Yeshua Speaks of Wealth

CHAPTER 29

Lazarus inquires why Yeshua, with all of the knowledge that he has, is not a wealthy man instead of a poor carpenter. Yeshua explains that Elohim gives each person talents and abilities that they can magnify them and share them freely with others. Unfortunately, most people that have been given the gift of acquiring wealth do not share it as easily as those who have other types of talents. Yeshua explains this in great detail using a very effective parable to make his point.

 1 Lazarus continued to be awakened in his spirit by all that he heard and asked of Yeshua, “Yochanan and Miriam have said how you retain all knowledge and have performed such miracles that it would seem that nothing is impossible for you. How can it then be that you are just a poor carpenter? Surely, even now at your young age, you could be a mighty man.”

 2 Yeshua smiled and answered him, saying, “Being a carpenter is one of my great joys. I create. I shape and form and make things of beauty and function, even as Elohim has made the world. I provide for the needs of my family by doing something I love, which causes me to have tranquility and serenity, not unhappiness or anxiety, and it brings happiness into the lives of others, not anger or dispute.

 3 As you have seen me do, for that which calls to you, do likewise, and you will find a peace that few know.

 4 Concerning wealth and power, I have not come into the world to become esteemed of men in the ways of the world. And I would give away any riches, were they offered to me.

 5 I desire to speak deeply of this to you as it will be a great decision in your life because you are a rich young man from a wealthy family. You must understand very clearly that a man who gathers unto himself the treasures of the world and shares not generously to lift the world and the people therein also bars his own path to Heaven.

 6 Verily, it is impossible for a rich man who hoards his wealth and gives it in great part only to himself to reach glory in Heaven, and unto him is reserved only a place of barrenness like unto that which he gave unto his brothers and sisters of light when in the life.

 7 If a rich man loves money so much that he gains it and retains it to himself in abundance, even opulence, then that is what his eye is fixed upon, and therefore, though he may honestly search and sincerely desire, he can never fully find the path of Celestine Light, for his eye never leaves his wealth long enough to see it.

 8 Verily, I say unto you the steps to Heaven begin with a steadfast love for God and continue with humility, charity, and selfless service to others, especially those less fortunate than you.

 9 It is not found in living grandly, when it would be possible to be comfortable with less.

 10 “It is not found in hoarding the wealth of the world, but in giving your excess to the service of God and your brothers and sisters of light in need.

 11 Consider this: Why does a man have a house with many rooms of grand size and more than his family needs? Why must it be finished with the finest stone and wood and precious things? Why must a man have many servants that jump to his commands? Is it to please God that he has these things?

 12 I say unto you no! It is for his vanity that he may be puffed up in his own mind, that he may have comfort beyond his needs and be esteemed by other men that he has these things.

 13 The rich man may pay tribute to God with his pious words and prayers and his hefty offerings of gold equal to ten other men, but his true heart is far from God whom he proclaims, and it will always be so until the day he is a good and faithful servant and returns to God the treasure given in his stewardship.

 14 Among the poor, God is content if they return to God a tithe of 10 percent of their increase above their bare needs, in whatever form they can, for they must sacrifice of their simple pleasures to make such a gift and great shall be their blessings for their faithfulness.

 15 But the rich can return 50 percent of their increase or more to God, plus pay large taxes to Caesar, and still have greater luxury than the poor can dream of.

 16 Therefore, until a rich man loves God more than money and is ready to give to God with a joyous heart in the same humble spirit and happy manner of sacrifice as the poor man, he is buying his earthly pleasures at the price of his heavenly rewards.”

 17 Now Lazarus was vexed by the things that Yeshua said, for he came from a very rich family. And he asked, “Do you condemn my father for his wealth or even me, his son, who will inherit it? What would you have my father do, give away all the wealth he has worked so hard for?”

 18 Yeshua answered him with a question, “Who gave your father his wealth?”

 19 Lazarus seemed surprised by the question of Yeshua, and he said, “My father gave it to himself by his awareness of opportunities, his discernment of value, and his keenness of judgment.”

