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Bible Studies
Study 1: Go for it while you can.
Study 2: If you don't get rich will you still serve God?
Study 3: You're no better than anyone else.
Study 4: When should you speak in tongues?

Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. 2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie. 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things. 6 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

Understanding
The bible tells you to take risk and seek out new opportunities in business. Life is uncertain, and if you want something really bad go for it before time runs out (your death). This scripture also says not to try just one thing, but rather try a few things because the one you count on may not be the one that works out for you. The odds of succeeding are better if you, as we say in the world, "don't put all your eggs in one basket".

Here it is in plain terms. You're going to die at some point, when you don't know, maybe sooner than you plan (I think it's always sooner than we plan right). Try to get what you want out of life, it's the only time you have. You probably won't get a chance to snow board in Heaven so do it now. The verse about giving to seven or eight, assumes that when times get rough others will be there for you because you were there for them. It could be that every one you helped never returned your call when you are in need, however, God will have someone ready to put into practice the basic Christian requirements of the good Samaritan (being a good neighbor)

Several Verses on Money

Matthew 6:24
1-No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Ecc 5, 10-11
2- Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

Mark 4, 19
3- And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Mark 10, 17-25
4- And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running , and kneeled to him, and asked him, good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, so not commit adultery, do not kill do not steal, do note bear false witness, defraud not, honor they father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, master, all these have I observed from my youth. 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, And he was sad at that saying , and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God

Understanding
God never said we would be better off financially than nonbelievers. I know most churches teach about being blessed more than anything else and there's a reason for that, people want God to be more of a financial advisor and a loan officer than a savior. They see their salvation as something that will happen here on earth, much the same way the Jews made the mistake of thinking the savior would set up an earthly kingdom on earth in those biblical times. How many people would go to church if they were told there may not be a financial return. Would you? Is your religion based on being blessed with bigger homes, better cars and more money?

The contract is: Leviticus 26, 3-4

If ye walk in my statues, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the fields shall yield their fruit. 26- and I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

Here's something to understand. Malachi 3:10 is simply God reinforcing the agreement made with Jacob in Genesis 28:11. He says; If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go. And will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Malachi 3; 11: and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

Luke 6-38
Most christians point to these two verses to back up their greed. Kitchens full of food. Stomachs extended because of eating too much. Living in homes with hot running water and a toilet inside the house and you don't think you have it pressed down running over. Can't get your car into the garage because of all the stuff you put out there that wouldn't fit in your home any more, and you say you aren't blessed with more than you have room to receive. You have a refrigerator full of food with a deep freeze in the garage. Could it be you are just greedy and want everything you can get your hands on? There's nothing wrong with wanting to be rich but don't dare stand up in church and say you are waiting to be blessed as if you haven't been. You could always trade places with someone in Haiti.

Jonah Ch 3 v 7 Ch 4 v 3

Ch 3 v7 Then he issued proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles:Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock , taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish".10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
Ch 4 v1
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry . 2 He prayed to the lord, "O lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, saw to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O lord take away my life for it is better for me to die than to live.

Understanding
Jonah's problem is he thought he was better than all the people in Nineveh. He was more worried about wasting his time preaching to a city that would be forgiven then he was the city receiving forgiveness. As a Christian he should have been more than pleased to have his time "wasted". Seeing calamity fall upon the city should have been the last thing he wanted. He should have been happy God forgave the city, the fact that they may fall back into the same evil place later should not have been his focus. We all sometimes fall into a place we shouldn't be as Christians and we depend on God's mercy and Grace. God doesn't look into your future and say, "no I can't forgive you because you will fall again next year," he deals with the here and now, and if right now you need forgiving, then that's all that matters.

Sometimes we look at other church members and see them as evil people just wasting their time and we don't want anything to do with them. You may not realize it but you are placing yourself in the same position as Jonah, you are making yourself better than they are and you aren't. Remember all sins are forgiven through God's Grace.
If you see others around you falling into a places they shouldn't be, pray for them and help if you can because it's just a matter of time before you fall into a place you don't belong. We all need God's forgiveness from time to time. You are no better in God's eyes just because you may not need it at the present moment.

1 Corinthians 14

ch 14 v. 26 What then shall we say , brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two- or at the most three- should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

32. The spirit of prophets are subject to the control; of the prophets. 33. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

ch 14 v 13 For this reason anyone who speaks in tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit , but I will also pray with my mind;

Understanding
I have long believed most people speak in tongues or "try" to speak in tongues as an outward show of their "spiritual level". I know some churches say you haven't received the full power of God if you don't speak in tongues, this is so far from the truth I can't believe people still teach that.

1 Corinthians ch 12 v 4 says: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.5. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

(Jump to) verse 8. To one there is given through the spirit the message of wisdom , to another the message of knowledge by means of that one spirit. Read on from there and you will see where some are given the gift of speaking in tongues and others the gift of interpretation.

What's it's saying is not everybody will receive the gift of speaking in tongues. Don't feel pressure to do so because others in your church speak tongues, maybe they have the gift or maybe they are just making noise in order to fit in and show others they have reached a certain "level" in the spirit. By the way, there is no higher level of spirituality that causes you to speak in tongues on a regular basis, it's a gift each time it happens, it's not necessarily a permanent gift given to you until you die. Some people have set words they say all the time almost like a language we can learn in school. My question to them is, if speaking in tongues is a Holy language that no man can know, how is it you have set words that can be learned by others? Is it a Holy language or not? If it can be taught why don't we teach it in the Universities?

Now I have another point of view that does have some logic. When you hear people praying and then they start speaking in tongues for a few seconds and then they go back to praying, this may be acceptable. They haven't spoke in tongues long enough to confuse anyone and not long enough to take away from the prayer which people can understand. In this case there may be no interpretation because the speaker is speaking to edify themselves for the moment. .
ch 14 v 4. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. (It's better to edify the church).
Question: are you thinking of yourself above the needs of the church? I'm not sure why they feel the need to speak in tongues at all if there is no interpreter, it would seem better that they do that in private since it's between God and themselves

ch 14 v 39. Therefore, my brothers be eager to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

Based on that last verse we have to allow the Holy Spirit to move in the church service so we can't stop speaking in tongues however, a leader of a church should remind people that the prophecy is subject to the prophet so they can stop to keep order in the church service, if there is no interpretation. Really you shouldn't have to say this to a Christian, they should want to edify the church while in service not themselves. Maybe that's why they (people speaking in tongues) give me pause.

(God help me in this area to not judge my fellow servants of the kingdom).

Wrong understanding: Those who say you have to speak in tongue in order to show you've received the Holy Spirit use Act chapter 2, 1-4.
What you need to understand about that is that they were speaking in earthly languages. For example if I started speaking in French and I've lever learned French. This was not a unknown spiritual tongue like a lot of ministers and churches teach. Don't be confused or deceived.