WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
APRIL 08, 2024
TOPIC: DON’T PURSUE DISHONEST GAIN
BY T. O. BANSO
“Dishonest gain will never last, so why take the risk?” (Proverbs 21:6 Living Bible).
Money is very important in human society. Money is needed to do a lot of things. Without money, some things cannot be done. Some people pursue money dishonestly to meet their needs or satisfy their greed. Dishonest gain is money obtained through dishonest, deceitful, fraudulent, or corrupt ways.
God hates dishonest gain, and you should also. Don’t be possessed by the love of money and acquire money through dishonest means. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 says those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
God is not against making legitimate gain or profit but hates dishonest gain. Some people use dishonest weights and measures to make excessive profits. Deuteronomy 25:16 says, “All who cheat with dishonest weights and measures are detestable to the Lord your God” (New Living Translation). The word detestable means hateful. God hates those who use dishonest weights and measures. God hates exploitation. Those who enrich themselves by defrauding others will one day reap what they sow.
Every child of God must avoid using false or deceitful weights in his or her dealings with others. False or deceitful weights are an abomination to God. “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1 New King James Version). God forbids the use of dishonest scales. There are consequences for not using a just weight. Deuteronomy 25:15 says, “You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (New King James Version).
God is watching the scales, weights, and standards you are using in your dealings with others. So be careful that you deal with others honestly. Proverbs 16:11 says, “Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His work” (New King James Version). Don’t be fraudulent in your dealings with others. They may not know that you have cheated them but God knows. Don’t make excessive profit by using false balance, scales, weights, or standards. It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich and He adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22). “Dishonest gain will never last, so why take the risk?” (Proverbs 21:6 Living Bible). Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labour will increase (Proverbs 13:11). Also, Proverbs 28:20 says a faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
Angered by the sins of Jerusalem, God said in Ezekiel 22:13-16: “But now I clap my hands in indignation over your dishonest gain and bloodshed. How strong and courageous will you be in my day of reckoning? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said. I will scatter you among the nations and purge you of your wickedness. And when I have been dishonored among the nations because of you, you will know that I am the Lord” (New Living Translation). Note the phrase “dishonest gain” in this scripture. Verse 27 says, “Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain” (New King James Version). Don’t lie, kill, or destroy lives to get dishonest gain. Avoid dishonest gain. Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).
In God’s judgment against Jehoiakim, king of Judah, through Jeremiah, God said Jehoiakim’s eyes and heart were only for dishonest gain, shedding innocent blood, and practicing oppression and violence (Jeremiah 22:17). Don’t have eyes and heart for dishonest gain. Don’t demand or receive bribes before you do what you are supposed to do. Neither should you collect bribes to pervert justice. A bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19). God does not bless dishonest gain. Proverbs 10:2 says treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
The two sons of the Prophet Samuel – Joel and Abijah – were guilty of pursuing dishonest gain. “His sons did not follow Samuel’s example. Instead, they pursued dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3 International Standard Version). This made the Israelites ask Samuel to appoint for them a king like the other nations.
Dishonest gain in ministry is an abomination to God. Paul, writing to Titus talked about the false teachers who were “teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:11 New King James Version). Ministry is not for dishonest gain. It is not for affluence but influence – godly influence. It is not a place to pursue dishonest gain.
In his advice to the elders in the churches, Peter said, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly” ( 1 Peter 5:2 New King James Version). Ministry is not a place to pursue dishonest gain. It is not a place to amass or acquire wealth even though God does bless His servants. The Bible says that a bishop and a deacon must, among other things, not pursue dishonest gain (Titus 1:7; 1 Timothy 3:8). Don’t pursue dishonest gain. Do not be greedy for money, as the New King James Version puts it
Don’t pursue dishonest gain. “The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death” Proverbs 21:6 Good News Translation). Even if your dishonest gain doesn’t disappear soon, you will disappear one day! In other words, you will die and leave your ill-gotten or dishonest gain behind. Nobody brought anything into the world and nobody can take anything out of it (1 Timothy 6:7). Any dishonest gain will eventually disappear. Pursuing dishonest gain is foolish. “The person who gets money dishonestly is like a bird that hatches eggs it didn’t lay. In the prime of life he will lose his riches, and in the end he is nothing but a fool” (Jeremiah 17:11 Good News Translation). Avoid illicit enrichment. Don’t make money in ways contrary to the Word of God. Don’t pursue dishonest gain.
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 that you are a sinner, and 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 God raised Him on 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 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 a palm tree and grow like a 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 shall not be possessed by the love of money and pursue dishonest gain. I will not lose my soul because of money. I will not cheat others with dishonest weights and measures or engage in fraudulent practices. I shall be honest in all my dealings with others, including honesty in money matters.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
