Page 54 - Christ in You - The Hope of Glory

anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we
shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare
and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have
wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee
from these things, you man of God...

All the body needs to survive is food and covering. These are the necessities. All
beyond this are comforts. A man doesn’t need a house filled with furniture. He doesn’t need
televisions, stereos, game consoles, a swimming pool or jacuzzi, a pool table, or other forms
of entertainment, two cars in the garage, or walls adorned with decorations, and closets
filled with the merchandise of this world. I once had many of these things, back when I lived
as most Christians do today, making my own choices concerning the path I would walk. I
did not understand that choosing for myself a comfortable life was hindering the
maturation of the spiritual man.
Yahweh may provide all of these things to you at some point in your path. At other
times He may reduce you to nothing. The key to growth in Christ is being content with
whatever Yahweh chooses for us. The apostle Paul did not always know lean times. There
were seasons of plenty.

Philippians 4:11-13
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get
along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and
every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both
of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who
strengthens me.

I have found that the Lord will lead us to experience seasons of material blessing and
comfort. These often serve as intermissions in much longer seasons of leanness and
difficulty. There are seasons where He places us in the fire of refining, and times when He
takes us out of the fire for a period of refreshing. What is certain is that He will not choose
for us the uninterrupted comfort and ease that the majority of Christians have chosen for
themselves.

II Corinthians 11:27
I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in
hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

II Timothy 2:9
I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal...

II Timothy 2:3
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Yahshua.

II Timothy 4:5
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry.