The Sword of the LORD

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1Timothy 6:6).    There are many who have embraced a godly lifestyle and maintain a good relationship with God, but they have not learned the secret of being content.  In the sixth chapter of his first letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul makes a strong argument for contentment.  He tells Timothy, “…we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy 6:7, 8).  There are those today who preach a prosperity doctrine which suggests that if we serve God faithfully, He will reward us with riches in this life.  Nothing could be further from the apostolic teaching that Paul presents in his letters.  Paul is very plain spoken on the subject when he writes, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition....

“And it came to pass on a certain day, as He [Jesus] was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before Him.  And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.  And when He saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. (Luke 5:17-20).   As I read the story told in Luke 5 of the man sick with the palsy whom Jesus healed, I am intrigued, not just by the miracle itself, but by what happened before the miracle.    This man was paralyzed.  We don’t know to what extent, but we can assume that since he was...