Greedy for Money and Power

~ We have seen little change in our societies. Matter of fact they have gotten worse. Mostly due to people becoming so complacent about the situation the world is in right now, not to mention most people are just self-absorbed and greedy. Big businesses are not all to blame for this mess the world is in, it falls on everyone who thought that their glass houses would not break. It has become all about me and what I can get, what others can give me and sadly what I can take from others. It’s so completely sad that people are so addicted to money, power and things.

Why, is a question hard answered. Maybe it is because they are searching for something to fill a void in their lives. Most people who have an abundance of wealth aren’t really happy. They put on a good face (mask) but if you look at recent events, how many of them have died with all their wealth, because they overdosed, committed suicide or even got murdered for it? They are not happy or content, they are dead.

So why would anyone want to strive to be the richest, most popular, or the most talked about on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or any other internet (thing) you can get attention on. You can’t take any of it with you. Things are out of control and God is the only one who can help get it on the right track. So what is it worth to you to have everything you ever wanted but lose your life to an eternity in Hell? Besides Heaven has so much more then what we could ever own here on earth. It’s always been our choice, Heaven or Hell. What or who do you worship?

Psalm 37:16 (NKJV)

16. A little that a righteous man has
is better than the riches of many wicked.

Proverbs 11:4 (NASB)
4. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

But righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:6 (NASB)

6. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,

But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

Proverbs 11:28 (NASB)

28. He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

Proverbs 14:20 (NKJV)

20. The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,

But the rich has many friends.

Proverbs 19:4 (NKJV)

4. Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

Proverbs 23:4-5 (NLT)

4. Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,

for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.

Proverbs 28:22 (NKJV)

22. A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

Jeremiah 6:13 (NASB)

13. "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them,

Everyone is greedy for gain,
And from the prophet even to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.

Luke 18:18-23 (NASB)

The Rich Young Ruler
18. A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
19. And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.
20. "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"
21. And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."
22. When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
23. But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

James 5:1-6 (NKJV)

Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged
1. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
4. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
6. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

Luke 6:24-26 (NASB)

24. "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.
25. "Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26. "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

Haggai 1:5-7 (NASB)

5. Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways!
6. "You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."
7. Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways!

Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB)

19. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I Timothy 6:7-10 (NKJV)

7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

~ What it all comes down to is you can’t put money or things before God. When we do that we are saying, God is not important. You might not think God is not important at all. Things will to go good for a time but then all of a sudden you will be making money and saving it, but it seems you have none left over. As fast as it comes, it goes just as fast. Can’t serve God and money, it has to be God first and God will help with the things you need.  He says, “He will supply our needs, not our wants”. So please just look to see if you are making the right choices. It will make all the difference.

Exodus 20:3 (NASB)
3. "You shall have no other gods before Me.

Matthew 6:24 (NASB)
24. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth.

Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

19. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 23:1 (NASB)

1. The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.