WISDOM FOR LIVING DEVOTIONAL
NOVEMBER 8, 2020
TOPIC: AVOID GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEMES
BY T. O. BANSO
“A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty” (Proverbs 28:22 New Living Translation).
To say that money is important for transactions among human is to say the obvious. Without money, you can’t even be reading this! We need money to meet different needs in life. But beyond having money to meet our basic human needs, many people desire to get rich. But in a bid to realize this desire, not a few participate in get-rich-quick schemes.
The gory tales of the experiences of those who pursued such schemes are everywhere, but this seems not to have discouraged many others from being deceived that their own experience will be positive. Common sense should have told these optimistic persons that they cannot build something on nothing but they are bent of having their fingers burnt.
Greed is the motivating factor driving many of the victims of get-rich-quick schemes. It is not strange to hear that some, who even are Christians, have been deceived to participate in some get-rich-quick schemes because of the exciting offers. They may get some positive results for a season, deliberately programmed to nail them, but they may soon be crying over their huge losses.
Nobody’s experience can nullify the Word of God. No result by anyone can make the Word of God of no effect. If the Bible says something is bad, you had better believe it. If it says you should refrain from a practice, let nobody’s seeming encouraging result lures you into it.
The Bible says, “The trustworthy will get a rich reward. But the person who wants to get rich quick will only get into trouble” (Proverbs 28:20. New Living Translation). Verse 22 adds, “A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty” ( New Living Translation).  Avoid greed that lures you to engage in get-rich-quick schemes because nothing good will come out of it, and anything good you can lay claim to from it will not endure. “Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring” (Proverbs 11:28 New Living Translation).
Colossians 3:5b says, “Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry” (New Living Translation).  God hates idolatry, and this not talking alone about statutes or graven images, but anything you love above God. 1 Corinthians 10:14 says to flee from idolatry.
Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows” (Proverbs 13:11New Living Translation). Many examples of those who had gotten wealthy through get-rich-quick- schemes abound. Today, their wealth has disappeared. They didn’t acquire their wealth them through diligent labour, so they couldn’t keep it. Many of them lost their wealth through the same means they had acquired them. As it is often said, “Easy come, easy go.”
The get-rich-quick schemes people engage are could be demonic involving rituals. Some may not involve rituals but are fraudulent. The operators of get-rich-quick-schemes are almost always criminals or criminally minded. They have to deceive others to defraud them. Proverbs 21:6 says, “Wealth that comes from telling lies vanishes like a mist and leads to death” (New Century Version). If not physical death, it will certainly lead to spiritual death, and ultimately eternal death.
That should not be surprising. God will not tolerate evil. It’s not possible to think you can succeed in making yourself happy by making others sorrowful. You cannot build an enduring fortune on others’ misfortune. What a man sows that he shall reap (Galatians 6:7). Proverbs 15:27a says, “Dishonest money brings grief to the whole family” (New Living Translation).
Children of God should not be deceived to participate in any of these schemes in whatever guise they appear and whoever is running them, even if they’re their church members. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5).
1 Timothy 6:6 says godliness with contentment is great gain.  Verses 7-9 add, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  But 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” (New King James Version)
Beware of the love of money. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10 New King James Version).
The Bible is clear on how to grow your finances. This includes honouring God with your money and possessions, working diligently, saving, investing wisely, living on a budget, and spending reasonably – avoid compulsive and impulsive purchases.
Stay with the Word of God. Don’t follow what is trending, but is not biblical. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. They’re not God’s way of meeting the needs of His children or making His people wealthy. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and He adds no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The LORD be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I repent of greed and covetousness in any form in my life. Holy Spirit, help me to walk in godliness with contentment. I shall not engage in get-rich-quick schemes; I shall follow the Word of God in Jesus’ name. Father, let those who are involved in get-rich-quick schemes repent and quit.
(For over 300 in-depth and powerful messages by T.O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
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