SATURDAY January 25, 2020
The Miseries of the Rich
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
James 5:1
In his final exhortation to the Church, the Apostle James gave reference to the last days (James 5:3). When the Antichrist arises, there will be a 3 ½ year time of prosperity. During this period, the world will be financially flying high, enjoying the best time ever known. Yet financial misery will be just around the corner.
James warned those who were rich that they too would howl in misery. The word howling in the Greek language means “to burst into weeping, to howl with grief.” Those who hoard money for themselves will experience torment because they have failed to use their money wisely. They are guilty of greed and selfishness.
Many rich people do not think of giving to the kingdom of God. They may not help the poor and needy. Riches that are selfishly hoarded will fail a person; they will not satisfy them. Those riches can bring upon them all kinds of miseries. They will suffer miseries of affliction, miseries of emptiness and loneliness, miseries of purposelessness, and miseries of evil passions. The rich experience miseries of mind, the miseries of insecurity, and miseries of eternity in hell.
Think about all the miseries that can come to those who are rich. There is nothing wrong with securing finances for the future. Planning to lay aside an inheritance for your family is wise. However, having the right attitude toward riches is important. Christians need to consider and weigh what God has given to them.
How are you using what God has given to you? What do you need to cut back on, and what can you afford to buy? It is important to set up a budget and live according to it.
The worst sin against stewardship is to waste your life.
~R.C. Sproul~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
