THAT'S THE WAY YOU ARE GOING OUT

YOU CAME IN WITH NOTHING AND 

YOU WILL BE GOING OUT WITH NOTHING.

We are still considering the writings of the wisest

man, and probably the richest man, that ever lived.

King Solomon who said;

"We all come to the end of our lives

as naked and empty-handed as on the day

we were born.  We can't take our riches

with us."  

(Ecclesiastes 5:15 NLT). 

You would think that just good old common

sense would tell all of us that.  And it probably

does - we just don't live like it.

There is an interesting story in the news about 

an Ugandan Politician who tried to take it with him.

"Charles Obong, 52 worked as a senior personnel officer

in the ministry of Public Service from 2006 to 2016.  Before

his death, he saved more than Shs200 million to bribe the

Almighty Father on Judgement Day so He could forgive his

earthly sins."

That of course will not work, but he tried.

You and I know human nature well enough 

to know that the money would never leave

this earth.

The story goes on;

"Mr Obong's Will was violated as his body was exhumed last

Saturday and the money withdrawn from the gave and his

would-be planned penitence before God frustrated."

So much for taking it with us.

The Holy Bible tells us more about true

wealth when the Apostle Paul tells us;

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself

great wealth.  After all, we brought nothing

with us when we came into the world, and we

can't take anything with us when we leave it.

So if we have enough food and clothing, let

us be content."  

(1 Timothy 6:6 - 8 NLT). 

Is it any wonder that Solomon considered working

hard only to loss it as vanity or futility?  But it does 

not need to be futile.  The very creator of the universe,

and the giver of life it's self, Jesus Christ said;

"Don't store up treasures here on earth,

where moths eat then and rust destroys them,

and where thieves break in and steal.  Store

your treasures in heaven, were moths and

rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break

in and steal.  Wherever your treasure is there

the desires of your hart will also be."

 (Matthew 6:19 -21 NLT)

That is another subject and not our point today.

Just remember, you will not take any of the material

goods of this world with you.

MONEY

Advice from the richest man who ever lived.

Solomon the king of Israel.

"Those who love money will never have

enough.  How meaningless to think that wealth

brings true happiness!  The more you have,

the more people come to help you spend it.  So

what good is wealth - except perhaps to watch

it slip through your fingers!"

(Ecclesiastes 5:10, 11 NLT)

If you think wealth will make you happy,

why did it not for these people who

all committed suicide.

[I did not fact check these people.  There

are too many.]

Robin Williams, 63 years old.

Marilyn Monroe, 36 years old.

Kurt Cobain, 27 years old.

Mindy McCready, 37 years old.

Jonathan Brandis, 27 years old.

Sawyer Weten, 19 years old.

Jovan Belcher, 25 years old.

Alexander McQueen, 40 years old.

Lucy Gordon, 28 years old.

Johnny Lewis, 26 years old.

Gia Allemand, 29 years old.

Dana Plato, 34 years old.

Chris Benoit, 40 years old.

L'Wren Scott, 49 years old.

Junior Seau, 43 years old.

Misty Upham, 32 years old.

Ernest Hemingway, 61 years old.

Hunter S. Thompson, 67 years old.

And the list goes on and on and on.

Wealth and fame simply did not keep

these people happy for more than a 

short period.  And it will not for 

you nor I either.

WHEN LESS IS MORE

It seems that everybody is wanting to be rich
or richer.  However over many years I have
noticed there seems to be very few really happy
rich people.  They put on a big smile in public,
then go home and commit suicide.  All their
money did not satisfy them.

Jesus Christ tells us of a rich man who had more
than he could use.  He decided to build bigger barns
to store all his "goodies" in:

"But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night
your soul is required of you; and now who will
own what you have prepared?'  So is the man
who stores up treasure for himself, and is not 
rich toward God."
(Luke 12: 20,21 NASB)

Jesus tells us of another rich man:

"Now there was a rich man, and he habitually
dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living
in splendor every day. --- ... and the rich man
also died and was buried.  In Hades he lifted
up his eyes, being in torment, "
(Luke 16:19,22,23 NASB)

O.K.  so you get rich for yourself and have more
"goodies" that other people.  But that is only for a
few short years here on earth.  What are going to
do when your body dies and the real you goes out
into the forever.  Would it not have been far better
to have just a little material goods but be rich
toward God.

There is a song that express it this way;

"Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There’s a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name."

Now I understand why the Psalmist 
could say;

"Better is the little of the righteous

Than the abundance of many wicked."

(Psalms 37:16 NASB)

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)

IS YOUR FIRE BURNING LOW?

This is my "burn barrel".

You have one too don't you?

They keep your house from filling up with trash.

If we did not have a "burn barrel" we would have 

had to get out of the house years ago.

I am tempted to ask you, what do you do with your 

trash.  But perhaps I best not ask.

But, in the top image it is obvious the fire is not burning

well at all.  It has smothered from all the ashes and is

 about to go out.  However, after stirring up the mess of 

stuff in it, the burnable material is brought to the top and

as you can see below, burns well again.

