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And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.Luke 16:9

No different than when He commanded us to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” here Jesus instructs us to view our earthly resources as “friends,” as missiles to send up-range into the eternal glory that we are headed, aimed toward! This wisdom is what God calls “durable riches” or those which are forever.

“Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.” Proverbs 8:18-19

Using Our Temporal Money, Investing it, for Eternal Rewards

There is no eternal wealth to be had in this fleeting world, other than to use the temporal to fund the eternal. Yet Jesus taught that we can use the temporal to fund, to create wealth in the eternal. Only that done for the eternal glory of Christ will last, will be waiting for our arrival in the eternal.

As we take a peek into this parable of the unjust, shrewd steward, let us ask “Just what was Jesus communicating here?” What was our LORD trying to teach, to impart into us?

And let us remember that a parable is simply an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

The Parable of the Unjust Steward or Parable of the Penitent Steward is a parable of Jesus which appears in Luke 16:1–13. In it, a steward who is about to be fired tries to “curry favor” with his master’s debtors by remitting some of their debts. Fittingly, this teaching of Christ extends to us just after He taught about the prodigal son who took his inheritance wealth and went off and squandered, wasted it. Jesus then segues into telling His disciples the parable of the unjust steward.

This parable is about how to handle money correctly.

Jesus’ Teaching Luke 16:9-13 – Parable of the Unjust, Shrewd Steward

9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail (die, pass away from this temporary earthly life), they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
10  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.
11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Of this teaching, one writer notes:

“God appears, and in the sovereignty of His grace turns that which man has abused on the earth into a means of heavenly fruit. The things of this world being in the hands of man, he is not to be using them for the present enjoyment of this world, which is altogether apart from God, but with a view to the future. We are not to seek to possess the things now, but by the right use of these things to make a provision for other times. It is better to turn all into a friend for another day than to have money now.”

In summation of these words of our LORD Jesus above, John Wesley writes:

“And I say to you – Be good stewards even of the lowest talents wherewith God hath intrusted you. Mammon means riches or money. It is termed the mammon of unrighteousness, because of the manner wherein it is commonly either procured or employed. Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good, particularly to the children of God: that when ye fail, when your flesh and your heart faileth, when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, those of them who have gone before may receive, may welcome you into the everlasting habitations.”

Adam Clarke on Luke 16:9:

“The mammon of unrighteousness – Μαμωνα της αδικιας – literally, the mammon, or riches, of injustice. Riches promise Much, and perform Nothing: they excite hope and confidence, and deceive both: in making a man depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation of God and of eternal glory. For these reasons, they are represented as unjust and deceitful. It is evident that this must be the meaning of the words, because the false or deceitful riches, here, are put in opposition to the true riches, Luk_16:11; i.e. those Divine graces and blessings which promise all good, and give what they promise; never deceiving the expectation of any man. To insinuate that, if a man have acquired riches by unjust means, he is to sanctify them, and provide himself a passport to the kingdom of God, by giving them to the poor, is a most horrid and blasphemous perversion of our Lord’s words. Ill gotten gain must be restored to the proper owners: if they are dead, then to their successors.

“The expression seems to be a mere Hebraism: – they may receive you, for ye shall be received; i.e. God shall admit you, if you make a faithful use of his gifts. He who does not make a faithful use of what he has received from his Maker has no reason to hope for eternal felicity. See Mat_25:33; and, for similar Hebraisms, consult in the original, Luk_6:38; Luk_12:20; Rev_12:6; Rev_16:15.”

Sending it before you…by using your earthly coins to lay up treasure in Heaven, eternal wealth, capital assets that shall never stop giving, is what Christ commanded us to do (Matthew 6:19-24).

The Believer’s Bible Commentary notes the following about this stewardship teaching of Jesus in Luke 16:

“We should make friends for ourselves by means of unrighteous mammon. That is, we should use money and other material things in such a way as to win souls for Christ and thus form friendships that will endure throughout eternity. Pierson stated it clearly:

‘Money can be used to buy Bibles, books, tracts and thus, indirectly, the souls of men. Thus what was material and temporal becomes immortal, becomes non-material, spiritual and eternal. Here is a man who has 100. He may spend it all on a banquet or an evening party, in which case the next day there is nothing to show for it. On the other hand, he invests in Bibles at 1.00 each. It buys a hundred copies of the Word of God. These he judiciously sows as seed of the kingdom, and that seed springs up into a harvest, not of Bibles but of souls. Out of the unrighteous, he has made immortal friends, who when he fails, receive him into everlasting habitations.’

