Foot asks the question “How much money did Jesus need to make?” That question is loaded with opportunity to expound, but let me say that He had enough that He kept a treasurer and that in addition to that, He came here owning it all anyway. Furthermore, He often circumvented the need for money…. Someone needed healing, he didn’t call for and pay a doctor - He healed them. He was speaking to a crowd of around 10 - 20,000 of which there were 5,000 men and He decides to buy them lunch. What would that cost someone today? If it were catered, it would easily be $300,000 - $600,000. That would have been a lot of coin to carry around so Jesus simply circumvented the system and multiplied a boy’s lunch.

He had more than money at His disposal and even when that was requested, He easily produced it, even if from the mouth of a fish.

My bottom line, this message is not about the toys you own. It’s about the purpose of wealth and using it as a tool to advance the kingdom.

There are many matters that impact us internally. We have traumas that can stir us to the point of desperation and have to work through them. Most of us who have this going on are open to someone with a compassionate approach who will take time to help us work through them. Some matters take a lot of counsel while others are healed with a reminder of a biblical truth about Jesus. A simple statement can open the eyes of our understanding and touch a tender part that has been injured in some major or minor way.

I was reading Mark 7:13ff and include this part of that passage: “And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

I plan to spend some more time studying this passage. I have preached using this passage and find comfort that God’s grace is sufficient to redeem us from the curse of the law and will set us free from those troubling and disturbing internal attitudes and thougts.

The Gospel of Prosperity frightens me. Materialism and its attendant lifestyle is the way of the Beast. Materialism and pursuit of more stuff leaves its pursuers empty and spiritually vacant. More is not always better.

In fact, I believe it was Jesus himself who eschewed material things.

Something about the chances of a rich man getting into heaven were equal to the chances of fitting a camel through the eye of a needle.

But I am no religious scholar, so what do I know? Evidently not much.

That said, I think the real riches in life come from things that money can’t buy. And no amount of fancy cars, big houses, trophy wives, or anything else obtained with money can make a man truly happy.

May we continually examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Thank you for your insights, Michael, and may the Lord continue to infuse His wisdom on you.