Sometimes my spiritual life gets like the smothered fire above.
Then it's time to stir up the fire in me.  For my self that generally
means getting closer to God and refocusing on the important
things of life.

Jesus Christ tells us of three things that will smother our fire,
or keep us from being productive in life from God's view point.

a.  The cares of life it's self, if given undo concern.
b. The delight in riches, or wealth.
c. Pleasures.

Which of these is smothering out your fire?

IT'S NOT THE MONEY

Images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com  

"Better is a little with righteousness

Than great income with injustice."

(Proverbs 16:8 NASB)

You nor I know anything abut the homeless man above,

or the owner of the yacht below.

BUT IF,

when their life is over:

the homeless man above has a personal relationship with

Jesus Christ and is walking a Godly life

but

the owner of the yacht has gained his wealth by injustice,

unfairness or wrong doing.

Then the homeless man will be ten thousand times

better off than the wealthy man. 

A SHORT MEDITATION

Images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

"A faithful man will abound with blessings,

but he who hastens to be rich will not go

unpunished."

(Proverbs 28:20 RSV)

Years ago a man came into the shop in his pickup

for something.  I would guess that the man was in 

his "fifties", a mature man.

The man was a machinist by trade.  And he explained

to me that he always went to the area that paid the 

highest wages in his trade.

He told me his wife had gotten tired of moving all

the time, so she was not with him.  All so, that every 

thing he owned was in the pickup.

So much for top pay.

You see it in the news all the time just like I do.

Some sports figure or celebrity who was worth

millions is now bankrupt.

"A miserly man hastens after wealth,

and does not know that want will

come upon him."

(Proverbs 28:22 RSV)

"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but every one who is hasty comes only to want."

(Provers 21:5 RSV)

POOR RICH PEOPLE

"Watch out and guard yourselves 

from every kind of greed;

because your true life is not

made up of the things you 

own, no matter how rich 

you may be"

(Luke 12:15 GNT)

"Worldly wealth is the devil's bait;

and those whose minds feed upon riches,

recede in general from real happiness, in

proportion as their stores increase; as

the moon, when she is fullest of light,

is farthest from the sun."

-Burton

See the list of people below  They all had two things in common.

Robin Williams

Jonathan Wraith

Slim Black

Huibert Boumeester

Christopher Foster

John Lawrenson

Wayne Pai

Paul Castle

Peter Smedley

Howard Worthington

Rei Jane Huai

Michael Marin

Peter duf.

One: They all were very wealthy.

Two: They all committed suicide.

So much for wealth making you happy

"But God said to him, 'You fool!

This very night you will have to 

give up your life; then who will

get all these things you have kept

for yourself?'"

LIFE

"How short you have made my life!

In your sight my lifetime seems nothing.

Indeed every living being is no more

than a puff of wind,

Images courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com

no more than a shadow.

All we do is for nothing;

we gather wealth, but don't

know who will get it."

(Psalms 39:5,6 GNT)

One time a man had too many crops to store and decided to 

build bigger barns to hold them.

"But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night you will
have to give up your life; then who will get all these things
you have kept for yourself?'"
"And Jesus concluded, 'This is how it is with those who
pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight."
(Luke 12:20,21 GNV)

WHERE ARE YOU RICH AT?
Here or earth, or with God?

SECURE INVESTMENTS

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

"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)

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

"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)

TRUE SATISFACTION

"There are many who pray:

'Give us more blessings, 

O Lord.

Look on us with kindness!'

But the joy that you have given me

is more than they will every have

with all their grain and wine."

(Psalms 4:6,7 GNT)

Just like us today, 

we want more.

But the real satisfaction is not in

more  "stuff" or blessing.

But in the joy of the Lord.

For true satisfaction we need more

of God and his joy.

The blessing will take care of themselves.

"He is richest who is content with the

least, for content is the wealth of nature."

- Socrates.

TRUE PROSPERITY?

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

Today many of our "religious leaders" exhort us to 

follow Christ.  To do what Christ would do.  To give

as Christ would have us to give.  [Especially give.]

And if we will give, we will get.

We all could quote;

"Give, and it will be given to you.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together

and running over.  For with the measure you use,

it will be measured to you."

(Luke 6:38 NIV)

WOW!

Lord, where can I give???

Any Christian knows that we are to follow Christ's example.

Even the Apostle Paul said,

"Follow my example, as I follow the 

example of Christ."

(1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)

O.K.

Let's see Christ's example and Paul's example.

"Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,

'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.'

Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of

the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no

place to lay his head."

(Matthew 7:19,20 NIV)

OOOOPS1

Christ was homeless.

Let's try again with the great apostle.

"To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,

we are in rags, we are brutally treated,

we are homeless."

(1 Corinthians 4:11 NIV)

OH NO!

Paul was homeless too.

Do we have to be homeless to be a Christian?

Of course not.  But it is beginning to look like

we have some misplaced values.

