Morning by Morning, July 16 - "Rich Toward God"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name, as You set things right -- here in my heart and into my day. ...
"(Jesus) told them a parable: 'The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my good. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves and are not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21).
In the eyes of the world, this many was very wise. He was resourceful and successful; he worked hard and now he was ready to play hard. He was living the dream, larger than life. His motto was "Go big or go home" and now he was building bigger barns for his bigger wealth to match his bigger head to boast in his heart about big self-made success he had made of his life.
But You said he was a fool. He was rich in the success and wealth of the world, but he was "not rich toward God" (v. 21). You said, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions" (v. 15). You weren't against his success; You were against his perspective. The focus of his success was to be on You -- the Source of his success and Your purpose for his success. You weren't against him being rich; You were against him not being rich toward God in the priority of his relationship with You above all else.
Lord, help me grow in my heart to be "rich toward God." Give me a right perspective with right priorities. Set me free from the wisdom of this world, and cultivate in me the wisdom of God. "For this wisdom of this world is foolishness with God" (1 Corinthians 3:19). "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy" (James 3:17). Let me "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of (my) mind, so that (I) may discern what is the will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Lord, how should I be "rich toward God?" ...
It seems I hear You saying in my heart: "My son, you are rich toward Me when you seek Me first above all else. Let Me be your priority. Let our relationship be your greatest stewardship of your time and resources. Then trust Me to take care of the rest with My guidance, My favor, and even My abundance." ...
Yes, Lord. Give me grace to "Seek first the kingdom of God and (Your) righteousness, and all these things shall be added to (me) (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). "My God will satisfy every need of (mine according to (Your) riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that (I) ask or think, according to the power that works in (me), to (You) be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever" (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Father God, I thank You for every success You've given me, and the abundance of Your riches in so many ways. But help me remember You are the Source of my success and You are the Redeemer of every one of my many failures. I want my treasure to be stored up in heaven and not on earth -- "for where (my) treasure is, there (my) heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). So I pray You would convict me and deliver me from foolishness and make me wise in Your ways and in Your sight. Whatever riches or abundance You may pour into my life for Your purposes, may I be found faithful to be "rich toward God" by the power of Your grace at work within me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, I pray you will be rich toward God in your heart and in all He pours into your life for His purposes, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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