End Times and Current Events

To me, giving is an important bible study topic for a number of reasons.  This isn't only because I grew up in America and I'm rich compared to people elsewhere in the world but mostly because Jesus said that it's harder for a rich man to enter into heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.  When I read everything Jesus said concerning that rich man it led me to believe that the rich man would not enter into heaven unless he sold everything he had and gave it to the poor.  Yet Jesus also said that with God all is possible.  With what Jesus said on top of a few other choice scriptures, I made a sincere effort to do my best to understand this important topic.

Personally, I want to start off what I'm about to say by stating that this is what I believe and it's not meant to influence anyone in a negative way; I recommend that anyone who really wants to understand what the bible says about giving do the research for their self since I won't be mentioning every scripture concerning it in this post.  The bible is a great wealth of knowledge and I simply wont be able to fully cover everything I believe about giving.  This post is just a summary of "How I feel about giving" and is open to reproof from the body of Christ.

Here goes...

I believe God wants me to obey Matthew 5:42-46 and literally give to anyone who asks of me (when it is in my power to do so).  In my understanding, this includes spending time with people and (metaphorically speaking) walk 2 miles with people if they ask me to walk 1 mile with them.  Although I'm not here to talk about how I've been obeying Matthew 5:42 and I almost never see any other Christians obey it, I created this post to compare Matthew 5:42 with the story Jesus told about the 10 virgins (5 wise and 5 foolish). 

It took the Lord a few years of my life to really show me why it is foolish to give in certain times (namingly the days of darkness when no christian can work).  You see, I believe that right now we're approaching dark times and even what some people call "the great and dreadful day of the Lord" which makes this relevant for Christians to consider.  So first I ask that we set aside any debates about what the "oil" can stand for concerning the 10 virgins of the parable.  As far as I'm personally concerned the oil could be anything (money, resources, time, attention, ...) but I personally believe it is more likely to mean something along the lines of understanding of the Word of God.

The Word of God is not only referred to as being more precious than gold and silver but we're also told not to cast out pearls before swine.  To me, the pearls refer also to understanding the "meaty" topics of the bible.  Why else would someone turn against you for casting something of value to them?  The unlearned simply don't value the Word of God like we who believe do.  And to them the preaching of the milk of the word is foolishness, let alone the meat of the word!

What I'm about to say, I say by the faith that people that come to this forum and take the time to read this post are not fools and are not swine and that's why I say it (because I believe you understand).  I also know that I probably don't even need to post a link to each scripture I'm referring too because you've read the bible for yourself.  A prudent man can sometimes keep knowledge to himself and so this is why I believe all of what I am saying goes back to the story of the foolish virgins who were not prepared for the darkness (midnight) when the bridegroom comes. 

Many Christians I chat with (in various places these days) are very offended at me when I even talk to them.  This is because I refuse to believe in bibles other than the KJB.  These same Christians in my understanding are what I see as possibly being the foolish virgins of the parable.  I say this because of 2nd Peter Chapter 3 and how it refers to those who are willingly ignorant and those who wrest certain scriptures to their own destruction.  However, don't get me wrong, my understanding of the parable of the 10 virgins doesn't stop with Christians who continue to hold to the lies of the NIV bible but also to giving in general in the days to come.

Before Jesus returns, there's going to be darkness and many are going to fall away and some will probably be destroyed for a lack of knowledge and so on.  So I want to be prepared for those days before they come (by obeying Matthew 5:42 now).  I want to continue to place my trust in the Lord and not the strength of my own hands or how many canned goods I can fit in my kitchen.  Because for as much as I know, it would do me no good to have all kinds of things saved up in my kitchen or elsewhere if my apartment was raided and I was shot or beheaded on sight for not taking the mark of the beast.

I want to go into the dark days (midnight when Christian persecution is commonplace) knowing that: while it was day, I worked and built my house on the rock of Jesus by obeying Matthew 5:42 for as long as I could.  I simply believe it is impossible to build your house on the rock if you hear the sayings of Jesus (as in Matthew 5:42) and not obey them.  Anyone who hears the great sayings of Jesus and doesn't obey them has surely built their house on the sand in my understanding. 

So anyway, when the days of darkness finally do come, I'll likely minimize all my communications with both brethren and non-believers especially (because at that time it would be foolish to obey Matthew 5:42 in most cases).  I also don't want to be in those days arguing about what I believe the mark of the beast is with someone who holds an NIV bible in their left hand and has the mark of the beast in their other hand (metaphorically speaking).  My point is, I have been ignored by many people who claim to be of my brethren (even while it was the day and they had it in their power to sincerely communicate with me and share in some cases), so when if and when the day comes which they are coming to me asking questions they should have learned already or asking for canned goods and lamp oil (literal lamp oil) I'm probably not even going to answer my door when they knock.  They should have known what was coming to pass and been prepared.

There's a time for everything.  A time for giving to those who ask while it is still the day and a time for refusing to give to those who ask when it's just about midnight and the darkness of full blown wickedness has fallen upon the land.

God bless you all in the days to come