Jan 24, 20192 min
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich."
Making It God's Way
People often want to get rich quickly. In 1989 John Bennett established the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy. Under the guise of a non-profit foundation, he offered donors the opportunity to double their money within six to nine months. In 1994 he allowed nonprofit organizations to participate. This too-good-to-be-true offer brought waves of money from various institutions as well as philanthropists to support what turned out to be a pyramid scheme. In September 1997, Bennett was sentenced to prison for defrauding charities and others of $354 million.
Abraham also had the opportunity to gain more wealth quickly. Bera, king of Sodom, offered Abraham all the "loot" of the city in exchange for the people. But Abraham considered the source and declined. The opportunity to become even more wealthy was not worth the price of being indebted to the king of Sodom. His city was so wicked that it would shortly be destroyed by brimstone and fire. Abraham preferred to let God provide for his needs; he didn't need Sodom's money.
The desire to get rich can bring many pains and heartaches. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:10). The appetite for more and more can lead you into associations with people who can cause you irreparable spiritual harm.
If you find yourself in any relationship, business or personal, that is damaging your spiritual life, drop it immediately. It may mean taking a financial loss, but when you make your relationship with the Lord your most important priority, He will take care of all your other needs (Matt. 6:33).
God's wealth can't be found in Satan's treasury.