To get rich, first build roads. Those near the sea do not need to build roads; they know how to do business. If you master transportation, you are bound to become wealthy. However, when people focus entirely on money, God will move to tear down. Tyre and Tarshish are typical trading ports where people begin to rely on money. Money can indeed solve some problems, so people unknowingly begin to place all their hopes and thoughts on business and making money, thinking that money is a treasure, but it is not. This system of logic seems reasonable, but people unknowingly follow the path of relying on money. God continuously tears down what people want to rely on. People are honorable. Whatever people rely on, God will tear down; but those who serve the Lord Jehovah will never lack.

Those Who Rely on Money Seldom Stay Rich Beyond Three Generations

It shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, Tyre will sing like a harlot (Isaiah 23:15).

Why does wealth seldom last beyond three generations? Because after becoming wealthy, people rely on money, and God will destroy that wealth. So if you want to leave something for your children and grandchildren, leave them the commandments of Jehovah. If you say that the best blessing you can give your children and grandchildren is to give them money, the result will surely be sin. Observe the second and third generations of the wealthy; if they do not pass down the commandments of Jehovah, the results are very tragic. Even Abraham was no exception. Abraham had a son Isaac, and Isaac had Jacob and Esau. Esau, the third generation, did not inherit the commandments, statutes, and ordinances. What he inherited was living by the sword, which is living a small life. I just want to make some money to live a good life. Sometimes, you can learn a lesson from the fact that wealth seldom lasts beyond three generations.

The ancient Chinese official Lin Zexu was very remarkable, and I admire him greatly. He was not a Christian, but he said something very good. He did not know to pass on the commandments, statutes, and ordinances of the Lord Jehovah to his sons, but he knew that money could not be relied upon. He said, What is the use of giving money to my sons if they are not like me? If he starts from scratch and becomes a Lin Zexu, he will not lack money. But if my son is not like me, a fool, giving him money may cost him his life. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must know that money is not a guarantee and cannot be relied upon.

Everything is Determined by Jehovah

He has stretched out His hand over the sea; He has shaken the kingdoms; the Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds (Isaiah 23:11).

The ocean seems to give you security, but if a country that relies on the sea becomes wealthy and you rely on your wealth, you are finished. We Chinese say, Those near the sea live off the sea; those near the mountains live off the mountains. I tell you, those who rely on Jehovah lack no good thing. There was once a brother who was very sad; he was a typical example of relying on business, hoping to make more money to support his family, but he ended up deeply in debt. Now the voices of those chasing after him for debt are endless, very tragic! But he still cannot learn to rely on Jehovah his God. He says, I do rely, but let him rely slowly! This is a sad thing.

When the report reaches Egypt, they will be in severe pain at the report of Tyre (Isaiah 23:5).

This speaks of those who are engaged in business. When the people of the world see this, they are in severe pain. Then what do they say? Tyre, who bestowed crowns, commerce was originally meant to give you a crown and make you glorious. Her merchants are princes, her traders are the honored of the earth! Who determined this law? It was the Lord Jehovah, to disgrace all proud glory, to despise all the honored of the earth (see Isaiah 23:8-9).

He said, You shall no more rejoice, O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, cross over to Cyprus; even there you will have no rest (Isaiah 23:12).

If you rely on business to become wealthy and then build your security on money, do you think you can find rest with money? You cannot!

After seventy years, the Lord will visit Tyre. She will return to her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. For her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who live before the Lord (Isaiah 23:17-18).

God Causes People to Encounter Judgment

When people rely on money, after a period of desolation and suffering, their hearts will turn to God. So after seventy years, that generation will think, Our ancestors relied on money and suffered judgment as a result. Should we choose to rely on God today? That is to say, if God raises you up again and you trade with all the nations on earth, your merchandise and wages will be holy to the Lord. Your people will be holy to the Lord, so your things will also be holy to the Lord, and you will not store up or hoard. This is not saying that you do not save or manage your money, but that you no longer place your hopes and security on money.

Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. For her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who live before the Lord (Isaiah 23:18).

When people turn back to God, what they gain is given back to them. When they turn back to God, what others gain is also given back to them. Who determines this? The Lord Jehovah. As I spoke last Sunday, if there is a God in this world, Jehovah is the one true God. Who else should we rely on if not Him? If Christians can overcome the spirit of Mammon, they will be victorious; if they can overcome the spirit of politics, that is also a victory. If you overcome the spirit of politics, the spirit of religion, and the spirit of Mammon—if you overcome all three—I tell you what you will gain? You will stand before God on this sea of glass, singing the song of the Lamb and the song of Moses. That is to say, you will enjoy with God the honor and glory that He has prepared for you in eternity.

