Entering the Season of the Climax of our Culture's Idol of Materialism

[Grant]

Good Morning,

I hope you are blessed in the Lord by the below section from Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, p6. 34-35. The quote is a little longer, but paints a full picture that will serve to comfort a Christian Soul from the onslaughts of the world, the flesh, and the devil regarding materialism.

'In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble' (Proverbs 15:6): here is a Scripture to show that a gracious heart has cause to say that it is in a good condition, whatever it is. In the house of the righteous is much treasure; his house-what house? It may be a poor cottage, and perhaps he has scarcely a stool to sit on. Perhaps he is forced to sit on a stump of wood or part of a block instead of a stool, or perhaps he has scarcely a bed to lie on, or a dish to eat in. Yet the Holy Ghost says, 'In the house of the righteous is much treasure.' Let the righteous man be the poorest man in the world-it may be that someone has come and taken all the goods from out of his house for debt. Perhaps his house is plundered and all is gone; yet still, 'In the house of the righteous is much treasure.' The righteous man can never be made so poor, to have his house so rifled and spoiled, but there will remain much treasure within. If he has but a dish or a spoon or anything in the world in his house, there will be much treasure so long as he is there. There is the presence of God and the blessing of God upon him, and therein is much treasure. But in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble. There is more treasure in the poorest body's house, if he is godly, than in the house of the greatest man in the world, who has his fine hangings and finely wrought beds and chairs and couches and cupboards of plate and the like. Whatever he has, he has not so much treasure in it as there is in the house of the poorest righteous soul.

It is no marvel, therefore, that Paul was content, for a verse or two after my text you read: 'But I have all and abound. I am full' (Philippians 4:18). I have all? Alas, poor man! what did Paul have that could make him say he had all? Where was there ever a man more afflicted than Paul was? Many times he had not tatters to hang about his body to cover his nakedness. He had no bread to eat, he was often in nakedness, and put in the stocks and whipped and cruelly used, 'Yet I have all', says Paul, for all that. Yes, you will find it in 2 Corinthians: He professes there that he did possess all things: 'As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things' (2 Corinthians 6:10). Mark what he says-it is, 'as having nothing' but it is 'possessing all things'. He does not say: 'As possessing all things', but 'possessing all things'. I have very little in the world, he says, but yet possessing all things. So you see that a Christian has cause to take pleasure in God's hand, whatever his hand may be.

P.S. If you can afford to to buy the book, it's worth it and you need to support the publishing if you have the means. However if funds are low, the work is available in e-Book format here: https://www.monergism.com/rare-jewel-christian-contentment-ebook

 

[Susan777]

I have this volume. Thanks for posting (I had forgotten about the book). It is the writings of men like these that will help me get through the darkness ahead.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

People really do go insane for Black Friday. I have seen people getting into fistfights in shops over TVs and other things. It is sad that we are willing to trample over others just to get the latest toy for ourselves at a knock-down price.

 

[chuckd]

People really do go insane for Black Friday. I have seen people getting into fistfights in shops over TVs and other things. It is sad that we are willing to trample over others just to get the latest toy for ourselves at a knock-down price.

I think it's the price and addiction to getting a good deal. The amount of time they stand in line for a $50 discount equates to well below the minimum wage. Though I bet if you offer them $3/hr to stand in a circle, they'd turn you down.