The problem of being rich
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Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (Prov. 30:7–9)
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. . . . No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt. 6:19–24)
Mark 10:17–25
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. . . . No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt. 6:19–24)
Mark 10:17–25
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
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Luke 12:13–15
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” And he said, “I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16–21)
1 Timothy 6:6–8
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. (1 Tim. 6:9–11)
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” And he said, “I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16–21)
1 Timothy 6:6–8
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. (1 Tim. 6:9–11)
Concerning the one who went blind from age. Why do prosperity preachers age? If one can change reality by confession, then it makes sense to role back the clock to a heather age in one's life.
Also, it was only a handful of people who where in the line of Christ that God blessed in that way. Most people where not blessed and cursed in such a way.
The key point is such is a rarity, not the norm.
Also, it was only a handful of people who where in the line of Christ that God blessed in that way. Most people where not blessed and cursed in such a way.
The key point is such is a rarity, not the norm.
The matter at hand is where your true satisfaction lies, your true priorities, your true love. Jesus was quite clear on the matter in Matt 6:24. To those who have the aforementioned properly ordered, the problem of wealth is of no concern, as the wealth itself is of no concern.
The unsaved wealthy never have enough, or find the utmost satisfaction in what they have. Christians don't give a hoot about this present age that is perishing. Why? They know better.
The unsaved wealthy never have enough, or find the utmost satisfaction in what they have. Christians don't give a hoot about this present age that is perishing. Why? They know better.
Abraham, though wealthy, didnt have a true heir until sarah gave birth to Isaac.
So even though he was wealthy, it meant nothing to him if he couldnt give it to his children.
Isaac directly inherited the blessing.
David, cos he replaced saul as King became wealthy, but his covetous and lust led to his downfall. He already had several wives yet still went after Bathsheba. And he was idle rich. He stole from the poor man as Nathan pointed out.
Solomon then inherited the throne and then of course, his material wealth and extravangant indulgence was his downfall too as shown in ecclesiastes, it was all vanity, the entire kingdom ended up splitting in two and not only that, the taxes required to upkeep the temple crippled the nation.
If one does have wealth, God requires that you give it away, Joseph of arimetha was generous he gave a poor man Jesus his tomb. He didnt keep it for himself.
So even though he was wealthy, it meant nothing to him if he couldnt give it to his children.
Isaac directly inherited the blessing.
David, cos he replaced saul as King became wealthy, but his covetous and lust led to his downfall. He already had several wives yet still went after Bathsheba. And he was idle rich. He stole from the poor man as Nathan pointed out.
Solomon then inherited the throne and then of course, his material wealth and extravangant indulgence was his downfall too as shown in ecclesiastes, it was all vanity, the entire kingdom ended up splitting in two and not only that, the taxes required to upkeep the temple crippled the nation.
If one does have wealth, God requires that you give it away, Joseph of arimetha was generous he gave a poor man Jesus his tomb. He didnt keep it for himself.
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Sometimes God may test us or have us go through trials like Job.
Did Job really love God or was it just the wealth he got from God who had blessed him. So satan took everything away, to see what would happen, would Job end up cursing God just cos his circumstances changed?
Job was incredibly wealthy its listed how many children and cattle, and other abundance he had, more wealthy than anyone else living at the time. He was like the Bill Gates of his day.
Did Job really love God or was it just the wealth he got from God who had blessed him. So satan took everything away, to see what would happen, would Job end up cursing God just cos his circumstances changed?
Job was incredibly wealthy its listed how many children and cattle, and other abundance he had, more wealthy than anyone else living at the time. He was like the Bill Gates of his day.
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