Messages from Above devotional 2012

Week 16 -Materialism

Wealth

Day 1

What is it? - C Addo

Wealth is not a measure of how much a person has but how much a person is willing to give.

Mark 12:41-44 tells the story of a widow who gives all she has to Jesus through offering, Many rich people put in large amounts of money, proudly showing off to their fellow men. But she humbly went forward and as poor as she was she gave away all she had to live on. The widow’s wealth was far greater than any of the other rich people around her. Because, unlike them, she had given her all. Whereas, they had given what seemed to be large amounts but happened to be just fractions of what they really had.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. Psalm 37:16

It is time we followed the example of this widow and give our all to Christ. Let us never be selfish when it comes to giving.

Let us never be proud and boast that we have given more than anyone else. Let us never stop giving to those around us less fortunate and let us have the courage to give Christ our all and trust in him to provide for our every need just like the widow did. 

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Day 2

How much are you worth?

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.Matthew 19:21

The story in Matthew 19 is a powerful one, that everyone should read and examine from time to time.  

Yehudim was rich. He had it all! I mean as in there was nothing he didn't or couldn't have, well so he thought. One day he heard that a new preacher was coming to town and he was really excited, you see he loved God and he kept all the commandments and he helped the people around him, even though it may have also benefited his publicity but he was still doing good. 

The preacher knew just from looking a Yehudim and the way he interacted that he was extremely wealthy and he also could sense that kind nature although vast, was probably more inbred than sincere and genuine.

As the day progressed he spoke to many people, trying to encourage and help them, a little later in the evening the preacher was approached by Yehudim who asked him a simple enough question " Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life??" to which the preacher replied "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

Yehudim replied, "Which?"

The minister put forward the usual commandments, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

 By this time Yehudim was feeling very pleased and told the preacher "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?"

The answer "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

Yehudim was very sad because he had so much and without them he felt he was nothing. The problem was not the items themselves after all the preacher asked him to give them to others, but the problem came from the mindset that his possesions were more important than serving God, they were to him his identity. 

Many times people are identified not by their characters but by what they have or do, for example a description such as you know John, the guy who always wears the Hugo Boss suits and drives a mercedes. In this short description not once has the character of John been established or brought up but what's on the outside. It is very easy to become outside people, we say the right things and we do the right things but it's a case of what we're thinking on the inside that really shows when making those life changing decisions. God is not calling you to give away all your wealth but he does want you to value yourself higher than it. He wants you to put him above all things.