What You Seek (Proverbs 22:4)

True riches are found in humility.

"The reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life." Proverbs 22:4, Amplified

The three things that I feel are most prevalent in the minds of human beings is to find riches, to find honor and to find life. Within these three things, the person finds what he or she has been searching for.

However, if we wish to receive riches and honor and life we must first have that reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord. True riches are found in the Lord because He owns "the cattle on a thousand hills." (Psalm 50:10b, NKJV) Honor goes to those who first honor the Lord. "Honor the Lord with your possessions..." (Proverbs 3:9a, NKJV) And life to those who seek the Lord first. "Who 'will render to each one according to his deeds'; eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor and immortality..." (Romans 2:6-7, NKJV)

Everything that we need for this life is all tied up with the Lord.

Your Good Name (Proverbs 22:1)

There are other things in this life that are more important than possessions.

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than choice silver and gold." Proverbs 22:1, Amplified

Some would much rather have riches than anything else, but in truth a good name will get you much further in this life than anything else. Sure, riches bring you into favor with others, but will they respect you? Most people get enamored with the idea of knowing someone rich for they have the idea that they will benefit from those riches.

With a good name, there is no doubt that respect comes with that. In truth, riches can only get you so far with another person. Your name and reputation goes so much further than anything else. Others are willing to bend themselves for your reputation than your riches. Your good name will bring you favor with others long before your riches do.

Luxury (Proverbs 21:17)

There are those who love to live luxuriously; riches will elude them for the rest of their lives.

"He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich." Proverbs 21:17, Amplified

In our society, there are those who are living luxuriously and loving it. So is this a contradiction? Is the Bible wrong? No. We have to look at this with new and fresh eyes. we can ask ourselves the question, "What happens when the money runs out?" Just look at Lindsey Lohan. She is a party girl who loves to live the party lifestyle. Now there is no money left for her to cover legal fees to fight the latest charges after she failed her last sobriety test.

There are also those who are living the luxurious lifestyle on the outside, but truly they are just trying to keep up with the payments. If we live outside of our means then we will never be set or be able to leave am inheritance for our children.

Knowledge from Above (Proverbs 20:15)

In the physical world, there are many riches. But many forget about the spiritual riches that we all have at our disposal.

"There is gold, and a multitude of pearls; but the lips of knowledge are a vase a preciousness [the most precious of all]." Proverbs 20:15, Amplified

Gold and pearls, or even rubies, can buy you whatever you want. But knowledge is so much more valuable than any bit of natural riches. Yes the Lord made the gold, pearls and rubies that we find in the earth, but He bestows upon us knowledge. These earthly minerals cannot compare with knowledge. "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. It cannot be purchased for gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir in precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can equal it. Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold." (Job 28:12-13, 15-19, NKJV) True knowledge and wisdom come from our heavenly Father. All the riches in the world cannot compare with the wisdom and understanding and knowledge that the Lord gives.

Where to Run (Proverbs 18:10-11)

It is interesting to see what a person believes to be his refuge in times of trouble. Is it something tangible like money or possessions? Or is it something ethereal like the Lord?

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man - upright and in right standing with God - runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong." Proverbs 18:10, Amplified

If you have ever read the book of James, you would find that the entirety of the book is a dichotomy. A dichotomy is a comparison between two things. For James that comparison is between the flesh and the spirit. In these to verses this morning, we have laid out for us a dichotomy. What are we to trust in? More than that, however, is not really who or what to trust in, but who we are. Are we the righteous who trust in the Lord, or are we something else?

The righteous man makes the Lord his strong tower. Not even the Lord really, but just the name of the Lord. Once we understand who the Lord really is in our lives we can understand the true power of His name alone. Sometimes it is who you know that counts. There is so much power in the name of Jesus alone. All we need to do is run to the Lord in those times of trouble. I have some really good friends who are going through a very turbulent time in their lives. I talked to one of them for a long time the other day and she described life like having the Titanic dropped on them. After discussing with me all the things that they had been and are going through, I couldn't believe the strength of her faith still. She and her family truly understand that the Lord is the strong tower in their lives. A great man once said, "We have no control over the wind in adverse times, but we can always adjust our sails." How do we do this? Keeping an eye and our focus on Jesus. Allowing for Him to be our protection. My friends understand this concept, "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not in despair; struck down, but not destroyed..." (Second Corinthians 4:8-9a, New King James) He is our strength and our strong tower.

