During 1918-19 more than twenty
million people worldwide died in just
120 days as a result of the influenza
virus, or what was commonly known
as Spanish Flu. Statistics show 12.5
million of these deaths were in India,
and half a million in the United
States, including more than onehalf
of the population of Alaska. It
spread quickly and in many cases
was deadly.
Another type of virus has found its
way onto our continent. No, I am not
speaking about AIDS or of some type
of flesh-eating disease. I am speaking
of ‘affluenza.’ Have you heard of it? It
is a disease that can control a person
and cause them to make poor choices
because of their desire for wealth.
These people have a continual hunger
for bigger and better ‘things.’ They
are never really satisfied with what
they have. They are blind to the fact
that their family relationships may
be suffering as a result of their greed.
Far worse than that, their eternal
destiny and relationship with God is
at stake.
In Luke 12:16-20, we read of a
farmer who had a huge harvest, which
was really from the Lord. He thought
he was self-sufficient for many years to come. His attitude concerning his
life was eat, drink and be merry. He
had no thought of God, nor was he
thankful for the blessings he received
from God. God called him a fool
(
Luke 12:20). He died and, in spite
of his full barns, faced God with
all his sins. He was unprepared to
meet God. The riches of this world
have absolutely no value in eternity
(
Matthew 6:19-21).
Living to please oneself is a typical
attitude today. People are failing to
prepare for their future when they
must meet God. Not only that, they
are missing out on what life is really
all about. The Bible says we are not
to “trust in uncertain riches, but in
the living God, who giveth us richly all
things to enjoy” (
1 Timothy 6:17). God
wants you to enter into a relationship
with Him (
John 14:6). This is only
possible because of the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Word, the
Bible, says “Prepare to meet thy God”
(
Amos 4:12). We do not know what
tomorrow will bring.
