Time With Christ: Sunday, August 24, daily devotion - The Materialist’s Mistake

TOPIC: THE MATERIALIST’S MISTAKE (Sunday, August 24, 2014)

MEMORISE: And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15

READ: Psalm 49:6-10

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

MESSAGE:

The materialist is somebody with great regard for material possessions, a person who considers material possessions and physical comfort more important than spiritual values. To a materialist, the end justifies whatever means is employed in acquiring wealth or possessions. Materialists would cheat, steal, hurt fellow human beings and even kick against God’s commandments in order to amass wealth and get great possessions.

One irrational and foolish confidence that is often displayed concerning earthly wealth and possessions is exposed in Psalm 49:9. This scripture reveals that those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches always hope to live forever and expect to be secure from sickness, sorrow, pain, oppression, accidents and disaster. The Bible teaches that this wrong attitude to wealth and prosperity robs a person of his or her dignity and degrades such persons to the level of beasts. The Bible also teaches that there are limits to the purchasing power of wealth, especially when it comes to the deeper demands of the soul, where financial wealth has no relevance.

Another irrational and foolish miscalculation of human philosophy is that a person’s worth is summed up in his or her earthly wealth and possessions. Based on this wrong assumption, materialists seek to acquire wealth and possessions at all costs and by all means. Meanwhile, the Bible in Luke 12:15 tells us that the worth of a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. The idea that wealth has value for a person beyond the grave is a mistake. This is why the Lord asked these questions in Mark 8:36-37:

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

We must give truthful answers to these questions in order to avoid committing the mistakes of the materialist. If you acquire a world full of wealth and possessions and lose your soul, what will you offer in exchange for your soul? Be wise! The truth is already revealed in the word of God; poverty is bad, wealth is good, but you must not pursue wealth and possessions in a way that will make you lose your soul.

Prayer Point: Father, please help me to set my priorities in line with the word of God. Let my precious soul make it to heaven.

Bible in a Year: Luke 19:28-21:24