Thought for the Day

Verse 4 - There is nothing wrong with having material wealth, but it should not be our primary focus. Our goal should be to know God personally; becoming like Jesus and growing in His wisdom. God promises to liberally give us wisdom when we ask for it in faith (James 1:5-8). Man's wisdom says to obtain wealth for ourselves; God's wisdom instructs us to rely on Him for our needs. We are never told to seek wealth or the "American dream."

When we serve God, He promises to meet our every need. "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:31-33). God loves to bless us but He is not pleased with greed. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:3). Jesus taught us to make our needs known to the Father. "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:23-24). Should our need be money or material things, He will provide for us if we humbly seek Him in faith.

Verse 5 - Financial wealth is uncertain and temporal. We can have it one day and the next day lose it all. However sizable the bank account, funds shrink as rapidly as a flying eagle shrinks from view. Men who look to money for security will find that it will fail them. Riches are deceitful (Mark 4:19), giving a false sense of security and importance that can cause us to miss eternal life (Luke 12:15-16). Many are robbed when their companies go bankrupt, and their long-term jobs and pensions disappear. Some lose everything in natural disasters for which there is no insurance coverage. Others face failed business ventures, down-sizing, stock market losses, or costly treatments for long-term health problems that devour their savings. Some people have everything stolen from them. People everywhere are facing financial challenges.

The Bible has the answer to these and all problems facing mankind, which is putting our trust in Christ and following God's plan for our individual lives. God does not promise that we will not face difficulties, but rather that we can be more than conquerors in all of them, through Christ. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The only sure investments in life are spiritual. Those investing in God's kingdom are accumulating treasures for eternity (Matthew 6:19-21).