WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MARCH 14, 2022
TOPIC: RICHES WITHOUT SORROW
BY T. O. BANSO
âThe blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.â (Proverbs10:22 New King James Version).
Recently, I was discussing with a man who was above 60 years and to support what I was saying, he told me that those days when he used to drive a commercial vehicle, sometimes he would not go to church on Sunday just to earn additional income.
Each time he did that, he would make more money than he had made on any day during the week that ended. But in the new week, something would happen that he wouldnât be able to account for the money and his income. Because of this recurring experience, he advised himself to stop being penny wise, pound foolish. He stopped missing Sunday services.
An artisan came for maintenance work in a Pastor’s house some time ago but inflated the price of a particular item he wanted to go and buy for use. From his attitude, the Pastor and his wife knew that he wanted to cheat them. Nevertheless, they gave him the money. But less than twenty minutes later, he came back sweating because he couldnât find his phone that he went out with â an expensive smartphone. It was missing. He had searched everywhere for it but he couldnât find it. What he lost was far more than what he gained through his dishonesty.
I also remember the story of a politician, a local government chairman, who was alleged to have corruptly enriched himself while he was in office. After his tenure, it was said that some people introduced him to a business that he thought was genuine. But they swindled him. He did business with dishonest people just like himself. Easy come, easy go! He was back to square one. As Nigerians would say, âcunning man died; cunning man buried him.â In other words, a man who faked his death was buried by a man who faked his burial. What you sow is what youâll reap.
It is possible to become rich through dubious means but people who follow such a route will have themselves to blame later because of the unpalatable consequences. They may gain the riches they want but they will also cause themselves pain and sorrow.
If youâre a child of God, donât pursue riches by hook or by crook. Donât try to become rich through ways that violate the Word of God. If you do, you may lose more than what you have made. Such riches may cost you something more than you have made. Be careful.
As Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9, 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. He goes further to say 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 (verse 10). Beware of greed. Donât pierce yourself through with many sorrows.
If youâve given your life to Jesus, let Him be the Lord of your life in everything, including your financial prosperity. Donât pursue riches in ungodly ways; otherwise, you will experience sorrow that goes with such pursuit of wealth. Proverbs 10:22 says, âThe blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with itâ (New King James Version). Â Getting rich through other means will add sorrow to anyoneâs life. But when the Lord blesses you, He wonât add sorrow with it. Let the Lord bless you; donât devise your own means. There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Â
In Genesis 12:2, the LORD promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation, bless him, and make his name great, and he would be a blessing. The blessing of the LORD made a difference in Abrahamâs life just as it will in anyoneâs life today. When Abraham later left Egypt, Genesis 13 says Abram (as he was then) was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich; He adds no sorrow with it.
When the oldest servant of Abraham was talking about him in the house of Bethuel, while on a mission to get a wife for Abrahamâs son, Isaac, he pointed out that the LORD had blessed Abraham greatly. âSo he said, âI am Abraham’s servant. The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeysâ (Genesis 24:34-35 King James Version). In other words, the LORD fulfilled His promise to Abraham.
The LORD also blessed Isaac such that the famine did not affect him in Gerar. Genesis 26:12 says that Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, and the LORD blessed him. âThe man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied himâ (verses 13-14 New King James Version). The blessing of the Lord is superior to the economy of the world. The blessing of the Lord is what you need, not ungodly schemes.
Proverbs 15:27a says he who is greedy for gain troubles his own house. The covetousness of Achan by taking what the Israelites had been forbidden to take in Jericho brought sorrow upon him and his family. He couldnât enjoy the beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels which he had taken and hidden in the earth in the midst of his tent. Achan was stoned to death and burnt. His sons, daughters, oxen, donkeys, sheep, tent, and all that he had were also burnt. âSo all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stonesâ (Joshua 7:25b New King James Version).
Also, Gehazi got the âblessingâ he wanted: two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments. But sorrow was added to it. The leprosy of Naaman cleaved to him and his descendants forever (2 King 5:20-27).
Ahab and Jezebel dispossessed Naboth of his vineyard after Jezebel had ensured that he was killed. But they only succeeded in inflicting themselves and their posterity with sorrow (1 Kings 21:20-24).
Follow the Lord; donât follow the world. If you follow the Lord, not the worldâs practices, He will make you rich by His standards, not the standards of the world. His blessing will make you rich but not necessarily a millionaire or billionaire. âBetter is a little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with troubleâ (Proverbs 15:16 New King James Version). Avoid being rich through evil gain. It has negative consequences here on earth and eternal consequences after death. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36). Treasures of wickedness profit nothing (Proverbs 10:12a). The unjust gain takes away the life of its owners (Proverbs 1:19).
Obey Godâs Word. Apply His principles in your undertakings. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. âBread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravelâ (Proverbs 20:17 New King James Version). Habakkuk 2:9 says, âWoe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster!â (New King James Version). Similarly, Jeremiah 22:13 says, âWoe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness And his chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor’s service without wages And gives him nothing for his workâ (New King James Version).
You are a blessed child of God. Ephesians 1:3 says blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the earth but those cursed by Him shall be cut off (Psalm 37:22). Trust in the Lord and depend on His blessing.
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 you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â 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 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: Father, I trust in You and depend on Your blessing. I will not follow the ways of the world; I will follow Your way. With Your blessing, I will prosper; with Your blessing, I will be rich and will not experience any sorrow. I pray that all those who are pursuing evil gain and becoming rich through wickedness will repent and surrender their lives to Jesus.
(For over 800 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
  
  
  
  
