(Day 30)
After Jesus asked if we serve God or money,
he spoke about fear and the anxiety of life.
(Matthew 6:25) Therefore I tell you, do not
be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about
your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothing?
There is a connection between the
themes of the “love of money” and the “anxiety of life”. They both originate
mainly out of fear.
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| fear |
MAMMON AND FEAR
As we mentioned before, the spirit of
greed is known as Mammon. This spirit works through fear, making us think about
the future and instilling insecurity about what may happen.
Mammon promotes greed as a strategy
to reach “security”. Earning and accumulating money become the purpose, goal
and passion for life. Greed and
materialism close the doors to generosity, which is one of the virtues of the Kingdom of Heaven
FEAR vrs.
FAITH
Fear is the opposite of FAITH.
* FAITH:
Is having certainty and assurance on
that which will come, even when it can’t be seen. Faith is not base on what you
“desire”, but on what God said and promised.
(Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
(Romans 10:17) So faith comes from hearing,
and hearing through the word of Christ.
* FEAR:
Is being uncertain of what is going
to happen. You could be in fear because you have not heard God’s Word, or
because you do not believe, even though you heard Him. The former is ignorance
(which does not free you from guilt), the latter is sin (and the reason many do
not reach the promise).
(Hebrews 3:15-16) As it is said, "Today,
if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For
who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt
(Hebrews 3:18-19) And to whom did he swear that
they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see
that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Many did not enter the Promised Land
because they did not have faith in God. They let themselves be afflicted with
fear because they did not believe in God. Instead, they let the circumstances
guide them. They were guided by their sight (by “the eye” Mat. 6:22-23).
GREED
The dictionary defines “greed” as: “excessive desire for owning
numerous possessions and wealth”. It is the love of money and the
insatiable desire of obtaining more and more.
In the world, greed is the way of
life, but it comes at a high cost.
(Proverbs 28:22) A stingy
man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
When you become wealthy because you
are anxious about life, there is no blessing as a result. Many would sacrifice
principles and values with the purpose of obtaining wealth. Those riches will
come with sorrow.
(Proverbs 10:22) The
blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
Throughout the whole Bible it is written
that God wants to bless us and prosper us. We interpret this as material
prosperity, but it is much more than that. Even more important than the
material is the spiritual prosperity.
(3 John 1:2) Beloved, I pray that all may
go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your
soul.
If you put your trust in money you
will suffer at the end. But if you trust in God, you will receive blessing, in
the measure the Lord gives you. And even then, the blessing we receive from the
Lord is meant to be shared, not accumulated.
(1 Timothy 6:17-19) As for the rich in this
present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the
uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to
enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready
to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the
future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
PRAYER
Lord, I confess that sometimes I have
let fear into my heart. Today I can see that this is a sin, because I have not
believed in You, or maybe I have not even looked into Your Word. Please forgive
me, because at times I have put my trust in money, when my security is in You
alone. Give me eyes to see the spiritual reality, so that I am not driven by
circumstances.
Lord, I want to stop living by sight
and start living by faith. I know that without faith it is impossible to please
you, and that whoever draws near to you must believe that you exist and that
you reward those who seek you. I don’t want to be anxious about my life
anymore, what I will eat or what I will drink. I know I must do my part, I must
learn to trust in you, because all blessings come from you.
Lord, I don’t want to be left out of
Your Promises because of my lack of faith. I want everything that you have
prepared for me. I want the blessing that comes from you, which comes with no
sorrow.
[Matthew 6:25; Hebrews 11:6]
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