Profit and Loss

Welcome to the Days Appraise podcast, a daily devotional by the Institute for Creation Research. Profit and Loss. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew sixteen twenty six.

In these materialistic days, many people have become abnormally occupied with investments and returns, capital gains and losses, balance sheets and cash flows. This is nothing new, of course. The prevalence of covetousness is so universal in one form or another that God had to place a prohibition on it in the Ten Commandments. The Lord Jesus made a heart-searching comparison one day when he posed a surprising question relative to divine bookkeeping. Not even the riches of all the world could purchase one human soul.

Yet, people often seem willing to sacrifice their souls in pursuit of riches. Is such an exchange really a sound investment? Merely to ask the question is to answer it. Earning wealth is good if it is acquired honorably and by the will of God. but coveting wealth and hoarding wealth are foolish sins.

Here is another of many Divine Prophet and Lost statements There is he that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing There is he that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. Proverbs thirteen seven. The true measure of profit and loss is the balance sheet kept in heaven. One must first glean an account there, however, and this means coming to God empty handed on the basis of Christ's free gift of His own riches. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9. He died for us that we might live through him. Then, once our heavenly account is established, here is real investment counseling. Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew six, nineteen through twenty one.

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