LIFE

"LORD, how long will I live?
When will I die?
Tell me how soon my life will end.
How short you have made my life!
In your sight my lifetime seems nothing.
Indeed every living being is no more 
than a puff of wind,
no more than a shadow
All we do is for nothing;
we gather wealth, 
but don't know who will get it
What, then, can I hope for, LORD?
I put my hope in you."
(Psalms 39:4-7 GNT) 

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

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REAPING FROM READING

REAPING FROM READING

I do not read as well as you do.  But I have learned 

to read a little bit.  And over the years there have been

so many things that; encourage, inspire, motivate, or

even warn me, that I feel compelled to share some of

it with you.

In David Wilkerson's book,
AMERICA'S LAST CALL,
is a paragraph on p.115
that cut's close home.
It regards the Church in America.

"Today God sees prosperity and abundance pulling
his bride away from him.  She's growing more and 
more earthbound- richer, more comfortable, less
mindful of Christ  And now the Lord must move
quickly to wean her back to himself.  How will he
do this?  First, he'll remove everything that has 
preoccupied her time and attention.  he declares,
'All of this wealth may have been a blessing to my
bride at one time.  But now there's so much garbage
in my church, the only way to get her clean is to
rid her of all these worldly possessions!'" 



OUCH!

MORE, MORE, GIVE ME MORE

Photo courtesy of: www.bigfoto.com

One day on my way home I stopped by the Clifty general store

for some rabbit or chicken feed.  (Well, feed for some critters or other.)

While there I met a man with his pickup backed up, picking up a load

of feed.

He told me someone had given him three or four horses.  Neat, cool,

great, can't beat that.  (Would you like a deal like that?)  But he found out 

you have to feed them.  He was willing to sell them cheap.  I could have

gotten a horse real cheap that day.

The only thing that kept me from getting a cheap horse that day was;

I did not have time to run home and build a barn.

Nor buy the pasture next door and fence it.

Or knew a veterinarian I could pay to help take care of it.

Or wanted to buy the feed for it too.

"If you love money, you will never be satisfied;

if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want.

It is useless.  The richer you are, the more mouths you

 have to feed.   All you gain is the knowledge that you

 are rich."

(Ecclesiastes 5:10,ll TEV)

Photo courtesy of:www.bigfoto.com

God helped me buy a small patch of woods for a retreat, get away,

or personal space - whatever you want to call it.  Of course I wanted

more.  In fact sometimes I have envied all the land the neighbor had.

As near as I can tell from public records, he has about twenty nine 

times as much land as I do.  And to boot, it looked to me like he

inherited it. 

Would I trade places with him?  He is an invalid and about the 

only time he gets out of the house is to go see the doctor.  However,

he does get the joy of paying taxes on all that land.

In his book,  Victory in the Valleys of Life, 

Charles L. Allen said:

"Someone wrote these words:

For those who seek the answer

in houses, lands and rings,

Will someday find their empty lives

Just as empty filled with things.

One can be successful in accumulating things

and still find nothing in life really worth living for."

p. 16,17

Photo courtesy of: www.bigfoto.com

There was a time in my life when I wanted to have rental properties. 

(I did, once.)

My son-in-law is a man of much greater wealth than my self.

He is not like me, content with hand-me-downs.  He goes for the 

good stuff.

My son-in-law owns rental properties in Florida, Pennsylvania and perhaps

still in upper New York or Maine.

But I have noticed something.  Just the expenses of holding on to

these investments, with out loosing them, would bankrupt me.

"Workers may or may not have enough to eat,

but at least they can get a good night's sleep.

The rich, however, have so much that they 

stay awake worrying."

(Ecclesiastes 5:12 TEV)

Down to my size.

I own more than one motorcycle.

But I can only ride one at a time.

BUT,

I do have the joy of:

Buying license for them.

Paying taxes on them.

Buying tires for them.

Lubing chains on them.

Changing oil and filters on them.

Trying to keep the batteries up on all them.

etc,

etc,

etc.

"Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined

with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world,

so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food 

and clothing, we will be content with these.

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation

and are trapped by many senseless and harmful

desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, 

and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered 

away from the faith and pierced themselves with

 many pains."

(1 Timothy 6:8-10 NRSV)

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)

GREATEST TREASURE

TREASURE!

MONEY.

STOCKS.

BONDS.

REAL ESTATE.

???????????

HEY! I HAVE EVEN MORE IN THE BANK.

[If I did not. I would be bankrupt.]

Where is your greatest treasure?

Money sure is not mine. Mine is in a very

simple, life dependant, fact. God helped

me see this in a statement He made about

about Israel and Jerusalem in particular.

"He always protects his people and gives

them wisdom and knowledge. Their

greatest treasure is their reverence

for the Lord." - Isaiah 33:6 (TEV)

If I have a fear of God. A reverence of

God, I have everything.

His blessing. His health. His help. His

wealth. His wisdom.

You name it. What ever my need, I have

it from him if I reverence him.

Can you say that with your bank account

in today's economy?