Greetings Mike,

The purpose of my email is to seek counsel regarding ambitions. My greatest ambition in life is to be conformed to very image of my Master, Jesus Christ. How do I reconcile that with also wanting to purchase a house or pursuing a career? It seems as though to do so would be seeking to serve two masters. How do I go about daily living without becoming too invested in what daily living involves, i.e. the cares of this life? I work many hours to provide for my family, and I want to invest money in properties so that, eventually, I won’t have to work as many hours, but it seems that such ambitions bring a conviction that I don’t quite understand. It seems that to seek to pursue a career would involve me being consumed by the cares of this life, but then I wonder, “do I even understand the phrase ‘cares of this life’ as it is meant to be understood?” Any help would be greatly appreciated, Mike.

I am your brother,

M____

Hi M____,

Thank you for your very good question. You ask:

How do I reconcile [seeking the kingdom] with also wanting to purchase a house or pursuing a career?

You are exactly where other young men your age are. God has opened the eyes of a few young men, and they, too, have families to feed and clothe, and accomplishing that is a full time job. There really is no way to avoid having to work at least eight hours a day, spend time with your wife, and also make time to spend with your children.

That is ordained of God for this season of your life, and the scriptures make that super clear with these very sobering words:

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

So the fact is that if you are meeting the needs of your family, you are “seeking the kingdom of God first”, and if you are failing to do so you are denying Christ and are worse than an infidel. Christ Himself tells us as “His servants”:

Luk 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

So do not feel guilty for wanting to provide for yourself, your wife and your children. That is the Lord’s will for you at this time. You can still find time to pray and spend time in the word of God with your wife and children, as much as the Lord permits. The Lord works these things after the counsel of His own will.

When He wants you to spend more time in service to His body, you will be the first to know, because He will make that clear to you, and He will give you the desire to do so as He did the apostle Paul, and as He has done for me:

1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

I hope the scriptures I have given you will serve to give you some direction in life and the peace of mind we are all seeking.

Your servant in the Lord’s service,

Mike

[Study Posted February 15, 2015]

“In times past” the elect of God has indeed “walked according to the course of this world” being ruled by an evil and deceptive heart and mind which God created in this marred vessel of clay (Gen 1:1-2; Gen 2:7; Isa 45:7; Jer 18:4; Rom 8:6-7; Rom 8:20):

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Through the revelation of Jesus, the elect are indeed privileged to hear His trumpets behind them in this age in order for them to be able to see their own deceptive walk and desperately wicked heart (Rev 8:6):

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last….

The day of trumpets is announcing the day of judgment which comes first to God’s elected church, the body of Christ:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

This day of the Lord is certainly a dreadful day for this fleshly man of sin because the time of judgment has come to expose and destroy the works of this son of perdition through the righteous fiery Word of God for the purpose of bringing sanctification and salvation (Jer 5:14; 1Co 3:13-15):

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Under the theme of sanctification through servanthood, we also meet the typical elect of God in the life of Jacob where he first operated as a deceiver and manipulator. With this frame of mind, Jacob was not ready yet to be of service to God and His people. For some part of his life, Jacob was only focused on what he could benefit from a certain situation, as his outlook on life was limited to his own tent and his selfish ambitions:

Gen 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

Jacob manipulated Esau out of the rights of the firstborn and also received the blessing of the inheritance of the firstborn through evil scheming with the help of his mother, Rebekah (Gen 25:29-34; Gen 27:6-29). To take possession of the inheritance was another story for Jacob, as we also will learn that through the process of sanctification, God sets His elect apart for the sole service to Him and others (Exo 28:41; Exo 29:44; Joh 17:17; Eph 5:27; Col 3:24; Rom 12:1; 1Th 1:3-5):

Exo 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

Rom 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Jacob will also come to this position by enduring many tribulations and trials outside the protective realm of his mother’s directions and his own tent. This is the road of all God’s elect as we are all in desperate need of sanctification and redemption from this wicked natural heart to be set apart to function as servants in God’s holy temple, which is His kingdom (Rev 15:8):

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

The elect will be those who will be raised up from death in the first resurrection and rule on this earth in the symbolic thousand-year reign over the kingdoms of the earth and be the judges in the lake of fire (Revelation 20). However, to be the first and in that first resurrection, we need to become the least or to be humbled to also be stripped of our earthly selfish nature and carnal aspirations (Mar 10:31; Luk 14:8-11):