 20 And Yeshua replied, “And how did he gain these qualities that have been of such benefit to him?”

 21 Lazarus thought for a moment in silence, and then answered, “He was taught well by his father who was also a merchant, and he has always had a drive for success that exceeds that of most men.”

 22 And Yeshua replied, “Verily, I say unto you, all that your father has, was given to him by God. He was born to goodly parents who gave him a foundation for success because Elohim sent his spirit to the womb of his mother, and he came into the world with the qualities you have spoken of because they were given unto him by the Elohim as gifts at his birth.

 23 It was the desire of God from before he was born that he would be given the way to acquire wealth; it is the same for all men who gain riches in honesty.

 24 But to others, God gives gifts of a sweet spirit, of artistic ability, of harmony, of spiritual insight, of a comforting spirit, of peacemaking, of loyalty, of making home a heaven, and of many other fine qualities that bless all who are touched by those with the gifts, which they give freely in great abundance to everyone whom they meet.

 25 Verily, many good gifts, which have eternal significance, may have little value in the marketplace, even though they bring marvelous light to the world and are greatly esteemed by Elohim.

 26 Then comes the rich man whom God has blessed in his fortune and often with other gifts as well. Does he freely share with his brothers and sisters of light the gift Elohim has given to him? Does he return his excess to God to fulfill the purpose of his gift?

 27 Foolish is the rich man who is seduced by the comfort and power wealth can bring when it is kept, for he gives himself a life of ease that is here today and gone tomorrow, at the price of a glory and abundance that is everlasting.

 28 Wise is the rich man who does not puff himself up, but lovingly returns his excess to God in righteousness and thankfulness. He is the good steward whom Elohim cherishes. His life shall be blessed, he will be esteemed by the valiant in life, and his eternity shall be overflowing with joy.”

 29 Yeshua added, “I tell you these things that you might learn wisdom, that you and your family may yet receive the great blessings that wait for you.

 30 Know that Elohim does not condemn the errant who are good of heart and seek to understand the truth, for they are better at forging their own condemnations and creating their own obstacles to eternity and punishments in this life. But because their heart is good, they still have a chance to see the light of truth and receive the eternal promises God gives to the worthy.

 31 Consider this: Every moment a man works for wealth beyond his simple needs, he takes away from time with those he loves, and he knows not how many more breaths are left in his life.

 32 He will stand naked at the door to eternity without a penny from his earthly treasures, empty of the joy of eternal relationships with those he loves because he was too busy in life, chasing his fortune that is now but dust to invest in his family that could have been forever.

 33 Every time a rich man hoards a coin that he does not need, he lets a child of God go hungry.

 34 Every time a rich man builds a mansion for himself, he consumes that which could have built houses for many of the needy.

 35 Every time a rich man buys another unneeded comfort, he takes away from the money that could be used to build a temple of God that could give comfort to many of the Children of Light.

 36 Every time a rich man squanders gold to give his children the best clothes and lavish gifts, he takes the money that could be used to give many children simple necessities.

 37 Every time a rich man buys luxury for himself, he takes away from those whose life each day is a struggle to survive.

 38 The love of money and power and fame and carnal pleasures are the greatest tools of Satan to seduce men away from the Celestine Light of God.

 39 To a rich man come all of these luxuries if he desires, and it is only the purest of heart, who love God, and know from whom it is that all blessings flow that can withstand the great weight of the temptations of the rich.

 40 Because of this, it is easier for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than to be worthy of Heaven.

 41 Every life is a stewardship given by God to prove the valiant, and only the good steward will see the face of God and become one with the Celestine Light that is eternal.

 42 If God has given you or allowed you to have wealth beyond your needs, it is a test to see if you will be a good steward of that which you have been given and will magnify the purposes of God and be of service to your brothers and sisters of the world. As you do, so it shall be done with you in the hereafter.

 43 If you are blessed by wealth and would also serve God, then take only what you need to continue your livelihood, provide simple comfort for your family, reasonable opportunities for your children, and live in a humble way not to be noticed among men.