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high protecting wall, in his own imagination and conceit." Proverbs 18:11, Amplified

Or there is the rich man who places his trust in his riches. Being rich is not a sin. Trusting in riches is misguided. These are turbulent time that we live in. This recession is devouring our country and this is not time to trust in the all mighty dollar. Before one makes money his strong city, there are a few concepts that he must understand first.

Money runs out: the money that one person has will always have an end. Even Donald Trump's fortune is not bottomless. There is an end to his wealth. The more common people have found this to be truer today than before. Money does not last forever. But the Lord has no end. There is no cap to His power and might.

Money's value is uncertain: everyday the value of the dollar changes. Today it is not worth what it used to be. But the Lord's value is inexhaustible. Though the market tumbles through these uncertain times, His value will never falter of fail. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I once had someone question one of my entry's about money. I want to stress that I do not think that money is evil, or that having money makes one less of a believer. Riches do not make one's chances of going to heaven any less. I would love to have more money to take care of my family and be a little more comfortable. But there is one verse that I would like to close with today. "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed form the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (First Timothy 6:10, New King James)

Riches or Wisdom? (Proverbs 16:16)

Would you rather be rich and stupid or smart and satisfied? This is not to say that the rich are stupid, because they have to have some sort of business savvy to get rich. The pursuit, however, is the focus of this morning's study.

"How much better is it to get skillful and godly Wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." Proverbs 16:16, Amplified

Everybody has a pursuit in life, a passion that they have dedicated themselves to. What is that passion for you? Is it fame? Is it accumulation of possessions? Is it riches? Solomon lays out here that the pursuit of wisdom and understanding are to be desired more than anything else. Though wisdom and understanding are not tangible possessions their existence is still evident in our lives. The footprints of wisdom can be seen in our lives. Understanding can be seen in our relationships with others. Wisdom and understanding are both good for the soul, whereas any physical possession is only good for the physical world. Can riches be used in a "Christian" way? Of course. But is riches are our main focus, our goal, our crowning achievement, then we have missed what the Lord wants for us.

Ransom (Proverbs 13:8)

Some people desire riches so much, they are willing to go to great lengths to get them, even if they must take it.

"A rich man can buy himself out of threatened death by paying a ransom, but the poor man does not even have to listen to threats [from the envious]." Proverbs 13:8, Amplified

It seems to be a common theme is some movies where a rich man's family is threatened and a ransom letter is sent with a certain amount of money and a drop point listed. Though it is a common them in the movies, it is a very real event. However, I must ask a question, how many of those men were poor? None. The poor do not have to worry about anyone else being envious of their possessions.

What the Lord is laying out here is that there is more to worry about when you are rich than if you are not. I do not feel that the Lord does not want us to have money, but riches can cloud the heart and mind. No one envies a poor man. And if your riches are in heaven, no one can ever send a ransom note for those goods.

Rich and Poor (Proverbs 13:7)

It is a shameful thing to make ourselves into something that we are not. Who really wants to live their life like they were going to a masquerade ball? But no matter what kind of mask is worn, the Lord sees us for who we really are.

"One man considers himself rich, yet has nothing [to keep permanently]; another considers himself poor, yet has great [and indestructible] riches." Proverbs 13:7, Amplified

There are people in the world who would like you to believe that they are rich. They overspend on houses and cars and toys so that their friends will "ooh & ahh" over the things that they possess. There are others who actually have the money to live extravagantly and they do. But the fact of the matter is that all this stuff is going to burn, it will all be destroyed. Nothing in this life can be taken into the next. I have never seen a U-Haul following a hearse. Riches cloud the heart.

But there are those who consider themselves poor, but they have eternity waiting for them. Their inheritance is indestructible. All they need is Jesus. I have never been a rich man, but the Lord has always provided for my family.

There is also a third way to see this. Just because one is poor does not mean that he is going to heaven. Some people are so stricken by their lot in life that they cannot see the glory of heaven. They feel that "God is the Creator of their fate" and "He is the one to blame." And there are those who are rich who will be going to heaven. The creator of the "dogloo" (a dog house make to look like an igloo) became a millionaire. After this he became very depressed because all people wanted from him was his money. On the verge losing himself, he found he Lord and became a born again Christian. He is the founder of the Christian clothing store "C28".

Firmly Planted (Proverbs 11:28)

Riches can get you so far in this life, but what good are they to you after you die?