Mar 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Physical Israel had to leave Egypt where they believed that their efforts produced food and shelter as they also later, after being freed, longed to be back in Egypt, even under that shelter of slavery to sin (Exo 16:3; Num 14:1-4; Neh 9:16-17; 1Co 10:6):

Deu 11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

The land of spiritual possession and its accompanying mindset are quite different from this earthy land and the conceptions of our carnal mind (1Co 2:12-16). Egypt is a type of our walk in the flesh where the waters from the Nile River were the only main source of water supply. The land of Egypt is irrigated by manmade systems and human efforts – “with thy foot” (Deu 11:10; Zec 14:18). The dependence on flesh with all its false doctrines, which is symbolized by the waters of the earth and the mist in the garden of Eden, cannot produce or sustain spirit life (Gen 2:5-6). These waters of the earth maintain the green plants and herbs which are unfulfilling. It is only the elect of God who are then permitted by God to “go on” to maturity to drink of the rain from heaven and the eating of more solid meat (Heb 6:1-3). The milk and honey of spiritual herbs cannot sustain anyone through the many severe fiery trials (1Pe 4:12). It is only the elect of God who are enabled to count these fiery trials all joy, as they know what they produce (Jas 1:2-4):

Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Through these ‘exercises’ God’s elect learn how to discern and handle the hills and the valleys in life because of the waters of heaven. They discover that God is in absolute and total control of everything that happens in every aspect of life:

Deu 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
Deu 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

Jacob is entering this period of his life to have his “senses exercised” as he left for the house of his uncle Laban in Haran, on the instruction of his parents (Gen 24:8-10):

Gen 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram [plateau of Aram = a region in Syria/Mesopotamia = Gen 24:10; Gen 25:20; Hos 12:12].

Gen 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran [meaning “parched” and “mountainous place” – linked to the region of Padanaram in Mesopotamia = relating to Babylon].

Jacob travelled east to get to the land of the people of the east:

Gen 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

All God’s elect, typified by Jacob, must first travel eastward to Babylon, and go through their time in exile and to be deceived by our masters in Babylon. Jacob first came to a well, which is a very familiar place in scripture where important meetings happened and where relationships also started in many instances in scripture:

Gen 29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
Gen 29:3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.

But here at this “well in the field” we see a few interesting things which are noted for our learning. As we know, the field represents the world and also the false churches with their unfulfilling waters “of the earth”, because Jesus also declared that “everyone who drinks of this water [of earthly wells] will be thirsty again” (Mat 13:38; Joh 4:13-14). These shepherds at this particular well were also very dependent on this earthly water to temporarily satisfy the thirst of their sheep. These waters also correlate with the waters from “under the firmament” which are not the true waters of spiritual life from “above the firmament” (Joh 4:6-15; Rev 22:1; Rev 22:17):

Gen 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

God made that separation between these waters for a good reason:

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The waters found on the earth are the waters from “under the firmament” which is referring to our dependence on our thoughts and our ways which always lead to death. Everything connected to this earth and this creation is what death and decay is about. It is the total opposite of the waters above the firmament which connects with spirit life and peace:

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

When Jacob arrived at this well, three flocks of sheep were lying nearby waiting for their individual shepherds to roll the great stone away. The number three is also spiritually pointing to the process of us drinking the waters of the earth when we are also weak in the faith. We are at this time limited to the mercy of the shepherds who can only supply the waters of the earth and the herb “of the field” (Gen 1:29):

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Jacob met these shepherds from Haran at this particular “well in the field” and they were the first to supply him with information concerning Rachel, which is significant how we also come to know about the true bride of Christ – through spiritual Babylon. God ordained it that we learn through opposites – we first meet the darkness in order to understand and appreciate the light (Gen 1:2-5; Gen 1:8; Gen 1:13; Gen 1:19; Gen 1:23; Gen 1:31):

Gen 29:4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
Gen 29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
Gen 29:6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
Gen 29:7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
Gen 29:8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

There is a clear consensus among these shepherds. This consensus indicates the negative application of having a multitude of counsellors when we need advice on difficult decisions in our lives (Pro 11:14; Pro 15:22; Pro 24:6). The churches of this world are all in agreement concerning the one mind they share in having false teachings and in their opposition to the true words and gospel of Jesus and His true church (Psa 2:2). We take part in this consensus at our appointed times, when we also relish this water from the earth and eat green plants and herbs as our staple spiritual diet. This is our time when we have “itching ears” to hear what our natural heart wants to hear:

