Day: July 5, 2009

  • Thought For The Week 12

    After a really nice 4th of July, wherein my son and I just chilled together and had a Seafood Festivus, I’m getting back to reality. I have a Freed Up class today on financial budgeting, so it was it coincidence or purposeful planning on the part of God, when I stumbled across this verse this morning?

    Phl 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

    Two things caught my attention in this verse: shall supply and his riches.

    There are several Greek meanings, but the word in this verse is plēroō which is a verb.

    1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
        a) to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
    1) I abound, I am liberally supplied
    2) to render full, i.e. to complete
    a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
    b) to consummate: a number
    1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
    2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
    c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise
    1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute
    2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
    3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment

    In the Greek, this word is a verb focusing around the words “Accomplish, Accomplishment” with it’s main meaning being “to fulfill, to complete, carry out to the full” (as well as to fill); and is translated “perfect” in Rev 3:2, AV; RV, “I have found no works of thine fulfilled before My God;” “accomplish” in Luk 9:31.
    See COMPLETE, END, EXPIRE, FILL, FULFILL, FULL, PREACH.

    (Note: Its strengthened form, ekpleroo, “to fulfill,” lit., “fill out,” is used in Act 13:33, of the fulfillment of a Divine promise of the resurrection of Christ.)

    These words, “shall supply ” are listed 95 times in 90 verses of the KJV.

    It also has a few other meanings which I will give you a brief synopsis of.

    It also means in the Greek:

    Exartizo:  (a verb) “to fit out,” (from ek, “out,” and a verb derived from artos, “a joint”), means “to furnish completely,” 2Ti 3:17, or “to accomplish,” Act 21:5, there said of a number of days, as if to render the days complete by what was appointed for them.
    See FURNISH. In the Sept., Exd 28:7.

    Teleo:  (a verb)  “to finish, to bring to an end” (telos, “an end”), frequently signifies, not merely to terminate a thing, but to carry out a thing to the full. It is used especially in the Apocalypse, where it occurs eight times, and is rendered “finish” in Rev 10:7; 11:7, and in the RV of Rev 15:1, which rightly translates it “(in them) is finished (the wrath of God). See END, EXPIRE, FILL, FINISH, FULFILL, GO, No. 5, PAY, PERFORM.

    Epiteleo:  (a verb) epi, “up,” intensive, and No. 3, is a strengthened form of that verb, in the sense of “accomplishing.” The fuller meaning is “to accomplish perfectly;” in Rom 15:28, RV, “accomplish;” “perfecting” in 2Cr 7:1; “complete” in 2Cr 8:6,11; “completion” in the latter part of this 11th verse, which is better than “performance;” “perfected” in Gal 3:3; “perfect” in Phl 1:6. See COMPLETE, DO, FINISH, MAKE, PERFECT, PERFORM.

    Teleioo:  (a verb) the word teleo more frequently signifies “to fulfill,” while teleioo, more frequently signifies “to make perfect,” one of the chief features of the Epistle to the Hebrews, where it occurs nine times. It is rendered “accomplish” in the RV of Jhn 4:34; 5:36; 17:4; Act 20:24.
    See CONSECRATE, FINISH, FULFILL, PERFECT.

    Pletho: (a verb) “to fulfill,” is translated “accomplished” in the AV of Luk 1:23; 2:6, 21, 22 (RV, “fulfilled”).
    See FILL, No. 5, FURNISH, Note.

    Ekplerosis: (a noun) means “an entire fulfilment” (ek, “out,” plerosis, “a filling”), Act 21:26, of the “fulfillment” of days of purification.

    Until I saw this, I had no idea that those two little words had so many different meanings and applications.

    The other thing that caught my attention was the word “riches.” I thought about how God created everything, therefore He owns everything, and is well beyond our comprehension on the word “rich” in that sense. But, I thought about how most people perceive it…that God is “rich.” I tried to picture this from the position of the “storehouses” ideology that we often here in church, but it just wasn’t washing for me because that is a man-made concept that places emphasis on money and materialism.

    Since I don’t conceive of God as materialistic like the god of this world, then that image just didn’t wash. I think what most people don’t understand, is that to be rich doesn’t mean that God has to supply me with money. That verse said, “his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.” To me, that’s looking like “what,” “where,” and “how.” You see, by American standards, I don’t have much. I have “stuff,” in fact, much stuff that I’d like to get rid of, but not the kind of stuff anyone would quantify as signifying wealth. Yet I know that I am rich, and I know this, not because of what I have, but because of Who I have. The Who is the One who supplies everything I need.

    In other words, technically, I have no real need for money. The only reason I receive it, is because it is simply a tool that makes it easier for a few things to get accomplished. Plus, God is not going to interfere with a system set up by a governing body, because He is the One who set up the concept of governing and gave mankind the dominion to do so on the earth. So He will work within the “confines” that we, as humans live within, but He doesn’t have to.

    God doesn’t have to put money in my hands for my needs to be met. He can simply address it another way, such as with a bill. He may have a company review their records only to discover “an error” in their systems which indicate an overpayment on my bill, and eliminate the bill that way. Or He could have the company give me a credit for whatever reason. He could have people give me food, or make the gas in my car last twice as long.

