Jesus' True Riches and Worldly Wealth
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| Waterford Bank. |
They keep saying this in church. A pastor can talk authoritatively about money only if his church is rich. Or if he has a thriving business. But if not, then he better talk of something else, they insist. Imagine a guy like Jesus---no job, no business, homeless, roaming the streets or remote places or hillsides, no pillow to lay his head on, picking leftover grains in fields. And then he comes and talks in your church about money. You think the church would listen?
Perhaps, if it's really Jesus, the church probably will. Or will they?
Money-Value System
But a guy as poor as Jesus was in the Gospel? No title or degree---in fact, no schooling? Would anyone listen? Would anyone dare invite him as speaker? Even if the guy is anointed and has genuine Kingdom wisdom? You'd probably say yes, especially if you refuse to see reality as it is---if you deny the hypocrisy in most churches.
Most powerful move of God in church in the last days.
I've seen poor pastors with anointed lives and wisdom get rejected (and ignored) in big and moneyed churches because of how they're seen. Because of the money-value system prevailing in church---he who has money dictates the values. Jesus' true riches and worldly wealth can never mix. It's like God and mammon being served together. It cannot happen in the spirit realms.
In Luke 16, Jesus said money's only real use is for gaining friends for yourself. If you get rich and wealthy, it doesn't mean anything unless you give it away to gain friends for yourself so you'd be "welcomed to eternal dwellings." The Pharisees and law teachers (who loved money) sneered at him because of this. And you'd probably get the same treatment if you tell rich people and rich churches that unless they give away their money to gain friends, it's all garbage. Their beautiful and costly church buildings are all garbage. They'd sneer at you, probably say you're just envious or jealous.
But seriously, in the Kingdom, money is designed for that alone. It's not designed to be kept in banks en masse or in bulk or for buying huge properties or magnificent buildings. Just save enough. Paul said just keep what "you need" (not what you want) and the rest should be given away, especially to the poor. That's how you become "trustworthy" with "very little. Give them all away instead of keep them. Then God sees you trustworthy with true riches.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. [2 Corinthians 9.8]The context is on giving. God's will is you keep or save only what's enough for you and your family and the rest is for doling out for Kingdom purposes (not for denominational purposes). Anything in excess you keep for yourself turns into maggots in the spirit realms. You don't see it happening but it's how God sees it. And you'd see it plainly if you're a true Kingdom person. A lot of people covetously keep maggots in their possession and think they're being good stewards.
Denominations buy huge properties to flex their muscles and showoff their earthly capacity. And they see that as good stewardship. If you don't have any property, they say you're a bad steward. 😜 Then Jesus must be a bad steward to them, too. But money or wealth doesn't have any bearing in heaven (and Jesus said Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven) except that it be given away. Only then will it have meaning in God's Kingdom.
Worldly Wealth is "Very Little"
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? [Luke 16]It's a bombshell of a revelation---Jesus said worldly wealth is "very little." The thing that so many (church) people value on earth is actually "small-time" in the Kingdom. And the thing he called "much" is the very thing they despise---spiritual value that the Kingdom highly appreciates. Jesus' true riches. You see the great world of a difference between Jesus' true riches and worldly wealth? Well, many will intellectually approve of Jesus' true riches, but in real life, they won't. I've seen it over and over even in church. They my preach beautifully about heaven's true riches, but if you cannot produce big money in ministry, you're nothing to them.
If you're a poor pastor, they don't see you worthy of respect. Yeah, they may be nice to you, but you remain small-time in their eyes as the Pharisees saw Jesus as small-time. They build up their images before people with their material possessions and capabilities. And people learn that values system from them (and vice versa) and applaud their status. "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts."
We need money. In fact, so badly. Ecclesiastes says money is the answer for everything. Even Jesus used money in ministry. But to value the worth of people or something (or ministry) based on money? That's something else. That's demonic, to say the least. And that's the second use of money---to reveal your heart. A lot of people are changed negatively by money. A lot more assume a different, odious spirit when it comes to money. They're nice to you one moment, but if you look like you need money, they treat you suspiciously even if you're not asking them for any. Obviously, there's no link between Jesus' true riches and worldly wealth.
The Kingdom Conclusion
Never get carried away by worldly standards. Money or wealth means nothing. It doesn't mean you're better than the less moneyed or more favored by God. Never weigh or measure people by their money or how much money they make. Instead, measure them by how they value Jesus' true riches. That's how Jesus did it. If you're trustworthy with God's properties (by giving them all up to God for Kingdom purposes---or in short, using them to gain friends for yourself for the Kingdom), God will give you property of your own---in the Father's house where there are many mansions.
Remember, Jesus has laid down this Kingdom standard: "What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight." Anything highly valued in this world is garbage in the Kingdom. Definitely, Jesus' true riches and worldly wealth don't mix.
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