We are living in an economic and spiritual season where the thoughts and intentions of men’s hearts are being publicly revealed. Economic crunch times are opportunities for the Lord to test his children to determine whether we will live by faith or trust in our own devices.  Those who choose to live by faith -- trusting in divine wisdom, the principle of sowing and reaping, and who choose to consider the poor -- will be publically rewarded, not just in eternity, but in this lifetime. We live in a season where the true sons and daughters of God will be revealed.

Those, however, who choose to live by their own wisdom and who stop sowing into the Kingdom or trusting in a heavenly economy will yield the reward of their own unbelief and may even end up in financial ruin.  

Now if you’re in financial mess right now does that mean that you are ruined forever? Nope – but make sure that you put your faith in God and not in your natural ability to produce wealth. God wants His children to be blessed, but the he will not release the fullness of His blessing into our lives if our bottom line trust is not in Him but in what we ourselves can produce. If you look within your heart and find that you do not possess this kind of heavenly wisdom yet, then simply cry out for it. James 3:15-17 says, that human wisdom does not “come down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

Matthew 6:33 says that if we seek God’s kingdom above all else, desiring to see heaven’s purposes become manifest through our own lives, then God will take care of all our physical needs for food, clothing, and shelter here on earth.  Not only that, but the scriptures teach over and over that God not only wants to provide for us, but He wants to reward us on earth AND in eternity. The way we choose to live in this lifetime will determine the level of reward we will experience in heaven. This lifetime is short and its pleasures are fleeting, but we will get to enjoy our heavenly rewards for all eternity!

With this kind of eternal perspective, perhaps we would be willing to live at a lower standard of living then perhaps we could, so that we can sow finances into the Kingdom. Not only that, but we’d be willing to endure temporary sufferings trusting that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18) We would also give heed to Jesus’ teachings on true blessing in Matthew 5:10-12:

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Jesus is looking for a people who will put more concern into building things that will remain through the fires of judgment upon His second coming than into building our own personal “kingdoms” for our own pleasure. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:14 that if we allow God to build His Kingdom through our lives that this ‘work’ will remain and not only that, but we will be rewarded for it.

Here is another passage to Consider from Hebrews 10:32-39 which I will allow to speak for itself.

“Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.

"For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And My righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away."

But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.”

And finally, I will leave these words of Jesus with you from Revelation 22:12…"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”

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