“This then is the teaching of our Lord. By the wise investment of material possessions, we can have part in the eternal blessing of men and women. We can make sure that when we arrive at the gates of heaven, there will be a welcoming committee of those who were saved through our sacrificial giving and prayers. These people will thank us saying, ‘It was you who invited me here.’”

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7

Those who send their wealth forward into eternity, may appear poor on this earth and yet are full of treasure in heaven!

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Jesus taught:

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:19-24

Only that done for Christ with the temporal money of this fleeting world carries an “eternal weight of glory.”

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

YOUR PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ Name, asking You to forgive my misuse, my mis-stewarding of the resources You have and are giving me in this temporal life. Please forgive my sin of self-idolatry. LORD I ask You right now to truly be the LORD, the rightful Master of my life from this moment forward. Please grant my heart and mind to be imbued with an eternal perspective. Teach me Your wisdom O God and unite my heart to fear Thy holy Name, as I look eagerly and expectantly for Your soon return Jesus! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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The Return of Christ

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Jesus Sat Over Against The Treasury [podcast]

10 Clues Your Love for God has Waxed Cold [podcast]

Where to Give and Where Not to Give

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Parable of the Talents [podcast]

Proving Jesus Matters [podcast]

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Apostasy

The FORGOTTEN Sins of Sodom [podcast]


What were the Real and Root Sins of Sodom?

Explosive!
DO YOU KNOW WHAT SINS THE BIBLE CITES OF THE PEOPLE OF SODOM WHICH CAUSED DIVINE JUDGMENT TO FALL ON THEM? THIS LIST OF SINS MIGHT SHOCK YOU.

EXPOSING THE GATEWAY SINS TO SODOM’S DESTRUCTION

Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.

According to Romans 1 it seems that sexual deviance, namely homosexuality, is the sin, the final manifestation of evil before destruction transpires. The LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this sin and others and will or is destroying America for rejecting Him (Matthew 10:26-28). WHAT were the specific sins of Sodom and Gomorrah that preceded the ultimate “abomination” of homosexuality? (Leviticus 18:22) Does the Bible reveal these sins? Yes!

Homosexuality always has been and always will be an “abomination” in the eyes of our Holy God (Leviticus 18:22). Repent now and follow Jesus.

DID GOD LIST SODOM’S SINS? WHAT WERE THEY?
THIS SHOCKING LIST OF SINS AND MESSAGE WILL KEEP YOU OUT OF HELL!

Little known sins that led up to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Check this out.

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

Sodomy/homosexuality is usually the only sin attributed to the sins of Sodom and yet the Bible lists several sins that came before the ultimate turning over to homosexuality and further judgment (hell). See also Romans 1 and Ezekiel 16:49-51.

Jesus used this very example of Sodom to warn all under New Testament:

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:28-33

Impending Judgment for Sin

In Ezekiel 16 we read of the judgment coming on the LORD’s people for their sins.

The very sins committed by the people of Sodom before God destroyed that city, were being committed by the LORD’s professing people in Ezekiel’s day, and are today being committed by those claiming to know the LORD in our day.

“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. 51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.” Ezekiel 16:49-51 

This list of sins in the above passage begins with these 3:

PFA = Pride, Fulness of Bread, and Abundance of idleness.

The Sins of Sodom:

Sins Jerusalem cited for in Ezekiel 16:49-51:

  • Pride (arrogance),
  • Fulness of Bread (gluttony, hoarding),
  • Abundance of Idleness (idle, lazy),
  • did not help those in need due to preoccupation with self-worship (not generous in spreading God’s wealth to His people and work)
  • haughty
  • committed abomination (fornication)

In the bulleted sins listed above from this revealing Ezekiel 16 passage, did you notice the progression?

Though it culminated in sodomy, yet not one sex sin is even specifically mentioned in this list of Sodom’s sins in Ezekiel 16. Does this not align perfectly with the judgment we see in Romans 1, how “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God” and were unthankful, further enriching themselves while they ignored others?

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful (they were ungrateful); but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Romans 1:21

A fresh reading of Romans 1 reveals the root sins that preceded the sexual sins which immediately go before divine judgment. See Romans 1:18-32.

The sins that darken the hearts of those who once “knew God” and lead to the ultimate abomination of sodomy/homosexuality are pride, gluttony, idleness, and refusing to be generous givers to believers in need, etc.

