TOPIC: The Snare of Riches (Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries Monday, 20 August 2018)
FIRE SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 6:9-11
MEMORY VERSE: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” – 1 Timothy 6:17
The MESSAGE:
Money is good, and the Bible confirms that money answereth all things (Ecclesiastes 10:19). It is not a sin to be rich. A godly desire to be rich is a good desire for as long as the intention is to use it to support the work of God and the needy. However, there is a pursuit of wealth that can lead to sin. This is when a person desires to have more and more material things in whatever way in order to be happy and feel successful. Such riches are a trap, and they lead to bondage, not freedom. Instead of giving satisfaction, such riches create additional lusts, which tend to greed. Instead of providing help and health, excess of material things hurt, wounds and plunges men into ruin and destruction. It is like a man drowning, who puts his trust in his wealth and continues to sail along but suddenly, the storm came and he sank. The Bible warns that he who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. The insatiable love of money is the foundation of all evil and those who covet after it, eventually err from the faith, piercing themselves through with many sorrows. It is a dangerous thing to use religion as a cover-up for acquiring wealth. God’s labourer is certainly worthy of his hire (1 Timothy 5:17-18), but his motive for labouring must not be money. That would make him a hireling and not a true shepherd (John 10:11-14). We should not ask how much will I get but rather how much can I give. Only sacrificial attitude makes our services acceptable before God. The Bible reckons that when goods increase, it is natural that those who will eat it should also increase. In this way, the owner is blessed and becomes a blessing like Abraham. He will not please God if he hoards the wealth and heaps it for his family only. The rich should neither be high-minded nor trust in their riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. They should do well and be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate their riches to the poor and in support of the works of God so that they can have riches in heaven.
Riches become a snare when the owner loses sleep over meditation on any part of his estates. It becomes a snare when the owner continually meditates over his wealth and how to increase it, rather than meditate on the word of God and how to have a closer relationship with God. It becomes a snare when the owner uses the riches to acquire strange women like Solomon and sponsor activities that will not aid the spread of the gospel. It becomes a snare when the owner loves riches more than God and he is unwilling to surrender all to Jesus. It becomes a snare when the owner prefers to lose eternal life rather than use his riches to help the poor and evangelical needs like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:22). Beloved, deliver yourself from these snares and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. May the wisdom of God dwell in you richly, in Jesus’ name.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
THERE IS A PURSUIT OF WEALTH THAT CAN LEAD TO SIN.
PROPHETIC WORD:
You are delivered from the snare of riches as you follow after righteousness.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
1. Blood of Jesus, flush out unexplainable lust for money from my life, in the name of Jesus.
2. Captive power of riches over my life, loose your hold and perish, in the name of Jesus.
3. Insensitivity to the purpose of divine blessings in my life, depart by fire, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
4. Unconscious bad attitude to money, be exposed and die, in the name of Jesus.
5. Holy Spirit, empower me to render selfless help to the poor and needy, in the name of Jesus.
6. I shall do good and be rich in good works, in the name of Jesus.
7. I surrender my wealth to Jesus. Use it for Your glory, O Lord, in the name of Jesus.
“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional HERE
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)
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