A Treasure Hunt (Day 4 from Cleansing Thoughts)

    You see, child of God, sin is anything that we place above God in our life. We all possess the faith we need to resist all the temptations the world offers to entice us away from God. That is why we are given such a strong warning in 1Timothy 6:10 when the apostle Paul states (for a clearer understanding of this scripture let's read it from the Amplified Bible), "For the love of money is a root of all evil; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith." You see it is not money that is the root of all evil; it's the love of money that brings destruction into a believer's life. God is not against His children gaining wealth. Quite the contrary, he says in his Word, " If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasure" (Job 36:11, NKJV).

   We must all strive to have a balanced life, one in which we enjoy all the wonderful provisions God had given us, including the treasures of this world, with the full understanding that every good and perfect gift is given by Him. I have learned over the years that it is impossible to out-give God! The only time in Scripture God presents a challenge to us to prove His faithfulness is in our giving. God tells us in Malachi 3:10 (NKJV), " Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me now in this...If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessings that there will not be room enough to receive it." It seems the more I give to the kingdom of God, the more He gives to me, even during times of great need in my life; and He will for you too. He will prove Himself to us, and not just in our finances! The wealth of riches He has given in His Word is a priceless treasure. I would challenge you to read His Word and discover for yourself the gold nuggets found in His promises. My friend, you will find greater treasure than the world can offer, and it would take more than a lifetime to gather. I want to pray with you that God would open your understanding to the riches found in His Word: "Heavenly Father, I bring before You an empty vessel. open the windows and pour out Your blessings upon your child that they would not be able to contain it. Prove to them your faithfulness as they bring their tithes and offerings into Your storehouse. Dear Lord, I ask You to open the eyes and ears of their understanding to the vast riches to be found in Your Word, which exceeds far beyond financial security. 'Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers' [3 John 1:2, NKJV]. it is in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen and amen."