Your Wealth

We as Christians are commanded by Jesus not to lay up

treasures for ourselves here on Earth. There is a very good

reason that Jesus gives His children this command. The

laying up of earthly treasures involves the reason of doing

it--for ourselves--and the timing of doing it--for our life-

span on earth. Both are sin.

The truth is that Christians are eternal beings created

in the image of God, bought with a price, and living in a

temporal earth. The earth will pass away, but we will live

eternally.

Therefore, we as believers, should be "storing" up

eternal treasures that will be with us throughout eternity.

We should be unselfishly furthering God's kingdom. Our

focus should be on God and not on ourselves.

Furthermore, the things of earth don't last. They

decay, break, wear-out, and ruin because they are elements

in a "temporal" decaying, broken, sinful system. Things of

this fleshly system have no permanence--they cannot be

eternal.

Therefore, it is a Christian's loss to seek these non-

eternal treasures instead of laying up for themselves

treasures in heaven which are eternal.

A person's treasures reveal the character of the person

who owns them. Jesus stated that where a person's treasure

is there will the person's heart be.

There is not one earthly thing that a person possesses

here that he/she can take with them when they die. We came

into the world without any earthly thing and we go out of

this temporal earth without any earthly possession. All the

possessions gained during a person's lifetime are left

behind for someone else. A Christian's treasures need to be

eternal and these eternal treasures have to be sent on ahead

while the Christian is living here on earth. Sadly, many

Christians are entrapped by earthly treasure "seeking".

They get so busy grasping and storing up these earthly

treasures for themselves and their retirement, that they

become deceived and literally have "no time" to acquire

heavenly treasures for their eternal future. Being entangled

with earthly treasures is a scheme that the devil uses

in order to hurt a Christian's productivity for the Lord's

kingdom. Matthew 13:22 states that a person can hear the

Word "...and the care of this age and the deceitfulness

of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

Many Christians have become "unfruitful" because they are

trapped by the care of this age and the deceitfulness of

riches. How many times do Christians "worry" about making

"ends meet"? Believers should be walking in faith, not

in fear. There appears to be no trust in God and His

faithfulness. Instead, Christians have been deceived into

trusting their earthly wealth to bring them through this

life.

Human reasoning is employed, instead of Biblical

wisdom. Christians are trying to live a righteous life in a

worldly way. This is impossible. There can be no fruit unto

righteousness when a believer's trust is in money rather

than in God. God said that a person cannot serve two

masters. He did not say a person should not serve two

masters, God said CANNOT serve two masters. We as Christians

need to realize that we are simply stewards--not owners.

Everything in our lives that God sends to us is to be used

as He directs--not as we choose or think best. If riches

increase we are warned not to set our heart upon these new

blessings.

Our heart is to be centered on God alone. We are

to keep our hearts set on the Giver (God) of all good things

and not allow ourselves to become enslaved to the good

things. To have our focus on anything other than God is

called "idolatry".

God delights in blessing His people and He loves a cheerful giver.

A believer should never be "hoarding" in order to get ahead in this

world.

Instead the Christian should be following the Biblical command to

give unto the furtherance of God's Kingdom. We as believers need

to do good to them who are of the "household of faith".

We need to reach beyond just our own immediate family and begin

to give to help others in Jesus' name. The Bible says that

Christians should be able to give from their abundance.

Poverty is not the will of God. God wants His people to

walk in freedom from debt in order that they can be used to

minister to others in Jesus' name and spread the gospel to

the ends of the earth.

God's Word says that His people are to be the head and not the

tail. They are to be the lenders and not the borrowers.

There is a good reason for this. When a person is the

borrower then that person comes under the control of the

lender. God's people are to only be under God's control.

Many Christians are so entrapped by debt and despair

over debt that they are financially unable to do what God

has called them to do--take the gospel to the ends of the

earth.

We as believers do not have to stay in captivity to

debt, be fearful over money problems, be deceived by riches,

or allow money to become an idol in our lives. Jesus paid

the "price" for our freedom on the cross. Therefore, we can

"owe" nothing to the world system, but to tell them the

gospel of God's love. We are in the world, but not of the

world.

Jesus said, "..In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

If you as a Christian have been entrapped by wealth (or the lack

of wealth) Jesus can break open that snare, forgive you,

cleanse you, and lead you out. You can be victorious!

Here are three helps or encouragements for the entrapped

Christian.

1) Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His

 Get your focus on Jesus. He is the truth of your

situation. Your circumstances are just facts--they are not

the "truth" of your situation. Jesus is "The Truth" in your

situation. Keep your eyes on Him and not your situation.

Jesus is to be Lord of your life. Don't allow your finances to rule you.

To make your finances your ruler is to set up an idol.

Remember, finances are not the ruler of your life--

Jesus is and that what Jesus says happens. No matter how bad

your finances are--- put them back in their place "under" God's

authority. If you have to stop and verbally command your

finances to get back in their place--do so! Speak aloud to your

situation and state that Jesus is your Lord. Not

only will it do your heart good to hear those comforting

words, but the Bible states that death and life are in the

power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the

fruit thereof.

2) Don't fear.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Spend

time daily allowing God to encourage you through prayer and

Bible study.

Don't analyze your situation. Instead trust

God to do what He says in His Word He will do. Stand on the

Word of God--look neither to the right or to the left.

3) Give yourself, your time, your talents, and your

possessions to the Lord for His use and God's glory.

Give out of love for God and for others, not just so

that you can receive something. In other words, give out of

a pure heart and pure motives. Forget about yourself and

reach out to minister to others in Jesus' name. Be available

for God to use you. Even if you have no money, you can give

a cup of water in Jesus' name. You can give time to praying

for others. As you yield to Jesus you will be amazed at the

doors of "giving" opportunities that will open.

Best of all, as you begin to freely give, you will be

"sending" treasures on ahead for eternity. As you fill your

days with treasures of eternal value there will be no room

left for "earthly" treasures. Miracles will begin to occur

as God's blessing comes upon you and God will intervene on

your behalf.

Remember, who the Son sets free, is free indeed.