The Scariest Verse in the Bible + “All Things To Enjoy”
All Things To Enjoy.
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” (I Tim 6:17)
This phrase has been on my mind since Sunday morning. Paul is writing the closing of his first letter to Timothy, offering instructions to several “groups” of people and to Timothy Himself. In this verse he speaks to “the rich,” and says not to put your trust in your wealth because it is UNCERTAIN. Money is fleeting and unstable. Wealth is uncertain and can be lost in an instant. Rather, he says to trust in THE GOD WHO IS ALIVE! “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:18 ESV) Paul says to put our complete confidence in God, Who is the One all things come from. He gives us richly all things to enjoy.
1. HE GIVES! All we have is FROM HIM. Created by Him & bestowed by Him. God is a GIVER.
* “He gives rain upon the earth and sends water upon the fields.” Job 5:10
* “the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding.” Job 32:8
* “God…gives songs in the night.” Job 25:10
* “He gives meat in abundance.” Job 36:31
* “The God of Israel is He that gives strength to His people.” Psalm 68:35
* “HIS WORD…gives light…gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130
* “He gives HIs beloved sleep.” Psalm 127:2
* “He gives food to all flesh.” Psalm 126:25
* “The LORD gives wisdom…” Proverbs 2:6
* “God gives…” “the days of our lives.” Ecclesiastes 5:18
* “He gives power to the faint.” Isaiah 40:29
* “He gives breath unto the people…” Isaiah 42:5
* “He gives the sun for a light by day, and…the moon & the stars for a light by night.” Jeremiah 31:5
* “He gives life unto the world.” John 6:33
* He “gives peace.” John 14:27
* God gives the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6
* God “gives the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
* He “gives grace unto the humble” James 4:6/1 Peter5:5
And, giving in it’s highest, purest, truest form: “God so loved the world that He gave HIs only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
Ultimately, He gave His life for ours. He died a cruel death after living a spotless life so that we have the option of salvation. He gave ALL.
Recognizing that God is a GIVER and the source of all things frees me up to trust Him MORE!!
And it fuels true deep gratitude. I have nothing that’s not from Him. “All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.” ALL is given by GOD! He gives good gifts. Matthew 7:11 and Luke 11:13
GOD is a GIVER.
2. HE GIVES ABUNDANTLY!! God doesn’t skimp. He’s not a miser doling out scant amounts. “Richly” here is #4146 which means copiously (Strongs), abundantly (Thayers). “Abundant” means “existing or available in large quantities; plentiful.” God gives GENEROUSLY. God gives liberally. God gives lavishly. “Blessed be the LORD, who daily loadeth us with benefits.” (Psalm 68:19) He makes our cup to run over. (Psalm23:4) NLT says: “My cup runneth over with blessings…”
3. HE GIVES ALL THINGS! # 3956 “in an absolute sense, all things collectively, the TOTALITY of created things, the universe of things.” Every single thing on this earth is given and made by Him. Even “man-made” things are crafted with matter and molecules that He Himself spoke into existence. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…ALL THINGS were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)
“Thus saith the LORD, they Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I AM THE LORD THAT MAKETH ALL THINGS; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.” (Isaiah 44:24) Every single last speck & shred is made and GIVEN by Him.
4. ALL IS GIVEN RICHLY BY HIM TO ENJOY!
God gave EVERYTHING for us to ENJOY it.
“Enjoy in Greek (#619) is pretty deep. It means “to enjoy, enjoyment.” (LOL) Miriam Webster expounds on enjoy: “to take pleasure or satisfaction in” and Google says, “to take DELIGHT OR PLEASURE IN.” God is glorified, magnified and worshipped when we enjoy His gifts…whatever form they come in. God is glorified when we enjoy the green of the grass…the scent of a baby…the sound of lapping waves or a trickling brook…the laughter of children and family and friends. He receives GLORY when we enjoy the beauty of sunrises, sunsets, and billowing clouds…the freshness after the rain…the flap of butterfly wings…the sound of bird songs…the flavor of a strawberry…the love of another human being…the intricacy of the veining on a leaf…the majesty of a mountain…the warmth of the sunshine…the richness of autumn…the rustle of leaves…the diversity and depth in ALL His creation. The symmetry of a starfish…the complexity of the human eye…the vastness of the universe…the unfurling of spring leaves…trees and oceans and rivers and people and fruit and flowers and food and beauty and creativity and ALL THINGS.
“He giveth us richly all things to ENJOY.” He is appreciated & adored & magnified when we delight in the generosity and beauty of the Giver and His gifts. Instead of trusting in riches, which are unstable and unpredictable, we trust in the living God…the Author of all that is beautiful and lovely and good.
This triggers on last “thought”:
God is a Giver, which is why “God loves a cheerful giver…” someone who gives “cheerfully, merrily, hilariously, joyously, and promptly, (#2431) is a reflection of the Ultimate Giver. He sees His image in us when we learn to give with joy. He loves the giver who recognizes that “everything I have is FROM YOU, FOR YOU,” and I will be a channel for You to flow through. I will be a conduit. “My time” is YOUR TIME. “My money” is YOUR MONEY. “My talent” is YOUR TALENT.” Every single last thing in “my life” is YOURS, including “my life” itself. All I am and all I have is YOURS…even if it feels like it’s not much.
Recognizing that “God…giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” breeds a strong confidence and trust in His almighty capability. It fuels deep gratitude for ALL He’s given. And it motivates liberal generosity because it acknowledges that I have nothing apart from Him!
NOW…. time to ENJOY Monday! with deep gratitude for the GIVER !
Thank you for joining me for this journey!
Go grab your Bible and your journal!
I look forward to the power of this habit in your life. This is Unedited.