THE DEVIL'S LAST CARD PART 2

In the book of Revelation, Christ names a Church rich…the Church in Smyrna; while another Church names itself rich…the Church in Laodicea.

RE 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

RE 3:17  Because THOU SAYEST, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

In truth, the church in Smyrna was probably poor materially, for Christ mentions that he knows their works, tribulation and POVERTY…yet he pronounces them rich, in obvious reference to other kinds of riches not of this world.

On the other hand, he acknowledges that the Church of the Laodiceans SAY or claim to be rich and increased with goods (in obvious reference to their material wealth and prosperity); yet Christ calls them wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

Both Churches were supposedly ‘in Christ’…they were all believers; the only difference between both churches was simply in their perception of what TRUE riches were.

There is a church that believes fervently in material increase and prosperity…they speak it, pray it, live for it, and believe in it…but Christ calls them blind…they cannot see…

Christ isn’t the only one who doesn’t have much to say about material wealth and prosperity in a positive way…hear what James also has to say…

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God CHOSEN the poor of this world rich in faith, and HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM  which he hath promised to them that love him?

Was James merely encouraging materially poor believers, or did he speak the mind of God? Paul seems to corroborate his words!

1Cor 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

But God hath CHOSEN the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath CHOSEN the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God CHOSEN, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 That word CHOSEN appears several times here, but CHOSEN for what exactly? The foolish 'things'; ie the poor people of the world were chosen to CONFOUND the wise... The word CONFOUND means to cause surprise or confusion in someone, especially by not conforming to their expectations.

The despised people of this world were CHOSEN to bring to nothing, or DISVALUE the things that are...things that are prioritized
...that are most important to the world.

The truth is that Christ put in place another Economy for his people which we are yet to tap into...an Economy that bypasses the world's way of creating wealth, relying only upon God's way to meet our daily needs, but it appears that only the weak and foolish things of the world alone know how to tap into it...they have been CHOSEN to CONFOUND the wisdom of the wise and the time draws nearer for the fulfillment of those words.

There is no getting around the fact that THE WEALTHIER ONE IS, THE MORE PREOCCUPIED ONE WILL CERTAINLY BE WITH EARTHLY PURSUITS…this is the snare or trap that Paul was talking about…the trap laid by the devil:

1Titus 6:9 But THEY THAT WILL BE RICH FALL into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Paul didn't make it look like a PROBABILITY...he made a categorical statement...they FALL.

The noose around the necks of the employees...the slaves...waiters waiting for the reward of mammon grows tighter...gradually we will all be required to make deeper and deeper compromises till we get to the FINAL COMPROMISE - The Mark of the Beast.

Many will do ANYTHING to keep their ONLY SOURCE OF LIVING...it is the reason why this warning comes now...we must REMOVE our RELIANCE upon mammon and place it in God, for until we do, we know not what we WORSHIP...this is not a call to give up your jobs; rather it is a call to LOOK at God IN a new light...to view him genuinely as the Great Provider.

When income stops short of the mark, it is time to seek him as the Source, not to begin seeking for alternate sources of income that will only drag you into more subtle forms of mammon worship.

WEALTH AND THE PURSUIT OF IT WILL TIE YOU DOWN TO EARTHLY THINGS AND BLIND YOU FROM SEEING THE TRUE RICHES OF CHRIST!

1Tim 6:5    Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such WITHDRAW THYSELF.

6    But godliness with contentment is great gain.

This is the Gospel being taught today by the Modern Church…they have created a hunger for material wealth and comfort in the hearts of believers…planted a desire to be rich in their hearts…it is what today is the most common confession of their lips…no prayer is complete without the prayer for material blessing…they have entered the ‘ONE CHANCE’ of the devil!

PART 3 TO FOLLOW…