A college student had the following message on his dorm answering machine: “Hi. This is Fred. If it’s the phone company, I sent the money. If it’s Mom or Dad, please send money. If it’s the financial office, you didn’t loan me enough money. If it’s my girlfriend, leave a message – and don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of money.”
The state of the world economy is on everyone’s minds of late. Many are anxious, wondering what will happen in Greece and with other unstable European nations.
There’s no guarantee that we won’t be affected by economic collapse in other nations of the world.
Author David Jeremiah writes: “Each one of us must understand the looming economic threat and learn to practice the sound financial principles the Bible provides so we can best prepare ourselves and protect our families before it’s too late.”
The Bible actually predicts a worldwide economic collapse, leading to the rising of a one-world ruler.
Before that happens, it would be very wise for everyone to get their act in order.
The sobering state of the economy calls for a refocus of priorities and values.
Jesus spoke of this in the gospel of Matthew: “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or – worse! – stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being … You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and money both.”
Jesus repeatedly linked money to a person’s most fundamental spiritual condition – his or her salvation.
When a rich young ruler came to Jesus, asking him, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?,” Christ didn’t give him a profound theological discourse on what it means to be saved. He simply said to him, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Our possessions can get in the way of what is really the most important.
Jesus is saying that it’s a mistake to put all you eggs in one basket, to put all your money in one investment, and particularly a perishable investment.
Rather, we need to re-prioritize the values of our hearts and invest in something that has eternal value.
It really is a heart issue.
If your heart is not right with God, then all you have is what you’ve got in this life.
And you can gain the whole world and ultimately lose your soul.
But if you believe in your heart that Jesus is the Christ and that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved both now and forever.
Les Warriner is
pastor at Living Way
Foursquare Church.
