Good News 6-16-25 | Daily Devotions

Everything Money Can’t Buy

June 16, 2025

Words from Jesus

Audio length: 11:56

Don’t store up treasures here on earth… Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.—Matthew 6:19–21

There are some things that seem so important on the surface, and money is one of those things. And in reality, money is the currency of the world that enables people to purchase their basic needs. Most people wish they had more of it—whether for good reasons, to assist their families and to support those in need, or for self-seeking purposes of accumulating material wealth and seeking fulfillment in it.

The desire for wealth and money are common temptations, and it can be enticing to feel that you could do so much with it and serve Me and others better if you had more of it. When I was in the wilderness for forty days, one of Satan’s temptations was to offer Me all the kingdoms of the world and their wealth (Luke 4:5–8). But My kingdom is much greater than any earthly kingdom!

In order to fulfill his calling, Moses forsook being the prince of Egypt and he chose the true riches of heaven over the fleeting wealth of all the treasures of Egypt. He chose to be mistreated with his people rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:23–26).

So many people in the world who seem to have material wealth and stability are empty on the inside, in desperate need of answers to the deepest questions of life. As their lives draw to a close, they are faced with the fact that all their wealth and earthly achievements will be left behind.

You have discovered eternal riches that will last forever—My love and truth. Continue to be faithful to freely share with others the true riches that you freely received (Matthew 10:8).

The true riches

Do not love the world or anything in the world. … The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.—1 John 2:15–17

If you find yourself struggling to make ends meet or are concerned about whether you will have enough money or material goods, remind yourself that you possess wealth beyond anything the world can offer. Many people who are rich in the goods of the world are some of the most impoverished people spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

You may not have everything that you want, but I have promised to supply everything you need (Philippians 4:19). You have a storehouse of wealth at your disposal and are laying up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20). The world and all its earthly goods and desires will pass away, but you will live on forever in My kingdom. I am preparing a place for you which moth, decay, thieves and economic downturns cannot destroy, where your faithfulness to Me will be greatly rewarded (John 14:3).

One day you will dwell in a place of beauty and comfort to which nothing on earth can compare. The world’s riches are temporal, here today and gone tomorrow, but My riches are eternal.

Lay down your burdens

Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.—Matthew 11:28–30

I know that it takes a bit of effort to lay down your many responsibilities and the concerns on your mind to spend time with Me—to seek Me and to learn from Me. But it is a game-changer when you do, and it will give you strength, inspiration, and peace for your day and the challenges before you.

If your day seems dreary or things just aren’t going well despite your best efforts, take a pause to cast all your burdens on Me (Psalm 55:22). Remember that My burden is light. You don’t have to carry the weight yourself.

Start your day in My presence, in communion and taking the time to read My Word and receive My guidance. My Word is perfect and radiant and more precious than gold that perishes, and it will refresh your soul and make your heart joyful (Psalm 19:7–10). So come to Me and find rest for your soul and faith for the journey.

A good worker

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.—2 Timothy 2:15

Picture in your mind an aid worker who is preparing to carry food to people in a remote village who are facing dire need—a village so isolated that it can only be reached by foot. It will be a very difficult journey, and the aid worker will only be able to take with him what he’s able to carry on his back.

To ensure that he is able to endure the journey and go the distance, the worker needs to ensure that he is healthy and well-nourished himself. When he arrives, he needs to have the strength to pass out the desperately needed supplies to the people he has come to serve.

Likewise, if you are going to share My life-giving words with others, it is important that you continue to faithfully read and learn from My Word, so that you will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). Each one of you has a role to play in sharing and teaching My Word and helping others to grow in their faith—and it starts with your personal times of study and growth.

Becoming one

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.—1 Corinthians 9:22–23

I want to use you to reach people in the world around you who are in such great need of My love and truth. Many people struggle just to get through the day and to understand the purpose and meaning of their life. When you give of yourself, your time and your resources to reach them, I will more than repay you (Luke 10:35).

