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Raul Ries: And yet it's really important that we understand that here James is talking about the riches, the things they possessed. They were putting their trust in wheat and corn, in grain. And they would take it and make barns and put it inside. And they could feed a whole town, but they would actually not give to anybody.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. We're glad you've joined us as we return to the Book of James for a very practical word about godly financial stewardship.

Raul will show us that no matter how many zeros are in our bank account, we can invest in eternity and reap great dividends in God's kingdom. Keep listening for encouragement to trust and obey the Lord in managing your resources. In James chapter 5, here's Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: He says, "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you." Now, here James is going to be speaking to us how it is not sinful to have wealth, but it is sinful to be a bad steward of what God has given to you and misusing it and misspending it. That is a sin before God.

And it's something interesting that as I was going over the lesson and reading over there are so many scriptures that he brings out concerning these people that are here. And yet James, in this new emphasis here, he begins with the same words that he had in chapter 4:13, "Come now." And there he spoke of the presumptuous person concerning the coming of the Lord. And now he's going to actually come and say, "Now I want to take the time to talk to those that have a big bank account, but you are not righteous, but you're wicked before God in what you do and how you use it and how you misspend it."

And he has so much to say in this chapter. And yet I think it's really important that when he says here now, "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you." I think he's talking to us about the last days too. Look what's happening to the economy right now.

The Book of Revelation says that one day in the tribulation period, people are going to be paying $30 for a loaf of bread. $30 for a loaf of bread. And yet we know that we're living in a time where God is not only speaking loud and clear to the world, not just America, but to the world. And yet the wealthy people were oppressing the poor and misusing whatever they had taken from the poor so they could enrich themselves and say, "I'm a very wealthy person." And yet they would never share with anybody else, very selfish, very selfish.

To me, it's a real blessing to know people that are very wealthy and are very giving people. I love what God does. I don't believe in asking for anything. I believe that you got to pray. And when I began to read the scripture where James now is saying, "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you." He's talking about the coming of the Lord and how many of these rich people are going to lose their wealth.

Remember what happened back in the early century when the economy went down the tubes and there was bankruptcies and people were jumping out of buildings when they lost all their riches. Could happen again. Oh, it could happen again. You can't count on the stock market or your retirement. You really have to trust in the Lord. And the reason God gives us what he gives to us is so that we can really manage and good stewardship what he's given to us so that we can make it stretch and we can help others. It is more blessed to give than to receive, the Bible says.

And there's a story in the Book of Luke's Gospel where there was a rich young ruler that had become very wealthy and he had this barn that was totally packed out and I mean, he said, "Man, you know what? I'm going to build another barn and fill that barn." And he was planning on next day, next week, next month to even make more millions of dollars. And the Lord came to him that night and said, "You fool, tonight you're going to die. I'm requiring your soul." And when you die, what does it require? Stewardship, accountability. He's going to judge. You're going to stand before God and give an account to him.

It's really important that we understand that money is to be used for good. For what? For the poor, for the church, for the lost, for family, for missions. Where there are real needs, we give to the Lord. And by the way, nobody has to know how much you give, only the government. I don't even know who gives. If I did, I'd be going, "Look, there's stingy, and stingy over there." I'm glad I don't know.

But it's cool because it's so biblical here what James is declaring here, that this is really the only place in the New Testament, in the Bible here, where he uses the word "to howl." It is not used in the New Testament, but he uses it here in the Book of James. It means to shriek, it means uncontrollable grief. He's telling the rich person you're going to go through a time that is going to be a time like no other time where you're going to be grieving, you're going to be howling because of what's going to happen to your money. Imagine that. And we've heard of so many millionaires in the world today.

And yet what about those people that do not have? There's a lot of street people. We have some of them are there by their own choice, but there's a lot of them that really can't make it. And they really need help. I think that's really something that we need not only to pray about individually, but the Bible is so full of scriptures concerning the wicked rich that oppress the poor constantly and always.

When he uses that word "miseries" here, he's actually speaking of overwhelming trouble. Can you imagine what it would be like to keep up with your millions and millions of dollars and you want to make more millions? But it's so cool when you do have it and you trust the Lord and you have peace with God because who gave it to you? The Lord. And who can take it away? The Lord. That's what's so cool about God. He gives it and he takes it away.

You can't put your trust in it. You can't depend on it. And it's funny because he's going to tell us in a moment that these people put their trust in silver bars and gold bars. And yet the Bible tells us not to put your trust in gold. Don't put your trust in gold and silver. You need to put your trust in the Lord fully and completely.

