Rich Towards God? Part 2

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he

said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luk 12:13-21)

The ground … brought forth plentifully. This man was a farmer, so he did all that a farmer was expected to do to get a good crop. He tilled the ground properly, planted some seed, cleared out the weeds, applied fertilizer and then waited for harvest. And it came in abundance. His thought process when the harvest came gives us an idea of who this man was and the verdict of the Almighty.

No appreciation for the great harvest. You only appreciate people for what you believe they did for you. This man had no need to appreciate God for the harvest because he did not think God had anything to do with it. As far as he was concerned, it was the result of diligent personal efforts and expertise. How about the rains? Ah that was a natural thing!

Some give thanks to God with their mouths for their accomplishments, but hear them talk later and you know what their hearts really believe – ‘I did it’! No man can receive a thing except God gives him. You can plant, you can water, but only God can give the increase. You can treat, only God can heal. A horse can prepare against the day of battle, but safety is of the LORD! Never forget this: ALL THAT YOU ARE AND HAVE COMES FROM THE LORD.

My fruits, my barns, my goods, my soul.  This man has something! It’s all about ‘me’. God does not give us things so we can take ownership; He gives us things to hold in trust. Man is a steward of God’s world. That was the way it was in the garden. Eden was God’s, Adam and Eve were stewards (caretakers). Since Eden’s fall man has slipped into a possessive animal holding on to mundane things. We don’t own anything. Naked we came, naked we go! When prosperity comes appreciate God for it and hold it in trust, using it only as He wills.

Conserve the harvest. This was one positive about this man though his motive was entirely wrong. Don’t waste the blessings that God sends your way. Some children of God are so wasteful. They believe God will provide, so they are so prodigal with what God gives them. Learn to save, invest and to multiply the wealth in your hands.

I will say to my soul, … What a man says to himself is so crucial, it reveals who the man is.

i.                    Life is not about having abundance of goods laid up for many years. Many folks are working hard every day accumulating things. Greed, pride and fear of the unknown is behind much of this. But the ability of a man to meet his needs in life does not depend on his net worth! A millionaire could have a billionaire need. Many want to keep wealth for old age and for great grandchildren, vanity!

ii.                  Life is not about ‘eat, drink and be merry’. A young one goes through school dreaming to come tops in their class. When that is achieved, he thinks of a great pay job. When money begin to flow in he gets cars, houses, wife (or wives), plenty of gadgets, more money stored up in high yielding investments. He can eat and drink what he wants, travel to wherever he wants, party with the high and mighty in society, etc. Is that life?

Thou Fool. Am so glad I did not call you a fool, Jesus did! Jesus did use strong language in dealing with people and we must not shy away from it. But who is a fool?

1.       He is a fool who forgets he will die one day. Many people refuse to think or talk about death. When we die we come face to face with our maker. Prepare for it more than anything else. Mercy time is now not after death. Forgiveness is now not after death.

2.      He is a fool who forgets he can die even tonight! What a difference it will make if we all do things with the thought that we might die tonight! Many know and think of death – but it’s far away, when I am 150 years old! If this fool was aware he was going to die that night, he would have acted differently. Whatever you know you will do if God tells you death is coming tonight do it every day!

3.     He is a fool who forgets that he came naked to this world and will take nothing out! Jesus asked ‘whose will these things be?’ No man takes anything with him when he dies. I see men spending so much on embalmment, caskets, tombs, cemeteries and all the sort when people die. Friends, it’s all a waste of resources that could benefit the living and Kingdom work! You take nothing with you so why all the struggle when you know it’s all going to be left behind very soon. The children you are living it for may kill each other over it or just ‘prodigal son’ it!

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” The Rich Fool is not alone. He has many siblings who are just like him. They lay great treasures just for themselves. They even use God to achieve their vision. Much of what people do on earth (even becoming church goers) is so that they can get treasures on earth. The wise are rich towards God.

1.       They make all the legitimate money they can make by all legitimate means.

2.      They trust in Jesus and not in wealth.

3.      They only spend on their bare necessities, living as pilgrims and strangers on earth.

4.      They don’t see the wealth as theirs, but God’s.

5.      They use the wealth as God directs to fund Kingdom Expansion.

6.      They prepare for the day of Jesus so that they will not be cast away.

Are you rich towards God? Please find a quiet place to meditate on this and talk with God. Shalom!

