Those of us who live in West Palm Beach look across the waterway to see Palm Beach and immediately realize how different our lives are from those who live in such great luxury. Fifty-eight billionaires live there, and the Trumps are not even in the top twenty! At first glance, we may think they are so blessed, but eyes of faith change the way we look across the intracoastal waters.
Who would understand how those of us who are walking by faith and not by sight should keep from being deceived about the folly of riches? Years ago, there was a king whose wealth increased by 25 tons of gold each year, and he reigned for four decades. Would his view of the lifestyle with such money help change the way we tend to look at it?
We have writings from this king. Would it not be wise to see what he thought about money? He described how a poor person thinks should he ever sit at a rich man’s table. His first advice was to not be deceived by all that surrounds anyone who might feast in such luxury. His advice was to take time to look around you and to stop and rethink what your first thoughts might have been, before you take the first taste of your food. He specifically said that to desire such delicacies is to eat deceptive food!
He continued in this ancient manuscript to describe the folly of working so hard to get wealth while neglecting other matters. His advice to those who spend their talents and energy and work so hard is summed up in one word—STOP! It is not worth the price you have to pay to gain it all.
He gives the basis for such advice. Treasure can vanish overnight. He watched a bird as it flew away and said that is the absolute truth about wealth. We should know this from our own world when we read about the collapse of the stock market in the last century and the onset of the great depression. It could happen again so easily, and bitcoins would truly become bits of nothingness!
Think soberly about what happens when a rich man thinks he has it made and then dies, and who knows what will happen with the gold he has gathered. God asked that man who said to himself,
“Eat, drink and be merry…” and then asks the sobering question about what happens when he dies, and how much does that matter. “Whose shall these things be” (Luke 12:15-21).
Want to read more of that ancient king’s words? His name was Solomon. Read the rest of what he said in Proverbs 23:1-10, then check out Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 6:7-20.
Those of us who live in West Palm Beach look across the waterway to see Palm Beach and immediately realize how different our lives are from those who live in such great luxury. Fifty-eight billionaires live there, and the Trumps are not even in the top twenty! At first glance, we may think they are so blessed, but eyes of faith change the way we look across the intracoastal waters.
Who would understand how those of us who are walking by faith and not by sight should keep from being deceived about the folly of riches? Years ago, there was a king whose wealth increased by 25 tons of gold each year, and he reigned for four decades. Would his view of the lifestyle with such money help change the way we tend to look at it?
We have writings from this king. Would it not be wise to see what he thought about money? He described how a poor person thinks should he ever sit at a rich man’s table. His first advice was to not be deceived by all that surrounds anyone who might feast in such luxury. His advice was to take time to look around you and to stop and rethink what your first thoughts might have been, before you take the first taste of your food. He specifically said that to desire such delicacies is to eat deceptive food!
He continued in this ancient manuscript to describe the folly of working so hard to get wealth while neglecting other matters. His advice to those who spend their talents and energy and work so hard is summed up in one word—STOP! It is not worth the price you have to pay to gain it all.
He gives the basis for such advice. Treasure can vanish overnight. He watched a bird as it flew away and said that is the absolute truth about wealth. We should know this from our own world when we read about the collapse of the stock market in the last century and the onset of the great depression. It could happen again so easily, and bitcoins would truly become bits of nothingness!
Think soberly about what happens when a rich man thinks he has it made and then dies, and who knows what will happen with the gold he has gathered. God asked that man who said to himself,
“Eat, drink and be merry…” and then asks the sobering question about what happens when he dies, and how much does that matter. “Whose shall these things be” (Luke 12:15-21).
Want to read more of that ancient king’s words? His name was Solomon. Read the rest of what he said in Proverbs 23:1-10, then check out Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 6:7-20.
Consider also how the world looks at your wealth. Over 90% of the world would trade their poverty for your debts! You are rich and Solomon’s words are for you!
Consider also how the world looks at your wealth. Over 90% of the world would trade their poverty for your debts! You are rich and Solomon’s words are for you!