Most of us eat every day, some of us too much, because yesterday's
food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do
some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to
keep us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change
all of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need
to live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host,
author speaker, Elle David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good
morning. It is Wednesday, November twenty nine, twenty twenty three. Hello,
my name is Elle David Harris. I am your host, and this
is your Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and
today is no exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series. God's
Mission, My mission, and our caption for today is Mission to the Rich,
Mission to the Rich. We'll get into that in just a moment,
but first I'd like to just say thank you for joining us and ask you
to click that share button. Also, go over to your Daily Portion dot
com, join our online community and let us know where you are in the
world. There is a little box in a form right there that says where
are you in the world? And pick up the your Daily Portion book at
your Daily Portion dot com. Let's go ahead and pray, and then we
will get underway. Father and Heaven, thank you for giving us this new
day and for the privilege you have entrusted to us to serve you and to
do your will. Please Lord, teach us our purpose here on planet Earth,
and teach us how to be of service to people, even those with
means. In Jesus's name, I pray, Amen and DayMen again. I'm
going to begin today by stating the obvious, but sometimes we miss it.
The obvious is that we are all human beings. Like, go ahead and
type A one in the chat. If you are a human being, just
humor me here. If you are a human being, go ahead and type
A one in the chat. Of course I am a human being. You
are a human being. And everyone listening, everyone listening is a human being.
Yes, there are heavenly agencies, so of course we're not addressing God's
holy angels, right, we got it. So one thing that we all
have in common is that we're human, and our humanity means that we're vulnerable
and susceptible to death. All of us have to breathe. All of us
need blood coursing through our veins, oxygenated in healthy blood coursing through our veins.
We need to eat in order to have neutrified foods going through our system
and giving us the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and other elements in order
to help us to sustain life. We're all human, no matter whether we're
rich or poor, whether we are from a certain nation, kindred tribe,
tongue, or people, or another nation, kindred tribe, tongue or people,
we are all human. We are all ah. We are more the
same or more similar than we are different. And so, as the lesson
writer says, the rich and the poor face the same fate the grave,
this means that the rich are in as desperate need of salvation as is anyone
else. Whenever, whatever else money can buy, it cannot buy an exemption
from death. That exemption comes only as a gift offered freely by Jesus to
whoever will claim it by faith. Jesus said it, I am the resurrection
and the life those who believe in me. Though he were dead, yet
shall he live right? And then he asked his friends. Do you believe
this at the time when Lazarus would have died? Okay? And so we
are more the same or more similar than we are different. And so I
want to read from Matthew chapter nineteen, verses sixteen and twenty two. We
have already established for those who are joining us for the first time. We've
established many times that wealth means resources. Assets, money are not our problem,
right, It is how we use them. It is what position they
hold in our lives, whether we prioritize them above God and the things that
God says or not. Okay. So that's what makes the difference, okay.
And so from Matthew chapter nineteen, verse sixteen. And behold, one
came to him and said, good Master, what good things shall I do
that I may have eternal life? Verse twenty two. But when the young
man heard what Jesus said, Jesus told him, like, yes, sell
everything that you have and give to the poor, and you'll have eternal life.
You see, love for God and love for humanity are the full fillment
of the law, fulfilling of the law. And in this case, this
man did not have the kind of love for God or humanity that would have
him to walk away from everything. He said, if you love even father
or mother more than me, then you are not worthy of me. So
the challenge wasn't the money. The challenge was his perspective. But the Bible
says, but when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions. You know, we're born with a selfish
a selfish spirit. Try to pry something from a baby's hands at a certain
age, right when the baby starts to halfway learn to speak and learn the
term mine in English language, or like mine, and then you try to
just easily take it from mine. It is mine, No, no,
mine. Yeah. And so what he was saying is, wait, so
if I do this, I'm gonna be poor again. If I do this,
I'm gonna I'm gonna lose something. If I do this, then then
I'll be less. And what the Bible says, if you recall, I
think it's in the Book of Proverbs, chapter eleven and verse twenty five.
It says that the liberal soul shall prosper. So the more we give,
then the more prosperous will be. Now I noticed what I didn't say.
I didn't say in what way will be prosperous. But the more we give,
then the more we are like Jesus like the more we more godly we
are if we have surrendered all to Him. Not just because you're philanthropic,
does that mean you're godly. I'm saying if an individual has submitted him and
herself to God and then are a giving person, it is a manifestation of
the character of God. Remember, for God so loved the world. We
talked about it yesterday. For God so loved the world that he gave all
of heaven and one gift, only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. In another place, I think
it was Paul. He said, if God hath given us Jesus Christ,
his son, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things.
So God is liberal. God is giving, And when we take that
position, we're good to go. But when we hold on, when we
hold on to our wealth, we hold on to our possessions, we hold
on to our riches. And you're like Dave, but I'm not rich,
I'm not wealthy. Well, whatever it is that you have, if you
hold on to it, instead of surrendering it. Then this is the challenge
that we will have. Right, So the rich Young Ruler story speaks volumes
to me about the challenges that holding on to wealth can pose. Money and
possessions, while useful, can become the primary focus over shattering the eternal values
and instructing our spiritual journey. Okay, what we need now if we look
into the Book of Luke chapter nineteen and verse eight, is something very special.
What is it? Well, let's read this real quick. And Zakias
stood and said, unto the Lord. See, Zachius had means, behold,
Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, And
if I take anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him four
fold. And so in Zakius's story, I wish I had the time to
tell it, but you can look at it in the Book of Luke,
chapter nineteen. In Zakius's story, we see that God was able to transform
someone's heart. See, the rich young Ruler wanted to hold on to his
possessions. That's what he knew, that's what he had espoused, that's what
he was willing to do, even though the one the lifegiver was right in
front of him, telling him what it is to be like God. But
see Zachias now, who was also rich. Some of the money he got
by let's call it unsavory means. But as he is having this encounter with
Jesus, he opens his hands and so Zakius's story contrasts contrasts starkly with the
rich young ruler. His encounter with Jesus was transformative. That's the big word
heart transformation. The realization that wealth isn't the be all and end all to
him led him to generous, generous restitution. It makes me question if my
encounters with Jesus also bring transformation. That's something for me to answer for me
and then you, for you have a wonderful day. Thanks for joining us
listening. Friends. Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by
every word that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily
portion with el David Harris. Make it a great day. Yeah,