THE RICH MAN STORY
There’s nothing inherently wrong with being rich.
Ecclesiastes 10:19-19 Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.
However, we should be careful in terms of putting money before God.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Let’s look at the parable of the rich man found in
LUKE 16:19-31
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.[f] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
We want to remember that Eternal life is eternal. If we accept Jesus as our Saviour we spend eternity in Heaven with Him, if we do not accept Jesus we spend eternity in Hell.
Hell is fiery and hot with constant torment. Once we are in hell we cannot leave or get out. It is forever. And the anguish is forever.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deeds.
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
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Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
To listen to Katim Speaks on the Anchor Podcast, please click the link: https://anchor.fm/katim-brown/episodes/THE-RICH-MAN-e1kjc5r
