Confessions of a Church: Money, Money, Money

 The Psalm writer wrote:  Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received.   This is the word of God.  It is eternally true and applicable for all of life

Proverbs 23:1-9 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you, And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food. Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies; For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments. Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

Turn off TBN, that channel is overrated.The pastors speak bogus statements, financially motivated. It's kind of like a pyramid scheme
Visualize Heretics christianizing the American dream.
It's foul and deceitful, they're lying to people
Teaching that camels squeeze through the eye of a needle!
Ungodly and wicked, ask yourself how can they not be convicted
Treating Jesus like a lottery ticket
And you're thinking they're not the dangerous type
Because some of their statements are right
That only proves that Satan comes as an angel of light
This teaching can't be believed without a cost
The lie is you can achieve a crown without a cross
And I hear it all the time when they speak on the block
Even unbelievers are shocked how they're fleecing the flock
It should be obvious then, yet I'll explain why it's in
Peep the Bible, it's in 1 Timothy 6:9-10
It talks about how the desire for riches
Has left many souls on fire and stitches, mired in ditches
Tell me, who would teach you to pursue as a goal
The very thing that the Bible said will ruin your soul, huh?
Yet they're encouraging the love of money
To make it worse, they've exported this garbage into other countries!
God will often bless His people with great wealth on this earth. Look to Abraham, Job, and King Solomon for proof of this. In and of itself, acquiring vast fortunes and amassing an impressive stock portfolio are not inherently sinful. Wealth, when utilized for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom, often has the effect of reducing poverty in a nation through job creation, improving people’s health, and promoting the protection of the rights of the less fortunate, such as widows and orphans. Wealth tends to create space for human flourishing. Free from the worry of acquiring basic creature comforts, wealth often times appears to free people up to pursue loftier goals.  However, it is clear from scripture that to pursue wealth as an end unto itself, is a fool's errand. The bible is clear that money, wealth, and riches are a trap for sinful man. Matthew 6:24 states "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Wealth is a cruel master. Listen to our proverb today: Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. Whether it is the stock market crashing, a foolish business venture, or you spent your hard earned overtime check on man toys, your wealth, when not used for God’s glory, will grow wings and fly away. Jesus taught us that we must not store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. He said that it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Why do we always believe that our pursuit and accumulation of wealth somehow falls outside of this command? How do we manage to convince ourselves that our chasing after wealth is different? We always assume that our motives are pure, but forget that sin is subtle, crafty, frequently looks pleasant and good, and that our hearts are deceitful and wicked above all else. Let’s look at an everyday example of this principle. In America today, obtaining advanced degrees from your favorite college with the promise of a high paying salary when finished is promoted non stop. Statistics show that only half of four year college students actually graduate, but in their wake is approximately $1.48 Trillion dollars in student loan debt. Any wealth they may hope to gain  grows wings and flies away as they seek to get out from under the burden of that mountain of debt, created by their desire for future wealth.
1 Timothy 6:7-19 NASB
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. [8] If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. [9] But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. [11] But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [13] I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, [14] that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] which He will bring about at the proper time-He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. [17] Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. [18] Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, [19] storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
The solution for the pursuit of riches is contentment. Not contentment grounded in worldly riches. Not contentment found in the fact that your 401K is at the level you “need” it. It's not contentment that you have enough money in your bank account to handle all your potential future problems. But contentment in Christ and His provision for you. He bled and died for your sins, and made you an heir to the Kingdom. What worldly riches can compare? What possible earthly pursuit and its promise of wealth can compare to the eternal promises found in Christ Jesus? Let us kneel and confess how we fall short of God’s glory in our pursuit of ungodly wealth.
Heavenly Father, Your Word teaches us “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven”. When we pursue after worldly wealth, we bring ourselves into subjection to another master, and in the process trust in our understanding rather than Yours, proving us to be the opposite of the one who is poor in spirit. We become proud, arrogant, and selfish hoarders. Father, the allure of wealth and riches play directly on our desire for comfort, peace, and security. Please forgive us for pursuing after things we know moth and rust will destroy and thieves can break in a steal. Help us to remember Oh Lord that true wealth, peace, contentment, and security are found only in Your Son Jesus. Father, rather than earthly wealth, please grant us a clean heart and steadfast spirit that pursues after holiness, without which no one will see You. In Jesus name we pray, amen. 
  Listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: 

Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. – Ephesians 2:12-13

To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lift up your hearts!     

(From the 9-2-18 liturgy of Sovereign King Church.  Written by Aaron Sabie.)