What Would The Lord Say To Us, Follow Up

Q

I wanted to follow up with a question in response to your answer of this question. I do agree with you that we should not “store up treasures here”, I also see that God provides us with wisdom to discern our times and to make preparation. I also see the example of Joseph in Egypt, discerning the king’s dream and knowing that 7 years of drought were coming. So he instructs the king to “store up” enough provision in the good years to provide for the people of Egypt, and more importantly God’s real intention was to save Israel by bringing them into the land to sustain and bless them. I guess the real issue is the “storing up”. Are we doing this to hoard for ourselves and form some false protection, or are we being wise in order to sustain our families in rough times?

A

There’s a simple answer to your question. If you believe God is telling you to store up provisions for the benefit of others, like he did to Joseph, then by all means do it. But the clearest teaching in all the Bible about working in our own strength to provide for our own security is in Matt. 6:19-20.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

And Matt. 6:31,33 is just as clear. “Do not worry about what you will eat or drink or wear. But seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given you as well. “