Appeal to the pocket….wallet…

 Appeal to the pocket….(wallet)….

Some would say the world is run by money...hence we don’t need God who really runs it, who actually gives us our every breath….

The use of money to bribe, contort, change minds has been going on for eons …here in Ezra, some wanted to stop the Israelites from building by saying telling the rulers that they would lose tax revenues if the Israelites continued…grasping at straws, anything to defeat God’s chosen…

 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer. Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,

Ezra.4.13-14

Over time, the Jewish people have prospered in various places with others jealous of their prosperity and have tried to annihilate them…or like Paul, the merchants were more concerned with their economy than with right or wrong…or bringing the same idea to present times…what do we do in the name of economics on moral issues?  Plenty…

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1Tim.6.10

 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,“Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?”

Heb.13.5-6

 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

Acts.16.16-21

 “But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding? 

It cannot be bought for gold,and silver cannot be weighed as its price. 

Gold and glass cannot equal it,nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

Job.28.12,Job.28.15,Job.28.17

 “If I have made gold my trustor called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much,

Job.31:24-25

 Take my instruction instead of silver,and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels,and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

Prov.8.10-11

Thank YOU….

Silver and gold…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYro45kIRlw&list=RDFYro45kIRlw&start_radio=1