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True Wealth

Proverbs 7-9

Proverbs 7 is a warning concerning adultery.  There are two types of adultery.  There is marital adultery and there is spiritual adultery.  This proverb ends with a warning that holds true for both types.

Proverbs 7:24-27

“ And now, O sons, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths,

for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.”

Here the earthly father is saying to his son “don’t have anything to do with an adulterous woman; such action will lead to death.  Here also is your heavenly Father saying to you “Don’t let your heart turn from Me.  Do not stray from My paths; for doing so will lead to eternal death.”  We have all heard news stories about the wronged husband who killed his wife and her adulterous lover after having discovered their treachery.  Adultery can literally lead to death.  Letting another steal your love from God is also deadly.  God is a “jealous” God.  You are his; not another’s.  To make your career, or money, or sports, or sex, or pornography, or food, or any other thing, the main focus of your life is to commit adultery against God.  He won’t barge in with a gun and blow you away but in affect you will have put the pistol to your own head and pulled the trigger.  You will have killed yourself.

In Proverbs 8 wisdom is personified and we are encouraged to take our lessons from her.  Now we have seen and will see that wisdom is “fear of the Lord”.  In essence, Jesus Christ is wisdom.  Wisdom originates from God.  When “Wisdom” urges us to take “her” advice, the Bible is saying “accept this wonderful gift from God”.  Look at these two verses.

Proverbs 8:10-11

“Take my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than choice gold,

for wisdom is better than jewels,

and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

Notice the way God looks at value.  When we think of riches we think of gold and jewels.  When God thinks of riches He thinks of this precious gift of wisdom He has given you.  When God promises you riches don’t think of gold and jewels; think of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the wisdom God has given you in His Word.  Think of His opening your heart to hear and respond to His call to salvation.  Think of the peace, safety, and security He gave you when you accepted Christ.  Jesus came that you might have life and have it more abundantly.  This not only applies to the hereafter but the here and now as well.

What wealth He has given you!  What riches you possess!  Why do you stand around waiting for riches that have already been delivered?  Open your eyes and see the incredible wealth already delivered unto you!  Rejoice!  Jump up and down!  Shout for joy for God has made you truly wealthy!  Yes, there is even more to come but don’t disregard what you already have.  Today you can enjoy an extremely well endowed “trust fund” that has been set up to provide for your every need until the day you gain your full inheritance.  If your trust fund, from which you can draw today, is in excess of 900 Trillion dollars do you really need to feel deprived until the rest of the inheritance is yours?  I hope not!

Back in October the company I worked for was acquired by another company.  The past few days I have been in meetings with my new supervisor and co-workers and I have to tell you I feel incredibly blessed.  God has truly blessed me in so many incredible ways with this job alone.  Having worked with a number of large corporations over the years I have seen a variety of employment conditions.  All of them have helped me to more fully appreciate how good I have it right now.  If I had started with this company as my first job I would likely find things I could gripe about, but having something against which I can compare my employment allows me to comprehend how blessed I truly am.

Do you understand how truly blessed you are?  Do you understand how wealthy you are?  Do you act like you understand this?  If you don’t understand this from personal experience then please take God’s Word for it; you are incredibly blessed!  Do not throw your inheritance out the window simply because you refuse to open your eyes and see its worth!  Grab hold, shout for joy, and thank God for He has made you truly rich!

Have a day of joy secure in the knowledge of your inheritance!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!