READ: 1
CHRONICLES 29:10-14
The Christian
attitude to wealth and the acquisition of material goods leaves much to be
desired. Many believers often view wealth as something to be dreaded or
avoided. A lot of Christians have equated poverty with holiness. Those who
belong to this class believe that they must be so heavenly-minded and
earthly-useless. This is a wrong concept. Some people have interpreted not
laying treasures to mean not aspiring to be rich. In other words, they believe
God says you must not lay treasure on earth, so you must remain poor, that you
must never build a house, own a car and own a piece of land. They think because
God says we must not be rich, therefore, we do not need to work hard at all.
This is not God’s opinion. God wants us to be rich. He wants us to be hard working.
He says in His words that those who would not work must not eat. Some people
hide under God’s injunction that we should not lay treasures on earth to effuse
to work at all. If you are lazy, you will not get to Heaven because the Bible says,
“And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). There is
no room for a lazy person in Heaven. Why God does want us to be rich? All
riches come from Him. 1 Chronicles 29:12:”Both riches and honor come from You, and You
reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make
great and to give strength to all.” Riches come from God. If riches
come from God, then the children of God must have their share. Psalm 104:24”O
LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth
is full of Your possessions-“The whole earth is full of the riches of
God. If the whole earth is full of the riches of God, why should I not get my
share? God said whatever riches the Gentiles may have would become ours one
day. Why does God want us to be rich? Proverbs 22:7 gives an answer “The
rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
God says the rich would continue ruling the poor. God does not want us to be
servants but rulers. We are kings. What kind of kings would we be if we go
about borrowing? This must be poor kings indeed. God wants you to be diligent
because, if you work hard, you will become rich. This is what God has already
ordained.
MEMORIZE:
ISAIAH 61:6 –But you shall be named the Priests of the LORD; men shall call you
the Servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their
glory you shall boast.
