THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 18TH AUGUST 2018

MEMORISE:
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. Ecclesiastics 5:10

READ: 1 Timothy 6:6-11

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

MESSAGE
Love can be very good if it is geared towards God and the things He approves of. However, love can be very dangerous if it tends towards the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye or the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16). One object we must never cast our affection on is money.

In 1 Timothy 6:10, the Holy Spirit warns us of the dangers of falling in love with money, saying:
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many surrows.”

He went further to provide the antidote to the love of money, saying in 1Timothy 6:6-8:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

Our memory verse says something very profound about the love of money. It warns that if we love silver, it will never satisfy us, and that it is vanity to be obsessed with accumulating wealth, such as houses, cars, landed property, laurels of all kinds, chieftaincy titles, degrees of all sort, etc. These are all vanity in the sense that they will never give satisfaction that our soul craves.

Apart from that, we can also die at any time and leave everything behind, as seen in the story of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-20. It is therefore a great disservice to your peace and tranquility to love money or wealth. Based on his personal experience, Solomon spoke on this in Ecclesiastes 6:1-2, where he said:

“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:  A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

Beloved, seek godliness with contentment, which can only be found in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to totally surrender your heart to Him, including that secret lust for money. The rat race for material things that will all fade away will only lead to frustration at the end of the day. However, having Jesus in your heart is a treasure that will never fade.

Have you lost so much money or have you been disappointed financially, so much so that you are contemplating suicide? Please don’t do it! Jesus offers you abundant life, and it has provision and contentment in it. Reach out and receive it from Him today.

PRAYER POINT
Father, circumcise my heart and cause contentment to take firm root in it, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 27-31 Matthew 22:1-22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

o Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.