The Deceitfulness of Riches

MATTHEW 13:22 NIV                                22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

How are riches deceitful? (The word really means a delusion.)

Riches promise more than they can deliver. They promise
security, happiness, and satisfaction in life, but fail to
deliver.

Does this mean God is against wealth? No! He just doesn't want you to be deceived by it. Or, to trust in it. For it will surely disappoint you.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ                                17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be
haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

According to Jesus, life does not consist of the abundance of
one's possessions. You should believe Him. He knows.

LUKE 12:15 NASB                                   15 And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not {even} when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."

Watch out! Don't let money deceive you.

Having wealth -- a bunch of stuff -- will not give you a
satisfying, fulfilling life. It promises to. But it can't
deliver.

Things will not make you happy -- not for long. It's your
inward attitude, and doing God's will, that determines whether you will enjoy happiness in life.

If having more money was the answer, why do rich people commit suicide?

Money promises security, but can never quite attain it. In
contrast, God delivers security -- for eternity.

HEBREWS 13:5 NIV                                  5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Money can leave you and forsake you, even when you need it most. But God will never abandon you.

Riches will let you down. God never will.

SAY THIS: Thank you Lord for opening my eyes to the
deceitfulness of riches.
 

You Must Control The Devil

JAMES 4:7 NKJ
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee
from you.

Most believers expect God to control the devil, but God gave
you that responsibility.

EPHESIANS 4:27 NKJ
27 nor give place to the devil.

Would God tell you not to let the devil have any place, if you
had no say about it? If the devil does have a place in your
affairs, it's because you allow it.

The devil will take over -- if you let him.

Jesus won the victory. It legally belongs to you. But the devil
is a criminal, who doesn't obey the law unless forced to. You
must enforce Jesus' victory and Lordship in the situations of
life, or the devil will take control by default.

No human being, in themselves, is any match for the devil. So you can't resist him in your own ability or name. You are not more powerful than the devil, but you do have more authority as a believer in Jesus Christ.

Just as a policeman in uniform has the backing of the entire
government and all its forces, so believers have the backing of God and all His forces, when we stand against the devil in
Jesus' Name.

God gave you authority to resist the devil, and expects you to
use it. If you disobey God by not using it, things will not go
very well in your life.

Praying to God to stop the devil's operations is no different
than my son asking me to take out the trash, after I told him
to do it.

God told us to resist the devil and he would flee. We must
believe and act on God's Word.

SAY THIS: I will resist the devil and he will flee from me.




 

Why Pray?

JOHN 15:5 NKJ                                      5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me,
and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

There are three reasons to pray: for God's benefit, for your benefit, and for the benefit of others.

To Benefit God

Just as earthly parents enjoy talking with their child, our
Heavenly Father enjoys hearing from you.

Also, God desires certain things done on Earth, but He has
delegated authority to mankind. Through our requests, God can
justly intervene in earthly situations and bring His will to
pass. So, praying in line with God's Word benefits God.

To Benefit You

Prayer is communication with God. It includes listening,
discussion, and giving thanks -- not just asking for things.

Relationship requires communication. Your relationship with the Lord will never grow without communication.

Time spent in prayer helps you stay tuned-in spiritually --
remaining sensitive to God. Prayer keeps you "connected" with God. It helps keep your focus on God and how great He is.

Prayer is a way of humbling yourself and is the opposite of
doing things by yourself. Receiving direction from God is the
greatest help you can get. If you fail to seek God's help, you
are headed for trouble, because the devil sets traps to destroy you.

Also, talking with God forces you to honestly face your
situation -- for you know you cannot fool God.

To Benefit Others

All around us, people are in great need. Through prayer we can appropriate heavenly help on their behalf.

God can do more in one minute than you can do in a lifetime.

SAY THIS: I will pray because prayer is beneficial.