What Riches Do You Seek: Natural or Spiritual Ones?

These letters of Paul, though they passed through this world of sin and misery, yet, for the most part, they were carried by messengers that were holy. They were written by a man who was not of this world, written by a man who had definitely passed from this world as though he had died. He had died to covetousness and all other sin, and he writes to people who he thought had done the same thing.

We see here that a group of people could live above this world and hold intercourse with one another that the world knows nothing about. The world could not understand the epistles of Paul, and, in addition to that, they are not for us who have not left the world.

We find our old nature rebelling at the things of Paul, because these are written to men dead or dying. He wrote many words in the epistles—everything we needed to know: how to treat rulers, how to run the church, how to live holy, how to dress, etc.

Here, Paul is writing to these Corinthians, I am sure you are enriched by Jesus. You are enriched in all utterance, all knowledge. Riches in this little group doesn’t mean the same thing as it means in the world. Paul believed that the Lord entering into a life made him a rich man. The things he is careful about are the fruits: the gifts, the churches. He said, “What is my joy, but you?”

He is wrapped up in these, he never goes outside of them, although it enriches his heart to spread out and to get others to accept it. Nonetheless, he believes it and accepts it as true riches. When he looks at the Corinthians he remembers what they once were. He says, “You are enriched.” He said, “God has enriched you in knowledge and ready speech.” He considers the man or woman who has these to be rich.

There is no greater joy than knowing the things of God, and then to speak them out to a dying world. Nothing so enriches man.

Paul says, “Say, here now is something that is worthwhile: you are enriched in the Lord Jesus.” No one would have said, as Paul came down the road, he is rich as cream. Nor would they have called Peter rich. But not only do we today look back and call them rich, but they called themselves rich (in persecutions).

The world says, “It’s alright to talk, but they don’t have any money.” We don’t find many people who are willing to swap earthly riches for heavenly. Not many will take their eyes off worldly things. I am seeing that the more we have, the harder it is to go. There are not many who are going who have anything at all, not many property holders. I surely believe when the business is figured up, you will find possessions keep more people out than anything else. Possessions are not only money in the bank, but ourselves.

If I come across $500.00 in the road, I’m not going to refuse to pick it up and say it is filthy lucre. No, if I find out who it belongs to, I will return it, and if he gives me $100.00, I can use it for the Lord’s work, if it came right. Much good can be done with it. However, the money is not the main part. Jesus seldom gets that out of many people’s heads. Those out of whose heads it goes must go with a struggle.

I believe our failure is not being open to things of God. You might say, “I didn’t figure the things of God were that worthwhile.” No one else does, we must be taught it. If we don’t believe it, whatever we do believe is a lie.

We say the natural things must come. How many times do we talk about spiritual things like that? Not often. We imagine somehow it will happen. It won’t happen with us until we know the true riches. In other words, it is far better to have gifts of God spiritually than money in the bank. If we will decide that the spiritual call will come first, then the other will be alright in its place.

Suppose we knew someone with money. We would say they could help us, they would be held in esteem, but how much greater esteem should these be held who help us spiritually. I may remember the man and his gifts, but things that are put in my heart by those that are spiritually minded means by far more… We find ourselves putting in the background these things of God.

Someone said, “We act like pagans in a crisis, when something real happens most people run to natural things.”

Theory says, “We trust God.”

Practice says, “Under certain circumstances we trust God.”

If we will believe His Word that His gifts are true riches, we will have everything beat. We may come to hard times but we may come to it without Christ anyway.

We know by experience that natural things bring more trouble than following Jesus. I do not know anybody who has gotten into any lowdown trouble. I have decided that if I go to the field, the worst thing I could do is die. If I stay home, the worst thing I can do is go to Bay View. Through Him I can do both.

Death is not the end in Christ.

The man who has a fat bank account, oil in the burner, warm comfortable home, plenty to eat and wear doesn’t have to worry—that is the place you get in in Christ. You don’t have a house, but you don’t care. You may be called upon to go through hard places, but you will have one who will be with you there.

Will we accept these ideas of Paul that the things of God are true riches, and will we put more importance in catching hold of God than doing something natural? I don’t believe we are putting anywhere near enough in the things of God.

I don’t always feel rich, but I am. The devil can’t talk a rich man out of his riches, but he can a child of God. Rich men move very carefully, doing everything they can to enrich their estate. People in Christ think it is a good thing to attend to it like going to the dentist and having your teeth fixed before they go too far. That is not anywhere near the main thing.

If we are not careful, we will find ourselves stepping in natural things until they make us despise our birthright. Esau, if he hadn’t lost his birthright for a bowl of soup that day, would have lost it sometime later because he didn’t care. People don’t lose their money, their homes, self-respect, appearance—they hold these, alright.

Paul said, “You are a rich people, but we could be much richer, if we would value things of God more than we do.” Jesus enriches everything He comes into contact with. He doesn’t make us nuns or monks, but He enriches every walk of life.

These messages were given within the little circle. The great ones didn’t understand it, but within the circle there were some who would be willing to die for it.

Thank God for true riches! It is not easy to lose them, but it is possible. The only way we can lose them is to try to get God to play second fiddle. He won’t.

How many lives are being lived to no purpose? Whatever plans they make, all ends in self. Why won’t men and women let God lead them out? The things of God are not only to be prayed about and preached about, but to be acted upon.

Some may say it is alright to talk, but if no one does it, it is true just the same.
God grant there may be moves in one’s midst. People say to get an evangelist and have a revival.

There is a move in our midst right now. Persons are moving in God. I believe there should be a more definite holding on. What is going on in our midst now is the beginning of something that will amount to something one day. It is God’s will that we touch men and women and someone move out. This knowledge, this utterance, the practicing—it will bring victory to lives. Let everybody be persuaded in your own minds. If you are pulled in, then somebody will pull you out.

If you will take a step in Jesus, God will open doors, and you will feel fuller than any other time in your life. You will have a peace in your heart, I am absolutely certain. What God will do along the line, I don’t know. God’s Word says, “If you seek first kingdom of God… all these things will be added.”

Paul didn’t say, “I’m afraid, boys, you’re not alright”—I won’t tell you that, but he wrote it out. What good is it being rich without the feeling of it? We can be rich and feel rich, too.

God may add natural things to us. Some people have been known to get the whole thing. We don’t shut doors to natural riches.

If we give way to natural things, we may lose them and God, too. Then at the end, we may come and say, “Will you take me now?” He will take you, but how many years will have been wasted?

God grant that we may take whatever step is open to us. God will open more doors than we want to go through. We have more time than we want to use. We think the way is not open, because it is not crossing the sea or getting on a pedestal. We must take the first step. If I were going around the world, I would have to take first step out that door.

The things will work. It is not an untried something—it has been proven. Of course, we will have to let Him do it His way, “Some through the waters, some through the floods,” etc.

Let us take His way. The day will come when we will have wanted we had. Let us do it tonight. Let us accept God’s estimate. There is where we are wrong. God says that these things are vital.

We say, “I don’t think so.”

Let us revise our estimates and standards. Strike the devil there, and you will strike him a telling blow that he will never recover from.

It is God’s will that we be enriched and see something working through us that is worth the whole world.