A Few Minutes With My Tens of Millions

“He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. Genesis 17:12

Money comes up relatively quickly in the Bible; already at chapter 17 in the Word we are talking money as a word, and look what comes right along with it - slavery, purchasing a human with money. Of course that money could be used to free a person from bondage too; bought for money from a foreigner does not mean the person must remain a slave.

Friday was once a more relaxed sort of day in this devotional message, so I thought I might return there for a bit. Money is a big subject in our current world situation. Nations never seen to have enough of it; banks may be tight or free with it; corporations try to hoard it, avoid taxes on it, and put it to work generating more of it; and we have us individual people who like to buy things with it. Money: can't seem to live without it, and shooting it just leaves a hole in it, which is illegal.

Money is useful for dividing people one from another. That one has more of it, therefore he must be rich. That other one has less of it, therefore she must be what is called 'poor'. But, oh, that Christian minister, he has so much it is a shameful act of plundering of someone, even if they did buy his book voluntarily and give to his church without coercion. In fact, no one can recall him even preaching on tithing which is a common activity in the poorer churches. Money: the great divider.

So, I decided to go up the money scale, and here is where the fictional part of our devotion begins this morning, began increasing my congregation. I managed to write a book that sold well. I mean, really well, as in life-changing well. I did the talk shows, spoke on the radio, toured the country, and began preaching in the stadiums. My book did so well that a salary from my new church was not even needed. Ten percent, ha!, I was giving 100% of my salary, look at the rank I will have in glory! The publisher of that first bestseller sent no less than a senior vice president to present me with an advance check with many zeros on it to ask when I could have the sequel ready. I was sure to give 10% back to the Lord, because it wouldn't do to set a poor example; poor as in like the poor people who can't afford the 10% we say is our Christian duty in order to cash in from the Lord's bounty like I did. People began to ask a common question: How can you just keep all that money?

I don't of course, I spend a lot of it too; in fact, I'm really good at spending it, just look at that house I live in! God has blessed me so well, and He can bless you too! I so convinced myself of it that I now base much of my ministry on it. Good news indeed! Just give me a few minutes alone with my tens of millions, (millions won't work anymore, inflation you know) and I will rationalize how I should enjoy this blessing from God and keep using it for His glory on myself.

What? You say someone just paid Money to redeem me from slavery? Now I belong to Him? But I'm not enslaved, look at how rich I am! Walk away from it? But, but, I can't do that; think of all those who depend on me...

Hmm, that cat has a few more claws on it than I intended this morning. Lesson for today, depend on God; He is not enslaved by money as we so easily are in this world. And praise God for your poverty - riches are a great temptation to turn away from Him.

Bucky