When The Money Is Funny, Then....

What? The world says when the money is funny so is the honey. I say, if the honey gets funny because of the money then there wasn't that much honey there to begin with. Why wouldn't common sense kick in if a relationship goes South because of financial difficulties? The question should be, why is there famine in the land and why is it affecting you (Psalm 91:9-11 AMP)?

In Christian circles, it is said, when the money gets funny its God trying to get your attention. Where in the name of all things decent is that written in the Word? Where did that understanding come from in translation? Which story, what chapter or verse, just show me and I will make my apologies for being so upset at believing this swill for so long.

Seriously, when my funds started dwindling and it seemed I was living paycheck to paycheck, I went before the Lord and asked what did I do, or what did I need to do? It is how I had been taught. It says in the Word that when your pockets feel as if there are holes in them for us to consider our ways (Haggai 1:5-7 AMP). It is what I was doing. I was studying the Word, I acknowledged God, I had volunteered in various auxiliaries, I assisted with the ministry of the church I was attending, I gave the tithe and offering faithfully, I considered my employer as I did what I was assigned to do, and I honor my parents. What did I leave out? Where was I disobedient? I didn't know and my finances continued to dwindle. It didn't take long before I went from asking God to worrying about what I did wrong (2 Timothy 1:7 AMP).

Why did I think this way? Because of what happened to Job. He was scared that his children was sinning so he made a sacrifice to atone for sins they never confessed to (Job 1:5 AMP). Because of these acts Job did, he lost everything - including his children (Job 1:13-17 AMP). After all was gone, Job spoke out from what he was going through and the reader could see, how he thought of himself (Job 9:21-30 AMP). When God spoke to him, to me it was as if being chastised (Job 38:4-39 AMP). The voice of God seemed angry. He said to Job, when did he ever do the kinds of things that God has done? I never wish to hear such questions presented to me because of what is on or in my heart. So I did as the Word tells us to do, I considered my ways.

There are times in all of our lives where we don't like the things that we have done, for one reason or another. I heard some call themselves stupid and even hit their heads against walls. Some have gone to the extreme with abusive acts such as cutting and some women have shaved their heads. In the bible, men covered their heads with sackcloth and threw ashes over themselves. Job cursed the day he was born. How many of us have ever done that?

God said that He knew us before we were formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5-10 AMP). When He created everything (including man),  it almost seemed that He paused marveling at His own works. His critique of what He had done, is that it is good. Would it be blasphemous for us to say anything different then what God said? He told us to speak good things. Was there an addendum when it came to our individual acts that aren't pleasing in our own eyes? If being the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus means that we are in right standing with Him, could the words we speak take us out of that standing?

The Word tells us that an indecisive man will receive nothing from the Lord (James 1:6-7 AMP). The abundant life has been given to us from the Lord. If we speak things that are not in agreement with what God says about us, is that being indecisive when we had chosen life to begin the process of salvation? With salvation being what it is from God through the acts of Jesus our Lord, do we still have it based on the derogatory words we spoke about ourselves? Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18 AMP). Do we set ourselves captives again by the negative words we speak on ourselves and each other (Luke 6:45 AMP)? The Word says, there isn't another salvation to occur; therefore, we are not to take so lightly what Jesus has done for us - ever (Acts 4:12 AMP)!

So the money is funny, what are you to do? The Word tells us that storms will come. The Word also tells us that Jesus was tempted of the devil and used the Word for the devil to flee. This tells me when things come about that are not in the plan of prosperity (or my success in Christ), then use the Word and continue to do so resisting the urge to worry or complain. For it is faith that caused Jesus to react. It is the Word that cannot return to God void (Isaiah 55:11 KJV). To use both shows how much you have matured in Him. He cannot help but to be pleased.

Not Bad At All

The economy, good or bad, never really had an affect on me. When it was at its worst I was too young to care even with people onm the highways with work to eat signs. I saw them but didn't know why they couldn't find a job. My parents were working was the myopic view of my world. Other times, when old enough to understand that if the elite rich weren't shopping it changed the financial environment drastically. Still, even then I had a job and was doing fairly well. I thanked God for the provision and blessed where I was led to do so.

This go round with companies' answer to the drought in the shopping sprees, was to down size. Many people felt the push of "your services are no longer needed." Signing that "at will" termination contract never looked to be a good idea for those doing the work so the elite could shop (that sounded sour). I felt the pinch then. I didn't panic, at first. I knew the education, skills, and faith would take me to a new place of employment. God will provide, I kept saying to myself.

The weeks soon turned into months and panic was knocking. I went from searching for jobs in my field of expertise to looking for flipping burgers or cleaning office jobs. I found jobs that were available but no one answered my inquiry, resumes, applications, phone calls, or the taps at their office windows (I can see you in there!). It was like the Twilight Zone comes to reality. I answered the door to panic when I was given an aptitude test to work at Subway and froze in trying to answer what seemed to have been questions about polynomials! It took me forever to finish. I knew when handing that test in, I wasn't going to be called back.

I search online everyday - eight hours per day until I just gave up. It had been over a year without a paycheck. I always had a means to purchase whatever I needed but now with this change, I was at a loss as to what to do.

I stopped with all of the ideas that seemed to go nowhere in getting employment. I stopped looking for jobs on the internet. I stopped inquiring about positions I applied for and just got quiet. What was I doing? What did I need? Why was I in that emotional state?

God provided for me in the past when the economy had dropped before. He made a way for my parents to where I didn't feel any financial drop from what they had always done before. Why should now be any different?

I went back to studying the Word and praying like a normal Christian instead of the pleas and wailing to God as I did. When my Peace returned I was called in for a very odd sort of job. I would be the emergency contact for the Jewish elderly if they needed help calling 911 or some domestic problem in their apartments. It sounded easy enough. The strangeness was that in lieu of a paycheck, I would receive and apartment with utilities and cable paid for. I agreed.

It felt odd at first. No paycheck? But what would I need it for? God provided again as He always does. The shopping I do is minimal and when I look around, my barns are full (closet, cabinet, and refrigerator) and presses are filled with new wine (I am over joyed). I am in want for nothing. It is the M/O of the Good Shepherd.

It wasn't too long ago that I saw a verse in the bible of which I must have read over and over again but it wasn't as appropos as it was when I saw it this time.

"8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."

Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified.