Wealth

Considering my last post, you might think wealth is a bad thing but in fact it is not money itself or wealth that is evil but how we think and feel about money. The bible says the love of money is the root of all types of evil not money itself. Therefore, if you give of your money you will be blessed and God promises us all throughout the bible that we will be blessed beyond measure when we do good things to others and give to others. He will expand our borders and overflow our cup with riches but understand that blessing and riches is not strictly money either. It is not wealth that is evil but what we do with our wealth that is so important.

In the bible it says sow little and reap little or sow abundantly and reap abundantly. This is in terms of giving and serving others. Abraham was rich, so was Job, and so was Solomon. So God blesses and gives us wealth in greater measure than we could ever provide for ourselves through our own accomplishments and will. I may be rich or I may be poor but I want nothing. We must be simple, not desiring all the luxuries that this life has to offer and in turn God will give us many of these luxuries even though in our heart we really do not want them. It is a cycle of giving and receiving from God so that we may give more. Paul the Apostle tells us that we should be content with food and clothing and our most basic of all needs. What God blesses us with after that is decided by our desire to freely give to others when we can and ultimately God's further provision from his blessings as he wills it.

1 Timothy 6:6-16

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People 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. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Paul's Charge to Timothy

 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.