Text: Luke 12:20
Further Reading: Luke 12:16-21
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
Luke 12:20 NKJV
MESSAGE
In the world system, to prosper, you must hustle first and seek God’s kingdom last. God is never in the equation of success for many worldly people. That is why the Bible referred to the rich man in our reading of the day as a fool. He gathered everything without putting God, and in the end, he lost everything he thought he had gotten.
The principle of success in the Kingdom is however different. It is the opposite of that of the world system. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 NKJV
This is because it is God who gives the power to make wealth, and when God blesses you, He adds no sorrow to it (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 10:22). Those who have neglected God in pursuit of worldly attainment will find themselves losers in the end. But those who followed God shall end in great bliss.
To follow God or invest your time and resources into His kingdom is no waste of time. As a matter of fact, the testimony of those who have run this race and crossed to the other side and we who are here now is that “it pays to serve Jesus”.
Today many so-called Christians have pursued money and abandoned the God of their calling. Instead of being useful to God, they became slaves to what God has promised to be theirs. We know that both silver and gold belong to our God and he owns everything (Haggai 2:8). When God’s people seek God and His interest first, they position themselves for His blessings.
You must beware of covetousness, your life is not determined by the amount of things you can take for yourself but by your eternal investment in the things of God. How are your commitment to God’s kingdom values and projects? Do you give your best to them? If not you must change course and begin to pursue God. Those who seek Him will find Him faithful.
REFLECTION
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:20 NKJV
Learn to seek God first in every pursuit of life, including financial and economic pursuits, and He will bless your bread and water, He will not permit you to spend your money on sickness or disease.
PRAYER
Father, please help me to live for You and Your kingdom first and alone.
