Financial cares is one category of thorns that can really choke out the word of God. More than 10 years ago, my husband and I reached out to a family with severe financial problems. Not only was the family deep in debt, the husband was borrowing heavily from loan sharks. We brought them to church and they accepted Christ. We gave them what we could afford. When the husband fled the home due to the harassment of the creditors, Tim had to confront a group of them who had come looking for him in the middle of the night.
Later we helped to partially sponsor him to join a Bible school in East Malaysia. The family left to join him soon after but they left behind their 12 year old son for us to take care. We agreed as he was taking a major government exam that year. After finishing his studies, the young man went off to join his family. Fast forward more than 10 years later, the young man visited us. We were surprised but happy to hear that he had graduated from a local University and was holding a steady job. He came to thank us for what we had done for him and his family during that difficult year.
When the sisters (all in their teens and extremely tall and good looking like their dad) visited us for CNY this year, I was saddened to hear about their father. Apparently the whole family was doing well for a time. The father started a new business which was doing well and they were attending a local church that gave to their financial needs.
Apparently the father did not change. The cares of this life, the riches and pleasures of wine, women and song overtook him and he began to indulge once again in his old habits of borrowing money from loan sharks. I was also shocked to learn from his wife that his habits had cost him his life!
Here was a man who was born again, went to Bible school, spoke in tongues and who had experienced a glorious deliverance under the ministry of a renowned Bible teacher, going back to the indulgences of his past life. Like a dog returning to his own vomit or a pig returning to the dirt of his pig-pen, I was saddened by the report received from his wife.
When the word of God falls among thorns which are the cares, riches and fleshly pleasures of this life, it will be choked out if we are not careful to weed them out. Having a consistent daily devotional life, attending church regularly and allowing others to sharpen us are essential activities that will help us keep our lives clear from the thorns.
If it can happen to this late brother, it can happen to me! That's why I need to to be ever vigilant to guard my heart from being choked by the cares/riches/pleasures of this life!
However I must say that I received tremendous encouragement from this precious family because I saw that all the 5 of them (mother, 3 daughters and the young man) were the good ground spoken off in Luke 8:15. Unlike their late father, they are still standing firm for Jesus despite the persecution from their father's family. I also understand from the mother that although financial problems are a major concern, they have refused to allow this particular thorn to choke the word of God in their lives!
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