JamesSample

After reading those verses, you might wonder if rich = bad and poor = good, but these verses do not indicate all poor people are rich in faith, just as much as it does not specify all rich people are not. Refer to the end of verse 5 for clarification – “promised those who love him.” Whether you are rich or poor, the real self-examination we are challenged with is whether you love God and are dependent on Him. Perhaps the poor stereotypically tend to show more dependence on God because they have an unrelenting need that may seem out of their hands. What we can conclude from these verses is, rich or poor, those that need Him are blessed. This message also prompts us to assess the symptoms of our underlying motives. If we are fully dependent on God, identifying Him as Lord, but let our own selfish ambitions dictate our actions, is He really Lord? Are your riches a result of a need to provide for yourself or is your security in Him? Are you self-promoting or hoping to benefit from association with the rich? Are you avoiding an obligation to the poor? Whatever the case may be, let this message challenge you to take a leap of faith in your dependence on God.

You can trust Him. He will never fail you.

Prayer points:

• Pray the Holy Spirit would provide opportunities for you to see your natural tendencies as they pertain to the matters of this passage and that it would open your eyes to your motives.
• Pray your heart would overflow in love for others as a result of your love for God.
• Pray for ways to evaluate where you can lean into His love and grow your dependence on Him.