November 27, 2020
I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today is from the book of 1 Timothy 6:10 “ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith, in their greediness, and pierced themselves, through with many sorrows.”
Today many people are involved in making a lot of money. They amass wealth in different ways. Building huge luxurious Villas. Building Grand Farm Houses, Purchase of expensive cars, they spend lavishly and hoard wealth either in the form of immovable property or in the form of jewels in the bank locker or sometimes as black money. It is not wrong to save money, but one should not run after money. When they have more money they become proud. Some disobey parents, and involve in squandering money in various ways. Some for want of money get into all sorts of wrong activities and thus get entangled themselves in sin and lose track of God. They become lovers of pleasure than lovers of God. When one gets money through wrong means, it brings curse into your family, and your descendants.
I wish to tell you about an incident from the Bible, about a man who went after money and how it led to his downfall. Naaman was a commander of the army of Syria. He was a great and honourable man. But he was a leper. His maid who was brought as a captive from the land of Israel, pleaded him to meet Prophet Elisha. So Naaman met the prophet. Elisha told him to go and wash himself, in the river Jordan, seven times. Hence Naaman went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan. Immediately, his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child.
Naaman went to see the man of God and thank him for his kindness. Naaman asked Elisha to receive all the gifts that he had brought for him. But Elisha refused to take any gifts from him. Hence Naaman returned. But Gehazi the servant of Elisha, pursued Naaman.
When Naaman saw him running after him, he inquired if all was well? And Ghezai said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, two young men of the sons of the prophets: have come from the mountains of Iphraim give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garment And Naaman immediately urged him, to take two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. When Elisha heard that Gehazi his servant had followed Naaman and taken the gifts without his knowledge he tells Ghezai, “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever”. And Gehazi went out from his presence filled with leprous as white as snow. Thus we see from the word of God that love for money endangers one’s life. Wealth wrongly acquired becomes a curse.
Paul is warning that the lust for riches has even caused some believers to wander away from the faith. As children of God, we have the assurance of God that He will provide for all of our needs, according to His goodness and the riches of His grace. May we use the money we have, wisely. Money should not become our master. Keep Jesus in His rightful position, at the centre of your life, for when you keep Jesus as the focus, of your heart, then other things are kept within a correct perspective. God Bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord let not, our heart long after money as it causes much distress and destruction. Help us to use the money wisely, and help us to always regard money and our possessions as a tool in our hand to meet our needs and not become a slave to money. We commit our life together with all that we own for Your greater glory. We consecrate ourselves to you. Use us for your good purpose.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
