DO NOT BE STRESSED OUT ABOUT RICHES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 25, 2020.

SUBJECT : DO NOT BE STRESSED OUT ABOUT RICHES!

Memory verse: "Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!" (Proverbs 23 vs 4.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 9 - 10:

6:9: 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.

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.

INTIMATION:

People tend to think they are responsible for all of the factors that lead to prosperity and the money needed to survive. They are worried about losing their jobs or a downturn in the economy because they see themselves as the source of their provision. For this reason they are so stressed out about riches since they think they are in control of their finances. Seeing yourself as the source of blessing in your life puts a lot of pressure on you to control circumstances that are really beyond your control. 

God is responsible for you, and even is interested in every detail of your life, to the extent that He knows the number of the hairs of your head. (Matthew 10 vs 30.) God is the only source for all you have; “...A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” (John 3 vs 27.) And is God ‘who gives you power to get wealth.’ (Deuteronomy 8 vs 17 - 18.) If you are stressed out about possessions, then I encourage you to start looking up to God as the source of your prosperity, not the power and might of your hand. When you know God is your source, you aren't worried about the natural circumstances surrounding you. 

God gives us everything we have, and we are just stewards or managers. Being a steward gives you a sense of confidence that ordinarily you will never have as long as you see yourself as your source. Knowing that your possessions are really entrusted to you by God, makes your approach towards possessions totally different. And your attitude toward riches is more important than what you do with it. The human tendency is often to take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our smartness, hard work, and power have made us rich. Therefore, we get so busy pursuing after riches that we may want to do anything to succeed, eventually “fall into temptations and a snare” that ultimately lead only to “destruction and perdition.”

When you hasten after riches, the tendency is to do things in disobedience to God’s leading, and against His will, and eventually lose your relationship with Him that ends you up in eternal condemnation. Therefore, the short time you live on earth, if spent pursuing after earthly possessions, which you cannot take with you at the time of passing to meet with your Maker and which will eventually be destroyed (Second Peter 3 vs 10), will rub you of eternity with God. We have heard of how many turned to money rituals, armed robbery, cheating, stealing, and many other evil tendencies, just in the quest to get rich. We become so obsessed with our pursuit for riches that we push God right out of our lives. 

The brother who is seeking to be rich will lose his contentment with the necessities of life. In his worldly desire, he will lose sight of that which brings spiritual fulfillment. The snare on which he falls is the fact that he leads himself to believe that if he surrounds himself with possessions and involves himself in activities, he will be happy. His thirst to financial affluence will bankrupt him spiritually. It is not wrong to possess things of this world. However, one should never allow the possessions of this world to possess him. If one sacrifices his good works in relationships because he has no time for others as a result of running after riches, then his spiritual life is void of the foundation of the community of God. 

It is not money that is evil. What is evil is the materialistic heart that is obsessed with obtaining it. Some of the brethren had already strayed from the faith because of their desire to become rich. In their desire to satisfy their thirst for wealth, they had marginalized their relationships with friends, family and other disciples. The sorrows that they produced through their striving to be rich manifested the error of the greedy motives of their hearts. 

Regardless of the economic state of any man, one’s first concern should be for his spiritual poverty, not his physical poverty. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...” Matthew 6 vs 33). This is one of the greatest struggles of the poor because of their destitution. Nevertheless, the struggle must be won, for one’s salvation is more important than anything this world can offer. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of contentment in godliness, that I may not trust in uncertain riches, but trust completely in You—my Maker and Owner of the whole world, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!