Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to look at some scripture from 1st Timothy but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little personal story.
Many years ago we had a dog as our guest for a period of time in our home. It was so long ago I really can’t remember the kind of dog that it was but it seemed really kind and friendly. It was a bigger dog kind of like a husky. It was brought home from the animal shelter and the dog had a really rough time because it had been caught in a trappers snare. The snare had nearly killed the creature, but it managed to survive and escape its death sentence when a passerby had found him in the woods. It was incredible at the loss of blood and life that this dog managed to endure. Each day when we fed him, we could see the deep wounds that he had around his neck that had been repaired and stitched up by a local veterinarian.
The desire for food had led the dog into that snare, just like a love of money leads people into a snare each and every day. A snare chokes the victim, depriving them of breath and life. Death might not be immediate, but slowly comes to those who love money and desire to be rich.
1 Tim 6:8-10 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
What does it mean to be content? Contentedness is a state of peaceful happiness or being satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are.
The Apostle teaches to be content with food and clothes. When you think about it, what does a person really need in this life?
Some people work for 30 years to pay off a house and some vehicles while the truth is, true happiness, joy and life comes from the Lord Jesus Christ not in the things that we possess.
Each year many people take off for a few weeks in the summer to go camping. Sometimes I wonder why do they do this? Is it to get back to the roots of where they are supposed to be with Christ? Is it because they are looking for something but yet they cannot detach themselves from the world?
Uncontentedness can come in many different forms. It can lead to a divorce when you are not content with the spouse you chose freely to spend the rest of your life with. It can lead people to want the things of this world more than other personal reationships, just like Lot’s wife. It can cause people to be yoked up with unbelievers in some kind of job somewhere.
I guarantee you, the love of money is the root of all evil. It’s better off to be poor and broke with nothing but your faith in Christ. God took the Israelites into a barren desert and provided them with all their physical needs how shall he not provide true believers in all things?
Uncontentedness causes us to go looking for things that we most likely don’t have any real need for. I worked in retail for a few years and we learned about compulsive purchasing. You really don’t need it but it feels so good when you do it. In the flesh people purchase things because they are not happy with things the way that things are. Think about the animals that are in the wild surviving on just what is needed.
Matthew 6:25-33 – Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
As a Christian, God desires us to be content with food and clothes. Everything else is a benefit, but not one we should long after.
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Hebrews 13:5-6 – Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Worldly riches can never compare with Spiritual ones.
1 Tim 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Sorrow is the only road for those who love money more than others.
James 5:1-5 – Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
James refers to it as misery.
1 John 3:17 – But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Those who are well off need to help those who aren’t. This is the law of love in Christ.
Luke 16:13 – No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Like they’ve said for thousands of years, if you want to find evil just follow the money trail. It truly is the root of all evil.
That’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing we will talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️
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