“Being Rich Towards God” Late Mr. N. Daniel

Luke 12:21

This man was not rich towards God. God wants us to be rich towards Him. Jesus talks about a rich man. He had lands. He had crops hoarded up in new barns for many years but never had a thought of God. He told his soul there was plenty of provision for many years: ‘Therefore eat drink, and be merry.’ But God called him a fool and he was a fool. Many of us are like him. God knows it. We should be troubled if we are like him. 'Tonight your soul will be taken away as you are not rich towards Me and get nothing from Me,' says God. A father expects something from the son but he doesn't get anything. As the owner said to the gardener, 'Cut off the fig tree’, God said to this man, ‘Your time is up. There is no use of your living longer. You have decided not to get any richer towards Me. Your old nature is allowed to grow but there is no place to develop the divine nature and all God's plans for you are never given a thought. You will be broken.' God says, "You are born again but never thought of doing anything for Me all through your college days. You never thought, 'God did this for me; all opportunities in life are from His hand.'

The rich man enjoyed only earthly things. God gives you a wife and you are happy. She cooks good food. You think a woman is under your care but never think she is a helper to glorify God. She is after all a gift of God, but you do not think of that. If the husband is worldly-minded and has no vision of the kingdom of God and is not rich towards God, he destroys the wife's freedom and talents and her spiritual life. You are not rich towards God. God says, "O man, I will take your wife from you. What will you do? You never valued the gift I gave you." In today’s society a woman is very cheap. It is a very wrong evaluation. She can be a gift if your attitude is right. She can enter with the riches of heaven into your house. She can enrich your home. She can take care of your home and instruct your children in the fear of God. Very soon you will have a sweet home with God's happiness. There will be heard songs of praise for the Creator in that home. You will see little ones kneeling and praying. Thus He will multiply your faith. First singly, and now two of you are praying. When you pray with your children, your faith multiplies. Children's faith is pure and powerful. Are you rich towards God? When children come, you think of how they can help to increase your riches. This is painful to God.

Here is a child in God's image and meant to be a blessing to the whole country. Joseph was a poor boy when he went to Egypt but he loved the truth and believed in a loving and living God. He was born of a converted father who got converted in his old age. He saved the whole country. If Joseph had not gone to Egypt, his own family would have been destroyed. God's highest plans will be fulfilled by children born of pious parents. Young people, how many of you are rich towards God? You have married into a family and the blessing you have brought comes upon that family. The older people in that family live long and the peace of God spreads over that family and passes on to others. Joseph feared God, but was poor. How are you? Isaiah 33:6 Mothers, have you instilled the fear of God in your children and made them rich towards God? In appearance Joseph was poor. But he was rich towards God and made others rich. He brought peace and plenty to a perishing nation. For the sake of one man who feared God and led a pure life, heaven co-operated with him. He was the cause of blessing to the whole land.

Loyola was a man who deserted God as a young man, and sought the glory of the world. He became a soldier and had an iron will. But God changed him. When fighting, he was wounded and was in bed. He read some books and was inspired. He knew his life so far had been spent in vain. "I am made in the image of God, I must lead a pure life, O help me, God", he cried. He turned over a new leaf in his life and became a blessing and a powerful worker for God. He worked for poor people. He came from a rich family. He had self-discipline. Though the Roman Catholic fathers gave him trouble, he became a power. Are you rich towards God? Francis Xavier was saved and became one of the greatest of missionaries. Are you rich towards God? Have you got anything to make others rich? Can you draw out the godly instincts in others and labour amidst your neighbours? How much of help you can bring to society! There are many people around you. What do you see in them? Do you see God's grace laid up for them? Do you see what God has kept in them for Himself? A wise man does not look at outward appearances but at the heart. When you look at a man, you must think, "What help, blessing or happiness can he receive from me?" The way he has chosen is a wrong way and he will hurt himself. Can you put God's creative thought into him which will change his whole heart? One thought of love with prayer can change him. Dear man, are you a wasted river? Or, are you rich towards God? Do you allow God to survey your life? God knows your beginnings, your ancestry and what wrong ideas are planted in you. But he knows how to work on you. With His word he wants to eliminate all the wrong ideas in you. God gives new ideas and a sword which destroys all seeds of evil. Jesus gives you new thoughts. You feel ‘Jesus died for me. I also must die for others.’ Are you rich towards God? Do you give place for the Holy Spirit to shape you, destroy the evil desires in you and put in you the new desires of God? Thus you become a new man. If day after day you begin your day without allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you, where are you going? You are getting poor towards God. Martin Luther spent 3 hours each morning with God What great things he did! Are you rich towards God? Your talents are enriched by the Spirit of God and you live naturally a divine life. What riches do you gather for your children? Math.6:19 Gather riches where thieves cannot steal. What prayers led by the Spirit of God are stored up and recorded in heaven and are there for your children? Prayers for your children with the real love of God will never go in vain.

The girl in Naaman's house observed her master's suffering and she prayed daily. She was a captive. She had no parents. But she was rich towards God. She said to her mistress, "Our captain should go to the land of Israel. God and His prophet are there and if our master goes there he will be cured." Elisha was rich in God; so he did not take Naaman's gift.

Daniel 9:3-20 When you confess others' sins it will be a blessing to them. Don't criticize. Take their sins on you and with a burden pray for them and then if you speak a few words in love to them, it will bear fruit. Phil 4:19, Col 2:3. Dear people, are we rich towards God? Search yourselves. Have you made anyone rich?