‘minimalist’ LIVING

MINIMILIST LIVING – ACCORDING TO GOD’S LAST TIME AGENDA

• What does God expect of His people in these last days?

Matthew  24:13      But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 

 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 

 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 

 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 

Psalms  91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

 91:2   I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 

 91:3   Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, [and] from the noisome pestilence. 

 91:4   He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. 

There shall be much tumult towards the End! Especially as we approach the time of the Seven Last Plagues.

• Are we to prepare for the Loud Cry of calling souls out of the confusion of religions we have today?

Revelation  3:20     Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

 3:21   To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

 3:22   He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

Revelation 18:1      And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 

18:2    And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

18:4    And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

• How is this to be done?

Philippians  4:4       Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice. 

 4:5     Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand. 

 4:6     Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

 4:7     And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Psalms  25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 

 25:10 All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 

Psalms  31:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 

 31:2   Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 

 31:3   For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. 

 31:4   Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou [art] my strength. 

• Where are we expected to live?  Ie. In what type of environment?

Genesis  2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 

 2:9     And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

 2:10   And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 

Genesis 13:12         Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom. 

Country Living is the Ideal Environment for Spirituality and Child rearing; and as an example to others.

• Are we to build up or cut down on our possessions?

James 5:1     Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon [you]. 

 5:2     Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 

 5:3     Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 

1 Timothy 6:6          But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

 6:7     For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. 

 6:8     And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

 6:9     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. 

Proverbs  23:23      Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 

Matthew  19:21      Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. 

Mark  10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 

Luke  12:29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 

 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 

 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 

 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

• Are we to develop our talents?

Ecclesiastes  9:10   Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 

Matthew  25:22      He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 

 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

• How are we to use these talents?  For our selves? Or for the Lord’s service?

1 Corinthians  3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 

 3:13   Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 

 3:14   If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 

• What type of homes should we build for ourselves?  Or should we just ‘rent’?

John 19:27   Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own [home]. 

Acts  18:3     And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 

To own our own homes is better, but renting is ok if finance does not allow.

• Should we ‘borrow’, then pay back later?  Ie. Take out a mortgage?

Proverbs  22:7         The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender. 

Romans  13:7          Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 

 13:8   Owe no man any thing,…

Matthew  25:27      Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (Interest)

Try to avoid borrowing, unless you have sufficient to pay back quickly!

• How much, in the way of possessions should we have, in order to be effective in God’s service?

2 Chronicles  24:12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD. 

 24:13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it. 

As tradespersons and labourers of all kinds, it is not wrong to do our work and build up necessary tools, homes, sheds etc to perform our work, even vehicles of transport; but amassing houses, properties, luxury goods and equipment on top of the basic living equipment for family or even single life is not representative of Christians living as ambassadors of the future life of Eternity!

1 Timothy  5:7         And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 

 5:8     But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 

Acts  20:34   Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 

 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

• If we have a lot of possessions and property, what problems will this present as we serve the Lord?

James 5:1     Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon [you]. 

 5:2     Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 

 5:3     Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 

1 Timothy 6:6          But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

 6:7     For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. 

 6:8     And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

 6:9     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. 

Luke  12:29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 

 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 

 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 

 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

AMEN

Gary Southwell

4/5/2