DON'T LOVE MONEY MORE THAN GOD

PROCLAMATION

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  Mark 10:25 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  Jesus and His disciples left the villages around Caesarea Philippi and went to Judea and across the Jordan river.  Again crowds followed Him, and He taught them. (Mark 10:1)  There were Pharisees in the crowd, and they questioned Him about divorce.  Jesus replied that Moses permitted it but that was not how The Lord God intended it from the beginning. (Mark 10:2-12)  As He was leaving, a young rich man ran up to Him and fell on his knees and asked Him what he had to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus asked him if he knew the commandments and he said that he had kept the commandments since he was a boy.  Jesus then told him to go and sell everything that he had, give the money to the poor, and then follow Him.  The young man left saddened because he was very wealthy. (Mark 10:20-22)  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” … “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:23-26)

APPLICATION
Having a lot of money or great wealth does not prevent one from entering the kingdom of God.  The problem is that most of the rich and wealthy people tend to rely on their possessions instead of relying on The Lord God.  Their faith is in their money, not in God.  Without faith in God it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)  No man can serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  We must believe and trust in The Lord God. (Jeremiah 17:7)

BLESSED WITH NEITHER POVERTY NOR RICHES

Proclamation:

“Two things I ask of You, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is The Lord?’  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”  Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this proverb were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Agur, the son of Jakeh, and not by King Solomon.  Here, Agur asked The Lord God for two things.  First, he wants lies, and the people who tell lies, to be kept far from him.  Second, he does not want to be rich or poor, but somewhere in the middle so that his wealth, or lack of it, does not dictate his behavior.  As stated in the model prayer which Jesus, The Christ, taught us, “… Give us this day our daily bread …” (Matthew 6:11)

Application:

While the rich have things their way now, they may have a problem trying to enter heaven when this life ends. (Matthew 19:24)  The poor have a problem now trying to do the right thing and abide by the law when their basic needs are not met.  It is not good for us to have so much that we rely upon our wealth instead of trusting in The Lord God. (Proverbs 11:28)  It is also not good for us to have so little that we cannot provide for our basic necessities and are tempted to engage in illegal activities.  It is better to be blessed with just enough, somewhere between rich and poor, so that we can live, and not merely exist, and know that if it had not been for The Lord God that we would be much worse off.  All that we are, and all that we have, are blessings from The Lord God.  We need to acknowledge that and be thankful.