-Riches You Can Take With You

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Early in the 20th century an interesting discovery was made near the ruins of Pompeii, a pagan city buried in 75 feet of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 ad. Workmen digging outside the area of the buried city found the petrified body of a woman with both hands full of jewelry that was perfectly preserved, protected from the ashes by her body. They included bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings. In 2007-2008 this jewelry and other valuable artifacts from the Pompeii ruins will be on display in eight museums in the USA. This woman who perished while trying to save her precious jewelry was like millions of people around the world today who are amassing earthly possessions. Their goal is to gather more and more stuff, while the eternal riches which God offers us in Jesus Christ are neglected.

How will they end up? Some day a far greater catastrophe than the eruption of Mount Vesuvius will overtake the whole world. It’s called the “Day of the Lord,” when the rejected Christ will return to judge the world (2 Pet. 3:10 NIV). On that “day of the Lord’s wrath,” the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah said that “neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to save them” (Zeph. 1:18).

Like that woman of Pompeii, those who gather only earthly riches – while neglecting the “exceeding riches” that can be theirs in Christ (Eph. 2:7) – will perish and lose everything. Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mk. 8:36).

Put your trust today in the One who “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you … might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Your riches in Christ are the only ones you can take with you and enjoy for eternity. We can show you how!

By Larry Ondrejack

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

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