Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! Grace and Peace to you this day in the Name of our Lord. “Investing in God”
“Wealth and Glory accompany me— also substantial Honor and a Good Name.” – Proverbs 8:18 (MSG)

We see the advertisements often. Investments! Remember the commercial, “When E.F. speaks…people listen.” Today there are those calling for people to invest in Gold, and recently I saw a commercial for Silver. What’s next…aluminum? The name “Bernie” Madoff has become synonymous with failure…or more specifically the failure of others to invest themselves into something that can be trusted and believed.
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former stock broker, investment advisor, non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of what has been described as the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
In March 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11federal felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars. Madoff said he began the Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s. However, federal investigators believe the fraud began as early as the 1970s, and those charged with recovering the missing money believe the investment operation may never have been legitimate. The amount missing from client accounts, including fabricated gains, was almost $65 billion. The court-appointed trustee estimated actual losses to investors of $18 billion. On June 29, 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum allowed.
The list of those who lost money investing with Madoff could read like a “Who’s Who” of among the elite and from a broad spectrum of those in business, entertainment and sports. Here are just a few who fell victim to Madoff’s greed. Producer, director, Steven Spielberg. Fred Wilpon, owner of the New York Mets. Mortimer Zuckerman, owner of the U.S. News & World Report. Leonard Feinstein, co-founder of Bed, Bath & Beyond. Norman Braman, former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles. Actress, Zsa Zsa Gabor; Former MLB Pitching great, Sandy Koufax; fomer Miss America and sports reporter, Phyllis George; Talk-Show host, Larry King; actors John Malkovich and Kevin Bacon. One individual investor lost 14 Million and one company, the Auriga International Advisors Ltd. from the British Virgin Isles lost nearly 350 million.
Churches, synagogues, colleges, banks, hospitals, real estate firms…no one was exempt from making poor judgments and losing millions upon millions of dollars.
Is it wrong to invest our money? No. There is nothing from what I see scripturally that says investing goes against the Will and desire of God. Jesus uses an illustration that refers to making an investment. (Matthew 25:14-30) Here’s the point—those who seek wealth and satisfaction, “glory and honor” outside of God’s prescribed methods will more often than not receive anything except heartache and loss. It has played out time and time again, decade after decade and even throughout the centuries. Jesus gave us the New Testament version of Solomon’s appeal in His “Sermon on the Mount” when He said:
,br /> "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” – Matthew 6:19-21 (MSG)
,br /> Become “Madoff-Proof” not just with your finances—but also with your heart. Do not invest your most precious resources, your time and your soul into things that have no lasting value. Invest in God, His Son, and His Church—that which you can trust to provide with everlasting rewards!
Pastor J. T. Carnell