Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Many years ago I had a friend who owned his own car dealership. He did very well for himself and had an extremely large home up on a hill. His house was filled with all kinds of ornate furnishings and goods.
At the time, Andrew was very young and used to go to play at his home with his children occasionally.
Because my friend sold cars for a living, he had a junkyard about a mile behind his home where he kept used junk cars and scrap parts.
One day I stopped at his house to pickup Andrew and I asked what the kids really enjoyed doing together. He told me that he had bought the kids all kinds of toys and things to play with but all the expensive possessions that he had purchased sat in the garage unused. He said that the only thing that the children wanted to do was to go down and play at the junkyard.
What do people really require in this life to be happy? We learn from these children today that we don’t need a silver spoon or expensive things in order to enjoy life.
Before I married my wife, I gave her one stipulation. I told her we would never have much money but I would always love her and stay with her. The only thing that was mentioned by either of us before our marriage was accepting poverty, which she agreed to, stating that she would be fine with that.
I’ve always provided for my family’s basic needs as Moses did for his wife and family and as God did with the Israelites. Today, some people’s definition of basic needs are only a dark coat of hidden covetousness rather than contentedness.
1 Tim 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 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.
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.
When somebody has the desire to be rich, they want to have a great deal of money or assets. That desire begins to consume them because what happens is all that they are thinking about all day long is how they can add to their bank account.
When I was a small child I used to watch early morning cartoons. I always remember Scrooge McDuck and how he always desired to check on his money bin to make sure that all of his money was safe. His wealth was constantly on his mind.
The amassing of riches on this Earth is a sinful desire. With great wealth comes great responsibility because you don’t want it to count against you at the judgement. I’ve always thought of it as a hot potato that you have to get rid of before you depart this Earth, just as the dad of the prodigal son did.
It’s not a sin to be poor, because the poor are blessed by God. They have chosen to live that life just as Peter and the apostles. The poor have more time available to them to seek after God and his Word and to preach and worship with others.
Luke 6:20 – And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
When you think about it what do you really need in this life? Do you really need $150 tennis shoes? Do you truly need a $30,000 pick up or a $25,000 outboard? People end up going into debt to pay for all these things and then they become a slave to them. Their master becomes money rather than Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:24 – No man 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.
Moses could have inherited all the treasures and riches in Egypt but he turned away from it all. He chose to live simply in a tent out in Midian. The Israelites also lived simply in tents and God provided them with basic needs like food and water. So I ask you again, what do you really need in this world to be happy? True Joy comes In making more time available in your life to seek Christ Jesus.
James 5:1-5 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
You can be rich in Earthly finances and possessions or you can be rich in good works. You can use the things that God has given you to bless others and to help those who have physical needs.
Covet means to yearn to possess or have something. When you yearn it means to long, pine or eagerly desire something very much, accompanied by restless or even painful feelings.
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.
Luke 18:24-27 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Labor to find the true riches that are found in Christ Jesus and his Word.
Pro 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤
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