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6But godliness
with contentment is great gain. 7For
we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8But if we have food and clothing, we
will be content with that. 9People
who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and
harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10For the love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith
and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Paul's Charge to Timothy
11But you, man of God, flee from all
this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and
gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of
the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made
your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13In the sight of God, who gives life
to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate
made the good confession, I charge you 14to
keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ, 15which God will bring about
in his own time — God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of
lords, 16who alone is immortal and
who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be
honor and might forever. Amen.
17Command those who are rich in
this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is
so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with
everything for our enjoyment. 18Command
them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to
share. 19In this way they will lay up
treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they
may take hold of the life that is truly life. |
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True wealth comes from
pleasing God by doing good, being
generous and sharing.
We are all in
constant danger of being "in want" of material wealth, which drives us away from
God's will. It pleases God when we do good.
It moves us away from God when we are "in want" of riches in the world.
But, we live in the world and
-
many of us
believe that we do not have what we need
to make our way in the world
-
while we see that the rich have much more than they need
and
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many wealthy people are trying to get even more.
We
are constantly marketed in endless ways to want more money, want more things, to
be in want, All the while God asks us to pray for deliverance from want. This
"temptation to get rich" is what Paul asks Timothy to flee from,
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."
To be right with
God, we must realize that that money is not to be loved but only used to do
good. Yes, we need money and material possessions to survive in the world but,
if we love money and what it can buy, we cannot come to God. We must love only
God and all of God's children. If you love money, you cannot love God with all
of your body mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. If you love
money, you will not use your money to do good to others. If you love money, you
will not be generous and willing to share.
Get right with God
Got to get - got to get - got to get
Right with God |
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Get right with God:
Give freely and expect nothing in return. If
you only have a little, you can still give something. God will recognize the
greatness of your gift.
Get right with God:
Love only God and all of God's children,
never love money or worldly wealth. Realize that the wealth of the world is to
be used only to do good for God's children.
Get right with God: "Fight
the good fight of the faith." Fight for love of God and against greed.
Don't be arrogant or put your hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put
your hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Get right with God: Do good, be rich in good deeds, and be generous and willing to share. In this way
we will lay up treasure for ourselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that
we may take hold of the life that is truly life. |
