He Who Dies with Most Toys Wins - NOT!!!

HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS -- NOT!!!

Have you heard this worldly comment, “He who dies with the most toys wins”? It is not surprising that people think like that when you see how the world is so enthralled with getting the next big thing.

People seem to never be satisfied, and they accumulate more and more possessions. In America, we have so many possessions that it is rare to find a two-car garage that you can park one car in, much less two. Do you know what is one of the fastest growing industries? It is storage buildings. Look on almost any 2 block area, and there is a storage building. And if you drive another half a mile, there is a new one being built like that large one on the corner of the freeway east of Sutherlands.

So we fill our closets, then our garages, then our outside storage building. Then when the attic is overcrowded, we rent a storage building. I wonder how many really important things are in those buildings? There is a television show where people buy those containers with unpaid rent. Highest bidder gets everything inside for sometimes a few dollars. Some bid over a thousand.

So I ask you this. Is the person that dies with the most toys really a winner? I kind of think he is still dead. And boy if you die without knowing Christ your situation just got a whole lot worse. Radio preacher Chuck Swindoll recently said, “I have never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer behind it when they take the body to the graveyard.” When you die, whatever toys, money, or possessions you have go to someone else.

There was a fellow in the bible who had a lot of stuff. He had so much that his barns could not even hold all his harvest.

Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

So based on this parable, I think we know that having a lot of possessions does not make you a winner. You just have a lot of stuff. And the more you own, the more maintenance it takes to maintain it all. Few people with many possessions are free to live the abundant life God wants to provide for us. Your mind is cluttered with maintaining the stuff or fear that someone will take it away.

In our study of Proverbs, it speaks continually on our need to gain WISDOM and with it, UNDERSTANDING. The verse we read last week in class sums up the beginning of wisdom.

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Pro 9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

So what is the first step in having an abundant life? It begins with knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Mat 16:26 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?

Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Seeing your need for a Savior and having a true picture of the all-righteous God and fearing him in reverence is the right start. Forsaking your old life and turning to Christ in repentance and faith will give you freedom and the promise of Heaven when you die. Not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus Christ did when he died for men’s sins on Calvary.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

So if you want true happiness and joy, and want to win when you die, the first step is to be saved. And when you get salvation, you have a promise that God will meet your EVERY NEED. And God can not and does not lie.

Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

After you get salvation and your needs are met, then you need to get the right mindset to think on the right things and look to God each and every day.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

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