We need to be wise, making sure that we're investing into God's kingdom more than anything else. Why? Because that's the only true investment you're going to get back. A lot and a lot of investments are going to be being made in the kingdom of God and you're going to get a lot of profit back when you stand before God, investing in eternity. That's the best bank to invest. It's so awesome how God has given us his word and the way he speaks to us concerning all these things that we are to do.

Check this out. Verse 2 and 3, the corrosion of wealth. He says, here's now the reason for such impending doom stated in verse 1. "Look, your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten." Notice what he says here. The word corrupted means putrefied sore, like a putrefied sore on an arm that is really deadly, it's really bad, bleeding. He's talking about the riches here.

And it's amazing because today we've been blessed in America. We've been blessed. We are the most blessed country in the whole world. That's why people from other countries come here and they can come here and start a business because it's a land of opportunity and they were poor in their land and they can become millionaires here. Anybody can do that. It's the United States of America, the land of the free, the land of great opportunity.

And yet it's really important that we understand that here James is talking about the riches, the things they possessed. Yet it's really important because here they were putting their trust in wheat and corn, in grain. And they would take it and make barns and put it inside. And they could feed a whole town, but they would actually not give to anybody, these people here. They would not share with anybody else. Even if it spoiled, they would rather it be rotten and throw it away than to give it to somebody else. Because there are people that can help in a tremendous way. Think about that. A million dollars is nothing. Five million, nothing. 10, 20 million.

And then to other people, $100, $1,000, or $100,000 depending how God's blessed you. Because if God truly blessed these people in the early church and he did, and they were oppressing the poor and they were taking houses from them and they would not feed them or do anything but just abhor more for themselves. This is what James is down on. I mean, he's really upset about this. He says even all those riches you have are going to become corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. Why? Because they buy the best.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for Bible-rich resources to help keep your heart and mind focused on the Lord. You can also email Raul your Bible questions and prayer needs. His address is pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. Now back to more of today's study.

Raul Ries: Check this out what he says, verse 3. He says, "Your gold and your silver are corroded and their corrosion will be a witness against you." Wow. "And will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasures in the last days." Notice what he's saying.

Remember in the Gospel of Luke chapter 16:19 where Jesus is talking about Lazarus, the poor man that's weak and sick, and then there's this millionaire that is putting parties together all the time in his neighborhood and inviting everybody to come. And it just happened that this poor beggar was walking down the street and one night there was a big party going on and he came to the actual mansion. And this rich man had this whole party going on and the poor beggar was outside of the gate and they never once paid attention to him. Full of sores, sick, tired, reaching through the gate, grabbing the crumbs that were falling from the table to feed himself.

And the Bible tells us that that very night he died outside of this mansion. The actual people that clean the streets would come by and when they saw a body, they would pick it up, wrap it up, take it down to the city dump and actually dump it in the fire in the trash and burn it, cremate it. And then that very night, the Bible says that that rich man went up as he dismissed everybody from their house and he went up to his room and that very night when he laid his head on his pillow, the Lord came and the angel of death came and he died and he took him. He took him to hell where the rich man not only went, but also the poor man was there.

Because before Christ came and died and rose again, everybody went to hell, two compartments: Abraham's bosom, a gulf separating it, and then on the other side torment for those that were tormented. And when this rich man got to hell, he looked up and he saw Lazarus, which he didn't even know his name at his gate, never met him, never met Abraham for 2,000 years, and he said, "Father Abraham, do you think it would be possible for Lazarus to come to this side and dip his finger in water and dip it in my tongue for I am burning in this flame?" Which means he was alive. He died in his body, but his spirit went on to live, which had all five senses, the Bible says. He could think, he could remember, he could smell, he could taste, he could touch.

And Abraham said, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you had everything in life and this poor beggar had nothing, nothing. And now he's being comforted and you are being tormented." And that's when he spoke up and said, "Listen, I have a big family. I have five brothers at home. Do you think it would be possible for my five brothers to get the Gospel if somebody can go back from the dead and tell them about this place of torment lest they come here too?" And Abraham said, "Son, even if somebody would go back from the dead, they still would not believe." And think how Jesus Christ 1,900 years ago came, died, rose again, sits at the right hand of the Father, and people still today do not believe in Jesus Christ.

So there is a place called hell, and yet people don't believe it. They think they're smart by hiding their money. They think they're smart by cheating on the government. And they're not. And so here James wants to paint this picture of the rich. He says, "Your gold and your silver are corroded," which means what? Don't put your value on gold and silver. "And their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire." When your bank accounts, when all of your investments go down the tubes, what's going to happen? People are going to jump out of buildings, they're going to commit suicide, they're going to flip out. Losing millions just like that in an hour.

And check this out. "And you have heaped up treasures in the last days." Notice they're saving it for the last days. This is a whole thing on the last days, the time that we're living in right now. These are the last days.

