NOT RICH TOWARD GOD!
Luke 12:20-21“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 whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Rev Billy Graham said: “If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”
Riches fly away! Proverbs 23:5”Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.” What is being rich toward God? You need to have a testimony at the end of the year that: ‘This year I was able to complete the Bible twice, I was able to fast and pray on all Saturdays, I volunteered in the church activities this year and so on. This is being rich toward God, you being rich with 1000 houses and promotions is not spiritual growth. Anybody listening?
It was hot sweltering summer and while I was walking in my colony, an elderly gentleman waved out to me and said proudly, ‘we have purchased an air conditioner for zero interest.’ He was an educated man with highly qualified sons and daughters; smart, brilliant people do not pause to think, ‘why would somebody give me something for zero interest?’ Merchants are no fools! Why do we blindly spend may I ask? Be it taking a housing loan, personal loan or whatever, very rarely people sit, calculate and work out the pros and cons in taking the loan. The eyes are on the instant lip-smacking amount and nothing else matters!
EMI (equal monthly instalments) is one scheme which lures people into spending recklessly, I call it as the ‘enemy’s monstrous ideas’ to destroy you! Remember this! Greed and lust for luxury has been the cause of the disastrous end of many. Why do you need to buy that microwave oven or that car when you are already neck deep in debts? Do you have to invest so much on a mobile? As we approach New Year 2026 there would be lot of offers from consumer organisations to lure you into buying stuff. Think, pause and then move! Insane reckless purchases will lead you to sleepless nights! Caveat! Many are addicted to the ways of the world. No fun in jumping inside the church, you need to have the guts to live a simple and humble life. Now that is fortitude! That’s the testimony of a true child of God! You don’t have to flaunt your latest purchases to gain the admiration of others! I travelled in a scooter to office and was content with an old car despite earning well in a multinational bank during my initial days of salvation. All I had to do was fill in some forms to get the latest, swanky car….but I restrained from doing so. Result? When I was suddenly summoned by God to resign and work for Him, I had no hassles because I was debt-free!
Revelations 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
More than how much money you make or have, how you make that money and how you spend it is paramount!
