The Secret To Life

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill can not be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14 (NIV)

We are currently living in a crooked and corrupted world. We often find in scripture, the Church is the light of the world: like a city on a hill. Those that are in darkness can look up on top of that hill and say: that’s where we go to change our life! People are wandering in the darkness, hurting, lonely, empty, and looking for shelter. Where do they go? They look for the light. That light in their darkness is the church.

1. The City That God Loves

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know you know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place.”

Revelations 2:1-3 (NIV)

God is talking about our hunger, worship, and desire we need to have for His presence in our lives. There needs to be a hunger in the Church, and in our life for God’s presence. God must be number one so the Church can be the light on the hill. In order for us to be involved in the world–in the middle of this perverted and crooked generation–Jesus Christ has to be our first love. This love can never be lost or compromised.

Some of the ways you can lose it is allowing the cares of this world to come in. We all have reasonable cares to deal with. Let us not get too spiritual. These can include: marriage, parenting, careers, finances, health care, etc. These are real concerns we have to maintain everyday.

If you are not careful, these cares will overwhelm and consume you, depleting your relationship with God. You will end up living as the world does: depressed, joyless, lacking purpose. These cares can define you like the world and take your energy away instead of taking these cares to God daily in His presence, casting your cares on Him. That is why He says don’t worry about tomorrow; tomorrow has enough worries of its own. Tomorrow’s cares will be there. But today you seek God’s Kingdom and put Him first. Lay every burden, care, anxiety, stress, and worry at the Cross.

2. Lust of The Flesh

Anything that can choke out that love is the desire for other things, which is simply the lust of the flesh, which is not just limited to sex, like most people believe. It is all the lust of the flesh! It comes in and takes away your hunger and first love, robbing you. You must guard yourself from this perverted and corrupt generation. Guard your eyes, ears, and your hearts living in such a way where you are not susceptible to being knocked off guard by the enemy.

Keep your eyes wide open, be smart, sharp, sober and alert. Understand the enemy is roaming around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He is not going to devour you if you are on your toes and in fighting shape!

3. Deception of Riches

The deception of riches can choke your first love. I am a believer in prosperity. I learned alot about the love and danger of money in Bible school teachings many years ago. It felt like I was talked out of money as if money was all evil. I have learned now that money is not evil. Money is nebulous: it’s neither good nor bad. It’s like saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” Money takes on the nature of the person. Meaning, if there is a love of money in the heart of a person, then that love of money will choke out that first love.

Countless people have left the church to chase after the almighty dollar. That dollar that says In God We Trust. However, many people believe ‘In Money We Trust’ but the Bible is very clear: do not put your trust in uncertain riches, put your trust in the living God who is able to give you all things abundantly.

The only way to break the love of money is by giving. Jesus said: wherever the money is, the heart is. You must be careful with this subject of money. There are some teachings out there scripturally solid on the danger of money and what Jesus said about money. However, these teachings only live in the New Testament. Both in the Old and New Testaments, you will find financial prosperity is a blessing from God. You can’t just throw away those scriptures, i.e., I give you power to get wealth, the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow, bring the tithe into the storehouse and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, etc.

All through the Bible you will find prosperity coming to the Kingdom of God and the children of God: Solomon, Abraham, Job. I know that is God’s will for you. What I learned in those Bible teachings was against money and wealth. That is dangerous for the community because a common bloodline curse I find in people who begin attending Freedom City Church is the spirit of poverty. Generations of barely getting by, nobody attends college, and some not even finishing high school. I have to preach prosperity so I can break poverty off of them. I want them to be free so they can serve God in that area. But we have to balance and educate the danger of covetousness and falling in love with money.

Final Thoughts

Money will never replace God! Your spouse will never replace God. Your children will never replace God. We may hear, “The world peddles wealth and riches will bring you true happiness”. I disagree because I know wealthy people who are miserable because they do not have the presence of God in their life. When you find out God is everything you need in your life then you are prepared to manage the blessings of God in your life. As long as your first love is in place then you can be the light of the world!