As you make an effort to walk in other people’s shoes, to understand their situation and experiences, My love will empower you to speak their language and reach their heart. I know that some people can be difficult to approach and to share a witness with. Some people may have a tough exterior and appear unlikely to be receptive to the message. It can take courage to walk up to them and offer them a tract or start a conversation about faith.

Whenever you feel hesitant or intimidated, remember that you have something that they don’t have—and that they desperately need. When you approach people with conviction and sincerity, motivated by a concern for them and their eternal destiny, My Spirit speaks to their heart, whether they receive it at the time or further down the road.

You may be that person’s only opportunity to hear the gospel before their life ends. Your willingness to reach out to them and walk alongside them to share My love with them will help to save those who choose to receive Me into their lives.

How the story ends

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.—Matthew 6:34, 33

When you look back on the story of your life, you realize that much of it was a mystery to you and you didn’t know how your future would unfold. I know that you have questions about the future. You see the instability of the world around you and it raises questions about your financial stability and what conditions will be like as everything changes around you at a pace never seen before.

I know that the uncertainties of the future can be concerning, but remember that I am the author and the finisher of your story. I know what’s ahead in every chapter of your life. So stay close to Me; commit your tomorrows into My hands and rest in My peace.

Take one day at a time and remember that no matter what happens, there will be a happy ending. Everything will work together in the end and all the pieces of your life will fit together to form My masterpiece and fulfill the purposes I planned for you long ago (Ephesians 2:10). So take heart when you face challenges and rejoice in the end of the story and the place I have prepared for all those who love Me.

Originally published in 1999. Adapted and republished June 2025. Read by Jon Marc. Music by John Listen.

Core 8-04: Knowing Who’s Who

2014-02-01

We can tell the difference between God’s good spiritual forces and the Devil’s evil spirits by “test[ing] the spirits, whether they are of God.” [4]

God’s power is creative and loving, while the Devil’s power is destructive and hateful. God’s Spirit ministers love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—all good things. The Devil and his evil spirits minister fear, hatred, bitterness, strife, misery, confusion, and torment—all bad things. [5]

Footnotes

[4] 1 John 4:1

[5] Galatians 5:22-23

Core 8-05: Heavenly Forces

2014-02-01

There is, of course, the good side to the spirit world—the side that fights the Devil and those who follow him. This side not only includes God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, but also other spirits as well. You can find reference to these spirits in the Bible.

These include the seven spirits of God spoken of in Revelation 4:5, the seven stars or angels or spirits of the seven churches of Revelation 1:20, the four spirits of the heavens of Zechariah 6:5, and the multitudes of other celestial messengers, angels, or spirits that are mentioned in the Bible.

The apostle Paul calls this heavenly host a “great cloud of witnesses” that surrounds us. [6] Just like a cloud is composed of millions of tiny particles of moisture, this spiritual cloud is composed of millions of good spirits.

In the book of 2 Kings we learn about how God opened someone’s eyes to see into the spiritual realm and he got a glimpse of some of those many witnesses:

2 Kings 6:15-17 (NIV) When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

They are not only watching us, they are watching over us, protecting us, and trying to influence us for good. All throughout the Bible there are many promises of spiritual protection, such as, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them,” [7] and, “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” [8]

These heavenly beings are also there to help us to fight the battle of good and evil mentally and spiritually, and to help us to choose what is right over what is wrong.

Footnotes

[6] Hebrews 12:1

[7] Psalm 34:7

[8] Psalm 91:11

Core 8-06: Strategy Against Satan’s Tactics

2014-02-01

The Bible tells us to “fight the good fight of faith” [9] and warns us not to be ignorant of the Devil’s tactics. The Devil has no direct power over us physically, but he can try to influence our thoughts, attitudes, and decisions. We don’t need to fear him, but we do need to be on guard against him.

The Devil knows that if he’s too obvious with his attacks, then we would readily recognize his lies and know how to defeat him. So he often uses more subtle tactics, like twisting the truth to cause us to choose to do something wrong, or magnifying our lazy nature to keep us from choosing to make a positive decision.