It is very difficult for a person to overcome the spirit of politics. Do you know why it is so difficult to overcome the spirit of politics? Suppose our church is large, our team is large, and our district pastors have to take care of many sheep who need to be shepherded; our ministry is also large, and your power is also large, and my power as a pastor also becomes large. Do you feel secure? If you do not feel secure inside, you will play politics.

What is politics? It is starting to find balance. But I tell you, never seek balance; it does not work in the church. But consciously or unconsciously, for the sake of safety, people will seek balance, including myself. So when I received Pastor Zhou Shenzhu, he gave me a very good suggestion: Deal with the insecurity within you, have security, because God is your guarantee. You must walk before God all your life; God is your guarantee. Never build on politics.

God is Your Assurance

Reading the Bible, you will find political struggles between the lines. The political struggles within the church are about power. No matter who you are, never get caught up in political games, including myself. But that requires victory, and it is not easy. Why is victory necessary? Because we naturally fall into it, walking into politics without doing anything. If you play the game of balance with worldly tricks, you will be in great danger.

The religious spirit is also very powerful. What is religion? It is based on law and works. Our people naturally fall into being works-based, which is very dangerous. Therefore, a Paul was raised up by God to preach faith-based belief without compromise. Even 0.000001% of works cannot be mixed in. The religious spirit tells you that you are not doing well enough, right? Only when you come to God by faith will He accept you. Because God accepts you based on your faith, not your works. If you rely on your flesh to correct your behavior, the behavior you live out is useless; only behavior lived out by faith is useful.

Even when our behavior has not improved, God knows, and He will favor you because of your faith. Then the Holy Spirit will work in you. Sculpting yourself through your own flesh does not count; only the Holy Spirit working and sculpting in you counts, which means we rely solely on the Lord God throughout our lives. Relying on the Holy Spirit is relying on God. Do not rely on your own flesh, your flesh is unreliable. If we can overcome the religious spirit, you have overcome two-thirds.

If you overcome the spirit of Mammon, which is the spirit of the merchant, you will be completely victorious, and you can sing the song of the Lamb and the song of Moses. Isaiah chapter 23 is talking about the spirit of Mammon. Do not build your faith on Mammon; if you build on Mammon, you will experience 70 years of desolation, which is very miserable. Do not rely on money, rely solely on God. This is God's Mingding Destiny for us. So whether you are a prince of merchants or doing worldly business, you must rely on the Lord God. Whether you are a pastor or some other teacher, relying on money is useless; only relying on God is the solution.

I once shared my own feelings, telling myself: I will be a priest of the Lord God, never being proud of owning money. In fact, our Chinese scholar-officials are very impressive, not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses, worry about the world before others, and enjoy happiness after others. I think it is well said. When an ancient Chinese scholar-official does not know God, he has a mission to revive the Chinese nation in his heart. How much more should we, as Christians, take on the mission of this era. And not be pleased by external gains, which means do not think that having these external things will provide security. If you think money is your assurance, I will tell you one thing, you will definitely get Alzheimer's disease when you are seventy or eighty years old.

I dare to make such a prophecy, why? Because I have found that the elderly who love money will get Alzheimer's disease. Someone told me that his grandfather had Alzheimer's disease, and during the Lunar New Year, he would sit there and ask for red envelopes. You say he has Alzheimer's disease, what does he want money for? It is very interesting, he is fine if you give him money, but if you take the money back he will definitely get sick. This is someone who relies on money! Later, I found that those who rely on money are also prone to mental illness. What is depression? Depression is worrying all the time, worrying about money, do you see? So you must understand the origin of these things. Loving money and loving Mammon will attract evil spirits. Another person told me that his father had Alzheimer's disease, and when the whole family went for a walk, they could not pass by a bank. As soon as they passed by a bank, his father would get sick. Hey! I said this is very interesting! This Alzheimer's patient is no longer senile when passing by a bank! Why? Because the bank manages money.

Summary

Brothers and sisters must be very careful. If you are someone who manages money, do not love money, because loving money will bring very serious problems. Are we not talking about anti-corruption, opposing those corrupt officials who love money? If they do not love money and are not greedy, can they become corrupt officials? They cannot become corrupt officials! How can they sit in prison, right? If you are not greedy, what can you do to me!

You must begin to understand one thing, if a person does not love money, how can he seek credit? Right? If you love money, you will swallow the bait unknowingly. The hook is hooked inside you, and you, the fish, are caught, caught by whom? Caught by the devil, and will eventually be judged directly by the devil. So those who love money must be especially careful.

When you trust in God, money will run into your pocket, do you believe it? I know you need to practice it. Serve God well, serve the Lord well, and God will surely honor you, and God will surely give you assets, and when these assets enter your pocket, they will not add trouble. Amen!