Satan is quite smart! He observes and knows what major weaknesses each of us have, and then entices us to sin using them. As I list some of the sins that Christians often struggle with, ask yourselves if you have a weakness in any of these areas: pride, anger, fear, stubborness, bitterness, unforgiveness, worry,  greed,  a desire for fame, power, or wealth. Any of those, as well as many that are not listed, if  not dealt with right away, can lead us down a path of destruction, causing ourselves, and others, a lot of pain and heartache.

I have known several people personally, who started out with God, but soon got their focus off from their relationship with God, and lusted after worldly things–the approval of men, success in the eyes of the world, the desire to be rich, etc. Two of them are back in a growing relationship with God after many years of suffering, and some of the others are still not walking with Him.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. When the sower sowed his seeds, some fell by the wayside, some fell on stony ground, some fell among thorns, and some fell on good ground (bringing forth much fruit). For an explanation of all of these, read verses 18 to 23 in that chapter, but I would like to specifically discuss “the deceitfulness of riches.” Although I know that there are many wealthy people who have done, and are doing, much to further the Kingdom of God, it is interesting that Jesus uses the term, ‘deceitfulness’ to describe riches, and has more things to say about this. In Mark 10:23 and 24, He says twice, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” Then, He adds “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Again, in 1 Timothy 6:9 and 10, we are warned that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

I believe that some of the reasons for that is because when a person has a lot of money, he or she can trust in their money to take care of the things for which they would normally rely on God (food, clothes, insurance, etc.); also, when has a lot of money, they generally own lots of stuff, and their stuff has to be stored, cared for, and used, which takes time away from our relationships with God and others. I have visited and lived in other countries in the world, and seen many poor people living without hardly anything, who seem much happier than people in our own country, who are much wealthier.

Good advice for all of us is found in verses 6, 7, and 8 of 1 Timothy 6. “Now 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 clothing, with these let us be content.” Even though I don’t have the kind of wealth that many do, I no longer want the “deceitfulness of riches” to choke the Word in me, and cause me to be unfruitful!