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

As in the case of Jacob, God’s elect first meet the false shepherds before they can meet the real and true shepherds. We first meet the “other Jesus”, or the fleshly Christ, before we meet the true Christ (Mat 24:5; 2Co 5:16; 2Co 11:4). When Jacob heard that his cousin from Haran is coming, Jacob’s old nature jumped forward to disregard others as he wanted things to be done the way he thought it should be done. He rolled the stone away to give water to the flock which Rachel brought, ignoring the convention among these shepherds:

Gen 29:9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
Gen 29:10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

Although Jacob broke the consensus of these shepherds in this instance, we can also see that he is starting to show the heart of the elect of God who first look at the needs of God’s people:

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

In our time of immaturity, our human spirit controls our actions as it is only through the mature spirit of God in us that we will be able to deal with others with humility and meekness:

1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Jacob, in his immature natural love, could not also contain his speech or emotions in the process of meeting Rachel:

Gen 29:11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

This meeting with Rachel introduced Jacob to his uncle Laban, and from there Jacob’s life moved into a higher dimension of learning, through which he will learn the hard way that God’s ways are not his ways:

Gen 29:12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.
Gen 29:13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

Laban gave Jacob free lodging for a specific time period which in this case is “the space of a month”:

Gen 29:14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Jacob needed to learn at this point in time to work with his own hands. The apostle Paul also showed the immature believers in Thessalonica that he, as God’s servant, knew that working with our own hands has deep spiritual applications:

2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2Th 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
2Th 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

This has many applications to which we will give a few brief details here. The first thing we learn through this arrangement between Jacob and Laban is that it is required of every servant of God to be industrious and to provide for our own household, even in material things as it also applies to our spiritual sanctification. Sanctification in our daily actions and activities are part of continuously trimming our own lamps, and that is what the wise virgins in Christ will do as they work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Mat 25:1-13; Act 20:33-35; Php 2:12-13):

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

The way we live and provide in material or visible things for our own household, reflects our spiritual understanding of the invisible things of God concerning our works according to the measure of faith we received (Rom 1:20; Rom 12:1-3). Spiritually this also points to this important aspect of “presenting [our] members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification” as we walk blameless amidst a crooked world (Rom 6:19 ASV; 2Co 7:1; 1Th 4:3; 1Th 5:23; 1Ti 2:9-15; Heb 12:14):

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

If those around us cannot see the works of the faith of Christ reflecting in our behaviour and activities, we are indeed blaspheming the name of God when we speak God’s words which do not match up with our actions:

Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Jacob will also now learn, through his uncle Laban, that no one will serve “for nought”, although Laban himself was not beyond deceit in his dealings with Jacob at a later stage. Nothing we do on this earth is disconnected from the purposes of God for us:

Gen 29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

———

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

What Becomes of Our Flesh?
Another Jesus
What Are the Biblical Instructions for Finding A Wife?
Numbers in Scripture
Did Christ’s Disciples Provide for Their Families?
How Should a Christian Handle Freeloaders?

L____ wrote:
Hi Mike,
My family and I studied this weekend “After the Counsel of His Own Will” which we enjoyed so much.   Thank you so much.  I am learning to accept whatever God’s Will is. Mike, I would like to know what is an infidel, and what is the difference between envy and jealousy?  Look forward to hearing from you.  L____

Hi L____,
It is good to hear from you.
You make my day knowing that you were edified by that paper on God’s sovereignty. I have said it many times; accepting God’s total sovereignty is nothing more or less than dethroning the beast within. That gift is given to but very few.
You ask, “What is an infidel?”
The word ‘infidel’ appears in the King James Version only twice, but it appears in the Greek 23 times. It is most often translated in some form of the word ‘unbelief’ or ‘unbeliever.’ And that is what an infidel is; he is an unbeliever.
Here are those 23 verses containing the Greek word only twice translated infidel. I am cutting and pasting this from my e- sword.
G571
απιστος
apistos
Total KJV Occurrences: 23
unbelieving, 5
1Co_7:14-15 (3), Tit_1:15, Rev_21:8
believe, 4
1Co_10:27, 1Co_14:22 (2), 2Co_4:4
faithless, 4
Mat_17:17, Mar_9:19, Luk_9:41, Joh_20:27
unbelievers, 4
Luk_12:46, 1Co_6:6, 1Co_14:23, 2Co_6:14
believeth not, 3
1Co_7:12-13 (2), 1Co_14:24
infidel, 2
2Co_6:15, 1Ti_5:8
incredible, 1
Act_26:8 (2)
“faithless, unbelievers, believe not, infidel, or incredible, it is all the same. It means unbelievers or unbelief.
Your second question is:
“What is the difference between envy and jealousy?”
The answer is, very little. Both, in their negative application, are of the same spirit, and both, in their positive application, are of the same spirit.
There are two Greek words which are translated as envy. The first is ‘zeloo,’ which is translated with several different English words, including the word ‘jealous’. Here are the verses in which this Greek word is found.
G2206
ζηλοω
ze loo
Total KJV Occurrences: 17
affect, 2
Gal_4:17 (2)
covet, 2
1Co_12:31, 1Co_14:39
desire, 2
1Co_14:1, Jas_4:2
envy, 2
Act_7:9, Act_17:5
moved, 2
Act_7:9, Act_17:5
zealously, 2
Gal_4:17-18 (2)
affected, 1
Gal_4:18 (2)
earnestly, 1
1Co_12:31
envieth, 1
1Co_13:4
jealous, 1
2Co_11:2
zealous, 1
Rev_3:19
As you can see, this word is translated both as ‘jealous’ and as ‘envieth.’ But it is translated as jealous only one time:

