Investing in the Wrong Kingdom

Earlier this year, Fox News reported about the unexpected death of Canadian millionaire, Gerald Cotten, the 30-year-old founder of QuadrigaCX. Cotten’s company handled the investments of people in the fledgling frontier of cryptocurrency, which has been popularized by the emergence of digital money like BitCoin. When Cotten passed the company fell into turmoil. According to the article, “Customers were unable to access $190 million because the company’s founder died with the passwords needed to access the money.”

In other words, Cotten took the password to millions of investor dollars to the grave. The article continued, “About $190 million in cryptocurrency and traditional money is said to be in ‘cold storage,’ with the digital key held by Cotten. While QuadrigaCX has Cotten’s laptop, they do not know its password and even a security expert has been unable to get past the device’s encryption.”[1]

When I read that article, I thought of the Bible’s numerous warnings about the uncertainty of riches. Proverbs 23:4-5 reads, “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” Like an old preacher once said, “If your money could talk it would say, ‘Bye, bye!’”  

Solomon, the richest king in Israel’s history said, “10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity . . . 13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, 13-14). Did you catch that last part? How many people have tried for fortune in a get-rich-quick scheme or playing the stock market only to discover that they were at the bottom of a pyramid scheme or the economy tanked!  

Jesus told a parable about a rich fool, who tore down his barns to build bigger ones not knowing that death would be knocking on his door. Jesus ended that story saying, “20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21). John Phillips said of this rich fool that “He mistook his bankbook for his Bible, he mistook time for eternity and his soul for his body.”[2] No wonder Jesus called him a “fool” he put all his eggs in one basket and didn’t give a thought to what happens after death.

We’ve all done stupid things with money. But, the ultimate folly is finding out we’ve invested in the wrong kingdom. Yet, that’s what we do when we place our hope, security and peace of mind in wealth—it’s like buying stock in White Star Lines, the manufacturer of the Titanic.

The wise person invests in that which will outlast him. We must lay up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-24), While we can’t take it with us, we can send it on ahead. We do this by giving towards the Gospel—because the only two things that will stand the test of time are the Word of God and the souls of men and women. -DM   

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[1] James Rogers, “$190 million gone forever? Crypto boss dies with passwords needed to unlock customer accounts,” FOX NEWS, 4 February 2019 <https://www.foxnews.com/tech/cryptocurrency-exchange-chief-dies-with-passwords-needed-to-unlock-customers-190m-reports-say>

[2] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2005), 180-181.

The Temptation Trap

Not long ago the media reported a humorous (but also pitiful) story about a black bear cub that got stuck. The 100-pound “Bucket Bear,” as he was called, was noticed by the residents of Jamison City, Pennsylvania after he got a plastic jar stuck on his head. The jar was set outside near the trash bins of a local restaurant and it contained remnants of cooking oil in the bottom.

Bucket Bear couldn't resist the temptation, so he stuck his head inside to get a few licks. Unfortunately for the bear, his head was bigger than the top opening and he couldn’t get the jar off. The bear eluded the local game wardens for eleven days! But as one resident explained, “You knew where he was, because you could hear him banging into things.”

As the bear lumbered through the darkness, bashing into trees and rocks, the rescue team finally cornered him in a homeowner’s backyard, where it ended up falling into a swimming pool a couple of times. Eventually, they wrangled the animal into a position where another rescuer yanked the jar off his head![1] It’s really amazing that the bear didn’t die of starvation and dehydration before the jar was removed.

I don’t think I’ve read a more vivid description of the temptation trap that the Bible warns us about. Have you ever noticed that the deceptive nature of temptation lies in its attractiveness? Just like the bear who couldn’t resist the drippings in the jar and stuck his head in, the Enemy skillfully and subtly wraps sin in a pretty package that looks non-threatening.   

Adam and Eve saw “that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (Gen. 3:6). Lot chose to pitch his tent in the direction of Sodom because of the green “well-watered plains” that led into the city (Gen. 13:10). Achan got big dollar signs in his eyes when he saw the forbidden treasure inside Jericho’s walls (Josh. 7:21). Likewise, David’s downfall happened when he was captivated by the beauty of a bathing Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:2).   

David Jeremiah wrote, “Temptation doesn’t usually come to us in the form of a rattlesnake. It’s more like a piece of chocolate cake, a hundred-dollar bill, a beautiful woman or a handsome man, a pair of dice, a corner office, a new Lexus, or a chance to see the answers to an exam. Temptation is attractive; otherwise it wouldn’t be tempting. And it’s dangerous because its attractive.”[2]

Moreover, the Devil never tips his hand in temptation. He only shows you the beauty, the fun, and the adventure which promises that stolen waters are sweet (Pro. 9:17-18). He never tells the heavy drinker about tomorrow’s hangover. Nor does he mention to the addict that one hit can ruin your life. He tells the thief, the adulterer, the cheater, “You’re too clever to get caught.” In short, the Devil smiles as he prods us stick our head in the jar.

When it comes to temptation, our best defense is to know the Enemy’s strategy, as Paul wrote “so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Cor. 2:11). The good news is that when we are caught in Satan’s snare there is One who can come to our rescue. Jesus alone promises that if we do it His way, He can free us from the bondage of sin, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).  -DM    

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[1] Marcus Schneck, “Bucket Bear freed of its 'bucket' in Perry Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania,” Penn Live, 1 September 2014 <http://blog.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2014/09/bucket_bear_freed_of_its_bucke.html>

[2] David Jeremiah, Overcomer (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2018), 143.