Let’s Look Again at the Root, the Gateway Sins of the People of Sodom and Gomorrah:

PFA listed in Ezekiel 16:49-51:

  • Pride (arrogance),
  • Fulness of Bread (gluttony),
  • Abundance of Idleness (idle, lazy),
  • Like the fake religionists priest and Levite of Jesus’ Good Samaritan teaching, they did not help those in need due to preoccupation with self-worship (not generous in spreading God’s wealth to His people and work)

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged (weighed down) with surfeiting (gluttony), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare (trap) shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7

Spiritual “Leanness”

“And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” Psalms 106:15

“And this is exactly why there is a famine in the land. A famine ‘of hearing the words of the Lord’. Amos 8:11-13. This is the consequence of neglecting the Word of God. This famine is sent by God. To serve judgment because they have disregarded His Word and so their longings remain unsatisfied. It is a spiritual starvation, an emptiness. This is caused by disobedience and complacency. They shall ‘faint for thirst’. This implies an intense suffering. God has withdrawn His Word. As we see in these last days. People literally have contempt for God’s word. When you give them the pure unadulterated words of the Lord it angers them. So God will allow them to suffer an intense hunger because of their refusal of His words. This is why they are so prone to believe false prophets. Because they are weak and not ‘nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained’ 1 Timothy 4:6” Karen Cochran

Support | STORE | PodcastsThe Return of ChristStewardshipWhere to Give and Where Not to Give | Fruit Abounding to Your Account! | Consider Your Ways [podcast] | Consider and Build [podcast] | Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] | Dollar DialogueJesus Sat Over Against The Treasury [podcast] | Escaping Sodom!Waste | Stewardship | Giving

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Articles

“That Ye all Speak the Same Thing” [podcast]


Yes some abandon the sound doctrine which is the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Let such cease.

“That ye all speak the same thing” right?

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

Satan is introducing doubting, casting doubt upon what God has said, His Word, when he said to the woman in the temptation, “Hath God said?” See Genesis 3:1. And Satan in this exchange, changed, altered what God said, God’s Word. See Genesis 2:17 and 3:4. Game changer! The enemy has not changed and we are not be ignorant of his devices, right? (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

We stand with both feet and every ounce of our weight on God’s Word with utter impunity to Satan and his kingdom of evil.

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”  Romans 3:4

The final blow of death is coming to him, soon.

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” Romans 16:20

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:” Titus 2:1

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Because You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God Walking with Jesus on His Stated Terms – the Cross | Fasting and PrayerThe Old Man Must be Put Down [podcast]The 5 Sins That Keep God’s People Out of Their Promised Land [podcast]What Did Paul Mean by “I Keep Under My Body”? [podcast]“Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” [podcast]A Living Sacrifice unto God [podcast]Departing from Hell BeneathPrayer

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Abiding

Fruitful Life. Fruitful Evangelism. [podcast]


The Life God Blesses to Bear Fruit for His Eternal Glory

A fruitful life for God’s glory involves first being genuinely born again, abiding in Christ via the crucified life, bearing spiritual fruit—such as Christlikeness in character, good works, and evangelism—by remaining in vital union with Jesus, the true vine (John 15).

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

JUST as Jesus multiplied the little with the boy who gave the loaves and fishes, so He does with our efforts. Jesus multiplied that little and fed 5,000 men, and that doesn’t count the women and children present. Try Him.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 34:8

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:40-46

God blesses the lives of His faithful saints. His faithful saints seek His face continually.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

God prospers us according as we seek His face and stay upon Him. Of king Uzziah king of Judah, God’s Word says:

“As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” 2 Chronicles 26:5

At times in this life there are season of uncertainty, where our vision may not be clear. We must “stay upon” the LORD.

“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

We’ve never been so reminded of this as of the miraculous events of late where beloved brother Juan dropped some plastic water bottles that hit me in the feet. Only God could have orchestrated this collision of Juan’s life and mine.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23

Ask Him.

Recently brother Stacy Strother reminded me that God simply wants us, His people to be available, to pray and watch Him work!

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20

It has been wisely stated:

“Show me a man’s prayer life, his life of prayer or lack thereof, and I will show you who that man truly is and who and what he loves most.”

All who are zealous for the LORD are zealous about His work, to do it. Not build a church, but to see Christ work in the hearts of men—to strengthen and equip His body and convict and save lost souls to Himself.

One source notes:

“Evangelism is the act of sharing the Christian gospel—the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—with the aim of inviting others into a relationship with God. It is considered a core mission for believers to spread this message of salvation, hope, and love, often stemming from Jesus’s command in the Great Commission.”

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ name, unite my heart to fear Thy name. Do your work in and through my life. I am all Yours. Maximize the fruit produced to Your eternal glory. You must increase but I must decrease. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here |All Ministry UpdatesThe Greatest of these is Charity | Be Ready in the Morning [podcast] | The Sure Mercies of David [podcast] | That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  | Great Commission

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