Luke 6:24-26 NKJV
[24] “But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
[25] Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
[26] Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Good Morning:
Jesus was very clear on many topics throughout his ministry here on earth. This section of scripture shows us 4 WOES that are “warnings of earth” of love from our Master and Savior.
It is so easy to get caught up in living life that we all sometimes forget about what is truly important — the safety of our eternal souls. The time we spend here on earth is just a flash compared to our eternity. When we get so caught up in this life that we focus on earthly riches, being full of the things of this world, laughing at or mocking the Word of God, or worrying about what other people speak or think of us, then we have fallen short of what God really wants for our lives.
Richness:
We can work our whole lives to gain wealth yet miss the treasures of heaven and, even worse, lose our own souls. The focus on gaining worldly riches takes our eyes off of trusting in God day by day. We can think that we can store up earthly riches to be safe when things come crashing down. The truth is, that everything in the world and the entire universe belongs to God. We are just stewards of it as we pilgrim through this life.
It comes down to a matter of the heart. There is nothing wrong with saving for your future or having wealth. It is the position of our hearts toward money. As it has been said, “money is a great servant, but a cruel master.” We need to purpose in our hearts that money will be our servant. Holding onto it with a tight fist will lead to the destruction of our hearts. Holding onto it with open hands, willing to be generous and leaning on, and trusting in The Lord to be our provider is the position of the heart that Jesus wants for us.
Mark 8:36-37 NKJV
[36] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? [37] Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
[19] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Fullness:
Who doesn’t love to go out for a good meal and eat until you are so full that you may need to loosen your belt a little? That is not the fullness that the scripture is speaking of here. This fullness is living a life of indulging in the things and pleasures of this world while ignoring those around us that are without.
God wants us to take care of those around us with an attitude and heart of a cheerful giver. Remembering that God is the giver of everything and we are just stewards of His blessings is the attitude that God blesses. When we do this, He will continue to pour His faithfulness into our lives. A life of selfLESSness rather than selfISHness is one that the Lord can use for His eternal kingdom.
In seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, we’ll never have to worry about what our future holds. Instead, by blessing others as God has blessed us, we will experience one of the secrets of living a happy life and seeing that God will fulfill His promise of supplying what we need, according to His riches and glory.
Acts 20:35 NKJV
[35] I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV
[7] So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV
[33] But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Philippians 4:19 NKJV
[19] And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV
[29] “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Laughter:
It is fine to celebrate life’s moments of laughter with friends or loved ones. However, the laughter that this portion of scripture refers to is the laughter or mocking of God’s word.
God has been so gracious to us in laying out the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE). He gives us the history of where we came from, He shows us thousands of prophecies that have been fulfilled through Christ. He shows us of what is to come in our futures. Finally, He shows us His beautiful plan for salvation and what happens to those that make a mockery of His word.
There is only one sin that the Bible tells us is unforgivable — the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit. This means that when we reject the plan of salvation of what Jesus so lovingly did for us to save us from eternal damnation, we will be guilty of an eternal sin. God cannot forgive a mockery of what He did for all of humanity, and so those that laugh in this life will weep and mourn through eternity.
Mark 3:28-29 NIV
[28] Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, [29] but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
Psalm 90:1-2 NKJV
[1] Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. [2] Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Speaking Well of You:
When we seek the approval of men over the approval of God, we live an upside-down life. People will speak well of us when we are seemingly successful, according to the world’s standards. Think about social media’s impact on this — so many get caught up in getting approval, likes, and hearts for the things they post online.
There is a deep desire for us to feel approval from others. This is what social media preys on to capture us into never-ending scrolling and constantly hitting that like button. Of course, it can be used for good in many circumstances. Still, we just need to be careful that it does not become such a massive part of our lives that we constantly seek the approval of others through it.
The much bigger picture is we need to seek the approval of God. In doing so, it doesn’t matter what other people think of you. If we have God’s approval, our future is secure, and nothing men can say matters.
Galatians 1:10 NIV
[10] Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Conclusion:
Don’t ignore the warnings of earth that Jesus spoke of. Taking on an attitude of servanthood, pouring blessings into others, holding on loosely to earthly treasures, accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and seeking the approval of God are what we should strive for in this brief appearance here on earth. This life is just a mist or vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. So don’t let the world take you down a pathway of destruction, but seek out and find the true treasures that are eternal.
James 4:14 NIV
[14] Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
I love you and am praying for you today!
Dad