Grace in a Grocery Store

Jessica Eaves was grocery shopping in an Oklahoma supermarket when she noticed her wallet was missing from her purse. Ms. Eaves was suspicious of a man who had been following her, so she spotted him in an aisle and approached.

She said, “I think you have something of mine. I’m going to give you a choice right now. You can hand over my wallet and I will forgive you and even pay for any groceries you need or I can call the cops right now.”

The thief reached into his hoodie pocket and gave back the wallet. He started crying as they walked up to the check out. Eaves spent $27 on groceries for the man, including milk, bread, bologna, crackers, soup and cheese.

“The last thing he said was, 'I'll never forget tonight. I'm broke, I have kids, I'm embarrassed and I'm sorry,” Ms. Eaves reportedly recalled. She told the media, “Some people are critical because I didn’t turn him in, but sometimes all you need is a second chance.”[1]  

Its been said that, “We are never more like Christ than when we forgive and put grace on display.” Grace is unexpected and undeserved. Instead of judgment, we get mercy! Instead of shame, we get a second chance! Instead of captivity, we get freedom! Instead of hell, we get heaven! There is nothing more shocking to the world than the scandal of grace, because it totally reverses our expectations and subverts all our notions of fairness!

David Jeremiah wrote: “Grace is the delivery of a jewel that nobody thought existed, a burst of light in a room where everyone forgot it was dark. Grace turns human politics on its head right before our eyes. It overturns our moral applecart. The discovery of grace is like finding a knot-hole in the high walls of heaven. We cannot tear ourselves away from peering into it!”[2]  

When grace invades a life the recipient is never the same. Remember Hagar—desperate and thirsty in a barren wilderness? The Angel of the Lord found her and opened her eyes to a well where she could drink and live (Gen. 21). Think of Mephibosheth—the cripple who greased his chin with sumptuous morsels from King David’s table (2 Sam. 9). What about Barabbas—the death row criminal who squinted when he came into the sunlight from a dark jail cell having just been set free. “Get out here Barabbas” said the Roman jailer, “Jesus has taken your place” (Matt. 27:15-23).

There are few things more shocking and transformative than grace. When it happens to us we are never the same and when we are able to give it away people see God at work. -DM

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[1] Anna Kooiman, “Woman buys thief groceries after he steals her wallet,” Fox News, 28 October 2013 <https://www.foxnews.com/us/woman-buys-thief-groceries-after-he-steals-her-wallet> 

[2] David Jeremiah, Captured by Grace (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2013), 12-13.

Friendly with the Enemy

Chances are, you’ve probably never learned in school the contribution of John Parker to American history. He’s not a household name, but his one mistake changed the course of our nation. In Bill O’ Riley’s enthralling book, Killing Lincoln, he explains how a critical turn of events on the night of April 14, 1865 led to the assassination of president Abraham Lincoln.

Before John Wilkes Booth committed his dirty deed, he first stopped at a saloon that was adjacent to Ford’s Theatre, where the president sat enjoying a performance of the play Our American Cousin. Booth sat down at the bar and asked the bartender for a shot a whiskey to give him the liquid courage he would need to pull the trigger.  

At 10:00 PM Booth finished his whiskey and proceeded to Ford’s Theatre, just a few feet away. Surprisingly, he found the entrance to Lincoln’s private balcony seat unguarded by the Secret Service agent assigned to detail that night. With no one guarding the president, Booth had an unimpeded and clear access to Lincoln.

So where was Lincoln’s bodyguard—John Parker? According to historians, as the play began, and the President and First Lady got settled, Parker slipped away from his post and went next door to the saloon. It sounds unbelievable, but it’s one of those incredibly ironies of history—Parker was in the same saloon as Booth, downing a large mug of beer, when the assassin slipped out and murdered Lincoln.[1]        

When I read that story I thought of an expression that I’d heard an old preacher use before—“friendly with the enemy.” That was John Parker’s big mistake, he failed to stay vigilant and bellied up to the bar with a killer. Satan’s strategy is do the same—to get us to let our guard down so that we will play games with sin and become “friendly with the enemy.”

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Satan sometimes comes to us as a devouring lion (1 Peter 5:8), and sometimes as a deceiving serpent (Gen. 3). It’s much easier to identify a lion when he’s roaring than to detect a serpent when he’s slithering into our lives. That is why Satan is so cunning—if one disguise doesn’t work the first time, then he will change costumes and try again.”[2]

Satan’s first success came in the Garden of Eden, when he deceived Eve into a “friendly conversation” about forbidden fruit (Gen. 3). Then we see Lot slowly pulled into the lifestyle of Sodom, until eventually he rubbed shoulders with the wicked (Gen. 13:10; 2 Pet. 2:7-8). Samson’s downfall began when he toyed with sin and played games with the seductress Delilah (Jud. 16). Don’t forget about Judas who worked out a bribe with the Pharisees in exchange for betraying Christ (Matt. 26:14-16).

The old-time evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “One reason sin flourishes is because we treat it like a kitten instead of a rattlesnake.” Don’t listen to the sweet siren songs of the Enemy. “It’s just one drink. It’s just one peep. It’s just one lunch date. No one is looking. You’re smart enough to not get caught. Relax—it’s no big deal.” The first mistake we make when it comes to temptation is to think we can be friendly with the Enemy. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).”  -DM

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[1] Bill O’ Riley and Martin Dugard, Killing Lincoln (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2011), 192. 

[2] Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), 408.