Tag Archive: money


Each of us has a story that God is writing for our lives. But are you content with the story that God is writing for your life? In 1 Corinthians 7:17, you are reminded that each person should lead the life that the Lord has assigned and called them to lead.

Some people are always seeking to obtain more. They can never be content because their desires are not godly. In 1 Timothy 6:9-11, there is a warning, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

The thought of looking at other people’s lives and wishing it were your own is not being content. When you are content, you are satisfied with your own achievements and purpose in life. There is great gain in godliness with contentment (1 Timothy 6:6).

The scriptures warn of the last days and the types of people that you should avoid.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV).

Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28 ESV).

People who live in affluence for all of life (such as many people in North America and Western Europe) can easily become so accustomed to wealth, blessings, and prosperity that they can easily forget what blessings they actually have. However, if those possessions are taken away, those people will certainly look at life with a new perspective, realizing how much they really had.

You don’t realize how much you have until you don’t have it anymore.

God knows the importance of balance; that is, the importance of having both blessings and difficulties. There are several scriptures that speak about this balance. For example in 1 Peter 4:13, we are told: Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Notice how we participate both in suffering and in joy.

Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:7, Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth: And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. They experienced both suffering and comfort.

Don’t become too comfortable with what you have, because when you forget that the things you have are a blessing from God and when you start to assume that they are guaranteed possessions, it is quite possible that God will take them away from you in order to teach you that you need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.

Contributed: Christ Notes

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25) NKJV. 

Royalty

The idea of being successful in this world today is to acquire power and position, which comes with financial gains. Everyone is competing for the next big break to win a crown. Notwithstanding, there’s nothing wrong with trying to achieve success. What is wrong is when people become overly greedy and zealous in putting all their emphasis on the material things of this world. These things are temperate, meaning that they are not lasting. As a result, the crown that one will win is a perishable crown. Those people who are committed to their faith, know that they run a race for an imperishable crown. Accordingly, this crown will take you beyond life on this earth.

Our culture glorifies celebrities, power, position, money and material things; however, these people and things are not lasting.  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) NKJV

On this earth, one has to strike a balance. You can aim for the sky, but understand that at the end of your journey on this earth, you have a report and accountability for how you spend your life while here. What will your report be? Have you fulfilled your God-given purpose? Or were you more caught up in the perishable crown phenomenon?

Let’s strive for an imperishable crown today. 

What if you see a sign which reads, “I’m Homeless and Hungry; Please Help Me!” What would you do?

Homeless and Hungry

This week a story caught my attention of a man who posed as a homeless and hungry person, in order to give away money to people who stopped to help him. See video below:

As I reflected on this week’s story, I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:2, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

See the break-down of the criteria from the Scripture below:

  1. Gift of prophecy
  2. Understand all mysteries
  3. Knowledge
  4. Faith
  5. Charity

Needless to say, I am blown away by the last criterion on the list. If one has such a wonderful gift of prophecy, in order to foresee and foretell things that will happen in the future, and can also interpret and relay the mysteries of God, which some people are oblivious of, and knowledge, which spans beyond comprehension, as well as faith so strong that it moves mountains, but have not charity, you have nothing. Charity means the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.

I am almost sure that this man who pretended to be homeless and hungry must have met so many rejections on the street, as opposed to the few who stopped to help. However, Paul instructed us to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

As we approach the holiday seasons; there are many people who are less fortunate and maybe in dire needs. Seek your abundant blessings through giving, by helping someone.

Pay it forward!

God bless you all!

It’s Only A Test!

Are you going through the roughest time in your life right now? If so, how are you coping? Are you about to give up? Are you thinking that God has forgotten your struggles? Are you thinking that you will never overcome these tribulations? Have you been spiritually attacked? Are you being deceived by the enemy? Have you lost something or someone precious? Are you dealing with a sickness that has no cure by the doctors? Are you waiting on God to connect you with your partner in marriage? Have you been trying to get pregnant, but has been unfruitful in your effort? Have you been financially depressed? Have you been attacked by the ones who you think should have your back?

God told me to tell you that it’s only a test! How can you be promoted from one grade to the next, without having to undergo any test? Take for example, in the natural world, where you have been in grade 6, and should move to grade 7. Would you just get to grade 7 without enduring a test? NO!