"He who leans on, trusts and is confident in his riches shall fall, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like a green bough." Proverbs 11:28, Amplified

Riches are not the thing that one should rely on at all. If anything, our economy at this moment in time has taught me that money is unreliable. But the human being is a very physical creature who tends to trust in what he can see. It is amazing though that man is putting his trust in something he truly cannot see. Most of the money in America exists as a blip on a computer screen. What man is placing his trust in is the effects of the money that he has, not the actual money itself.

But the righteous man places his trust in the Lord and he flourishes. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." (Psalm 1:1-3, NKJV) The righteous man knows where to place his trust and he flourishes as a result of that trust.

Notice the stark difference between the two: the man who trust in his money trusts the effects of his money, the man who trusts in the Lord his life is effected. Trusting in the Lord will always bring forth a change in the life of a person. Money, and it s effects, are based on an unstable economy. The value of money constantly changes but the value of the Lord has remained consistently the same throughout time.

Blessing from the Lord (Proverbs 10:22)

When the Lord blesses, He truly blesses. There is no greater joy than to be blessed by the Lord.

"The blessing of the Lord, it makes [truly] rich, and he adds no sorrow with it, neither does toiling increase it." Proverbs 10:22, Amplified

True richness comes from the Lord. His blessing make a man truly rich. There is no sorrow or shame in the richness of the Lord either. A man who has lied, cheated and stolen to get to a place of richness in his own life may be ashamed of what he has done to get there. But the Lord is the Creator of all things, and in being the Creator, He has ownership of all things. The Lord has no need of lying, cheating or stealing to bless His children. Be not sorrowful when the Lord blesses.

Now the second part of the verse does not appear in the New King James version of the Bible; "neither does toiling increase it." Though it does not appear it is still a spiritual truth. There is nothing that human hand can do to increase the blessing or richness of the Lord. Human hands lie. Human hands cheat. Human hands steal. Human hands hide these facts. However, the Lord gives out of His own reserve and there is no sorrow.

Security in Riches, Destruction in Poverty (Proverbs 10:15)

Society has always been built upon the hierarchy of riches and poverty. It seems to be overly dramatized in Hollywood when any type of period movie is watched. However, if we were to travel to Hollywood, or even the Los Angeles area, we would see this economic dichotomy in all its truth.

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin." Proverbs 10:15, Amplified

There is a certain security in riches. Now Solomon is not speaking of anything spiritual in this verse at all. What he is pointing out is a very practical truth.

The rich man has a security in his riches. If there is anything that he may need, swipe the card. The car is broken down, swipe the card. I need to up grade my insurance, swipe the card. I need groceries, swipe the card. There is nothing that stops the rich man from doing anything. He has the security of knowing that no matter what is thrown his way, he will conquer it.

The poor man, however, is another story. Try not to focus on the bum on skid row. The poor that I feel needs to be focused on is the person falling into the poverty level in our society today. Life has is no respecter of persons, it will throw the same things at the poor that it does the rich. The car is broken, wait till next paycheck. I need better insurance, let us sacrifice this bill for this month. We need groceries, wait till next paycheck.

The security and destruction spoken of in this verse are very practical and physical circumstances resulting from an economic state of being. The heart of the matter is still a matter of the heart. "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (I Timothy 6:17, NKJV) Riches can potentially destroy a man faster than poverty can destroy a man physically.

The Prizes of Wisdom (Proverbs 3:13-18)

Through wisdom, man receives a variety of gifts. Solomon recognized this and tried to explain this to his son.

"Happy - blessed, fortunate [enviable] - is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom, and the man who gets understanding - drawing it forth [from God's Word and life's experiences]." Proverbs 3:13, Amplified

Happy, blessed and fortunate is that man. What is it about wisdom that can bring about these things in a man's life? Wisdom is knowledge. Wisdom comes from experiences. Those around us who understand that we have wisdom always come to us. I enjoy it when I am asked my advice on certain things in the Cafe at Joshua Springs because I am able to give an answer. My answers do not come from a place of knowing it all, rather they come from experience. It blesses me so much that some one sees that I can offer information from my experiences.

However, not all wisdom comes from the experience that life gives to us. Sometimes that wisdom comes directly from the Word of God. As a pastor (not speaking of myself) one must be able to give advice and impart wisdom to all who came seeking. If a pastor has not spent a lifetime drinking or doing drugs or gambling or developed sexual conquests, how then is he to give advice. This sort of wisdom comes from the Word of God. Everything that we need for life is found in the pages of the Good Book.

