Whether or not Q is real, whether or not the military will save us, it cannot change your actions today. You have control over what you control, and no control over what you cannot control. You will be held to account to God for how you decide to act within the realms where you have power to act. Thus, you must focus exclusively on what you can do and should do, and how best to execute on it.
At the top of the priority list should always be your devotion to God. God demands we worship him and him alone. This means you must study out who God is and how to properly worship him. This is not for the faint of heart -- even studying and practicing for a lifetime is not enough to understand what this means. Every thought must be directed to him. Every prayer to him. Every action to him. Every offering to him.
From here, all things branch out. The Two Great Commandments, available both in the Old and New Testaments, is to "Love God" and "Love your neighbor". How to love God? With all your heart, might, mind and strength. How to love your neighbor? As yourself. What does love mean? We in modern society think of love as a feeling, but it is an action, and act, something you do and not feel.
The Ten Commandments branch from these, and cover the most basic elements of proper actions. It is clear from these commandments that God values honesty, fidelity in marriage, family life, and property ownership. Of course, we can go through the Old and New Testaments and find multiple explicit commandments or punishments for disobedience. Again, a lifetime of study is not enough time to learn how to act rightly before God.
Let's bring this home to our modern times and our modern understanding.
- Get married, stay married, and practice sexual activity only in marriage. Any extra-marital sexual act is forbidden. That means no porn, no adultery, no pre-marital sex. No divorce! But on a higher level, this is a devotion to family life. No greater happiness exists than fulfilling your duty in your family. And the reverse, No greater sadness exists than failing your duty in your family. Bear lots of children, more than you can handle. No one ever said, "I wish I didn't have so many kids!" Spend all of your efforts teaching and raising your kids. No physical treasure compares to well-raised kids.
- Get rich. This isn't optional. How do you get rich? Write a budget. Spend less than you earn. Earn more. Build an emergency fund. Get out of debt. Acquire investments assets -- real estate being a major one. Become truly self-sufficient with a garden and animals you raise and eat. Dave Ramsay has a lot of advice on how to get rich and how to behave as a rich person.
- Get educated. The idea that the purpose of education is to learn "practical skills" is absurd. Real education is about developing the proper and right character and attributes. Real education starts with the Bible and a whole lot of time praying and seeking truth. Of course you are going to incorporate other methods and materials.
- Get strong. "Physical strength is the most important thing in life" as Rippetoe says. It doesn't matter what you have if you are physically incompetent and require a wheelchair or medicine just to cope with life. People bound to wheelchairs and who require medicine just to live know what a great gift it is to have a body that works -- so keep your body in the best physical condition you can get it!
When we have enough people living rightly, with strong families, personal and familial real wealth, and a true and real education, physically fit, then we can talk about become self-governing. Until that point, however, we are far to weak in one way or the other to matter, and easily manipulated or controlled.
The first goal is to learn to govern yourself, then to govern your family, then to govern your community and finally your nation. If you cannot govern yourself, you cannot govern your family. And so on.
Some of this is not great advice.
Getting rich isn't a thing God people should be striving for. Even Jesus said a rich man will have a hard time entering the Kingdom of Heaven. In the passage he seemed to be pretty upset about it as well.
You can't serve God to your fullest if you're busy getting rich. serving yourself.
In my opinion it should be get out of debt and live in your means while save that way you can walk in God's plan with out being hindered down by debt or finances.
Getting educated at a basic reading, writing, and math is good, as well as the Bible. But the most richest people in the world are not educated. They're just smart and (most the time evil).
I believe you are incorrect.
There is a difference between getting rich and being greedy. I see no issues what-so-ever being rich and following Jesus. The problem is if you’re greedy then how can you follow Jesus?
If you use your skills to bless others (through jobs, donations or helping less fortunate) and God blesses you there is nothing wrong with that. It's when you covet wealth and become miserly and grasping (persuing wealth rather than having a spirit of service) that it goes against biblical priciples. Compare Mike Lindell to hedge fund trader. One wants to serve by making a great product as the latter pursues wealth for wealth's sake.
this x1000
Indeed there's a huge difference between greed and riches. Everyone here is already more rich then any kings through out history.
You have heat, lights, AC, bathroom so many food choices and most people never have to worry about food. Not to mention soo many other conveniences.
Now tell me the richest people through out history's past wouldn't give up most their wealth for these things?
I believe most people in USA are more rich then we even know. I just feel really bad for people living on like 2 dollars a day in other places. Or how about everyone in the poor neighborhoods still having i-phones, nikes and what ever else made by slaves in china. Those people are also rich they just think they're poor
We just have a very different world view to what we perceive is rich, and I just want people to know that you don't need all that stuff to follow Jesus
I think it’s easy to follow Jesus when you have nothing or when your world is collapsing.
It’s difficult when you’re rich because where is the motivation to admit your failings?
It is easier to follow Jesus when you have nothing. It is harder to follow Jesus when you're rich and I commend the people that can do both, it's also even harder to give everything to the poor.
When you gain riches from being poor, it's hard to give it up. You worked hard, you focused, put in more time then everyone else. But my guess is your riches will be crazy in Heaven if you gave it away to serve God's kingdom. At the end that's what it's about.
Parable of the talents disagrees with you.
The servant who buried his talent had his talent taken away and given to the servant who turned 5 talents into 10.
If you are not producing wealth, you are doing something wrong.
Note: WEALTH, not filthy lucre. Do NOT sell your soul for money. But put your honest effort in, and create something that makes the world a better place, and get paid for it, so you can create more things that make the world a better place.
Jesus said a rich man will have a tough time getting to heaven.
Jesus also views wealth differently then we do, IMO try to get wealthy in Heaven for when you're there.
If you focus on getting rich here you're not giving all your heart to God, the first commandment.
God will provide comforts, but riches I don't think that's for everyone.
The rich man has to pass through the eye of the needle. The "eye of the needle" is a side entrance to Jerusalem. Merchants had to unload their camels before entering the gate as it was too low and narrow to put a burdened camel through.
Rich people have to shed all their assets before going to heaven. It's best to live life knowing that your assets are temporary, and at best, you are like a steward for resources that God has given us abundantly. You can't take your wealth with you when you die, and it's pointless to try. What's better is to lay up for yourself treasure in heaven. Use your assets and resources today to exchange them for assets and resources tomorrow. IE, take care of the widows and the poor, be generous with people around you, etc...
I found it to be off-putting as well.
No one's insights or perspective is going to be the right thing for everyone.
Personally, my belief: Yes, we ARE forgiven, but we also continue to sin anew. Forgiveness is a doorway constantly offered to us by God and Christ, a doorway that leads from the realm of sin to the realm of re-union with God. However, we have to walk through that door again and again and again. So yes, we are still very much accountable for our choices and actions.
Forgiveness liquidates Christ's barriers to us, but does not liquidate our barriers to him. Receiving the forgiveness is an ongoing process. In my view.
Thy kingdom come, on Earth as it is in Heaven. God's kingdom fulfilled is not just an afterlife thing, imo.
But most certainly, be glad that your name is remembered and beloved by God. Gladness is a very good thing.