Loosing the Chains of Poverty

Are you ready for deliverance from a life of poverty?  Well, my friend, this most often begins with a change in our mindsets and behavior.

Deliverance from poverty is not living beyond our means to give the appearance that we have more than we actually possess.  In fact, it is just the opposite.  Please, don't get me wrong!  I don't believe there is anything wrong with being able to afford something nice for yourself.  But, the key here is, "being able to afford."

We often look at those who have more and wonder why they continue to prosper, while those who have much less don't seem to be able to get ahead.  However, I suspect that this could have a lot to do with a spiritual principle that Jesus referred to in the parable of the talents.

Matthew 25:14-30 (NKJV)

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Many might wonder, why would the Lord take from the one that had less and give it to the one who had more?  Yet, Scripture goes on to tell us, in 2 Corinthians 9:10, that God gives seed to the sower.  As we can clearly see here, it was the steward that was faithful with what he had been given and increased what had been entrusted to him that was given more.

We must learn to properly discern our needs from our greed.  We must learn to be wise stewards with what has been entrusted to us.  We must also begin to change our focus to gain a broader focus and perspective.  We must live for a cause greater than ourselves.  It is those that are about building His kingdom and not our own, that will find themselves as paymasters in the kingdom of God.