG."
Ecclesiastes 9:13–16 (NLT)
Poverty is not a morality or a beneficial quality. Someone who is wise but poor, his or her wisdom would be despised (Ecclesiastes 9:15,16).
There is wisdom for a financial change or turnaround for every believer in Christ through the Word of God, thus, embrace it.
Someone can be wise in other matters of life, but be unwise in financial matters.
Someone, a believer, who is stingy or tightfisted is not wise about financial success or blessings in the Kingdom: "THERE IS ONE WHO SCATTERS, YET INCREASES MORE; AND THERE IS ONE WHO WITHHOLDS MORE THAN IS RIGHT, BUT IT LEADS TO POVERTY" (Proverbs 11:24 NKJV).
The wisdom of God, the Bible wisdom, is always contrary to the wisdom of man—the wisdom of the world (Isaiah 55:8,9).
God's wisdom on issues of life is foolishness to the people of the world: "BUT THE NATURAL MAN [the unbeliever] DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED" (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).
"BECAUSE THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN MEN, AND THE WEAKNESS OF GOD IS STRONGER THAN MEN."
1 Corinthians 1:25 (NKJV)
19 FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT.”
20 WHERE IS THE WISE? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? HAS NOT GOD MADE FOOLISH THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD?"
1 Corinthians 1:19,20 (NKJV)
The way of financial blessing in God's Kingdom is foolishness to the people of the world.
The wisdom of the world believes that you should keep or hoard whatever you have in order to have or get more. But the Bible says; give and more would be given to you (Luke 6:38).
The Bible says: you should scatter to have more, that If you withheld more than necessary, you would be poor (Proverbs 11:24).
The principle of the Kingdom is foolishness to a natural or carnal person (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Thus, a person with a natural senses would not agree with you that you would get or receive back If you scattered what you have: "CAST YOUR BREAD UPON THE WATERS, FOR YOU WILL FIND IT AFTER MANY DAYS" (Ecclesiastes 11:1 NKJV).
The Scripture quoted above is not logical; deductive or provable. Such would not make sense to a natural person, but whoever is walking in the spirit, who has the Bible sense, would understand It.
If you walked or relied on your senses, you definitely would miss the wisdom of God.
If you rationalized what the Holy Spirit is telling you, substitute the natural for the supernatural explanation, you would miss God.
When the Holy Spirit tells you, what is in line with the Bible, do not argue with Him. What God would tell you to do at times might not be sensible or reasonable according to human's wisdom.
Taking the ten percent of your income to the church, and giving part of your money or income as offerings, might not be sensible; but that is the pattern through which God said to bless His people who are obedient to the Word—the principles found in the Bible (Malachi 3:10-12).
I have heard people condemning tithe paying or other forms of Giving in the church. Some said Why should someone give his or her money to a pastor who is comfortable more than they do? (Galatians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 9:11,14).
God's commands cannot be reasoned out. If you wanted to do that, you would not obey the Word or commands or instructions of God. You might even accuse God that He is not fair or just.
Many, even believers, had missed their blessings because they tried to reason out the instructions given to them by God through the Holy Spirit; when asked to do something, to give their substance or whatever, but refused to do it.
Someone who claims to be born-again, who wants to live by his or her senses or reasonings, would definitely miss God. The sense realm is the realm of Satan, you surely cannot beat him If you dwell there.
When you started arguing over or about Giving in the church, It shows how shallow in understanding and unwise you are. Whoever is arguing or rationalizing the written Word of God is unwise.
God is wiser than man and no experience can negate the Word of God: "BECAUSE THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN MEN [humans], AND THE WEAKNESS OF GOD IS STRONGER THAN MEN [humans]" (1 Corinthians 1:25 NKJV).
If you are not practicing the principle of the Word of God, the Bible, and seems to be having results or success, thinking that you are smart, clever, or sensible; you are on slippery places (Psalm 73:3,12,13,16-18).
A believer who is ignorant of the truth, lacking in the knowledge of God on a particular subject of the Bible, would be allowed and arranged or divinely led to be taught on the subject. But after such has been taught but did not change, chastisement would follow (Hebrews 12:5,6).
If the truth of the Word of God learnt is not practiced, after you had been duly taught, then, divine rebuke, discipline or chastisement would be meted out to you, as a believer who God loves.
God will get the Word across to you in the way you can understand or comprehend, even If you are adamant or rigid in your opinion.
God will not neglect you in the state of spiritual ignorance, He would keep sending His Word to you through different means; the church, books, media, and human vessels who comes your way one on one.
After all said and done, If you bent and neglected the Word, you may be allowed to suffer the consequences of being rigid and recalcitrant.
Practice the covenant principle of Giving to avoid being despised. If you claimed to be wise but you are poor, your wisdom would be despised (Ecclesiastes 9:15,16).
There is no wisdom in knowing the truth, what the Word of God says, and you despised it.
Poverty is not a virtue. Poverty is not your lot. A person who claims to be a believer, who practices not the Word of God, cannot but be visited by poverty.
Ignorance of the truth begets poverty. And If knowledge of the Word of God which is the cure for ignorance is imparted, there is no longer any excuse for lack or poverty. Foolishness begets poverty, thus wise up!
Wisdom gives birth to abundance. Wisdom or power or ability for wealth or riches or abundance is given by God through His Word and the leadings of the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Note In conclusion:
a. be faithful in tithings and offerings (Malachi 3:10).
b. Give to the work of God (Exodus 25:1,2; 35:21).
c. Give to the servants of God (Galatians 6:6)
d. Give to the Needy in the church, or households of faith (Proverbs 19:17; Galatians 6:10).
d. Also, give as you are stirred or prompted in your heart by God through the Holy Spirit (Exodus 35:21; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
If you applied the Word of God on Giving, you will be considered a wise person who builds his or her house on the rock (Matthew 7:24). Peace!