It is the propensity of man to shift responsibility; to look to experts or professionals to relieve the pressure of thinking, of deciding and of acting; a type of slave mentality. We begin our walk in Christianity as servants; however, those who would be heirs (Sons of God) must do hard things. We are given ability, family, and property. We would surely throw off authoritarian decrees for every-day life. Look in the Scriptures. The people failed miserably at “obeying Moses.” Our obligation is to develop our talents toward the love of our family, community and our God. How can we say we love God, whom we have not seen, and not love our neighbor (who is made in God’s image) whom we do see?
Many times we offer God our death in response to an ultimatum to deny Him; rather He desires a “living sacrifice.” Daily we must deny-ourselves. Daily we must take-up-our-cross. Daily we must seek a Word from God to obey Jesus when He says, “Follow-me.
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66: Jesus Warns Against Covetousness
Luke 12:13-21
After Jesus had given his warnings regarding hypocrisy, one of those present said to him:
“Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied:
“Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?”
He continued:
“Take heed, and beware of covetousness. For a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
Then Jesus told a parable of a rich man to the multitude, saying:
“The ground of a certain rich man was brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?’ And he said, ‘This will I do: I will pull down my barns and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said unto him, ‘Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?’ So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”