Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. (Pro. 30:8)
Every believer will shout a big Amen to the prayer of deliverance from falsehood and lies. But what is wrong with having extra cash or some sumptuous snacks in between our meals? God wants each one of us to prosper, right? Deuteronomy 8:18 affirms that it is God who gives us the ability to make wealth. God made Solomon the richest man in the world, so why should I not desire to be rich when it is not a sin? Why should I settle for a hand-to-mouth lifestyle when I can exert some extra effort and live comfortably well above the poverty line?
Wealth is deceitful and not everyone can handle it properly. We fall in love with it, we transfer our trust and allegiance to it since it promises to solve most of our problems. God is only referenced when our wealth cannot solve the problem at hand. Solomon had it all, but he declared that all was vanity. Scripture warns us about an overemphasis on wealth. “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint” (Pro. 23:4). “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (Ecc. 4:6). “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1Tim. 6:9). Be contented with what you have, not what you could have.
*Our discipleship class resumes this Sunday afternoon and we will be walking through the book of Ephesians. Pray that we will learn and be transformed by God’s truth.
*Pray for a couple of people who recently prayed and invited Christ into their lives through one of our elders, that they will grow in their faith as we disciple them.