Root of all evil...

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.


That old saying you can't take it with you is very true. Even people who are buried with their treasures aren't really taking them with them. Seriously. They can do absolutely nothing about someone coming along and looting their grave sites right after their buried all the way to thousands of years later. The pyramids are an example. The pharaohs were buried with many, many things but they took NOTHING with them. When a person dies and sleeps death's sleep they know nothing, they are not aware of their surroundings, they can interact with absolutely nothing. They haven't a clue that their things are there with them, not a single inkling. We die with exactly what we are born with- nothing.

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.


Can we?
Can we be content with having food and clothing? Seriously, is this possible? We are SO incredibly materialistic that I have to ask with all honesty if this is possible.
Many people have little choice but to live in poverty- where food is a scarcity and clothing minimal. But even those people might not be content with what they have.
The verse is…


'And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.'


Be therewith content.


Content.


At peace with- is contentment isn't it? Not being at odds with something is being content with it. Not being angry, upset, dismayed, and not being overly happy, or even happy really but rather being at a place where your situation is accepted for what it is and there is no angst at all. There is an understanding, an acceptance, a certain peace knowing God's will is being done in the harshest of situations-- in all things-- in the simplest of food and clothing.


1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.


We are told to be content with simple food and raiment because the RICH fall into temptation and snares, into lots of foolish and hurtful lusts, and those all DROWN men in destruction, in perdition!
Yet so many of us WANT to be rich. So many of us want to have the good life, so many of us long to have riches beyond measure. Riches… an abundance of wealth, food in excess, food in high quality, clothing to spare, the best and latest fashions- we desire these things. We desire the abundance of things. We want the good things, the good cars, the good clothes, the good food, the good houses, the good furniture, the good everything! This materialistic desire is alive and well and living among us. We are raised on this materialistic belief and thrive on it, it's in our blood, it's in the air we breathe and when we try to extract ourselves from it, it seems all but impossible. We make excuses for our *wants*. We just want our house to look good, not fancy but good. We just want to appear neat and nice, not diva-ish. We just want a car that won't break down, doesn't have to be this year's model. We just want quality food not that stuff that is unhealthy and substandard. We just want a little extra spending money. We just want the occasional night out. We just want to go out to a restaurant once in a while. We just want to go into a store and be able to buy a few things. We just want… we just want… we just want. And our just wanting is more often than not for things other than the simplest of food and clothing.


We just don't realize how dangerous riches are, we don't realize that we are toying with our eternal life when we desire wealth. Materialism is DANGEROUS. The dangers we face are tremendous and Satan has it all set up so we don't see it, and won't see it until it's too late.


1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


The love of money is the root of all evil.


This isn't one of those things people say that has no real substance. This has a lot of substance, more than we realize.


The discontent we heap upon ourselves is more than just an inconvenience, it's a deadly eternal loss. This discontent we feel when our life is hard and we don't have this, that, and the other thing , is horrific- and it will pierce us with MANY sorrows.


We need to pray for contentment in what we have, and NOT allow discontentment in what we don't have pierce us with the most deadly of sorrows- eternal death.


As we feel the wanting we've grown used to experiencing well up inside us even now, even as this is read, we have to pray for God's mercy, pray for God's help to overcome the evil of riches trying to ensnare us. It is by His grace and love, in His righteousness we live and we claim salvation through Him so that we will be in the kingdom of heaven with Him.


By His LOVE!


Amen.