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.
There are many different kinds of birds that fly around up here in our neck of the woods but some of them are known as raptors, which is another name for birds of prey. This group of birds are carnivorous, such as an owl or an eagle, and can be readily identified by their sharp claws and hooked beaks which are used for tearing and devouring flesh. Interestingly enough, they have exceptional eyesight for spotting their prey from a long ways off, and will survive by killing live prey, or scavenging the meat from dead animals.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
In this world we are surrounded by greedy and covetous men, who could care less about the needs of the poor. Rather than reaching out to help them, they will prey upon them instead, using their time of suffering as an opportunity to line their own pocketbooks. Rather than helping the poor with the things that God has provided them, they will wait until the destitute are on their back financially so they can increase their own wealth many times over. The wicked feast upon the sufferings of others, and just like birds of prey, they will wait for the opportune moment to spring upon the needs of the helpless.
Proverbs 21:13 (KJB) Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
In order to increase one’s wealth, many people will forget about the needs of the poor; defraud their employees of a decent wage; turn their ears away from the cries of those who are suffering; charge exorbitant prices for the basic things that people need; and pile up all their wealth in a bank somewhere so they can retire and traipse around the world in comfort and idleness. Those who live lives like this are going to find everything turned around at the judgment, because when they are finally cast into an everlasting lake a fire to suffer in eternal torment, God will turn away His ears from their cries.
Luke 16:19-31 (KJB) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
When someone is covetous, they have a strong desire for money and material possessions, above and beyond what is actually needed. Sometimes people will receive a windfall or even win the lottery, but rather than doing something good with it, they will store it all up for themselves. Be forewarned, that if people choose to live lives like that, God will take their souls when they aren’t looking for Him.
Luke 12:13-21 (KJB) And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 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. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 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. 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. 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? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Rich people live a life of pleasure, adorned in their beautiful clothing with refrigerators and freezers packed full of delicacies. This is one of the reasons why the love of money is a root of all evil because people are completely focused on increasing their personal holdings, even if it means ripping off their poor neighbor.
James 5:1-6 (KJB) Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 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. 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. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
Some people will even prey upon vulnerable adults and the elderly by stepping into their lives, gaining access to power of attorney, and then blowing it all by spending it all on their own families high priced gadgets, and defrauding the poor of what is rightfully theirs. If that’s not evil enough, these same people will rip off a poor person down the street out of the little things that they possess too! People such as these are a waste of space, and it’s no wonder why God was sorry that he created man in the days of Noah.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (KJB) 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.
Can you imagine a rich man giving away half of everything that he had to the poor? Not likely, but Zacchaeus did!
Luke 19:8-9 (KJB) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
Remember that when covetous people encounter a poor person, their predatory instincts will start to take over, and they will begin to sink their talons in deep. This world is their hunting ground, and the poor man their sustenance, but sorrow is heading their way. God is watching all that they do, and will avenge all of the pain that they cause. Misery and destruction are in their ways, for every single one of, these…….
………Birds of Prey
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 all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️
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