 44 Then give all that remains of your annual accumulation to the purposes of God, that the excess Elohim has blessed you with may be used to further the kingdom of God on Earth and to help those less fortunate in a manner that also helps them to gain a measure of self-sufficiency and self-esteem.

 45 If you do this not, you are like the foolish young merchant who found favor with the king of the land and, as a gift, was sent into a far city of the kingdom and given a new stall in a big bazaar in which the king paid for all manner of goods that the young merchant might have worthy things to sell and find happiness from his efforts.

 46 And the king sent experienced merchants to the young man to teach him in the ways of commerce, and they gave him the foundation that he might be successful. And for this, the king asked that the young merchant return to him one-half of all that he earned, that he might use his profit to help others in his kingdom.

 47 And it came to pass that the young merchant had great success because of all that his benefactor had done for him.

 48 But when some time had passed and the king had not heard from the young merchant, he went unto the bazaar in the distant city and, finding him and seeing his thriving business, asked why he had not yet received any of the profits as they had agreed.

 49 The young merchant protested, ‘This arrangement we have made is not fair, for I do all of the work, which is hard and takes all of my time, and it is a great thing to ask for half of all that I earn. In truth, you are in a far city, and it is only because of my good talents that I have had such great success. Had I been another man with lesser talents, there would be far less expected because far less would have been made.

 50 Therefore let me pay you for the goods you gave me to begin and that much again for your kind help in starting me here and then each year a tenth of what I earn as a tribute. But beyond that, it is not reasonable to ask that I give so greatly and that my money for which I have done everything to obtain would then go to people who have done nothing.’

 51 Hearing his words the king was wroth, and the young merchant discovered too late his great mistake. And the king said unto him, ‘Foolish man, I gave unto you when you were in need because of my love for you and asked only that you continue to help me to help others, even as I had helped you, while letting you still keep to yourself enough for a comfortable life.

 52 But now, because you would turn your back on those who are in need, even as you once were, I shall turn my back upon you.

 53 Do you not understand that it is not only this one stall that is mine, but all of this bazaar and every stall and every bazaar across the land? And each of these, your fellow merchants are those to whom I have given the same gifts as I have given you, that they might find a life of happiness.

 54 But because you have hardened your heart to your fellow man, all that has been given to you shall be taken away, and you shall have nothing from my kingdom. All of your days will be spent begging for coins that you might know how worthy it is, the good you have scorned.’

 55 Then was it done, even as the king decreed, and the young merchant forever tasted the life of those to whom he would not comfort.

 56 If you have ears to hear, Lazarus, please hear.”

 57 Lazarus nodded his head in understanding and replied, “I hear your words and a part of them resides in me, but it is a very hard thing you are asking. Would it not be better to retain a greater portion of wealth and with this make a greater fortune from which a greater gift can be given than from the smaller fortune that would have otherwise been?”

 58 And Yeshua answered, “This is the same argument given by the young merchant in the parable. But what matters to God are the actions you take every day, not that you would store up for yourself treasures on Earth to luxuriate in all of your life and then, only when you are old and soon to no longer be able to hold them, to give a part of your wealth to the poor.

 59 Each day, you need to be looking to the gifts you will give to others, not just of money, but of love and understanding, of compassion and comfort, of time and assistance.

 60 And when you give of your time or your love or any other good thing, let it be only as a gift, with nothing desired in return, and if it be money, then let it not even to be known among men that it was you that gave the gift; and for that which you do in secret, Elohim shall reward you openly.

 61 Neither borrow nor lend money to your friends or family, for by such are the doors of unhappiness and discontent thrown open, but if those you love are in need, bless them with a gift; thereby nothing is expected in return, and only love can bloom from the blossom.

 62 Remember, O remember, what you do with the excess you gain, be it selfish or unselfish, righteous or unrighteous, you do it to God, and you shall be accountable for in the hereafter.”

 63 Lazarus nodded in comprehension but continued to be vexed by the words of Yeshua and had much to ponder upon as they retired unto sleep.