Say you became sick or were involved in an accident. You feel that if you would have done something differently, this wouldn’t have happened. As a Christian, you know that God can use this situation to either teach you something good or bring you closer to Him. Once you have asked Him and have done your part to get His thoughts on the matter, then that’s that—you get better and move on. But the Devil is more than happy to play on your feelings of remorse. He will try to make sure that you don’t let go of that bad feeling, and he does his best to make sure that you will continue to beat yourself up about what you did wrong for as long as possible.

The goodness that Jesus gives us makes us feel forgiven, humbled, and thankful, so if you are instead carrying feelings of remorse, condemnation, and regret, you need to realize that this is Satan at work.

It’s important to recognize the thoughts and lies of Satan, because once you do, you can then access the power and promises of Jesus that He gives you through the words that are written in the Bible. The Devil cannot withstand the power of Jesus. His own power is weakened and he is then easily defeated.

Fight Like a Warrior
A message from Jesus
The true warrior is always looking for a way to gain territory no matter how severe the attacks of the Enemy may be. Unlike earthly warfare, where you often retreat when casualties are high, or you concede defeat because you’re badly beaten, when it comes to spiritual warfare you never need to concede defeat, because you can always rely on Me to come through for you, and make every situation and every battle a victory situation if you never give up.

The way of man is usually to pull back in certain areas in order to reinforce other areas where major attacks have been launched, but that’s a very defensive approach. Often the best way to fight back is to not only stand your ground, but to launch an attack in several directions, so that the Enemy is the one who is then put on the defensive and sent running.

No matter how badly the Enemy attacks you, you have the power and the weapons to keep hammering away at him. You have the heavenly resources to keep blasting his forces to bits. And you have the gift of faith to hold tightly to, so that no matter how dismal the outlook may be, your faith in Me will sustain your spirit with the promise that I will be the victor, so long as you are willing to keep fighting and seeing the battle through.

Don’t give the Enemy the pleasure of seeing you pull back because of his scare tactics. Keep launching your attack. Keep sending volleys into Satan’s camp, no matter how hard he’s besieging you. The courageous man is the one who keeps fighting and moving forward even when he’s hardest hit, even when there are foes all around and the battles are intense. There is always hope of victory if you keep fighting.

Footnotes

[9] 1 Timothy 6:12

Core 8-07: The Armor of God

2014-02-01

In order to resist and fight Satan, Jesus has given us spiritual armor and spiritual weapons to use, which gives us strength to withstand his attacks. We must remember that the war of good and evil is not a carnal one but a spiritual one—one that can only be won through mind and spirit. And also one that is won through faith and belief in God’s Word.

Breakdown of God’s Armor
What do we need for protection?

We are fighting the devil—Satan. We are not fighting people, but the powers of darkness in this world, which is Satan and his helpers. The protection we need is the armor of God.

What is the armor of God, and how can we clothe ourselves in it? Let’s look at each piece.

Belt of truth—Standing firm in truth. Living our lives by the truth of God’s word.

Breastplate of Righteousness—Walking uprightly before God. Aligning our lives to His standards.

Shod feet—Standing with firm-footed stability, being ready.

Shield of Faith—Standing firm in our faith. This will squash all the fiery darts Satan sends.

Helmet of Salvation—Protection for our minds. Satan attacks us here more than anywhere. We need to be sure of our Salvation and not waver or doubt.

All of these pieces are for protecting us—and need to be put on daily.

There is still one other piece we need to be armed with. This piece is not for protecting us, but for fighting with.

The Sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.

We cannot fight the enemy if we don’t know the word of God. It is vital for how effective we are when we use the sword, and how effective the rest of the armor is that protects us. No soldier goes to war with faulty weapons, or with faulty protection. Neither should we. The key here is to learn God’s word. Hide it in your heart. Then you can put on God’s armor and be able to stand firm.

S. Lowndes

As it said in the last paragraph, “We cannot fight the enemy if we don’t know the word of God.” This is a key point to remember, because it’s the secret to defeating and overcoming the power of Satan.