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Here is how Strong’s defines this word:
G2206
ζηλοω
ze loo
dzay- lo’- o
From G2205; to have warmth of feeling for or against : – affect, covet (earnestly), (have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous (- ly affect).
“Warmth of feeling for or agains t” demonstrates that, as always, there is both a positive and a negative application for every word of God’s Word. That is because “the cloud,” which is Christ, is dark on one side and bright on the other side, but it is all one cloud. I am accused of being blasphemous when I point to this Biblical Truth, but that Truth still stands on its own. The cloud which is Christ is ‘dark to them and light to these.’

Exo 14:20  And it [ the Cloud that led Israel in the wilderness] came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

So, depending upon your perspective, Christ is both light and darkness, good and evil, life and death:

2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

2Co 2:16  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life . And who is sufficient for these things?

To the froward Christ shows Himself as froward :

Psa 18:26  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

For example:

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, [ there] thou hast [ that is] thine.
Mat 25:26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Had the Lord ‘sown’ nothing with this man? Of course not. He had given all these men varying amounts of money to invest. That money had come out of His own pocket. But He answered this man “according to the idols of his own heart.”

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

I point this all out so you will understand why these words are used as they are. For example, look at these two, what appear to be contradictory statements about this Greek word ‘zeloo.’

1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not [ Greek – zeloo]; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Here we are told that ‘charity’ or ‘love envies not.’ But then we have this:

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous [ Greek- – zeloo] therefore, and repent.

Those with whom God’s spirit, is not at this time working to drag them to Himself, will scream ‘Contradiction, contradiction!’ But those to whom it is given to see that Christ is both light and darkness, life and death, good and evil, it makes perfectly good sense to say that charity does not envy others, and at the same time tell us to be envious (zeloo – zealous) of repentence when we are envious of others. Here is how Paul explains this:

Gal 4:18  But it is good to be zealously affected [ zeloo] always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

The other Greek word which is also translated as envy is ‘phthonos.’ Here are the verses containing this Greek word:
G5355
φθονος
phthonos
Total KJV Occurrences: 9
envy, 7
Mat_27:18, Mar_15:10, Rom_1:29, Phi_1:15, 1Ti_6:4, Tit_3:3, Jas_4:5
envies, 1
1Pe_2:1
envyings, 1
Gal_5:21
And here is how Strong’s defines this word:
G5355
φθονος
phthonos
fthon’- os
Probably akin to the base of G5351; ill will (as detraction), that is, jealousy (spite): – envy.
Here is where this word first appears in the New Testament:

Mat 27:18  For he [ Pilate] knew that for envy [ phthonos – for ill will – because of their unfettered hatred] they had delivered him [ Christ].

Strong’s has the word ‘jealously’ in his definition, but I could find no examples of this word being translated as ‘jealous’ or ‘jealously.’
When we look at the word ‘jealously’ we find that it appears just four times in the New Testament, and its root is the same as the root for envy. Its root is the Greek word ‘zeloo,’ ” to have warmth of feeling for or against.”
Here is the Greek word for ‘jealousy’ with its definition:
G3863
παραζηλοω
paraze loo
par- ad- zay- lo’- o
From G3844 and G2206; to stimulate alongside, that is, excite to rivalry: – provoke to emulation (jealousy).
And here is where this word is used:
 G3863
παραζηλοω
paraze loo
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
provoke, 4
Rom_10:19, Rom_11:11, Rom_11:14, 1Co_10:22
emulation, 1
Rom_11:14
So the root of both words, the word ‘jealousy,’ and the word ‘envy,’ is the Greek word ‘zeloo,’ meaning ” to have warmth of feeling for or against.”
The Greek word ‘phthonos,’ which is also at times translated as ‘jealousy,’ is really better translated as ‘ill will.’
So, I hope this has all helped you to see that there really is very little difference between the Greek words which are translated as ‘envy’ and ‘jealousy,’ and I hope this has helped you to better understand that Christ and His words, depending on your standing with Christ and your perspective of Christ, have both a positive and a negative application, and that we all must live through seeing Christ from both perspectives:

