The Bible teaches followers of Jesus Christ to abstain from excess and luxury – keeping more than what you need. A true Christian will make choices that please God. He’ll stay away from luxury and keep only what he needs. The way a follower of Christ handles or approaches money is the acid test for his faith, for, Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money” [Matthew 6:24 CEV]. Jesus says that the opposite of serving God is serving money! Serving Satan is not the opposite of serving God! Rather, Jesus says that serving money is the opposite of serving God! Today, many so-called Christians are heaping up wealth for themselves without giving thought to God’s warning. They think that money is a blessing whereas the New Testament teaches the opposite! May God open our eyes!
A land mine or a famine could do thy soul no harm:
But plenty and luxury can bring thee closer to Hell’s arms !
The purpose of life lay not in succeeding here
O the careless Christian would think so, I fear !
O Wealth and health cannot be God’s blessing:
If that be, what song can Paul and Peter sing ?
The power of the Cross that raiseth thee:
O its power to transform, taste and see !
Victory o’er sin and Hell it spells !
Joy, peace and hope, from it, wells !
Riches are ditches that of sin, stink –
Don’t pursue it, jump and then blink !
Stay away from life’s lusts, you must !
The Lord will provide – in Him, trust !
Seek not shelter in financial castles !
They deceive though now they dazzle !
Take what you need for life’s journey
When you have more, give out for free !
When the days of life are done and fully over
All who cheerfully gave shall in glory appear !
But they that stored wealth for selfish gain
Shall be stuck with everlasting agony and pain !
My heart faints and aches when I pen these lines
But I dare not twist God’s Word to suit me fine !
The truth is bitter, painful and hard to swallow:
But from our Savior, whence shall we go ?
Father, please preserve me from riches’ deceit
Guide my heart and hand till in Heaven we meet !
Scripture references:
- 1 Timothy 6:7-11 For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that. Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains. But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.
- Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- James 5:1-6 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.
Ink & Truth 