Day: February 7, 2018

Pastor’s Blog 2.7.18

This week, we continue to look into the subject of
“Breaking the Generational Curse of Poverty”.

Yesterday, the Fox News website featured an article called the “Curse of the Lottery Winners”. It began by saying that a woman who had just won a huge lottery was refusing to claim it unless she could remain anonymous. She was afraid the “lottery curse” would come on her. Then the article went on to disclose the pain, misery and death, that many of the previous lottery winners have experienced. The author said of the thousands of lottery winners researched, only a few actually did not regret winning.

Solomon uses the term “vanity” about 40 times in the book of Ecclesiastes to describe the ability for the material to satisfy the spiritual hunger in mankind. Vanity basically means “the failure of something to satisfy.” But, Solomon also recognized the true blessing of the person who has discovered their portion and lives in the contentment of it.

Eccl 5:18-20 “Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth , and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor — this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.” NKJV

Pastor Brian Adams always says, “Wherever you go there you are”. The truth of that statement is that your character, not your location or your current abundance or lack, determines your satisfaction. When I finished High School I quickly recognized I was going nowhere. I had a very strong loyalty to my friends, and I remember thinking I would never change as long as I was with this group in this small town. I joined the Army thinking that the change of location would help me overcome the things that were hijacking my success. A few months later, I found myself with the same group of friends, just with different names.

Unwittingly, I had become a victim of pleasing people. I moved from place to place, state to state, and even lived in another country on the opposite side of the world for 15 months, but “everywhere I went, there I was.” Finally, I was delivered; not from my friends, or my state or my city, or even location; I was delivered from me! Through Christ I was born again! I was a new creation with a new character; no longer bound by the old self and the old failures.

Instead of the same old thing happening to me just in a different place, I started a new life that was totally different. I know a lot of people who believe in Jesus, but have not become a new creation in Him. A poverty spirit is truly broken in a new birth into royalty! I am no longer identified by what I have or who I am with, I am identified by who I am. I am a son of God and every curse that was against me has been destroyed by the power of the gift of righteousness that was given to me!

Most people who are generationally wealthy live in a mindset that sets them apart from the status quo. They consider themselves different than others. For example, people that live in the wealthier side of society will many times become members of a local Country Club. I have never been a member of such a club, but I have been invited many times to attend with members. I watch as there is an expectation with most members to be treated differently, with greater respect because of their money. For example, the servers don’t act like a server who works at a normal restaurant such as Outback or Ruby Tuesdays. They are trained to react, serve and respond differently, with more protocol, and to treat their customers with greater respect and favor because the members of the country club EXPECT it.

The point is, you present yourself out of a mindset of who you believe you are. Worldly wealth can produce a false identity that really can’t satisfy what we really long for, however, the new birth can! It has in me and I believe it is the ultimate cure or deliverance from the curse of poverty! My Pastor said something to me 30 years ago that I will never forget: “The poor have poor ways”. And that is true. Change the root and you change the fruit. Change the identity and you change behavior. The Lord has made us Kings and Priests to our God and we should be living in the character of that new identity!

Until next week,
Be blessed!