Dr. D's Devotional
Title: Finances 27
by Dennis Reschke
Finances 27
Here is a description of a man God chose to be a supplier of
someone's need: Mk 10: 17-21 "And when He was gone forth into the way, there
came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, Good Master, what shall
I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do you
call me good? there is none good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments,
Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness,
Defraud not, Honor your father and mother". This is the Old covenant. "And
he answered and said to Him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth".
This is why he was wealthy. Obedience will lead to prosperity because God
is prosperous. "So how come I'm not prosperous. I do God's commandments?"
Oh really. Do you love God with all your being? If you do, you'll do everything
He says to do (John 14:15). Are you doing everything He has told you to
do? I confess I haven't. Do you love your fellow human beings in the same
way you do your own self? I confess I don't.
Verse 21 "Then Jesus beholding
him loved him, (He loved him regardless of his money) and said to him, "One
thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor,
and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and
follow me". The thing that he lacked was not money, he lacked a true knowledge
of the Word. He had been acting out of a religious mind set based on the
Old Covenant. Our traditions make the word of no effect (Mk 7:13). Verse
22 "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great
possessions". If he had remembered it was the Lord that gave him power to
get wealth to establish his covenant, then he would have asked himself,
what does the covenant say about giving to the poor. He would have said,
"I know that". Pr 19:17 says if we give to the poor, the Lord will repay
us the same amount: "He that has pity upon the poor lends to the LORD; and
that which he has given will He repay him". He was money minded. If he came
across a situation that money couldn't handle, he'd be in trouble. When
we're Word-minded we can get the money and any thing else to handle the
situation. The covenant return on giving offerings (not alms) is a 100X
(Gen 26:12, Mk 10:30). If he knew the covenant he would have known this.
Jesus then said, "Follow me". This offer was only iterated to the apostles.
He blew a chance to be an apostle. But more to the point, he lacked one
thing: trusting in money rather than the Word or the Covenant.
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