Jeremiah 17:11  KJV

‘As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.’

• DAILY READING –  Acts 2:1-13; Deuteronomy 13-14; Job 10

The famous billionaire John D. Rockefeller, suddenly found himself on the verge of death! And he was only 53 years. Despite being the richest man in his time, and astronomically successful, he was faced with a problem he couldn’t solve. He suffered various digestive disorders which money could not alleviate. He lost his hair, lost weight and his shoulders sagged. With his curved back, he looked like an old man who could hardly maintain his balance. His life was being destroyed, and he nearly experienced a total collapse. Close to death, he eventually came to the realization that his life was meant to serve God and bless humanity.

Consequently, he decided to obey the biblical injunction on giving, and began to give away his wealth. Then he discovered that surprisingly the more he gave away, the better his health got. He gave away over 500 million dollars and lived to be healthy. He lived on to the ripe age of 98 years, before he died.

Ecclesiastes 7:12  says ‘For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.’

Rockefeller, being the richest man in his time, had money as a defense, but the money could not buy him life. It took the wisdom of God to preserve his life. It is only the God kind of wealth that guarantees life. Indeed the blessings of God makes rich and adds no sorrow with it. Solomon whom God made the richest man, in his time, God also gave him rest all round, so that there was neither foe nor adversary. But those who seek wealth by their own power, ignoring God in the process do so to their own detriment.

Just like Rockefeller, many who gather wealth, ignoring God, end up suffering all manner of complicated sicknesses, which money cannot deliver them from. They spend their accumulated wealth  travelling to different countries for medical treatment. That is to say if you seek money alone, you may have it eventually, but it cannot guarantee your life.

In Luke 12, after the rich man had gathered all his wealth, built new structures and then decided to relax and enjoy his money, God came to him and said ‘Thou fool, your soul is required tonight, now who is going to enjoy all this wealth you have  gathered’

Why did God call him a fool? Because psalm 53:1 says ‘The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.’ Anyone who will not acknowledge God in his affairs, and try to strive only by his own strength, is regarded by God to be a fool.

Why work hard all your life, suffer, strive and struggle to lay up wealth and yet, have no guarantee you will live to enjoy it? That is foolishness.

 

Jeremiah 17:11 says  ‘As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.’

God is not against our success, He just wants us to  seek Him first, so that He can guide us aright and preserve our lives. The road to success is full of pitfalls, and downfalls. It is not a journey a man can make by his strength alone. Anyone  struggling and forcing his way through this road, while ignoring God. may fall and crash in the process.

In 1 Timothy 6;9, apostle warns those who seek, wealth outside of God’s will, that they would fall into temptation, snares, foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

We are not to seek wealth, we are to seek God first and then He will guide us to the wealthy place  He has ordained for us. It is in His plan for us to have a good and successful life, but that will come after we have made Him our priority. Therefore in the journey of life, let us engage the help of God and  allow Him to be the one to guide us. He will go ahead of us and make the crooked places straight. He will break the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron asunder for us. Promotion comes from Him alone. He will give us wealth and give us health with it. He will give us life and peace of mind to enjoy His blessings. That is true success. His blessings will make  rich and add no sorrow.

 

PRAYER:  Lord please help me to build my life upon the solid foundation of Your Word and prayer. Let my focus be always on You and not on money, help me to pay the required price to lay the needed spiritual foundation for my endeavors by seeking your kingdom first in Jesus name.

 quote

The treasures of God are never on the shallow end, but are always buried in the depth of God’s Word. It takes a personal discovery to get there. – WORDBITE 222.

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[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]