Wealth is playing a major role in many things on earth today. Success is usually defined in terms of wealth, influence, popularity and the power wealth confers on its owner. The major ruling influence on earth today is wealth. It is the hidden agenda behind wars, politics and many religions today. Many are simply slaves to wealth. All the pornography and atrocities committed around the world are driven by wealth. It is observed that some people find it difficult to serve God because of their pursuit of money. Some how it seems that those who are willing to serve God are not too concerned about serving wealth and those who are locked into wealth seem to have not much time for God. This needs to change.

We need a clear understanding of God’s purpose, perspective and plans for money or wealth in these last days. The love of money and the deceitfulness of riches are two traps that have the tendency to move people from one extreme to another. On one side of the extreme, some believe in being poor to be holy. These are fast diminishing in number, though. The other extreme are those who think that without money nothing good can happen. So they worship money with all their lives. My wife did a message titled “Beating the world’s system”. In it she explained how the world’s system is enslaving people and destroying their homes, marriages and health. Jesus says “You cannot serve God and mammon”. Is there a Godly way to have wealth do to the will of God and still maintain our right standing and obedience before God? Many have been beaten in this race. They have lost their walk with God in the face of the love of money and deceitfulness of riches. By the way, both the poor and the rich fall into the traps of love of money and deceitfulness of riches. Wherever the love of money is, greed, selfishness and covetousness are found. These all lead to being deceived by riches. You may not have anything and still be deceived. If your value system in life is governed by acquisition of wealth, external showmanship and a display of affluence, especially if your internal character (Based on your relationship with God) is not the basis or foundation for your riches, you are already deceived and need a radical shake up. There some things money can buy; others are beyond its reach. It can buy a house but not a peaceful home.

THE RICH YOUNG RULER
Such is the example in the bible in Mark 10, the story of the rich young ruler. Somehow this man knew that wealth had not given him eternal life. He came asking Jesus, what he could DO to HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. The way wealth is paraded today; many seem to pass it for the presence of God’s life in itself. Verses 17-30 of Mark, the 10th chapter, give the detailed account of this man’s encounter with Jesus. Jesus tells the man to keep the laws and he answered in the affirmative that he already did. Maybe that explains why he was rich. God’s laws are designed to make us rich. Jesus loved the rich man and his wealth. God loves the rich! Jesus told him he lacked one thing! That one thing must be the basis of all other things that he needed to deal with. Whenever we allow God to deal with us, He puts His loving hand on the main issues in our lives. The main issue in this man’s life was his inability to give away what he had. His wealth had become his idol; it had a hold on him. To follow Jesus, he needed to be free from all things that hold him down on his inside. His obedience will not be complete if his wealth had such a hold on him. Wealth has such a control over those who have it. There is something about the Kingdom of God that does not allow other things to interfere with our hearts, if we are to be effective. Giving away what he had was a major key to his deliverance. His obedience to Jesus to sell all he had and give to the poor meant that he will have to strip himself of the status money conferred on him. It also meant that his value system will be radically affected. A truly rich man must be rich inside his heart with a generous heart. What you are able to give, with respect to what you give, is what determines your true wealth. Jesus was giving him the missing key. Giving was the key to being set free to truly serve God. This the third dimension of grace in action. As Jesus became poor that we through his poverty became rich, He was asking this rich man to become poor for others to be rich. What will be the outcome of such a life? Eternal life, a life where God will be the source of all good things; and all that will make for a fulfilled life are made available. You will not build your treasures here but in the realms where they can not be corrupted and will be free to take up your CROSS (God’s will and method for you) and FOLLOW the Lord with joy and peace. What has a hold on you can prevent you from fulfilling God’s will for your life. When people have wealth without God, usually it is the wealth that has them as its slave. The only way to prevent this from happening is to be willing to give it at any instance in obedience to God. Subject your wealth to God in obedience. GIVING is a kingdom KEY to true abundance. Jesus was trying to teach this man how not to be enslaved by wealth by learning to give it away. In giving there is receiving. When we obey and give, we give God the chance to work in us a dependence on Him, a deliverance from selfishness, and position us to let God provide for us supernaturally.

TRUST NOT IN RICHES BUT IN GOD
The disciples were astonished When Jesus said it was hard for the rich to enter into the kingdom, after the man went away sorrowful. What made it hard was the difficulty of having money and not trusting in riches. When you trust in riches, it becomes hard to be a partaker of Kingdom life. This is the crunch; it is impossible with man to get it right where wealth is concerned. It takes God for a man with wealth to make the Kingdom of God. What is impossible with man is possible with God. For with God all things are possible. Giving in obedience is also the key to getting God to be involved with you in life. The promise of a hundred fold is given to all who give up all things for the gospel’s and for Christ’s namesake. It is at the 100-fold level that WEALTH is enjoyed rather than be enslaved by it. This does not come until we are ready to give it all in obedience to God. God gives, arranges for you to come into, and grants you favour and opens the doors for you to posses the abundance He has for you. The steps are: give in faith and obedience; stay in fellowship with God in prayers and worship then walk in obedience to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. Your giving is putting the financial seed in the ground; prayers help to water the seed; a life of obedience opens you to divine ideas and you DO what it takes for God to bless the work of your hands.

So we see that wealth is not just about acquiring money but it starts with a heart that is right with God and desires to seek first His Kingdom and His ways of doing things. Wealth should be added to you not greedily gotten by you. God can then share His ideas with you, and you will channel the wealth into creative areas and become a blessing to humanity and see God’s love through the preaching of the Gospel affect many in world. Wealth was actually given for God’s covenant to be established on earth. The new covenant is established through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Giving for the Gospel is giving all for the preaching, teaching and discipling of many in the nations. This is the purpose of wealth. All other uses can be seen to be the abuse of wealth. Deut.8:18 refer to God’s will for His people and the wealth He puts in their hands. His people are still the richest today!

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Rev Kola Ewuosho