Wealth: November 17, 2010

Today's Word for Wednesday November 17, 2010

WEALTH

DEFINITION

A great quantity or store of money; plentiful amount; abundance; rich or valuable.

SCRIPTURE
"And you should remember the Lord your God, for it is He that gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant." Deuteronomy 8:18

"As for every man that God has given riches and wealth --- this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastics 5:19

"Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase." Proverbs 3:9

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Wealth can be a wonderful asset or it can be a terrible liability depending on how one uses wealth. Let us share with you three principles concerning wealth:

• All wealth comes from God.
• God releases His wealth to His children.
• God releases His wealth to those who use it for His divine purposes.

We need to understand, as Christians, that all wealth comes from God. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He created the world and all that is in it. He created us and we are blessed according to His will.

We have learned that God really blesses those that practice what Proverbs 3:9 states: "Honor the Lord with your possessions." And there are numerous other verses in the Bible that reminds us that we are to honor the Lord with the first portion of our wealth. When one honors the Lord, no matter how wealthy he or she may be, God in turn multiplies what you give by giving back to you. And God will give you only what He can trust you with. Remember money or wealth is not evil. The scripture says that it is the love of money or wealth that is evil.

The Lord also reminds us in Luke 12:48 that "for everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." This includes not only our money but our time and talents. For some people their wealth is in talents. If so then God expects much to be done for Him in return for this wealth He has given to you.

In Ecclesiastics 5:10 we are told that money never satisfies. If you take the time to read some of the biographies of some of the wealthiest people in the world, page after page will share experiences of unhappy lives. We read often in the newspaper of people committing suicide who seemed to have it all. They were rich and famous but could not find true satisfaction in their fortune.

Money alone does not satisfy. In I Timothy 6:6-8 we are reminded that we bring nothing into this world and we take nothing out of this world when we die. That fact alone should cause each of us today to honor God with all of our possessions and use all of our wealth --- money, talent and time --- for His glory.

All of us need to reevaluate how we respond to what God has given to us. Are we seeking to please God with our wealth or are we hoarding our wealth and therefore limiting God in what He wants to do through us with our wealth?

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.

PRAYER

Thank You dear Lord for what You have given me. I am so wealthy because of the assurance I have of spending an eternity with You. Help me to give back to You a portion of all that You have given and will give to me. Give my family a special touch from You this day and may Christ be glorified by our actions and our words.