TODAY'S PROMISE

"Furthermore, as for every man to whom

God has given riches and wealth, He has

also empowered him to eat from them and

to receive his reward and rejoice in his

labor; this is the gift of God."  

(Ecclesiastes 5:19 NASB)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

(Proverbs 11:28 NASB)

MY DELIGHT

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We delight over different things.  Often many things.

If I suggested "chocolate" many would join me in 

voting for it.  But what is it that is the deep controlling

delight that drives us?  The main delight that controls

our life and longings?

The delight(s) of our life effect the productiveness, wellbeing 

and especially our relationship to God himself.

Jesus Christ tells of some that had the Word of God,

but:

"As for what was sown among thorns, this

is he who hears the word, but the cares of

the world and the delight in riches choke the

word, and it proves unfruitful."

(Matthew 13:22 RSV)  

This very truth is the driving focus of many Churches

today.  We delight in the things God can provide for us.

And people love to hear about it.

However, it's end result is disaster.

But consider a man who is a hero to this day.

King Dave.  A man whom God himself said

was a man after God's on heart.

Where was his delight?

"I delight to do thy will, O my God;

thy law is within my heart."

(Psalms 40:8 RSV)

With the help of God I want to shift my

delight from the things of this world to 

doing the will of God.

SECURE INVESTMENTS

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"Do not store up riches for yourselves 

here on earth, where moths and rust 

destroy, and robbers break in and steal.  

Instead, store up riches for yourselves 

in heaven, where moths and rust cannot 

destroy, and robbers cannot break in and 

steal.  For your heart will always be 

where your riches are."

(Matthew 6:19-21 GNT)

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"We leave this world just as we entered it -
with nothing.  In spite of all our work there
is nothing we can take with us."
(Ecclesiastes 515 GNT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Jesus looked straight at him with love and said,

'You need only one thing.  Go and sell all you have

and give the money to the poor, and you will have

riches in heaven; then come and follow me.'  When

the man heard this, gloom spread over his face, and 

he went away sad, because he was very rich.

   Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them,

'How hard it will be for rich people to enter the kingdom

of God!'

   The disciples were shocked at these words, but

Jesus went on to say, 'My children, how hard it is

to enter the Kingdom of God!  It is much harder

for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than

for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.'

At this the disciples were completely amazed and asked

one another, 'Who, then, can be saved?'

Jesus looked straight at them and answered, 'This

is impossible for humans beings but not for God;

everything is possible for God."

(Mark 10:21 - 27 GNT)

******************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNT)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall) ]

HOARDED RICHES

"There is buried in gold and silver plate

and useless ornaments, within Christian

homes, enough to build a fleet of 50,000

vessels, ballast them with Bibles, and

crowd them with missionaries; build a

church in every destitute hamlet, and 

supply every living soul with the Gospel

within a score of years."

-A. T. Pierson

LEAVING IT BEHIND

"There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun:

riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,

and those riches were lost in a bad venture;

and he is father of a son, 

but he has nothing in his hand.

As he came from his mother's womb

he shall go again, 

naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil,

which he may carry away in his hand."

(Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 RSV)

WHAT TO TAKE SATISFACTION IN

"Thus says the LORD,

'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,

neither let the mighty man glory in his might,

let not the rich man glory in his riches;

But let him who glories glory in this,

that he understands and knows me,

that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,

judgment, and righteousness, in the earth;

for in these things I delight, says the LORD."

(Jeremiah 9:23,24 AKJV)

MATERIAL POSSESSIONS SATISFACTION

"I made great works;

I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.

I made me gardens and orchards,

and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits;

I made me pools of water, to water the forest 

of growing trees.

I got me servants and maidens

and had servants born in my house;

also I had great possessions of great and small cattle

above all that were in Jerusalem before;

I gathered me also silver and gold,

and the treasure of kings and of the provinces;

I got me men singers and women singers,

and the delights of the sons of men,

as musical instruments, and that of all sorts......

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done,

and on the labour that I had laboured to do:

and, behold,

all was vanity and vexation of spirit,

and there was no profit under the sun."

(Ecclesiastes 2:4-8,11 AJKV)

TRUE RICHES

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

But if we have food and clothing,

let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fail into temptation

and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful

lusts, which plunge men in destruction and ruin.

For the love of money is the root of all evil:

which while some coveted after, they have erred

from the faith, and pierced their hearts

through with many sorrows."

(1 Timothy 6:6-10 AKJV)

SEEKING SATISFACTION

"He that loves money will not be satisfied with money;

nor he that loves wealth with increase;

this also is vanity.

When goods increase,

they are increased that eat them;

and what good is there to the owners 

but to see them with their eyes?

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,

whether he eats little or much;

but the abundance of the rich will not let him sleep."

(Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 AKJV)