    There’s any number of ways that I cannot even fathom, that God can arrange things in my behalf, and frankly, my mind is too finite to even begin to comprehend all the ways and methodologies possible. All I know is that God’s got me, so I’m just fine. I’m good. I’m covered, and “what me worry?” So in reality, despite the fact that it may appear that I lose a few “earthbound,” material things, it wouldn’t matter because God can and will replace whatever I need. Not only can He, and will He, but He’ll do it bigger, and better than before…if…I’m faithful. How do I know? Well, let’s look at the word “riches” as in that verse.

    Greek: ploutos (masculine noun)
        1) riches, wealth
    a) abundance of external possessions
    b) fulness, abundance, plenitude
    c) a good i.e. that with which one is enriched

    Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    is used in the singular

    (I) of material “riches,” used evilly, Mat 13:22; Mar 4:19; Luk 8:14; 1Ti 6:17; Jam 5:2; Rev 18:17;

    (II) of spiritual and moral “riches,”

    (a) possessed by God and exercised towards men, Rom 2:4, “of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering;” Rom 9:23 and Eph 3:16, “of His glory” (i.e., of its manifestation in grace towards believers); Rom 11:33, of His wisdom and knowledge; Eph 1:7; 2:7, “of His grace;” Eph 1:18, “of the glory of His inheritance in the saints;” Eph 3:8, “of Christ;” Phl 4:19, “in glory in Christ Jesus,” RV; Col 1:27, “of the glory of this mystery . . . Christ in you, the hope of glory;”
    (b) to be ascribed to Christ, Rev 5:12;
    (c) of the effects of the gospel upon the Gentiles, Rom 11:12 (twice);
    (d) of the full assurance of understanding in regard to the mystery of God, even Christ, Col 2:2, RV;
    (e) of the liberality of the churches of Macedonia, 2Cr 8:2 (where “the riches” stands for the spiritual and moral value of their liberality);
    (f) of “the reproach of Christ” in contrast to this world’s treasures, Hbr 11:26.

    This is the meaning in that verse, which occurs 22 times in 21  verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. However, there are a few more meanings I want to share with you.

    Greek: plousios (adjective) Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    akin to “rich, wealthy,” is used

    (I) literally, Mat 27:57   When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
    (b) as a noun, singular, a “rich” man (the noun not being expressed),  “the rich,” “the rich (man);” plural, Mar 12:41, lit., “rich (ones);” “(them that are) rich,” lit., “(the) rich;” Jam 2:6, RV, “the rich;” Jam 5:1, RV, “ye rich;” Rev 6:15; 13:16, RV, “the rich;”
    (II) metaphorically, of God, Eph 2:4 (“in mercy”); of Christ, 2Cr 8:9; of believers, Jam 2:5, RV, “(to be) rich (in faith);” Rev 2:9, of spiritual “enrichment” generally; Rev 3:17, of a false sense of “enrichment.”

    Greek: plouteo (verb): Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    “to be rich,” in the aorist or point tense, “to become rich,” is used

    (a) literally, Luk 1:53, “the rich,” present participle, lit., “(ones or those) being rich;” 1Ti 6:9, 18; Rev 18:3, 15, 19 (all three in the aorist tense);

    (b) metaphorically, of Christ, Rom 10:12 (the passage stresses the fact that Christ is Lord; see Rom 10:9, and the RV); of the “enrichment” of believers through His poverty, 2Cr 8:9 (the aorist tense expressing completeness, with permanent results); so in Rev 3:18, where the spiritual “enrichment” is conditional upon righteousness of life and conduct (see GOLD, No. 2); of a false sense of “enrichment,” 1Cr 4:8 (aorist), RV, “ye are become rich” (AV, “ye are rich”); Rev 3:17 (perfect tense, RV, “I . . . have gotten riches,” AV, “I am . . . increased with goods”), see GOODS, Note (3); of not being “rich” toward God, Luk 12:21.

    Greek: ploutizo (verb): Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    “to make rich, enrich,” is rendered “making (many) rich” in 2Cr 6:10 (metaphorical of “enriching” spiritually).
    See ENRICH.

    Greek: chrema (noun): Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    “what one uses or needs” (chraomai, “to use”), “a matter, business,” hence denotes “riches,” Mar 10:23, 24; Luk 18:24; see MONEY, No. 2.

    Greek: plousios (adverb): Rich, Riches, Richly, Rich Man:
    “richly, abundantly,” akin to A, is used in Col 3:16; 1Ti 6:17; Tts 3:6, RV, “richly” (AV, “abundantly”); 2Pe 1:11 (ditto).

    I don’t have to worry, just trust. Take my petitions to God, and then wait. See, that’s the hard part…the waiting, and it’s what most people can’t or won’t do. Instead of standing in faith with their eyes on the prize, (the prize being God) they focus on their possessions because they think those are rewards they gained from hard work.

    When God is not your source, you think that way, when in reality, all work is supposed to be for God’s glory and not personal rewards. He supplies our needs and rewards us according to our faith and trust in Him. Again, focus is askew, and perspective needs adjustment. I don’t need to be rich by this world’s standards. I just need to focus on being rich in God-in Christ Jesus, who has enabled my fulfillment in God, and who makes my way and my path filled with blessings. Contentment in this life is hard to come by for those who’s eyes have blurred. I haven’t lost my vision. Blessings.