April 8th, 21

You are rich, did you know it, you might not make the Forbes list of new billionaires this year. But if you are in Christ, you've made a much more important list than that. If you're in Christ, you've been added to the list of those who are in the Lamb's book of life. And that makes you truly wealthy. Paul says that those riches were achieved because someone else became poor. And that someone is Christ. Christ became poor so that by his poverty, he could make you rich. Jesus took our poverty upon himself in order to bestow on us His riches of sonship that make you wealthy, that makes you blessed. That makes you his. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because you are united with Christ. That's right, you are one with God. These are heavenly riches. Paul is talking about spiritual riches. But these spiritual riches work their way into our physical lives. They free us up to live generous lives here right now, no matter how financially wealthy we are. And to the extent that we truly understand this will result in generous hearted living, Paul wants us to follow through with the generosity that was born in our hearts. He doesn't want us to stall out. He wants us to finish whatever it is that God inspired you to do. Maybe it's offering a meal to someone who's sick, spending time with someone who really needs it, giving financially to someone in need, helping to advance the cause of the gospel, as was the case of this particular passage. Whatever it is, don't stall out, finish what God has inspired you to do. live out your generous life, because you are rich, and your spiritual wealth comes from Him. May this inspire you to live out the riches that are yours in Christ. Don't stall out on those things that God inspires you to do. But rather live them out in the joy and the strength and in the presence of Christ who dwells in you. 

You are loved!