MONEY HUNGRY?
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YAHSHUA (JESUS) SAID
“What good is it for a man
to gain the whole world,
yet lose his soul.”
(based on Mark chapter 8, verse 36).
THE DANGER OF CONSUMING GREED
If ‘sinners’ entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse”–
My (friend), do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it. (based on Proverbs 1:10 – 19).
THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL
“The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, `What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, `This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘
“But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Then Yahshua said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. (Based on Luke 12:16 – 31).
NEEDS OR WANTS?
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This […] is meaningless.
As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? (Ecclesiastes 5:11 & 12).
The sleep of a labourer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:11 – 12).
Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16).
IS IT WRONG TO HAVE MONEY?
[…] It is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given him–for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. (based on Ecclesiastes 5:18 – 20).
FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. (Proverbs 23:4 & 5).
Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse. (Proverbs 28:6).
Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8).
Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. (Proverbs 16:19).
(Yahshua said) I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:9).
GIVING BACK TO GOD?
Honour the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9 & 10).
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. (Proverbs 19:17).
CONTENTMENT IS THE ANSWER
[…] godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (based on 1 Timothy 6:6 – 10).
GOD OFFERS US THE BEST THING IN LIFE – AND IT IS FREE
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:1 & 2).
Yahshua Said:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24).
[…] “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. […]. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (based on John 6:35 – 40).
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3).
THE END OF THE WORLD – GOOD OR BAD NEWS?
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this `coming’ he (Yahshua) promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (based on 2 Peter 3:1 – 13).
CONSIDER
Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 11:4).
[…] man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. (based on Psalm 49:12).
CONSLUSIONS
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19 – 21).
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
“No servant can serve two masters. 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.” (Luke 16:10 – 13).
Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor. (Ecclesiastes 7:12).
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7).
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do. (Ecclesiastes 9:7).
- THOUGHT: “What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.” – (Proverbs 19:22). •
ESSENTIAL STUDY MATERIAL:
- Genesis chapters 1 – 3, (all), (Creation).
- Exodus chapters 19 – 24, (all), (‘The Law‘).
- Isaiah 8:11 – 9:7, (Prophecy about Yahshua).
- Isaiah chapter 53, (all), (Prophecy About Yahshua).
- Matthew chapters 1 – 4, (all), (Yahshua’s Early Life).
- John 6:25 – 71, & 4:1 – 26. (Bread & Water of Life).
- Psalm 49, (all). (The ‘Poverty‘ in Wealth).
- James chapter 2:1 – 13, (The ‘Wealth’ in Poverty).
- John 8:1 – 11, (Yahshua’s Forgiveness).
- John 3:1 – 21, (Yahshua’s Teaching on Eternal Life).
- Matthew chapters 5 – 7, (all), (Yahshua’s Teaching).
- Matthew 13:1 – 24. (The Parable of the Sower).
- Luke 18:15 – 17, & 17:20 – 37, (Heaven).
- Luke chapters 22 – 24, (all), (Yahshua’s Death & Resurrection).
- Matthew chapters 27 & 28, (all), (as above).
- John chapters 13 – 16, (all), (Yahshua’s Teaching).
- Luke chapter 12, (all), (Watchfulness).
- Hebrews chapters 8 – 10, & 12 (all), (New Order).
- 1 Corinthians chapter 7, (all), (Marriage).
- Ephesians 4:17 – 5:33, (Life as a Child of God).
- 1 Timothy chapter 6 (all), (The Love of Money).
- Jude, (all), (Warnings).
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1 – 12, (The Man of Lawlessness).
- Revelation chapters 21 & 22, (all), (Heaven).
- 1 John, (all), (Important instructions).
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. (Proverbs 10:22).