Good Morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
When many people get their driver’s license, they will purchase an inexpensive vehicle. They might use it through college, until they finally graduate and get a job. As they begin making money, they will buy a newer one to transport themselves to and from work. Even though it isn’t needed, a few years later as their savings account increases, they will purchase a brand new car for themselves, one that is comfortable and reflects the status of their wealth. This process continues right up until retirement, when they buy the latest model, loaded with all the extras, a worldly reward for those who have diligently sought after worldly things.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
One of the greatest problems with money and possessions is that people are constantly seeking a way to upgrade their life and to improve their temporal condition. When they do, their eyes are focused on increasing their earthly riches, rather than their Spiritual wealth. Love is a very strong emotion and you have to be very careful what you place it on. People will very quickly justify their lavish lifestyles, but it is because they are deceiving themselves. They are caught in a snare and the temptations of this world.
1 Timothy 6 ⁶ 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.
The life of Moses is an example of someone who completely walked away from the treasures of this world. He turned away from any earthly inheritance in Egypt, along with its riches, to obtain spiritual riches in Christ. His life is the evidence of how much he loved God, and he proved it by his actions. He was intently focused on obtaining the reward of eternal inheritance, as he lived a content and humble life out in the desert. To obtain eternal life one must become poor to become truly rich. Like letting go of somebody’s hand, they must be capable of letting go of the world, and reaching out for God. Although they don’t have what’s required according to the world’s standards, poor people possess the greatest possession of all, one that matters more than anything else…..faith.
James 2 ⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
One of the hardest things for people to let go of is Earthly wealth. This is because the love of money is the root of all evil. When you love something, you will chase after it. You will spend your time attempting to obtain the things that you want in this life. Instead of focusing on Spiritual things, their life is spent accruing temporal ones, like a man tearing down a perfectly good barn, only to build a bigger and a better one.
Luke 12 ¹⁶ And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸ And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ²⁰ But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? ²¹ So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Many people try to find happiness by spending all kinds of money on foolish and ornate things. They are filled with laughter, as their hearts are tickled by their covetous nature. They are like children on a sugar rush, completely addicted to frivolous spending. Just like an earthly addiction, its effects don’t last, and you will simply require more.
“But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.” Luke 6:24
Many wealthy people cannot understand how somebody can be content driving around in old vehicles or burning some hot dogs and burgers in their backyard. The poor man is despised by his neighbor and frowned upon by the wicked, simply because the rich won’t admit that they are held captive to the things of this world, and chained to the love of iniquity.
James 5 ¹ 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.
⁶ Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
The more money that you possess, the stranger one’s habits can become. Someone may come into a lot of money, and then they all of a sudden start gambling. They might find great financial gain at a certain job but then begin buying drugs or getting involved with other wickedness. A woman might marry a man not because she loves him, but because she wants to enjoy his wealth and possessions. Love for money will lead you down many different directions in this world, but the end result will be the same; pain, agony, and the everlasting suffering of one’s soul. It is a log of temptation that feeds the flame of one’s own lust for the things of this world.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17
The disciples of the Lord were poor in the eyes of men, but they had chosen that life in order to seek God with all of their heart. They gave up earthly jobs and used their time to preach God’s Word instead. They might not have had anything, but inside they had everything that you could ever need.
“As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Corinthians 6:10
All the things that we see will eventually be gone, and the only thing that will remain are the things of Christ and the heavenly Father. As a Christian, one must focus their attention on the world that is coming, rather than on the one that is passing away. It is fruitless to gain the entire world and then lose your own soul. Have you turned away from the things of this world, or do you continue to seek after….
….The Upgrade
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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