Great Gain

A majority of the blessings that we have in Christ Jesus are in noun form; a state of being that is independent of external circumstances and by design, should then be the very elements that affect and change our circumstances. This is why the apostle Paul tells the church in Thessalonica, “Rejoice always!” (1 Thessalonians 5:16); propositioning them to remain joyful as the exercise of the joy that is resident in their spirit. We were not designed to manufacture joy from the outside by use of fleeting matters of life, because if we are being honest, a majority of what we experience in this world warrants no joy, we live in a fallen society! So we cannot wait for life to change before we enter a state of joy, instead, our focus should continually be on the life we have with Jesus which reduces everything else to dust in comparison. In teaching them how to live a life of joy, the apostle continued to say, “pray without ceasing” (v.17), because he knows that we go through circumstances that will attempt to take us out of our place of prayer. For the believer, prayer is not an option, nor is it a once off event born of sporadic energy, it is a lifestyle and a commandment – no matter what is happening, whether good or bad, we ought to always remain prayerful. If we are in a season of waiting, we ought to pray until we see the manifestation, and if we are in a season of abundance, we ought to prayerfully give thanks unto the Lord! The passage continues, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v.18) – the apostle gives wisdom that also applies to times when we might be waiting in despair, unsure of what exactly is going on and what we should do – he says we must then fall back to the written will of God: giving thanks always as this IS the will of God! He says to “quench not the Spirit” (v.19) because he knows that this is what people tend to do when they are discouraged; they choose to sulk and throw tantrums, walking in rebellion and dismissing the things of God out of offence and anger but this should not be so! Even in the hardest of situations, we ought to be watchful for the leading and instructions of the Holy Spirit, He is not called the counsellor for no reason, He will lead us, correct us, and teach us what to do; but if we choose to be offended, we open up the door to Satan’s manipulation.

Further, the apostle warned, “Do not despise prophecies” (v.20), it is this very offence that then causes people to resent the workings of the Spirit of God in their sulking period. They do not receive the Word with faith, do nothing to actively war with it, and get upset all over again when they do not see it come to pass. Church, it is important to regard the things of the Spirit, when you are given a word, receive it with joy and meekness, write it down, treasure it, bring it to remembrance through meditation and confessions – do all you can to convince yourself! And while that is said, we must always remember that the Scriptures are the highest level of prophecy; no prophetic word should come contrary to the written word of God! Which is why the apostle cautioned them, “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (v.21). Everything should be judged according to the truth we have received. In concluding his exhortation, apostle Paul warns the church to abstain from all appearances of evil and assured them that God is able to preserve them wholly and blameless to the coming of the Lord Jesus (v.21-24). 

Circling back on the issue of thanksgiving, we read a story of the Lord healing 10 men in the midst of Samaria and Galilee who were lepers (Luke 17). These were men who were secluded from all societal structures and were made to live secondary lives due to the contagious nature of their illness. So in an act of bravery that could have gotten them into serious trouble, they waited for the Lord and raised their voices after Him for their healing (Luke 17:11-14). The Lord gave them a grace instruction to “go and show themselves to the priests” (v.14). As they walked, they were healed – showing us that healing is a process and not an instant event. We then read, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God” (v. 15). The Samarian that he was healed was the one who was expecting it; he was checking as he moved, looking for indicators. He then ran back and gave thanks to Jesus, who was shocked that of the ten that were healed, only one returned to give dues (v.16-17). Jesus expected that they all would come back to express their gratitude – an expectation that remains to this day! Many of us are caught in this trap of using the  Lord for our own desires then forget all about Him once we are satisfied! Church, it really ought not to be so! With the same vigour that we plead with God in our time of need, we should return to offer our gratitude. The Lord then told him, “… Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (v.19) – the man no longer had  to go to the priest because thanksgiving changes rules, principles, and policies in his favour. People who are grateful are successful; gratitude determines your eventual altitude. While others were merely healed, he was “made whole”, which refers not only to the body, but the spirit, finances, relationship and even more. 

Another aspect of being thankful is being content. Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Godliness is being God-like, or resembling God’s character. The apostle was making it known that such godliness, when coupled with contentment, is a great gain for the believer. This is because contentment is a direct ingredient for joy and an effective antidote against depression. Jesus taught His followers the same thing, saying, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15) The Lord gives a strong warning against the placing of material possessions on a pedestal they do not belong on, to which we can further add, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:7-8) – this should be the believer’s perspective! Apostle Paul emphasises that no matter what we gain, we will have to abandon it at the point of death, thus making the focus on material acquisition futile. Do you have what to wear and what to eat? Yes? Then you have no problem – be grateful! Important to note, contentment does not mean settling beneath God’s best for you, no! It means knowing that the true value of your life comes from knowing God and His Son, Jesus. He continues to say, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9). The apostle then reveals that the true reality of the matter is that rich people have problems poor people do not, and that with more money, comes more opportunity to sin. Money is the only thing in the Scriptures that has been put at a deity level together with God, because of its ability to provide the holder with a world of possibilities! It can give men the impression that they are well all by themselves and have no need for God.

The passage continues, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). Money buys liberty and freedom, but it also has the ability to pierce one’s soul and open the door to Satan! This is why we must always fight to have a healthy outlook on this subject, consider apostle Paul’s words to the church in Philippi after he spoke of his gratitude at their material offering, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11). He said he “learned”, a process and not an overnight spectacle! His contentment was also free from people’s opinion; he told the church in Corinth, “ Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself” (1 Corinthians 4:2-3). He shows us that one should never highly or lowly regard themselves, instead, their view of themselves should always be a reflection of God’s judgement. We ourselves are not even qualified to judge ourselves! Comparison steals joy, and is not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). 

Prayer 

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We will not cease to thank You, for we have learnt that the true value of the life we live is not in the possessions we acquire, but it is in our knowledge of you! Father, we pray that you continue to furnish our souls with true knowledge of You, opening the eyes of our understanding and rooting us firmly and deeply into Your love. In the name of Jesus. Amen.