The Word of God Online Scripture from The Living Bible

In today’s world, money is a big deal. Even today, in May of 2011 we hear it in our daily conversations about how the price of Gas seems to rise daily. I have found myself commenting often of how the gas prices are rising and seem to be out of control. I have a job that is 60 miles 1 way and it is a part of my income that I have watched get eaten away due to the expense of gas.

Money is a driving force that allows us to purchase many things and be a part of this world. I don’t think it is any more prevelant than in the United States. We are the model that many countries are looking to in which they want to find “freedom” and “democracy”. We have so much in the United States. I was just commenting to a friend at how I am amazed at how, even today, with the economy being where it is at, that the sports stadiums are all full. If you are not from the States, all I can say is it is really expensive to go to our pro sports events here in the U.S. I mention this because I am a big sports fan and love watching various sports. These games can cost upwards of $200.00 for a single ticket to these events. The players themselves are making millions of dollars a year to throw a ball in a hoop or hit a baseball out of the park.

Money in our society brings status..shows others we are living the good life. Today, the automoblile has become the status symbol of money for the middle class. What we drive helps define who we are.

Boats, trips, Cars, houses, computers, Iphones, Ipads and much much more are the pursuit of so called happiness here in the United States. All our advertisements center around the gathering of goods…buying…consuming…one uping your friend or neighbor, having the latest and greatest gadget, a bigger house, a newer car and on an on it goes. It is really something to watch and you can look to your own bible for the answers to your own faith and where you may find yourself.

The Lure is very strong to pursue money. Unfortunately, we are constantly bombarded by messages that are showing us the importance of money and the pursuiant of things, stuff…more stuff.

I am not immune to this. I may be a Christian, and Jesus is my Savior, and my ticket to heaven may be punched, but I am not immune to the stranglehold of today’s ever non stop chasing of the mightly dollar.

Let’s turn to the Word of God now and see what Jesus said about this and the posture of our heart.

In Matthew 13 starting in Verse 3, Jesus relates a parable and also explains it.

From the Living Bible “ A Farmer was sowing grain in his fields. As he scattered the seed across the ground some fell besise the path, and the birds came and ate it.

And some fell on rocky soil where there was little depth of earth; the plants sprung up quickly enough in the shallow soil, but the hot sun soon scorched them and theyh withered and died, for they had so litlle root. Other seeds fell among the tender blades. But some fell on good soil, and produced a crop that was thrirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as he had planted, if you have ears,  listen!”

Some of the parables that Jesus told, are left for you an I to sort of read between the lines and figure out what he was trying to tell us. But this parable was fully explained just a few verses later starting in Verse 18.

“Now here is the explaniation of the story I told about the farmer planting grain: The hard path where some of the seeds fell represent the heart of a person who hears the Good News about the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it; then Satan comes and snatches away the seeds from his heart. The Shallow rocky soil represents the heart of a man who hears the messags and recieves it with real joy, but he doesn’t have much depth in his life, and the seeds don’t root very deeply, and after a while when trouble comes, or persecution begins because of his beliefs, his enthusiasm fades, and he drops out. The ground covered with thistles represents a man who hears the message, but the cares of this life and his longing for money choke out God’s Word, and he does less and less for God. The good ground represents the heart of a man who listens to the message and understands it and goes out and brings thirty, sixty, or even a hundred others into the Kingdom.”

In the above passage we get a clear answer to the parable as Jesus fully explains it to the disciples.

It’s interesting to note how applicable the Bible is and how relevent it is even to this day. Jesus Said these things over 2000 years ago. But it is just as relevant today, if not more so, then it was 2000 years ago.

The deciet of Riches is very apparent today. Many are lured by it. Jesus knew it. He talked about Money a lot in the bible and knew this was an area of the heart that was going to be greatly affected and lured by the love of money.

Many people mis-quote that line and say that money is the root of all evil. This is not true. There were many blessed and wealthy men in the Bible. God does not have a problem with you and I having money. He wants the Man of God to be fruitful in many areas. When we have the right heart, money will just be a tool to bring more people into the Kingdom of God. IT will be used to bless, not to consume. If God blesses your life financially it will ONLY be at a time when your heart is right with God. He knows the power that money can weild in the right and wrong hands. He is not going to give you something that will destroy you. That is Not the plans he has for you and I. In Jeremiah 29:11 it says “ For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a Hope.

So why would God allow you to have wealth if he knew you were going to use it to consume for yourself and not for the Kingdom. We have an awesome God who wants to bless you and I in all ways, but not at the cost of our faith becoming like that which Jesus talked about in the Parable above. Where the man hears the messages, but the cares of this life and the longing for money take over and move you away from God. Errr…this is not what God wants. And today more then ever we see the endless pursuit of people and money.

IT is a LIE…it is a BIG FAT LIE from Satan himself. Don’t fall for it..