And check this out, verse 4. He says, "Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud." There's the key, by fraud. Insurance companies that fraud people. They charge you one price and yet they don't give you full coverage. They do that to the people that are poor. This is what he's talking about: companies that cheat to make more money for themselves, greater profit.

He says, "Cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." What does he say? He says the people that are getting ripped off, when they start going to God and complaining to God, God opens his ears and he makes a note of those people that are ripping off the body of Jesus Christ. He keeps tabs on what's going on.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for Bible-rich resources to help keep your heart and mind focused on the Lord. You can also email Raul your Bible questions and prayer needs. His address is pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. Now back to more of today's study.

Raul Ries: Look for a second at 2 Peter chapter 2. Check this out, beginning at verse 1. Peter says, "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many who follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words." Notice what he's saying there. They're going to use lies from television to radio to whatever to get your money. Check this out.

"By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down into hell and delivered them into the chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them in destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered their righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked."

Notice in for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. "Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the ungodly under punishment for the day of judgment." And he goes on and on, the whole chapter is speaking against these type of people: the rip-off people. People that steal, people that do not do what's right.

And yet James here condemns the people because the people and their wages were condemned now by God because they were not honest in their dealings in business. Check this out. "Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, you cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth."

And again here is something that happens. People picking up some of these Mexican people at Home Depot, taking them and working your house, but you don't pay them justly. That's wrong. As Christians, we're not supposed to do that. The world does that. Cheap labor because they're not citizens or they don't have a visa or they don't have a car. That's sad, but it does happen.

So it's really important that our integrity as believers is kept by being honest and being truthful. These wicked rich people that oppress the poor and people they were ripping off, God says I'm going to get you good. Because their prayers have come up to me, they're complaining to me, and God says you're not getting away with anything.

And then check this out, verse 5. This is pretty amazing. "You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury." You go out to your dinners and you buy this and you buy that, you wear the best clothes, you brag about all that you have. Notice this: you're indulging yourselves in the best of everything. "You have fattened your hearts as in the day of slaughter." God says I'm going to judge you. You think you really have it made, but you don't have it made. I'm coming and I'm going to judge.

And then check this out, this is so amazing, verse 6. "You have condemned or pronounced judgment, you have murdered," which means they were not only oppressing, they were committing murder because these people had no rights, they would kill them or they would take them to court and put a lawsuit against them when they didn't even have any money. Imagine that. How sad, but this happens. This is what James is talking about here.

Guest (Male): Whether you're financially secure or struggling to make ends meet, we hope today's lesson has been a challenge for you to steward your resources with an eye on eternity. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. To get a complete copy of today's message, just call us at 800-634-9165, and for a donation of $5 or more, we'll send a copy of today's study from James chapter 5 verses 1 through 6.

Now, we'd also like to tell you about an eight-part series that explores more of the ways you can strengthen and deepen your relationship with the Lord. Titled Traits of a Christian, Raul's study is available on both CD and thumb drive. Establishing the importance of daily personal time with the Lord, this collection will motivate you to pursue God's perfect will for your life as you align your heart's desires with his.

To order Raul's series titled Traits of a Christian, visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165. We'll send you the flash drive for just $12, or if you prefer, the CD collection for $22. The number again is 800-634-9165. Or you can write to Somebody Loves You Radio, PO Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

You can join Raul on YouTube every Tuesday at 10:00 AM West Coast time for Straight Talk, a conversational style program that explores the opportunities and challenges of living for Christ in the 21st century. You can link to the YouTube channel at somebodylovesyou.com and downloadable copies of all of Raul's teaching are available using Spotify and iTunes. We are blessed to spend this time meditating on the word of God with you, and we encourage you to join us again next time for more of our study in James as we look ahead to the promised return of Jesus Christ. Now with a closing comment, here's Raul once again.

Raul Ries: He says here, notice this, "You have condemned, you have murdered the just." Who's the just? The righteous person, the person that knew God, the person that doesn't lie or cheat or abuse people. He's talking about that type of a person, one that loves God. "He does not resist you." Notice that. "He does not resist you." Which means what? You're not going to get away with it. If you hurt one of my little ones, Jesus said what? It would be better for you to put a rope around your neck and get a millstone and cast yourself into the sea of Galilee. That's what he said.

Because the Lord one day is going to come and we're going to stand before the Lord and we're going to have to give an answer to the Lord for being honest and being truthful, or we've been lying and cheating and we've been doing wickedly. Then God is going to have to judge us. I pray tonight that God will speak to our hearts in a mighty way that if you're doing something like that, that your heart will change, that you will repent and that you'll do what's right.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.