*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*CHRIST'S INVESTORS.*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Matt 13: 44 *Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
God’s Kingdom is more valuable than anything else.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Christ's investors are Kingdom investors. They are the covenant partners of the Church.
God wants us to improve our lives.
The parable of the talents, treasures, and pearls all point to investments.
It is, however, important that we must know that the eternal value of our investment will, at the end of life, speak more for us than our earthly possessions.
As we have investors in Christ today so also there are also investors in our world of stock markets.
In the stock market, called the financial market, there are two terms used to describe the stock market. These are the 'bull and bear'.
These terms are common to two of the world's largest stock exchanges in the world, namely the London Stock Exhange and Wall Street in the USA.
The bull market is where stocks are rising. This is common with a growing or expanding economy. Companies are enjoying rising profits.
The bear market is the opposite. Corporate profits are falling, shrinking economy.
The problem with these illustrations of the financial market is that investors can not rightly predict the turning points consistently. They just can not determine when a bull market is ending so that they can sell or guess when a bear market is ending so that they can buy.
Though either the bull or bear market looks more promising in their times but there is much turbulence, and your ability to invest will depend on your level of risk tolerance.
In either market, some are smiling while some are weeping, some are gaining while some are losing
In Christ, this is not so.
In the Kingdom of God, there is a high Return On Investment in the investment's gains compared to its cost. In other words, in God's Kingdom, it is always good to invest because you will have high returns on your investment.
No one loses with God.
Paul said in Philp 4:17 that every gift the Phillipians gave was tied to their account (with God). Paul said
*Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.* (NIV)
He was saying there is the profit you make as a result of your investments
Jesus says when you follow Him, you *"....shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."*
The parable of the treasure in the field tells us that the man sold everything he had to buy the field.
Earthly treasures, though sustains us, make us to be ranked amongst the richest, but they are worth nothing compared to what we sow into the Kingdom.
When we invest in God's Kingdom, we will realize that there are no earthly riches that are worth our place in God's kingdom. The rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16: 19-26 are good examples.
Be rich, make money, invest in stocks, bonds, buy shares, but never neglect to be rich unto God.
Not your loose or leftover change, but invest heavily as much as you would invest in Wall Street, the London Stock exhange, etc, others.
God is still looking for investors not because of Himself but because of both you and l.
When we find our place with God, we will gladly sacrifice anything we have, even life, to secure our place with Him for eternity.
*Remorse Corner.*
Jesus did not say that we should not improve our lives. He wants us to pay more attention to improving the Kingdom here on earth.
*Call to Word action.*
Matt 6:19 *Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
We ought not live as the world's richest but have nothing credited to our account with God.
*Prayer.*
Lord, in achieving earthly riches and prosperity, help me also to be richer unto Christ's Kingdom, in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.