The Beginning And The End

Luke 12:16-20

Message No. 0693 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

There's no man or woman who could beat his or her chest and effectively say I will see you tomorrow. We say these things all the time, but we have zero powers to implement them. The rich guy who tried it in the Bible woke up on the other side of the planet. In Luke chapter 12 verses 16-20, the Bible says that the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully, in other words, he had a great or bountiful harvest. Instead of humbling himself and giving thanks and glory to God who made this possible, he declared the following:

I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'

In all his declarations, he never mentioned God or the word ‘Thanks.’ It was all about his great achievement, which made him to beat his chest and tell his soul that he has goods to eat for many years to come, so his only plan was to relax and make merry.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with storing goods for the future, especially things that will benefit you upon retirement. What is wrong is to sit back and beat your chest and thank yourself for being so wise and so hardworking as to be able to sustain yourself in wealth even after retirement. The Bible tells us that it is God who gives us power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). It’s because human beings are fond of ascribing praises to themselves that Moses strictly warned the Israelites never to forget God when they get to the Promised Land.

We wake up daily and we run up and down to work and make ends meet, but there are people who slept yesterday and did not wake up today. There are people who woke up but could not rise up from their beds, let alone do any gainful work to bring money home. There are people who run up and down and still could not make enough to sustain themselves or their families. Unless we put on our analytical hats and think deeply about our circumstances, vis-à-vis those of others, we may just be living in our own worlds and not knowing that the realities of billions of people are not the same.

Whatever we do and in whichever situation we find ourselves, we must never forget that our God is the Beginning and the End. He, it is, who plans everything ahead, knowing what will happen at the beginning, at the end, and everything in-between. This is why in Psalm 90 verse 2, the Bible says:

Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

There is only one everlasting constant: God. He is everywhere, every time, knowing everything and helping His children to succeed. The reward for forgetting God is not good and the reward for giving praise and glory to oneself is awful. In the case of the rich man in our Bible reading, the Bible says in verse 20:

But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'

Whenever we have a bountiful harvest, we must not forget to look back and give the glory to God. Whenever we reach the end of a period (such as the end of a year), we must think and give all the glory to God who sustained us throughout the period. When we complete a project, such as projects in our offices or building a house, or other project types, we must run our minds through the entire journey and remember how God has enabled us to reach the end.

We have no power of our own, it is God who gives us power. We have no wisdom of our own, it is God that gives wisdom. It is God who goes ahead of us to make the crooked places straight. He breaks in pieces the gates of brass and cuts in sunder the bars of iron, and He gives us the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places (Isaiah 45:2-3). No one can do what our God does. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

To leave a comment for this message, add new subscribers or share through social media, please follow these steps:

1. To leave a comment, please use the comments box below.

2. To add new readers, please use the Subscribe Form below or click on the Subscribe menu and enter your email address.

3. To share through social media, please use one of the relevant icons below.

 PLEASE ACT NOW:
 If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
 Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!