Jesus said, “Take heed and BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS (greed), for ONE’S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST in the ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS HE POSSESSES…Therefore I say to you, DO NOT WORRY about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on…Life is MORE THAN FOOD, and the body is MORE THAN CLOTHING.” (Luke 12:15, 22) OK then, In What Does Life Consist? Are we to give up everything and live in poverty? Many of God’s people have been blessed with an abundance of riches: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were wealthy men. So were Job, David, and Solomon. “…after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you NEED ALL THESE THINGS. But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS (food, clothing and our other needs) shall be added TO YOU WILL.” (Matt. 6:32-33)
The life that is in us as God’s children is not mere earthly life. We possess something with much greater value, ETERNAL LIFE. The spiritual life we have right now, therefore, does not really consist in how many earthly possessions a person can accumulate to themselves. These earthly possessions will all be left behind when we die. The Lord gives us THESE THINGS IN THIS LIFE and then takes them away again at death. Naked we came into this world and naked we will leave it! That is the reality of life. For that reason, too, life, TRUE LIFE, eternal life, does not consist of the abundance of earthly possessions. Neither do these possessions in this world earn for us a place in heaven. We cannot buy our way into heaven with our earthly riches. They are useless when it comes to real life because LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THESE THINGS.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may BE WITH YOU FOREVER— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and WILL BE IN YOU.” (John 14:15-17) Not only will we have the Holy Spirit in us but, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him. WE WILL COME to him and MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM.” (John 14:23) We need to give thanks each day for all that God has done and is doing. God has given us more than most people in this world. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS;
FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU…(1 Thess. 5:16-18)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham