Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Thursday April 16
MONEY & THE LOVE OF IT
Memorise:
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:10
Read:n 1 Timothy 6:6-11
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Message
God knows no lack, and He expects His children to reach a height of financial greatness where lack will be forgotten forever. The one whose name is El-Shaddai can provide for all of your needs. Gathering wealth by honest means is the path to increase. Those who get rich quick by bribing their way or engaging in fraudulent means are only digging their own pit. Wealth gotten by vanity will diminish. Many are secretly envying unbelievers because of their wealth. This is foolishness. You have to wait upon the Lord to show you your source of wealth so that you don't overrun yourself. Wealth from the Almighty God is supposed to be a blessing, but when the search for wealth is taken to the extreme, it becomes a curse.
You must never pursue wealth to the detriment of your soul. There are many people looking for wealth for the wrong reasons. Some want to be rich because they feel wealth commands respect. For some others, it is to satisfy the thirst of belonging to a certain social class. Some people want wealth so as to use it as an instrument of oppression or revenge. God will not support such motives. The devil is always out to exploit your insincerity. He will give you options of getting fast wealth outside the will of God. Once you fall for it, you may never come out of his trap except God decides to have mercy on you.
Many rich people are never satisfied. There is something in them that pushes them to want to accumulate more wealth for reasons they can't explain (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Contentment is a virtue that cannot be bought with money (1 Timothy 6:6). If you have contentment, you can never be trapped in the deceitfulness of riches. Do you know that there are many people out in search of wealth, struggling in places where God has not put them? Isaac thought of escaping to Egypt to avoid famine or scarcity, but God asked him to remain in Gerar (Genesis 26:1-2). He obeyed God and sowed his seed right where he was, and there was a great harvest for him. He became so great that the natives of the land envied his wealth.
All you need to do is to cultivate the right relationship with God, and He will always direct you to where your blessings will locate you. Another problem for the wealthy is the temptation of using their money to buy what will destroy them. You need to know how much the devil is taking from many through the medium of cigarettes, alcohol and hard drugs. Some people never planned to have extra-marital affairs until they started having money. The kind of wealth that will disconnect you from God will never come into your hands in Jesus' Name.
Prayer point:
Father, keep me from wealth that will lead to my destruction.
Bible in a year: Joshua 18:1-19:39 & Matthew 21:33-22:14... Read after the cut:
Joshua 18:1-19:39;
Jos 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
Jos 18:2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
Jos 18:3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?
Jos 18:4 Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.
Jos 18:5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.
Jos 18:6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
Jos 18:7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
Jos 18:8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.
Jos 18:9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.
Jos 18:10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Jos 18:11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
Jos 18:12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
Jos 18:13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.
Jos 18:14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
Jos 18:15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:
Jos 18:16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,
Jos 18:17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,
Jos 18:18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:
Jos 18:19 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
Jos 18:20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.
Jos 18:21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
Jos 18:22 And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
Jos 18:23 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
Jos 18:24 And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
Jos 18:25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
Jos 18:26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
Jos 18:27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
Jos 18:28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Joshua 19:39;
Jos 19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.
Jos 19:2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,
Jos 19:3 And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,
Jos 19:4 And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,
Jos 19:5 And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,
Jos 19:6 And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:
Jos 19:7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:
Jos 19:8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
Jos 19:9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
Jos 19:10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:
Jos 19:11 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam;
Jos 19:12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,
Jos 19:13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to Neah;
Jos 19:14 And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:
Jos 19:15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
Jos 19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Jos 19:17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.
Jos 19:18 And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
Jos 19:19 And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath,
Jos 19:20 And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,
Jos 19:21 And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez;
Jos 19:22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
Jos 19:23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Jos 19:24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
Jos 19:25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,
Jos 19:26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath;
Jos 19:27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
Jos 19:28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;
Jos 19:29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
Jos 19:30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
Jos 19:31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Jos 19:32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
Jos 19:33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan:
Jos 19:34 And then the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising.
Jos 19:35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
Jos 19:36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
Jos 19:37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor,
Jos 19:38 And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
Jos 19:39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Matthew 21:33-22:14
Mat 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
Mat 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
Mat 21:35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
Mat 21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
Mat 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
Mat 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
Mat 21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
Mat 21:40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
Mat 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Mat 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
Mat 21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
Matthew 22:14
Mat 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
Mat 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Mat 22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Mat 22:6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
Mat 22:7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Mat 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mat 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
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