JESUS SPEAKING
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12: 32-34.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Jesus commanded his followers to sell their earthly possessions and use the profits to help those in need. For each sacrifice, he promised a future reward held for them in God’s eternal kingdom. Although many amass great amounts of excess wealth, all possessions are impermanent; nothing tangible is of any eternal value. Banks fail, thieves break in and steal, and death is inevitable. No living person can carry any possessions from this life to the next; everything is left behind. Yet, for those who have heeded the command of Christ, far greater treasures await; no compassionate contribution, selfless act, or sacrificial donation is ever lost. The Lord will credit those who have made charity ‘the backbone’ of their existence. Death cannot take from the unselfish, what remains within the living God. He is a divine vault that contains an eternal treasure. In Him, every believer who has sacrificed their belongings will inherit the true riches of eternal life [Note: Some things are necessary for living; if you own a home, a car, a computer, God is not necessarily asking you to sell them; especially if they are essential; pray about what Jesus Christ might be asking you to relinquish and use for His glory.]
In the Old Testament, when Solomon succeeded his Father David as king, the Nation of Israel was at its Zenith; making him one of the wealthiest men who has ever lived. Over the course of his 40 year reign he earned nearly 40 billion dollars worth of Gold (based on one estimate.) He also acquired 700 wives and three hundred concubines. He sat on a large mechanical throne covered in gold figures, which was allegedly carried around with him wherever he went. His monumental building projects astonished onlookers for generations. He constructed the temple in Jerusalem (one of the largest buildings ever created in the ancient world.) His palace took 13 years to build and all of his drinking vessels were made of pure gold. He owned many exotic animals and bread thousands of horses. He owned 1,400 chariots and employed 12,000 horsemen. Foreign rulers, the world over, traveled to his Kingdom to marvel at its prosperity. The bible records that Solomon “made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones.” With so much wealth and power, did Solomon live a satisfying life? The answer can be found in the book of Ecclesiastes, which he wrote near the end of his life. As he looked back upon his actions and accomplishments, he expressed extreme regret. He concluded that the large buildings, the Gold and silver, the women, the exotic foods, the fine clothes, and the abundant possessions were all meaningless. He wrote “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, by increase […] there is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner to his hurt […] as he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand […] just exactly as he came, so shall he go.” As death approached, King Solomon had finally discovered the true value of wealth; homes are unimportant, bank accounts are trivial, and fine clothes are insignificant; but generosity lasts forever.
Jesus Christ continually reminds the world of the truth that Solomon discovered so many years ago; wealth is only valuable when it is used to bless others. Those who have utilized their excesses to help the poor are in fact wealthier than the richest man who has ever lived. For when death arrives, the wealthy man will have nothing, but the faithful believer will inherit true riches; everlasting possessions that cannot be taken away. Our wealth serves no purpose, unless it serves His purpose. The things we have that are not being used, can be used to glorify God and to help others.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and ask that You give us the strength and the courage to use our wealth for Your purposes. May our excesses be given over to help those in need. Give us opportunities to be instruments of kindness; may we abandon ourselves to You. May our lives be lived in sacrifice, and self-denial; and may we one day inherit the true riches of Your glorious Kingdom. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 