Yesterday we heard about the space shuttle breaking apart over Texas and of course more information about the coming war with Iraq. All of this troubling news gets on some of our nerves. Some of us become really concerned about what the news media is feeding us. The solution for the Christian is a total faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Lord. How there are some that wonder if the Lord's will is being done. I will tell you that the Lord's will is even being don by the Devil and his serpents. Even the enemies of the Lord do his will in their fight against him. How can I say that the Devil is doing the Lord's will when his goal is to annihilate all of the Lord's followers?

How can this be? The wicked seem to get all of the goodies while the righteous get trampled on by the world. Why is it that the wicked prosper while the righteous are breaking even?

The answer to these questions is in the way that the righteous run their lives and business. When a person needs help from the righteous the last thing on the righteous person's mind is how much money to charge for the service. Their goal is to offer all of the help they can. On the other hand the wicked person's first thought is how much can I get for this. The difference boils down to the love of money. Whereas the wicked has money as the foremost thought in his head the righteous has the needs of the one who is asking for help foremost in his mind.

1 Timothy 6:10-21

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
17 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;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

The followers have the acquisition of wealth foremost in their mind. These are the thieves, the corrupt heads of corporations like Enron and Arthur Anderson. These are the ones who offer shoddy products with the goal of selling upgrades to the unsuspecting public. These are the ones who are busy cooking the books to make their interest in the stock increase so that they can sell it at an inflated rate. This is the reason that the wicked prosper while the righteous make ends meet. It boils down to the priorities of the two different groups of people. Look at some of the television shows like, Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?" There is no mention of love in this except the love of money. These shows that promote becoming a millionaire are promoting the root of all evil. It is the same for the lottery. The lottery is pushing instant wealth while making the money for the state. When you buy a lottery ticket you are playing with the Devil's trade. How many families have lost their rent money to lottery tickets. The state advertises the lottery every day. There is a reason.

Another one I like to pick on are the casino owners who run a business knowing that the customer is giving them their pay check for a dream of instant wealth. It happens to a few, but the owner of the casino would not be in business very long if there were more winners.

The wicked of the world have their reward. They have everything they want in this world. For them there is no promise of a glorious future in heaven. So when they pass away all of their riches will stay with the world while the righteous is building up treasures that will never fail. The righteous is building up treasures in heaven that will last for all eternity. So while the ones who seek the wealth of this world may seem to prosper, where will it lead to in the end?

James 5:1-8

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

What treasures are you building? Are you building up treasures in heaven, or for the day of wrath? Is your foremost goal in life is to help others or is it to acquire the wealth of this world? In the end who will be the richer?

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Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037

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Copyright © 2002 LeRoy D. Cressy
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