Excess leads to decadence, and decadence leads to deceit.
I believe there are many people today that are doing everything they can to look for any possible sign of the downfall of society as we have known it for so many years, the excess that in many nations has been seen as normal. Shelves in stores that are thousands of square meters stacked on all sides with nearly every available item one could imagine, internet options that leave little to the imagination for our consumption or enjoyment, the things of the world are now available to all the world, or at least they were.
We can as an example look at the life of Job here, he had much, then all was removed from him. But unlike Job, most who see what is approaching cannot see past to the point where not only more, but seven times more was restored to him, they see the possibility of loss at every corner. The account shows us it does not matter how much you have, how much you have stored away, if those items are between you and the Lord, He will remove them.
Think here on those the Lord Jesus was speaking to one day when He said, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matt. 6:25) Those people, at least some of them, lived as Job did while he was at his lowest point for the majority of their lives. Think on Lazarus sitting at the rich man’s gate, waiting for some crumbs to eat, it pleased the Lord to keep him there until he died. But the rich young man walked away sad because he had much, and he did not think the exchange of all he owned was worth the price of following the Lord.
The availability of excess is not always a blessing from the Lord, but a deceit of Satan, and those who fear to lose what they have are finding security in that excess, not in Christ.
My friends, there are many false prophets out there today, they are attempting to warn us that without the availability to procure those expected items, life will be difficult, and nearly all of them are saying you need to stock up, you need to buy now because soon you will not be able to. In other words, grab as much of the world’s items while you can, because soon they will not be available to you.
My lovely wife and I have seen our fair share of these accounts of the recent past and their predictions of the possible future, and it has led me to one conclusion, common sense is overriding faith in nearly all of them, even in many that profess Christ as Lord.
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matt. 6:34) This verse is in my mind quite a bit lately, but so is 1 Peter 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
I do not want to dishonor or disrespect the Lord, in this area of thought, this is my highest priority. Common sense says to store up some of those items that we use or need on a daily basis, faith seems to say not to lose trust in the Lord. Many will bring to mind the account of Joseph here and the dreams of Pharoah. “Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land.” (Gen. 41:29-30) And I cannot say they are incorrect, for there are indeed many signs that point to the Tribulation period approaching, but I will not be as the man who built larger barns and then said to his soul, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:19)
I believe that every born-again believer who has been blessed with wisdom is facing this conundrum at the moment, the desire to honor God, but also the necessity to provide for those under his care. I have no answer for you, if you have decided to stockpile some of those items, then I would only suggest not trusting in them whatsoever, if you have not, and your faith in Christ is sufficient for those days without doing so, then that also is your decision. I offer only this, for both groups of those brothers and sisters in Christ, “Thy will be done” must be in the forefront of you mind continuously. Without these four words, our faith is in vain.