God is getting ready to promote you in your finances, your ministry, your career, your educational status, your singleness, your barrenness, your loveless life, your health, and all that’s on your wish list. But you have to pass your test. It’s only when you have completed this test, you will be rewarded. Bear in mind, that if you fail the test, you will have to retake it. You have got to press! If you do not press, you won’t see the glory of the Lord! The race is not to the swift, but to those who will endure to the end (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

The woman with the issue of blood pressed in to receive her healing. She had faith to continue to endure throughout all that she had been through. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God, and if you can’t please Him, He can’t reward you (Hebrews 11:6).

When God restores, He gives you the biggest, the best, and the greatest! So come on, it’s not time to throw in the towel. Wherever you are right now, it’s time to muster every ounce of strength in your body, so that you can make it to the finish line. It just take a little more of your effort, even though you think all your strength has been exhausted. His grace is sufficient, as His strength is made perfect in weakness ( 2 Corinthians 12:9).

When you think enough is just enough, you have one more test to overcome, in order for God to advance you to the next level. If you are getting overly exhausted, and you believe it’s just too difficult to get past this level, I would personally love to pray for you. Please email me at info@enoughtribulations.com, so I can personally minister and pray for you.

Grace and peace to you.

Minister Gertrude Ferguson

Most people have no trouble finding things to complain about: traffic is slow, gas is too expensive, the weather is bad, prices are too high. Yet in every single situation, that same person also has a lot to be thankful for: he can drive, has a car, has a shelter to be protected from the weather, and has the money to purchase necessary items.

Your circumstances may not be all that great, but wherever you are it is God’s will that you give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what your circumstances are, you can always thank God for deliverance through Christ (see 2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 7:24-25).

Indeed, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was so important that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were instructed to be thankful regardless of what happened that day.

The psalmist wrote: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). Notice that we can’t even enter God’s gates unless we’re thankful.

It certainly is possible to live giving thanks to God the Father for everything (Ephesians 5:20), because thankfulness depends on what is in your heart, not what is in your hand.

Contributed: Christ Notes

Most people have no trouble finding things to complain about: traffic is slow, gas is too expensive, the weather is bad, prices are too high. Yet in every single situation, that same person also has a lot to be thankful for: he can drive, has a car, has a shelter to be protected from the weather, and has the money to purchase necessary items.

Your circumstances may not be all that great, but wherever you are it is God’s will that you give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what your circumstances are, you can always thank God for deliverance through Christ (see 2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 7:24-25).

Indeed, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was so important that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were instructed to be thankful regardless of what happened that day.

The psalmist wrote: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). Notice that we can’t even enter God’s gates unless we’re thankful.

It certainly is possible to live giving thanks to God the Father for everything (Ephesians 5:20), because thankfulness depends on what is in your heart, not what is in your hand.

Contributed: Christ Notes

Most people have no trouble finding things to complain about: traffic is slow, gas is too expensive, the weather is bad, prices are too high. Yet in every single situation, that same person also has a lot to be thankful for: he can drive, has a car, has a shelter to be protected from the weather, and has the money to purchase necessary items.

Your circumstances may not be all that great, but wherever you are it is God’s will that you give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what your circumstances are, you can always thank God for deliverance through Christ (see 2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 7:24-25).

Indeed, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was so important that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were instructed to be thankful regardless of what happened that day.

The psalmist wrote: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). Notice that we can’t even enter God’s gates unless we’re thankful.

It certainly is possible to live giving thanks to God the Father for everything (Ephesians 5:20), because thankfulness depends on what is in your heart, not what is in your hand.

Contributed: Christ Notes

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25) NKJV. 

Royalty

The idea of being successful in this world today is to acquire power and position, which comes with financial gains. Everyone is competing for the next big break to win a crown.  Notwithstanding, there’s nothing wrong with trying to achieve success. What is wrong is when people become overly greedy and zealous in putting all their emphasis in the material things of this world. These things are temperate, meaning that they are not lasting. The crown that one will win is a perishable crown. For people who are committed to their faith, know that they run a race for an imperishable crown. This crown will take you beyond life on this earth.

Our culture glorifies celebrities, power, position, money and material things; however, these people and things are not lasting.  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) NKJV

On this earth, one has to strike a balance. You can aim for the sky, but understand that at the end of your journey on this earth, you have a report and accountability for how you spend your life while here. What will your report be? Have you fulfilled your God-given purpose? Or were you more caught up in the perishable crown phenomenon?

Let’s strive for an imperishable crown today. 

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