Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Tuesday after the First Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-19 (NKJV)
 
6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But 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. 10 For 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.
 
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
 
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
Devotion
 
You have heard it many times, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” And it is true. But our Scripture reading from 1 Timothy 6 states that the love of money is not just the root of evil–the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And the real problem with all of these kinds of evil is that they lead people to sin, hardheartedness, unbelief, and separation from God.
 
One of those evils is that greedy, haughty men never get enough money and riches, while other men struggle for subsistence while working for them. The greedy men are led into the sin of idolizing money and riches. The poor struggling men are easily led into the sins of theft and fraud to survive and feed their families.
 
But as Christians, we should realize that God will provide sustenance for his children. Therefore, none should trust in the riches of the world in this present age. Rich and poor alike should do good works defined by faith in Christ before God and man. We live our lives in Christ. We put our trust in Jesus, not the riches of this world. He is our hope in this life and in the life to come.
 
Prayer: O God, the Strength of all them that put their trust in Thee: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in keeping Thy commandments we may please Thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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