Who Are The Rich?

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:    So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.—Ezekiel 33:31

Memory verse: Romans 8:32 ►He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Today's reading: LEVITICUS 8-10 MATTHEW 25:31-46

Who Are 'The Rich'

It always bothers me when I  hear, 'the rich get richer the poor get poorer'. For one thing, it has always been true in this world-and I'm not rich-as the world gauges it. I have come to the conclusion that God put me where I am so I could really understand St. Paul when he wrote that he was content during all circumstances in Philippians, chapter 4.

Paul wrote: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." 1 Timothy 6:17

There it is in a nutshell. God makes the believer rich with everything for his/her enjoyment. So, who are the really rich?

I know what it is like to run out of money when paying bills. I know what it is like to have someone hand me a sealed envelope at church and tell me a little lady told them God said to do this-then, open the envelope with exactly the amount we needed to pay the bills. No one but God and my wife and I knew that number...

I also know what it is like to get up day after day to write these devotionals. Most mornings it is hard to get cranked up. God always provides what is needed. I could not start a day without Him because He does provide everything for our enjoyment.

Really? Our enjoyment? When the world seems to be against anything 'Jesus' or 'God' it may be hard for some to get this.

But the Holy Spirit is not here to just 'get us through'. He is here to remind of everything Jesus taught, said, and still thinks.

John 14:26 ►but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

1 Corinthians 2:16 ►for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

We have to seek to understand what the 'mind of Christ' means. The secret to knowing the mind of Christ is no secret at all. People may stand off at a distance and say, "That's for those 'super Christians' but I am not able to get there."

They are wrong. All of us have the Holy Spirit. That is an eternal period at the end of that statement. The scripture, the written word that is God breathed, says that all of us believers in Christ have been marked by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1: 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

In 1 Timothy 6, Paul does not just say God provides for our 'enjoyment'-He does not simply say God provides 'everything' for our 'enjoyment'-He says God 'richly' provides 'everything' for our 'enjoyment'.

Christ Jesus said for us to love God with all we are, Matthew 22:37-39, so, if He tells us to do it, He will give us all we need to live out that love. He tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves and He will give us all we need to do that.

So, we must see that, in Christ Jesus, we have all things richly provided for our enjoyment. If we DO WHAT HE SAYS in His word:

21Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:6

Christ waits and watches always ready to show His heart to us-to reveal His mind to us. We have the Holy Spirit all over us and in us and He will remind us continually of all things Jesus-all wisdom and understanding in the mind of Christ-all love in the heart of Christ-if we are surrendered-if we have taken up our individual crosses and follow.

Define rich people? Rich are those who do what Jesus says.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I am not obedient. Forgive me and show me the first step to being where You want me to be.

Forgiving, patient, and loving God!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen