Squandering Brings Poverty Life Style

Ever hear someone say, " I am going to be a millionaire." or " I want to be a millionaire." ? It means nothing, it leads to nothing within itself. If one has no concept of true happiness, then the money will not make it happen. One can be totally content, happy and secure on very little.

You see, one can have much and live so beneath their expected lifestyle. An earthly example would be hoarders. They can have a lot of money to buy and buy stuff. They let the stuff keep coming in until there is no room for order or a normal healthy lifestyle. They are now living in poverty. Why, because they can't cook, entertain, take a carefree bath or sleep in a bed with clean sheets. You may think, well if they have a lot of money they could just start over. Maybe, but even if they start over they will go back to their lifestyle if they do not change their lifestyle from the heart, actually their thinking.

The answer isn't being a millionaire or really rich. The answer is how you value yourself and what you already have. You see, if you know who you are in Christ, you have what the world calls self esteem. It is really called knowing your value, not self esteem. God made you his heir when you gave your heart and life to Jesus. You are valuable, you can and should live a rich quality of life. Like my grandmother Grace once said, "Anyone can afford a bar of soap!" No one needs to go dirty.

How does one Squander their Riches? There are so many ways to live in poverty yet be quite well off.

1. When your car breaks down, instead of repairing and doing maintenance one will finance a new one. This is an easy way out. I do realize the very rich may do better trading in a car every year because this would be affordable to them since they have chosen to always drive a new car. For those of us who are moderately making it yet not poor, it is better to stay away from a car payment. You do this by tender loving care.  Drive your car until it is no longer able to move. Keep up your maintenance, it is cheaper than a new loan. Yes, the new car makes you feel rich, gives your self esteem a boost and it smells good! What about your next trip to the grocery store and you feel the need to pinch a little more because of the New Car? Now how rich do you feel?

2. One is quite well off if they have a fairly new iphone. It works great. No problems, but it's not the latest! There is now a newer iphone that does this and that. Wow, it is amazing. All the apps are wow! Where is your contentment in having a perfectly usable phone that works great?  Will an upgrade bring you more happiness? Is it making you a smarter, more hip and modern person?  Or is it a constant chase and discontentment to keep up! Keeping up can be so costly and exhausting, and for who or what? When do you rest and feel whole? Contentment is real maturity and integrity.

3. No peace or happiness will come with all the stuff. It will drown you in a poverty lifestyle. On the show Hoarders, you see new sacks of goods from Macy's, Penney's or Lowes just thrown in a pile with other sacks and trash. They have so much money invested in New Garbage! Now they are in deep poverty because the tub is full of trash and sacks of New Stuff so they can not take a bath. The day I can't take a bath I am in deep poverty! Their kitchen is over run with dishes new and dirty.  They were poverty stricken when their money ran out because of buying all the Stuff and no place to put it and no way to use it. What caused their Poverty! Thinking they needed More and More and never being content and satisfied with what they had. They placed their value/worth in keeping up and having stuff.

4. Junk Food Diet, Smoking, Drinking and taking Drugs lead to poverty. How can I say that? Am I judging? No, it is just the plain truth. Think about the cost of Junk Food. A diet of processed sugar and garbage are cheap in dollar amount sometimes, but your body does pay a price. The price will  lead to poverty in your health. Smoking is very expensive and it can ruin your health. Drinking and Drugs are costly and lead to health problems.  This all leads to an impoverished body and finances. What about the poverty in relationships because of these things? What are we teaching our loved ones? A lifestyle beneath you. A lifestyle beneath what God intended for us. We have power over all these things through Jesus Christ. We are given the power of Choice.

5. On the flip side of over doing it what have you gained if you have Perfect House and a Betty Crocker Kitchen and your kids are out of control, lost or hurting for your attention? You and your children are in poverty. They need your attention and order but not perfection. What will they remember when grown, those beautifully perfectly made beds or the times you played with them and listened to their dreams and even their fears of today's world. Only Jesus can help us to do all we need to do. He wants us to enjoy our children and be there for them. Let him have the cares of  this world.  He wants us to be free from fear so we can be there for our children. We do not have to be bound with worries. You have power over the enemy who torments you with worry. Jesus gives you power over the enemy through his name. Call upon him. Touch his garment, press through for your petitions. It is God's will to be free from worry.

Jesus will help us to do the right thing. If you really want to live a Rich life, you can. You can be so rich in the Lord and be blessed with Integrity and Contentment! You will feel in control by not letting the allure of this world tell you what makes you rich. You will not be bound any more. Jesus will set you free. It's not a Money amount. It's a contentment and power over being seduced by the world and lies of the enemy about your self worth, amount.

The best feeling in the world is to live within your means. Being content with what you have is a peaceful state. It is what Jesus called us to do. Your circumstances can change. There are times you may just survive and be totally blessed with your needs being met. We can ask for a more prosperous life. God wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but we first need to be trusting towards him and content that he will bless us according to his will. Seek him and his righteousness first and all these things will be added unto you. There is such Power in being content and taking care of what God has entrusted to us.

We are all human and have struggled with some of these things. It has taken many years for the Lord to teach me that no matter how much money my husband makes, I lived in poverty when I was living beneath where God wanted me. After receiving the Holy Ghost I was given power over the enemy and practiced my heritage. I have been set free from many things in my life. I know my heritage. I know the promises God has made. We have power over the enemy. I do not have to be bound. God has truly set me free. This is real. He has set me free from cigarettes and many other things over the years. I am not saying those who smoke are sinners, no not at all. I am saying it is being Bound to something that hurts your health. Being bound is an awful way to live.  1 John 2:1 If we do sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. Yes, I am saying we can sin and I do still slip up sometimes,  but Jesus will bring me back to right standing with him again. I do not have to be bound to a certain bondage. I have overcome through Jesus. That is your heritage. There is power in the Holy Ghost! I did not know this power after being saved. I practiced this power after being Baptized in the Holy Ghost!