12 October 2008
Treasure & Trust
October/13/2008 09:50 AM
First of all, is having a lot of money and things the true definition of rich? If someone has a cool million in the bank, but doesn’t have peace or satisfaction in their heart and mind, what good is that bank account? What is the value of attaining great wealth only to be diagnosed with terminal cancer? Imagine a high powered CEO who oversees a huge corporation or a person who plays the stock market like a fine tuned instrument as they live lavish lifestyles that most of us can only imagine. How rich are they if they cannot honestly name one true blue friend? Have they gained the world but lost their marriage, their kids, or even their own soul? Obviously, attaining worldly wealth is not the true definition of rich!
Here is another question. What good are all the blessings from heaven if they are stored up in a barn? We may understand that prosperity God’s way is true prosperity, but can we really glorify God by heaping up treasures on this earth?
I Timothy 6:17-19 says, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that the may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Luke 12:33-34 says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Blessings are not so we can look around and say “God is so good! Wow, look at how much we have gathered!” Our Father blesses us because He loves us and because he watches over His word to perform it. Another reason is to be a blessing to others, to bring increase to the church and the Kingdom of God.
Think about this, he blesses us on this earth so we can use it as a tool of faith. When handled properly, we lay up treasure in heaven as a sure foundation for the coming age! Yes we are to trust Him to bless and provide, but likewise God needs to be able to trust us to handle properly what He has given us.
Luke 16:11 says, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who then will trust you with true riches?”
It is so important to honor the Lord with tithes and offerings and to be rich in good deeds, generous and willing to share. This is a matter of trust and treasure. There is not enough room on this page today but the parable of the talents in Mathew 25:14 and the story of the master and his servant in Luke12:42 really put things into perspective. Jesus shows in these illustrations how the master giving to his servants what belonged to him and how the servants handled what he had entrusted to them. The fearful, lazy servant was not faithful or diligent. He actually took the blessings for granted and abused his privilege. He was stripped of what he had, punished and thrown into outer darkness-yikes!
But on the other hand, the faithful servant took what he was given and not only cared for and maintained it, but returned it to his master with profit. This servant was blessed by being given even more and put in charge over even more things!
Thank you Father for every single blessing! I want to be a faithful and trustworthy servant with what You have entrusted to me!
kimconnor@whwc.org
|