Kingdom Economics II 

Howdy!

The transition has begun.  Although we can still receive emails addressed to [email protected], and will do so through October, we have already changed our primary email to [email protected].

We also have some new websites under construction, and they will hopefully be operational within a few days.  There are three interlinked websites: www.CapenerMinistries.com, www.RiverWorshipCenter.org, and www.AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.  Each website will have its individual focus and features.

The folks at Embarq corrected me, however, with regard to the Earthlink issue.  A customer service individual had told me that Embarq was acquiring Earthlink, but the truth turns out to be that when Sprint Broadband/Sprint Business spun off that part of its activities to become Embarq (as a standalone business), Sprint had no email capabilities of its own at the time and took on Earthlink as its ISP until such time as Embarq could create its own email and hosting operations.  They have been able to accomplish their goal, and the transition is now in progress for all Embarq customers who've been using Earthlink.

Looks like maybe I need to begin the day with a couple of other corrections.  I noted on Wednesday that my cousin, Joan Gering, was with Wisconsin First National.  Not sure how I got that one messed up, but Joan reminded me that she was never in banking -- she was with the VA Hospital.  Brother!  How'd I go south on that one?  Guess I was confusing her with another cousin.  Then again, maybe my forgetter was working overtime.

That's not the only error, however.  I was trying to figure out how I had Lowell at First Chicago when in fact he was President and CEO of Life Savings Bank at Rockford and Lyons Savings Bank in the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale.  Turns out the error originated in an old letter from my mother -- and I've no idea how she got First Chicago.  Anyway, corrections made, Guys!  Sorry.

Coffee time!  Today's coffee is a blend of Kona (Thanks, Tony!) and San Francisco Bay French Roast.  Robert and I were joking last night about starting up a coffee shop connected with River Worship Center.  We were going to call it "Holy Ground." (Grounds?)  OK.  I know.  Baaaaaaaddddd!!!  Sometimes we get kinda punny.

Tom and Marsha Rano are longtime friends from Long Beach Christian Center days.  Tom is one of the greatest punsters you've ever heard.  30-odd years ago (close to 40?), Tom worked for the Wonder Bread Company in southern California.  He and I would get started cracking puns, and it wasn't too long before we could get out of hand.

"Tom, we need to go into business together.  We can make a lot of dough."

"I'd rather make a lot of bread, thanks."

"So you don't want to roll in the dough?"

"I've decided to put a new sign on my truck: 'We move our buns for you.'"

"Sounds pretty crummy to me."

You get the idea, I'm sure.  It was all downhill from there.

All right.  'Nuff of this nonsense.  Let's get on with the day.

We're talking about the economic system of the Kingdom of God, and how it contrasts to the economic system of this world -- or Mammon, as Jesus describes it.  The Greek word, ìáììùíOò -- mammonas, is what we have Anglicized into "Mammon," and it translates literally into: deified avarice, confidence in wealth.

When, therefore, Jesus made the statement, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon," (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13), He prefaced it with, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other."

Luke's Gospel expressed it like this: "No servant can serve two masters."  Because there are only two economic systems in existence -- that of the Kingdom of God, and that of the kingdoms of this world -- one either becomes a servant of God (or more accurately, a son who serves), or a servant (make that a slave) to this world, its would-be master, Satan, and the economic god, Mammon.

I don't think I've ever seen a better description of this world's economic systems -- or should I say, the perversion we call the world's economy -- than the translation of the word, Mammon: deified avarice or confidence in wealth.  To deify avarice is to make a god of greed, the lust for money, the thirst for possessions and/or the continual want for more and more and more and more and more of all this world lifts up as desirable.

Consider the differences between God's economy, and this world's economy.

Jesus says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  (Matthew 6:19-21)

Mammon says, "There's going to be a rainy day.  All hell is going to break loose on you.  You'd better have at least six months of wages in savings, and a non-retirement investment account you can liquidate when needed."

Let me pause for a second.  Don't misunderstand me.  No one -- least of all, Jesus -- is saying that it is wrong to have an investment account.  The issue is not whether you have investments in stocks and bonds, CD's or Money Market accounts: the issue is whether your life revolves about your need or thirst for money, for financial security or for more possessions.

I own a fair chunk of stock in a software company.  It has increased in value more than tenfold since I bought it.  But my life doesn't revolve around that stock, what it does, or how much money I'll make if I sell it off.  That stock was purchased as an investment in the Kingdom of God.  A good number of my fellow-shareholders are believing Christians whose purpose in having this stock is what it will yield in a return that will promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have a common goal.  That goal is in helping missions, supporting ministries that are producing fruit for the Kingdom and building more ministries.

Della and I own some real estate.  We have mineral rights with proven oil reserves on land that we purchased.  We didn't make any of these purchases because of any thought of "getting rich."  There are always lots of opportunities to buy real estate or invest in lands.  We have pretty much ignored the majority of the offers presented to us simply because there was no witness in our spirits by the Holy Spirit that this was something we should do.  The purchases we made took place because there was a clear command from the Holy Spirit to do so.  We KNOW there is a Kingdom objective in making these purchases and having these investments.

We are not invested in this world.  We are invested in the Kingdom of God.  Our treasures are in God.  Having money is not an objective.  Saving up for a "rainy day" may be the world's wisdom, but it isn't God's wisdom.  Money is only useful as a medium of exchange in order to accomplish whatever goal the Lord sets before us.  Money is only useful insofar as it enables us to minister to the needs of others or to increase the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

OK.  That was a longer pause than I intended.  Let's continue with our contrasts.

