Living Hope Fellowship Church

UNCERTAIN RICHES

Training Material

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

UNCERTAIN RICHES

Preface

(money and giving) 

          In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 we read, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

          The Bible warns us not to think we have need of nothing.  We must realize that we need Jesus, and then we must obey Him.

          UNCERTAIN RICHES

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

          In Revelations 3:15-16 Jesus spoke and said, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”      

          These words were for the church at that time and also for today.  Verse 17 says, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” 

          Jesus said that he would spew people out.  These have known God, but He will blot them out of His book of life, because they are lukewarm.  These whom He had nothing more to do with had declared, “. . . I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. . . .”  They didn’t even know that they were, “. . . wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

          Today there is much teaching of the prosperity doctrine.  I heard a prominent teacher of this sort some years back say, I am God’s gift to you!  His pride so exalted him that he actually declared himself a gift of God to the people, so that he could teach them how to prosper financially!  Don’t misunderstand me.  I believe that God wants all of his people to be prosperous, and to be in good health, but it says in 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”  It says, “. . . even as thy soul prospereth”, but we see many who are twisting and perverting the words of the Bible.  Many people who desire to become rich are not, and they are being taken for a ride by this doctrine. 

          These declare and suppose that gain is godliness, but this is not the case.  Jesus makes this clear to us, as we read in 1 Timothy 6:5-6 which says, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 

          Verse 9 says, “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.”  That means that they backslide and perish in their own vanity and false doctrine. 

          Folks, I want you to know that if you are rich, God has blessed you with that richness; I’m talking about financially.  God has given you that gift for a purpose, and He has given you a responsibility with it. 

          Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “. . . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. . . .” 

          God doesn’t give you money just to hoard and lay up in store for yourself.  Tithes and offerings are to be given back to God.  You are to give for the work of the Lord.  Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. . . .”  God desires for us to use money for the expansion of His kingdom here on earth by obeying His Word. 

          Usually a rich person has an abundance above what they can spend.  However, whether we are rich, or poor, or somewhere in between, God desires that we give freely. 

          Mark 12:41-44 says, “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

          This poor widow woman gave all that she had, even all her living, in the offering of the Lord.  Even if the rich had put in all that they had, they still would not have put in more than she did as far as God was concerned. 

          To keep all of the gift of God, and hoard the things that God gives you, is not right.  If God gave me the power to heal someone, yet I never used it except for “my four and no more”, it would be sin.  If I didn’t share it with those who seek after healing, God would not be pleased.      

          Many people who have had plenty of money have lost it.  The waster has destroyed it, and God has removed it from them, because they did not use it properly.  They were given much, but they were not faithful in it.  “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:” 

          There was a rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked how he should inherit eternal life.  Jesus told him to obey the commandments, but he said he had done that since he was a young boy.  In Mark 10:21 we read, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” 

          Look at the response of this rich young ruler who came to Jesus.  Verse 22 says, “And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.”  This young man’s possessions were more important to him than Jesus Christ.  He turned away from Jesus.  Unless he repented, this hour he is crying out in hell, desiring the mercy of God, but it cannot be found.  

          Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Someone who has gone to hell is very grievous, because hell is forever.  They would like to come to Jesus, but they cannot, because their time and opportunity has been cut off by death!  However, you that are alive still have time.  Your hour is not over.

          There are many legitimate ministers today who are laboring, and there are others who have the funds with which they can supply those legitimate ministries.  They can hold up the hands of those who are out laboring.  Some evangelists as well as pastors are also laboring at other jobs, because they are not being given proper tithes and offerings.  Some labor under burdens and hardships, because they must labor AND also preach, and try to move out in the Spirit of the Lord for their flock to grow in the Lord.  Because some are withholding offerings of the good gifts that God has given them, the ministry is suffering.  Because they are stubborn, self-willed, and miserly, they have not helped to prosper the ministry.

          Do not harden your heart to this word.  There is a prosperity doctrine going around today that misuses the scripture in Luke 6:38 that says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”  The scripture is true, but those who foster the prosperity doctrine expect a return to keep for themselves.

          The greatest prosperity is that your name is written down in the Lamb’s book of life.  Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

          Many are seeking after riches, and according to 1 Timothy 6:5, they suppose that “. . . gain is godliness. . . .”, but gain is NOT godliness.  It is a gift from the presence of the Lord that is distributed to you that you might give out again.  Some have been given large sums of money from the Lord for the express purpose of distributing it for the propagation of the gospel.

          Some people don’t think anything about the expenses involved in ministry.  God’s ministers are trying to spread the Word of the Lord, which is priceless.  I’m not saying that everybody is to give all their riches, but the rich young ruler was so caught up in it that he needed to get free of it and give it all away.  However, the rich young ruler couldn’t stand it. 

          If you let riches become your God, or your security, or your way of life to where it will choke you away from the things of God, then Jesus will deal with you harshly and spew you out according to Revelation 3:16-17.

          Get your security from knowing that you have obeyed the Word of the Lord, and then you will have confidence toward God.  Matthew 13:22 says, “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”  He has no harvest, because he was so rich that he was occupied with getting more, and expanding himself, and seeking out his own ways, rather than seeking the Lord and expanding the kingdom of God on this earth.  The Word was sown, but it was sown among thorns.  The thorns are the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. 

          It has been prophesied that money will fail.  What good will it do you then?  However, if you are obedient to the Lord in all things, including when He tells you to give to His work, then when the money fails, God will see you through.  Because you have given to the Lord, you will be able to survive the failing of the money.       

          If you hold back, and don’t spend that money on the things of God, as God directed - I will emphasize that - as God directed, then when the money collapses you won’t have any brothers and sisters in the Lord to help sustain you.           

          In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 we read, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 

          Let’s give unto the Lord.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

PASTOR KEVIN BADGLEY

LIVING HOPE FELLOWSHIP, P. O. BOX 111, GRAND CHAIN, IL  62941

CHURCH / FAX (618) 634-2541

E-mail  livinghope@hughes.net

www.livinghopefellowshipchurch.org

These condensed Bible studies have been published to help new Christians in their new walk with the Lord.  Kevin Badgley, the author, is the pastor of Living Hope Fellowship Church.

This is a Living Hope Fellowship publication.