MKE Week 1 – A Desire Can Be Spiritually Dangerous, So Run Wisely

I am running from behind because I hesitated if I should take anything else on at this time. I am already struggling to manage my time to complete what I feel I need to do. I feel like I’m running on a hamster wheel, getting nowhere lately.

Also, I knew I didn’t have the technology skills to maneuver the website. But my greatest hesitation comes from my spiritual convictions. I read the book “Think and Grow Rich” about a decade ago, but had many spiritual concerns.

You see, in the Holy Scriptures, where it is written in Proverbs 23:6-7 – “Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”

I consider the Holy Scriptures as godly wisdom. This proverb warns that not all desire is good, and can be pertaining to the food and luxuries that wealth can provide, but also can pertain to the words that rich man speak to you for guidance.

It is also written in James chapter 1:14-15 that the thought of what one desires is a seed in the conception area of the mind which can grow and lead to death. It is as follows: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Therefore, my desire can be a temptation that leads to death. “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

So I, a child of God/Yah, a citizen of Heaven on Earth, must be careful in regards to my desire. My desire is to run the race that is set before me (Hebrews 12:1) in such a way to win (1 Corinthians 9:24).

My desire is to receive a crown of life, as it is written in James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

So after some self-examination, I can honestly say that I do not have the mentality of a winner in order to run in such a way to win. I started running in junior high school because it seemed like the only sport I could do with my vision issues. I never finished in first, nor second, and not even in third place.

I have been content to just finish the race. I was content just being on the team. But as I near sixty years old, I know I need to pick up the pace and run with more determination to win.

It took me a while to discover the race I was suppose to be running, but I finally figured it out in Psalms 119:32 which states: “I will run the course of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.”

I do not have a great desire for riches, for I am content with such things that I have (Hebrews 13:6), but I need wealth to fulfill what the Lord has commanded me to do to help others and expand His Kingdom.

But before the Lord revealed to me His commands, He showed me a vision of how to lay up treasure in Heaven. The wisdom in the teaching vision He showed me involves giving half your income away, like it refers to in the book The Greatest Salesman.

However, He wanted me to start giving 50% away when I didn’t have it to spare. In obedience, we began to give over 50% away and we became poorer and eventually homeless. But, blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom (Matthew 5:3).

The Father provided for our needs, though. I know my Master tests his servants because he who is faithful in a little will be faithful in much (Luke 16:10). I have come to understand the Proverb which states, “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.” (Proverbs 13:7).

So why am I here? The Master instructed me to start a ministry which we made a non-profit charity for twenty years. We helped many people, but only in small ways. However, I know that season is over.

I am converting our ministry into a private membership association, which will be for profit because now the Master is reminding me that it is written in Isaiah 48:17 – “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”

Many years ago, I asked my Master how He would fund this ministry, and I believe in my heart that He answered me by saying, “through a business.” I have been searching for that business.

I believe I have now found it, but I have not ever built a very successful business before. I know that my Master can do exceedingly abundantly above all that I can ask or think, according to the power that works in us… (Ephesians 3:20), if I don’t limit Him with my thoughts and words.

I am reminded in Ecclesiastes 9:11 – “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. And, because for every matter there is a time and a judgment (Eccl. 8:6). I’m taking the chance that it’s my time.