Doing Faith

Genuine faith is more of an action than it is a conviction.

ACQUIRING WEALTH

The Lord wants us to spend our lives acquiring much wealth.

(James 1:9-11) The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

1. MATERIAL Wealth

A. We are prone to trust material wealth more than God.

(Job 31:24-28) If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘you are my security,’ if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,... so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

B. We are prone to always want more and more material wealth.

(Ecclesiastes 5:10) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

C. Wealthy disciples should humble themselves before the Lord.

(James 1:10) The one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.

(11) For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

2. SPIRITUAL Wealth

(9) The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.

A. The poor disciples of the world become the spiritually wealthy in the Lord.

B. Spiritual wealth is given to disciples who really hunger for God.

(Mt 5:3, 5-6) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven... Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

C. Spiritual wealth is given to disciples who follow the Lord.

(Ps 119:10 & 14) I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands... I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

3. ETERNAL Wealth

A. We don’t live in a culture that understands how real eternal treasure is.

B. We can leave great wealth for ourselves in the future by depositing it in Heaven!

(Matthew 6:19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

C. We’ll only do it if it’s important to us. Is it?

(1 Peter 1:3-4) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you.