Day #66

Begin this time in prayer.

For the past few days we have been studying ways that the greedy rich of James’ day used the money that they had sinfully obtained.  

1.    THEY STORED IT UP (v. 3)

Please keep in mind that the Bible does not say saving or investing is wrong… but hoarding is. 

(Please click on … Day #64)

2.    THEY KEPT OTHERS FROM BENEFITING FROM IT (v. 4)

Remember, God owns EVERYTHING and we are the stewards of His wealth.  A good steward knows he owns nothing.  What we have is a blessing of God.  With this blessing comes responsibility to use to it to the good of others and to the Glory of God.  Please read 1 Corinthians 4:2. 

(Please click on… Day #65)

3.    THEY LIVED IN LUXURY (v. 5)

Today, we will take a look at the last of the ways the greedy rich handled their money at this time in history… THEY LIVED IN LUXURY (v. 5)

NOTE:  My prayer is that we may start placing ourselves in the position of these rich folks.  True, we may have never refused to pay a poor person for work we had hired them to do.  However, we are the rich in this world.  Did you hear?  WE are the rich.  Even the poorest Americans are among the top 20% of the world’s richest.  Can you believe this?  We are the rich!  Now that we know this fact, I pray God will open our eyes to our responsibilities as Christians.

Please read James 5:1-6.

 “You have lived in high-style on this earth!” (James 5:5)

These rich men were wasting their wealth on selfish living… luxury.  They were feeding themselves on their riches, yet they were starving to death spiritually.

Please read 1 Timothy 6:17 and remember that we are the rich.

There is a huge difference between enjoying what God has allowed us to have and living extravagantly on what we have withheld from the needy.  Even if what we have has been earned honestly before Holy God, we must not waste it on selfish-living (luxury).  There are too many needs around us that need to be met to live this way.

Luxury is self-indulgence, waste, and greed.  Jesus even warns against it in Luke 12:15.  

Luxury has a sure way of destroying character.  Character is the mental and moral qualities that define a person.  Take a good look around.  Ever notice any selfish people?  Indeed, they are everywhere, and before we start pointing fingers, we are among them!  Do we complain?  That is the top sign of selfishness. 

It’s time to ask a tough question.  Do we live luxuriously?  We need to take a good look around our homes and ask ourselves, “Do I actually use this or need this?”  There is an old saying that says… tell me what you need and I will tell you how to get along without it.  Many times we fall into a trap of letting our stuff define our importance.  Sure, we all are grateful for the good things in life, and we would certainly not want to return back to the old days of the pilgrims and Indians.  Yet, we still need to remember that the good things we have will not last forever.  We must use them while we can, to glorify God.  We must use them to make more of Him and less of us. 
 

TARGET of the DAY

Please read Matthew 11:25-30.  

We may not realize it, but sometimes our stuff (our luxury), takes the place of GOD.  To de-clutter, down-size, or even get rid of stuff would be freeing and it would lightening our load, but our selfish desires and darkness trick us into thinking “I can’t live without this!” 

The key here is to go to God in prayer.  We need to talk to God about what He is teaching us and what He wants us to do.  We must share the wealth He has allowed us to have by giving to those in need.  After all, when we love others by giving, we love the Lord.

Please read Matthew 25:35-40.

When you are generous and truly help those in need, you are actually doing so to Jesus. When you do it to the least of these, it is as if you’re helping Jesus Himself! Let this be encouragement to you the next time you see or know of someone in need. When you help those who most need it, you are pleasing God.