"For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, and the profit of it better than fine gold. Skillful and godly Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you can wish for is to be compared to her." Proverbs 3:14-15, Amplified

Next Solomon compares wisdom to riches. Silver, gold and rubies do not compare to the wealth of these riches. This reminds me of something that the Apostle Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise us and walk." (Acts 3:6, NKJV) This was in response to a lame beggar asking for money. Now imagine if Peter did have the silver or gold that the man was asking for, what then would it have profited him? Nothing. Peter saw the need not for riches but for healing. Wisdom gave this to Peter.

"Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor. Proverbs 3:16, NKJV

Wisdom is not without its benefits, however. Though it may be better than silver, gold and rubies does not mean that silver, gold and rubies cannot be attained through wisdom. Long life and riches are byproducts of wisdom. Riches and honor cannot be the focus that we have, rather it must be on the Lord. Solomon, after he became king, was visited by the Lord. The Lord asked him what he wanted: riches, honor, long life. Solomon asked for wisdom to rule the nation of Israel. Because of that choice the Lord also blessed Solomon with riches, honor and long life.

Notice, too that in her right hand, the hand of blessing is long life and in the left are riches. The more important thing is that through wisdom we are to attain long life. Riches are good, money is good, but deep in the heart of man lies covetousness and greed. What man out there has gambled away his children's college tuition for longer life? Who has given their house a collateral for a few more years on this earth? None. The Lord knows and understands the heart of man. He is not unwilling to bless us, but He also knows what is best for us.

"Her ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths lead to peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her, and happy - blessed, fortunate [to be envied], is everyone who holds her fast." Proverbs 3:17-18, Amplified

Know this: these things are not always instantaneous but they are synonymous. The life of a Christian is not a life lined with peace. It is an arduous journey, difficult and full of hills and valleys. However, taking this path leads to peace and pleasantness. We have the pleasure of knowing where our eternity will be spent. There is a peace and pleasantness in that. Do not misunderstand me, peace is attainable here on earth. And through wisdom that peace may be attained. So lay hold of wisdom and never let her go.

Servitude

We last spoke of the treasure; wherever your treasure is, your heart is there also. It is interesting to see that after the Lord speaks about the heart that He then speaks about the eyes. It has been said that the eyes are a window to the soul. Even so the eye is also likened to a lamp in the next two verses.

"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness." Matthew 6:22-23a, NKJV

This word lamp is actually light in the original King James version. It needs to be understood that the two words for light are very different which may be the reason why the writers of the New King James version decided to replace it with the word lamp.

The eye is the lamp of the body. In essence we might be able to say that the eye shows the body which way to move and turn in the same way that a lamp exposes a room.

Jesus then goes on to describe two different types of eyes, good and bad. If the eye is good then your whole body will be full of light. The phrase "full of light" is translated from a single word, photeinos. Photeinos means to be "composed of light". In order to be full of light, the eye must then be good. It is also interesting to note that the original King James uses the word single in this passage. A singularity in our life causes goodness? Just think of it like focus. One can only focus on one thing at a time, that singularity of focus should be none other then Jesus Christ. If the focus if Jesus, then nothing but good can come from it.

But if the eye is bad, then the body is full of darkness. As I study this verse, it opens more and more and becomes more understandable. The word bad, or evil, comes from the word poneros. Poneros is a Greek word that means "full of labors, annoyances and hardships". Where is the focus, not on Jesus. If there is no light then only darkness abounds.

In the second part of verse 23 we have a bit of a paradox.

"If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:23b, NKJV

Remember the light spoken of is a singularity, a focus. Here the word is the same used in Matthew 5:14 which refers to a light for everyone else to see. If our focus is on anything other than the things of God, we are not emitting light, but rather darkness. How great is that darkness when we expose others to that same darkness! There no greater sin than to lead others away from the Lord.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other." Matthew 6:24a, NKJV

We are now taken to the illusion of serving two different masters. It is a truism in any culture, ethnicity or age. If you have ever had two jobs, this is a concept that you would understand. One of the jobs that you have is your primary job and the other job must be scheduled around that one because this is where your loyalty lies.

Moreover, Jesus is bringing us to a concept of contention. It is an epic battle between good and evil or the spirit and the flesh. Only one can win out in your life, in my life. It is a constant battle fought by man throughout the ages. Everyday one must ready himself for battle, as Paul wrote in Ephesians.

"You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24b, NKJV

This word mammon is always attributed to riches. You cannot serve God and riches. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. One cannot have two masters. There must be a singularity in our lives, a focus. Realize, however, that whatever focus you choose will effect the world around you.