I have lived today’s Old Testament Reading. I know exactly how God feels because in the past I have been hurt, betrayed and deserted. If you are lucky enough to never have experienced any of that, nothing I can say could begin to explain how it feels. Don’t cause it! Enough said!

I am going instead to write about another subject that I don’t like to deal with - Money! I am NOT asking for any! Please tithe to your local Church. Today’s Gospel reading is the Parable of the Rich Fool. Watch the short cartoon and you will quickly get the message. You can’t take it with you!

Did you know about 25% of Jesus teaching is in relation to wealth and possessions. When asked a question about an inheritance - Jesus refused to answer - in his day Rabbi’s were judges and he had divine authority but he knew if he got involved His ministry would be hi-jacked by judging petty disagreements, rather than teaching about the kingdom of God. He had a higher mission. So what is his attitude to money?

Some preach a prosperity gospel and say God wants you to be rich. That if you really are a Christian then God will make you happy, wealthy, successful, and blessed. You just have to call on the promises of God and He will give you whatever you ask for. This gives the impression those who are NOT wealthy are walking outside of God's rules....that's NOT always true! Indeed God loves us all and wants to bless us all, and many in the Bible he did bless with wealth - but they also were given great responsibility. Great wealth can be a burdon. Many are successful in God's eyes in ways that don't include money.

A second group promotes a poverty stance. Being a good Christians means you can't have money, you shouldn’t be wealthy, and you shouldn’t really enjoy life. Their idea is that the entirety of the Christian life should be summed up by sacrifice and suffering. This attitude is just as WRONG!

When Jesus talks about money He addresses the heart and motivation. Being like Jesus has nothing to do with how much money you have. Being rich doesn’t make you a sinner. Being poor does not make you a saint. Most of the Old Testament Patriarchs were wealthy as were Joseph of Arimathea and Barnabas in the New Testament. But when someone had a real need Barnabas would sell his possessions, if he needed to in order to meet the need. He had Jesus and wealth. He knew the secret is to put God before money. A Biblical view of money is not about how much you have, but what you do with it.

Greed comes from not being satisfied with what you have, and it becomes a vicious cycle, you will never cease wanting and never feel you have enough. It doesn’t bring happiness. It can cause us to miss the point of what life is really about. So is Money your treasure, your God or merely a tool?