You Have To Choose

-Wealth can either be a blessing or curse. It all depends on how YOU use it

-Solomon asked God for a “discerning heart” (wisdom) in 1 Kings. Because that pleased God, He gave him wisdom AND riches & honor

-It’s interesting that the richest man who ever lived said that if you love money, you’ll never have enough

-It’s also interesting that both Jesus & Solomon essentially say the same thing. Solomon had everything he wanted and Jesus had everything He needed.

-You can’t know WHAT to choose if you don’t know HOW to choose

-The Pharisees in this scripture wanted to be rich so they ascribed to belief that the more obedient they were, they richer they’d get. They tithed, prayed, & fasted religiously. The problem was, they didn’t know Jesus

1. You Need Clear Vision to Choose

• How are you able to choose Jesus amid all the clutter & confusion of other religions, beliefs, doctrines, etc?
• You learn how to narrow your focus usually at home; you’re taught by the testimonies of those close to you
• Many of the wealthiest people don’t have to show it because they have clear vision; you don’t have to “peacock” your wealth. Most times the ones “peacocking” it are only full of feathers

• Your values help shape what you do with the resources you have
• Some people are wealthy and live a good life, AND they use their resources to bless other people
• Not what you say, but what you spend your money on tells the most about you
• Why invest so much in stuff that’s easily corrupted or decayed?
• Correct values mean I’m not going to do anything illegal or immoral to get money; correct values means I’m going to invest my time & energy & resources on things that have eternal value: taking care of my family, helping those less fortunate, introducing people to Christ, etc.