January 18, 2007

You And Your Possessions

It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 19:23

Six armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One woman, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.”

Some people have taken foolish risks to cling to their riches. They have died rushing into burning houses or were killed because they stubbornly resisted armed robbers. Apparently they felt that without their material possessions life would not be worthwhile. Others, when they lose their wealth, slip into despair, even to the point of suicide.

The greatest danger in becoming too closely identified with our possessions lies in the spiritual area of life. An unhealthy attachment to material things can keep an unsaved person from turning to Christ and prevent a believer from living for Him. The story of the rich young ruler forcefully illustrates this truth. Jesus’ words “You cannot serve God and [money]” (Matt. 6:24) certainly apply to us all.

Keep a wide gulf between yourself and your possessions. It will spare you many heartaches. If you are not a believer in Christ, don’t make the mistake of the rich young ruler. It will cost you your soul.

The riches of this world are vain,
They vanish in a day;
But sweet the treasures of God’s love—
They never pass away! —Bosch

To be rich in God is better than to be rich in goods!

Bible in One Year: Genesis 43-45; Matthew 12:24-50

Thank you Mayor.

An unhealthy attachment to material things* can keep an unsaved person from turning to Christ and prevent a believer from living for Him.

*Anything or anyone of this world

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
~1 John 2:15-17
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."
~Luke 14:26
Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business."
~Matthew 22:4-5
"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.... Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
~Matthew 24:37-39; 44