But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?” So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:20-21.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
People brought all kinds of questions and problems to Jesus knowing that He was just but merciful, honest but kind, and worked miracles of multiplication and of healing. If you had a need, He would fill it from His own fullness. From His fullness you have all received, grace on top of grace.
For in Christ all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete. Colossians 2:9-10.
Today’s conversation took place when a crowd of thousands had gathered to hear Jesus and all were pressing to get near Him to be healed, so much so that they were stepping on one another. Luke 12:1. Someone in the crowd, however, was in a different flow, he came in anger at his brother and got close enough to Jesus so Jesus could hear him. Then he said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13. He had dragged his brother there with him and wanted Jesus to judge him.
The man had come to get Jesus to do what he saw as justice with his father’s estate. He wanted his share and did not care about anything else with respect to his deceased father or the family. He did not explain whether he was the firstborn or anything about his inheritance rights. He did not even give his brother a chance to speak.
Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” Jesus, as always, had the appropriate answer. The brothers should work this out among themselves and greed should not be the motivating force. Believers are to judge the world and the angels they should be able to settle things among themselves justly and fairly.
Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 1 Corinthians 6:7-9.
Possessions should not be your primary goal. Seek first the Kingdom and My righteousness and everything will be added to you besides. My blessing makes you rich and adds no sorrow with it. You do not need someone else’s money to make you prosperous. I can give you your own.
Abraham knew that. He gave Lot far more than he deserved and blessed him when he chose the best land and left Abraham what looked to him as the unfruitful part. It all turned sour for Lot, however, that he did not defer to Abraham who had blessed him. It got him into a place of perversity and evil where worldly goods and lust took precedence over integrity, purity, righteousness, and justice. Lot repaid Abraham’s generosity by grabbing what looked like the better land. But grabbing what looks good in the eyes of the worldly can be the way to death.
And when Abraham rescued Lot and all that was taken from the Kingdom of Sodom when a group of enemy kings attacked and conquered them, taking all their goods, and carrying them off captive, Abraham refused the offer of the king of Sodom to give him the riches of the booty for rescuing them.
Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ Genesis 14:22-23.
But let us return to the conversation of Jesus in response to the request of the man in the crowd for Jesus to force his brother to divide the inheritance. Jesus used this conversation as an opportunity to introduce a parable that led to a Kingdom teaching for not just the one man seeking an earthly inheritance, but all who were seeking a heavenly inheritance. If you are seeking days of Heaven on earth, this conversation is for you. Conversation with Jesus will always take you to a higher realm. It always takes you to the Kingdom level.
Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Matthew 9:35.
Jesus then told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21.
How do you become rich toward Me? Earthly possessions do not go to Heaven with you, but your deeds do. Look more at what you do with what you have than what you have. Do you remember the parable My Son told of the Master who gave his servants talents to work with and invest as good stewards? The ones who prospered the Master were those that invested their talents for the business of the Master.
The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:20-21.
My business is saving souls and bringing them to the truth so their lives can prosper and flourish in every area. Total shalom (wholeness in every area of your life) and not evil is My plan for each life and for each one it is different for you are all stewards of My manifold grace.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11.
Make your business a Kingdom business. Glorify Me in your life by your generous giving.
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.
Right after telling the parable of the man who only got rich for himself, Jesus went on to explain the answer of how to live rich towards Me, the way to store up heavenly treasure that cannot be taken away. And here He turned not to the crowd, but to His disciples. Those with hearts for Me.
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason (i.e., becoming rich toward God) I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Luke 12:22-23.
It all starts with stopping the worry. By worrying you do nothing constructive. You may think it shows concern for others and for your future but it really does not. Worry merely establishes that you have no trust in My provision, care, and goodness towards you and that you have no faith in My magnificent promises of provision, protection, healing, and youth renewal. I prosper the works of your hands when you invest in the Kingdom, which starts with tithing. Worriers do not tithe. They are like the man in the parable that hoards up everything in his barn to look after his needs, retirement, and entertainment.
Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! Luke 12:24.
Have you ever noticed how well taken care of the birds are? The do not work a job but they never are without food and nests. They raise their young and fly about. They are not worried. And they are under your dominion and rule. I made everything to serve you in all of My creation for the six days up to when I made you. You are far more important to Me than the birds, but not one bird falls to the ground without My consent. You are worth more than a flock of sparrows.
And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span or one inch to his stature? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Luke 12:25-26.
Worry, anxiety, fear, and doubt only do one thing: torment you. They will keep you from enjoying the wonderful life I have given you and wear you out with anxious days and sleepless nights. And the sad part is you do not have to do them, they do nothing good for you. Cast your cares on Me and enjoy My care for you. Let go of the worries and I will take care of them for you in ways you never dared dream possible.
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You of little faith! Luke 12:27-28.
And that is exactly what worry means—little to no faith. And without faith you cannot please Me. Why? You give My power no opportunity to work in you and your life. You shut out every good thing I am trying to do for you and every blessing I am showering down on you. Worry closes your door and gives you a hard heart. Worry cannot see a blessing when it comes and ignores it.
And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not live in fear, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:29-32.
And there is your awesome answer to all need, want, lack, and fear—I have been pleased to give the little flock who seeks My Kingdom, the Kingdom itself. And there is no shortage of good things in My Kingdom. It is an ever increasing, unceasing, overflowing, permanently exponential source of everything needed for life and godliness. Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that proceeds from My mouth, for My Words are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. And you can feast on My Word in the Body and Blood of My Son and become strong thereby.
Every day stronger, every day better, every day more beautiful, every day brighter than the one before until you walk over the light line into the perfect day that never ends. When you are walking with Me as Kingdom seekers and abiders you will experience Kingdom living even now.
Abide in My Word and let My Word abide in you and you will not worry but you will bear much fruit. Worriers bear no fruit because they never rest in the Vine.
Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:32-34.
The more you give the more you receive. You do not need to hoard when I give you a permanent income stream. You become a channel of My generosity through you to a hungry world. When you hoard up funds you stop the flow of giving and receiving that will fill your storehouses with blessings.
I love you and care for you, just stop worrying and you will find everything you thought you lacked is available to you in Jesus. In Him you are complete.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7.