Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
From: The Life Application Study Bible
8 “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.” ~ 1 Timothy 6:8-9
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, most people still believe that money brings happiness. Rich people craving greater riches can be caught in an endless cycle that only ends in ruin and destruction. Paul gives us some guidelines to help us stay away from the love of money: 1. Realize that one day riches will be gone (6:6,17); 2. Be content with what you have (6:8); 3. Monitor what you are willing to do to get more money (6:9,10); 4. Love people more than money (6:11); 5. Love GOD’s work more than money (6:11); 6. Freely share what you have with others (6:18). – 7 “O GOD, I beg two favors from YOU before I die. 8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. 9 For if I grow rich, I may deny YOU and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult GOD’s holy name.” – Proverbs 30:7-9. – It is often helpful to distinguish between needs and wants. We may have all we need to live but let ourselves become anxious and discontent over what we want. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. Like Paul, we can choose to be content without having all that we want. The only alternative is to be a slave to our desires. We can trust that GOD will always meet our needs. Whatever we need on earth – HE will always supply. Whatever we need in heaven – HE will supply. However, we must remember the difference between our wants and our needs.
“For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” – 1 Timothy 6:10 – Greed leads to all kinds of evil: from marriage problems and robbery, to blowups in partnerships. To master greed, we must control it at its root by getting rid of the desire to be rich. By trusting Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting His provision and power to live for Him.
Father GOD keep us from the love of money. Help us to realize that one day our riches will be gone and show us how to be content with what we have. Help us LORD, to monitor what we are willing to do to get more money – keep us from all evil. Father we pray that we would love people and YOUR work more than money and to freely share what we have with others.
Photo: The “Elephant Tree” (Redwood National Park, California)
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on photo to enlarge