Rich Towards God?

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luk 12:13-21)

Our Lord Jesus has a way of addressing issues that is sometimes baffling. In His encounters with men, He always addresses the root cause of issues rather than the surface symptoms. Here was a man seeking the powerful Teacher’s help to get what he felt was his right, instead he got a rebuke and a lecture. God looks at the heart and not just what a man says or does; hence he is able to answer to the heart cries of man. Come along with me as we reflect together on these thoughts.

What a man thinks is his problem is not the problem at all. (Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me)

This man came to Jesus with a simple request: ‘Master, help me recover my inheritance’. When a man has an opportunity to ask for something from a powerful personality, he would naturally ask for the important issue in his life. This man must have felt this inheritance palaver was the most pressing matter in his life. But Jesus thought otherwise!

What do you think is the most crucial issue for God to handle in your life? A husband, a wife, a child, a good job, a house, a car, healing…? You may be surprised if God should talk with you. For this man, Jesus discerned that his problem was covetousness. For you, God may be more interested is dealing with anger and un-forgiveness in your life. It may be some other manifestation of sin in your life. Generally, Jesus is more concerned about your soul than about your body; about your eternal fate than your earthly state. He thinks more about your spiritual state than your physical issues.

Saul ben Kish was looking for lost asses from God; God was looking for a King in Saul. Saul of tarsus was looking for Christians to destroy; God was looking for a preacher called Paul, the Apostle. What do you think is your greatest need?  I am so sure it is God Himself and not anything God gives.

 

What a man thinks Jesus came to do is not what He came to do. (Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?)

The man came to Jesus because somehow he felt his problem was one of the problems God sent Jesus to solve. Many people still don’t know why Jesus came to earth! Even His disciples thought He came to set up an earthly Kingdom. Others thought he came for free food distribution. He did not come to right every wrong, He did not come to stop every injustice. In fact He is not a Human Rights crusader. Jesus did not come so that He can help your favourite team win the World Cup in Brazil. He did not come to eradicate poverty. He did not come to stop all wars.

Jesus came to save sinners of whom I am chief! Yes he cares for all you care about, but he came first to save you from hell and take you to heaven, the rest they say in Nigeria ‘na jara’. It is only after he has done his main work in your life that he can attend to the ‘addendums’ or “AOB’s”. Jesus always puts first things first in His dealings with people. He has to be your savior (from sin) first before He can become provider and protector.

 

Life is not about abundance of possessions.

Human being generally rate men according to externals: beauty, dressing, wealth, power, position etc. The average man wants to have ‘things’ and to cling to them and to flaunt them. We feel ‘thick’ when we have ‘things’ that we know will make others respect or even envy us. This is at the root of all cravings. It is the foundation for materialism (the desire for material things-possessions). What makes Mr. Man covetous is that when he sees another man having things he does not have, he feels the other man is more important and no one must be more important than Mr. Man. If Mr. Man knows that life is not about possessions, that will make him less bothered about possessions.

So why did Jesus say He came to give life abundantly? Life is about knowing God, loving God and serving God! Life is about doing the will of the master Jesus. (John 4:34). This is what He came to give in abundance. Possessions are means for doing God’s will and not the end or reward of serving God. We don’t serve and worship Jesus to get possessions; we use possessions to serve and worship Jesus! Possessions are only good if they don’t possess us. To be possessed by possessions is the same as to be possessed by demons (mammon is a demon!).

Conclusion

When you don’t know your real problem, when you don’t know what problems Jesus came to solve, when you don’t know what life is all about, then you really have problem. Next week we shall examine the parable of the Rich Fool!

Prayers.

1.       Father, please solve my real problem and not just my perceived problems. Give me what I need and not what I want.

2.       Father, open my eyes to what you really want to accomplish in my life.

3.       Daddy, deliver me every form of materialism.

4.       Father, possess me fully so that what you give to me will not be able to possess me.

5.       In the name of Jesus Christ I deliver myself from every form of demonic possession.

6.       Lord God, please give me everything I need to serve and worship you effectively.