The Lord says, "The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit." (Proverbs 18:11)  "Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."  (Proverbs 23:4-5)

The world says, "Get all you can.  Can all you get.  Use your money to gain power and position."

Writing from personal experience, David -- on the other hand -- wrote, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the Judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another."  (Psalms 75:6-7)

There is no question that Mammon teaches folks to use money for personal gain, for power, for position or for esteem in the eyes of society so that a person can achieve whatever goals or agenda he may have.  And its all a lie.  It is a trap of enticement.  Mammon makes promises that it can't keep.  It promises wealth and riches -- but Mammon's definition of wealth and riches is "Money!"

Ever been to Las Vegas?  If ever there was a city built around a lie, that's the city!  The bright lights, the flashing displays, the huge jumbotron screens, the dazzling shows and the spectacular entertainment all work to entice folks.  That enticement is not to a better life: the enticement is "get rich quick," with "rich" being lots of money as the answer to life's problems.  What a farce!  What a fraud!

While you cannot define wealth and riches without money, you cannot define wealth and riches by money.  Let me explain.

We have a family acquaintance who has millions upon millions of dollars.  For the sake of this story, I'll call him, "Jim."  He has labored his entire life to get rich.  He has invested heavily in real estate holdings, lands, houses and property of virtually every description.  I'm not sure he even knows the total monetary value of his holdings.  To the best of my knowledge, he's never married.  He has no children.  He only has one living relative -- and that relative likely has as much money as Jim has.

But Jim is far from rich!  About the only thing this man has is money.  He doesn't have any real family.  He doesn't have peace in his life.  He has pretty much rejected Jesus Christ and anything associated with the Gospel.  One more thing: Jim doesn't have good health.  He has yet to reach his 60th birthday and he is suffering from congestive heart failure.  He is a diabetic.  He's not a short man by any means, but I'd guess he tops the scales at better than 400 pounds and is mobile mostly by wheelchair.  Anything he needs to do, he has to have done by someone else -- and not because he wants it that way!

His doctors give him little chance of living for more than a year or two at most.  Mammon promised Jim wealth, riches and fame if he would make money his goal.  It hasn't, and unless he accepts Jesus Christ and receives healing and deliverance in his life, he won't even make 70 years of age.

I'll tell you about another man in a minute whose life is a contrast to the Gospel.

Let's don't take time to quote the entire 91st Psalm here, but take a minute to read it for yourself.  Notice the last part of this Psalm: "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.  With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."

See the picture?  "Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him."  That's a promise to folks who have their priorities straight.

"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him."  Can't get much better than that, can you?  Having God hear and answer you directly?

"I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him."  Yessir!  The Lord doesn't promise that we won't have trouble, or go through major problems: what He does promise is deliverance in the midst of it -- and honor on top of it!

And who says you only have 70 years?  Psalm 90:10 reads (and folks have misapplied this to their own detriment), "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

What so many people miss are the verses that precede verse 10: verses that describe being consumed in anger, in wrath, our iniquities being continually before us: in other words, our lives are 70 years by reason of sin.  Yet what did God promise His people?  Take a look at Genesis 6:3.

"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

Funny thing.  There is no place in the Word where we are promised anything less than 120 years.  What was it we just read in the 91st Psalm?  "With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."

The Hebrew word translated "salvation" in Psalm 91 is the word, äòÈeLéŠ -- ye.shu.ah.  Hmmmm......  Isn't that the word for "Jesus"?  Yup.  And it means a whole lot more than "salvation" as in being "saved from sin."  That word literally translates out: salvation, deliverance, health, prosperity, aid, victory, welfare.  I don't want to belabor the issue, but ye.shu.ah is all inclusive!

What David is writing, therefore, is that God's people -- those who have set their love on the Lord -- will enjoy long life, excellent health and strength, prosperity (in every area of life), deliverance in time of trouble, aid and assistance when needed, victory over one's enemies, and constant provision to meet every need.

OK.  Double Hmmmm.....!  How come we don't see this as a regular and consistent part of every Christian's life?  The answer, my friends, is that God's people have been trying to live and operate in the economic system of this world -- being a servant (slave) to Mammon -- and still incorporate Kingdom living and the economy in God's system.  It just flat doesn't work!

Looks like I won't have time to tell you the story of a couple of other Davids -- one (a multi-millionaire) who obeyed the Lord and, unlike the rich young ruler (Matthew 19), DID sell all that he had and followed Jesus; and another who rejected the Word of the Lord when he was prospering financially because it would have cost him his business, and wound up losing not only his business, but his health, his welfare, his well-being -- AND seeing his children reject him.

Understanding Kingdom Economics is to understand the way God operates.  Understanding the principles God has set forth for His people that result in successful living, prosperity, having true wealth and riches will permanently alter the scope of your life.

Mammon says, "Take!"

Jesus says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."  (Luke 6:38)

Yup.  Kingdom Economics are sure different from Mammon's economics.  In the coming weeks, we'll expand on this, and by the grace and help of the Lord, I will endeavor to share with you a set of simple, yet fundamental, principles which -- if applied in your life -- will permanently transform the way you live and bring you into truly prosperous living: prosperity being defined as God defines it!

Next week, however, because of numerous requests, we'll do a series which expands on the story I began on my father just after Fathers' Day.  We'll call that series, 40 YEARS BELOW ZERO, and I'll share some more of the faith adventures I lived through with my parents.

Lack is not supposed to be everlasting: it is a temporary situation until you can grow some Word seed to meet the need.  God has given us the two things we need to get whatever we desire: Dominion and Seed.

Bless you.

Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
RIVER WORSHIP CENTER
700 South 6th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 837-4657

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