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things [“every word”] which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth [“every word”] the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Your brother in the Christ.
Mike

Mike,

I really enjoy your talks, and I listen to you almost daily and have for over one year. I say this to make sure you realize that I am not an attacker of the truths that you speak; however, I am curious that you say in your talk on “How Important is Knowledge” that all of the other disciples went back and forth from their families and following Jesus. Your proof of this is that that is why it is only Peter, James and John that are with him most of the time and the others are at home. I am not advocating not being responsible or anything like that. I am just curious if there are verses that would back up this statement.
Thanks for everything you do, and I hope you take this in the inquiring spirit it is written.
D____

class=”email”>Hi D____,
Thank you for your question.
Another verse which adds weight to this statement is:

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

class=”email”>And there is also this verse of scripture:

Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

As many of today’s ministers demonstrate, it is possible to live a very comfortable life on the tithes and offerings of a congregation. But Christ did not have “a congregation” to support Him. The tithes at that time were “of mint and cummin” and of the other produce of the land, and it was to go to the priests and the Levites. Here is who did support Christ and His ministry:

Luk 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
Luk 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Why are we told that it was “certain women… which ministered unto Him of their substance?” The reason is that these words, as with the rest of God’s Word, are spiritual words. These women represent what women throughout God’s Word represent; they typify the church which ought to be ministering to those who minister to them. It was Paul who said:

Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

class=”email”>And so we are told in the preceding verse:

Luk 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

So the twelve were with Christ in His ministry and as such typify the foundation of the New Testament Church:

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

But being “with him” does not mean that any of these twelve apostles ever abandoned their families. They certainly never did. Christ has never yet asked anyone to forsake his wife and children to preach the gospel. He does tell us all, ministers or otherwise, that the kingdom of God must come before all else. But it is this doctrine which assures us that none of the apostles ever forsook their families. The doctrine of the kingdom of God requires that we “provide for our own or we are worse than an infidel.”
I certainly never meant to imply that none of the apostles ever “lived of the gospel.” They all, no doubt, did receive help from those to whom they ministered. Even the apostle Paul, who told the Corinthians that He would not take anything of them, admitted that he was receiving help from other churches:

2Co 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

The apostle Paul was not advocating “going to war at his own charge” or denying a “cheerful giver” of his blessing. What he was advocating was “whoever will not work should not eat.”

2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

But as with all of God’s Word, this is primarily a spiritual statement. Paul goes so far as to twice say that “you shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn” is also spiritual statement:

1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [ is] worthy of his reward.
1Co 9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
1Co 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
1Co 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
1Co 9:10 Or saith he [ it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [ this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

But all of this is not “the sum of God’s Word” on this subject. The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of God’s spirit continued with this theme here writing to these Corinthian “carnal babes:”

1Co 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
1Co 9:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1Co 9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

class=”email”>And he makes this statement to the elders of the church of Ephesus:

Act 20:33 I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

If you thought that I was saying that James, Peter and John were always with Christ, and the others came and went, then I simply did not make myself clear. My point in saying what I did was to make it clear that none of the apostles had forsaken or ever failed to provide for their families. It was after Christ told the rich young ruler to “sell all you have and come and take up your cross and follow me,” that we read of Christ entering into Peter’s home and healing Peter’s mother- in- law.

Mat 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.

Christ had not required Peter to sell his house and put his family out in the elements. “Sell all you own” had to do with getting rid of that young ruler’s self- righteousness and replacing it with the righteousness of Christ and His cross. And those are words which we all must live. Why would Peter have a house and family but the same not be so for the other apostles? We are not told specifically who was and who was not married or how big were their families. But what we are told is enough to tell us that Christ had not asked or required his apostles to fail to provide for their families. That was my point.
Christ’s apostles were all very hard workers. They all were compelled to preach the gospel:

1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

I hope this clarifies what I was trying to relay in that talk. More important I hope this helps you to see what the scriptures teach on this subject.

class=”email”>Mike