Put God at the centre of your future

A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday Evening, February 5^th 2025, by
Evangelist PAUL ACQUAH,
Live on MZ Radio London, London UK.

We plan. We strategise. We dream of what tomorrow will hold. But what if the foundation upon which we build our future is shifting sand? What if the key to a truly fulfilling life isn’t found in our own strength, but in surrendering to the will of God? Today, we are reminded of a timeless truth: When God is at the centre of your plans, your future is secure, filled with peace, purpose, and hope beyond measure. The parable of the rich fool, found in Luke 12, illustrates the futility of making future plans without acknowledging God. It serves as a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly possessions and the importance of prioritising what truly matters. So, are you building your future on temporary foundations, or are you anchoring your hopes and dreams in something eternal? In today’s message titled “Put God at the centre of your future,” Evangelist Paul Acquah explores what it truly means to build a future with God at its heart. Be blessed as you listen!

Thinking life is all about yourself? Think again. We can try to live for ourselves, but we don’t even know what tomorrow is going to bring.  We’re so single-minded, we have one perspective. Do you remember the story in Luke chapter 12 where it talks about the guy who reaped his harvest. He was a wealthy man; he had a great harvest and so he said what am I going to do?  I’m going to tear down my barns, build new ones, live off the fat of the land. What did God say to him?  He said you’re a fool.  Why was he a fool?  Because he was looking at life by his own perspective.  So, he was judging by the circumstances that were around him in that moment, what he was going to do for the future not based upon his relationship with God.  He said you fool, don’t you know that tonight your soul will be required.   That means we have no idea about how things can go but when we trust in the Lord and discover his plan for our lives, that’s when we find true satisfaction.

We buy new things for ourselves and our children before we invest in the kingdom of God. Is having a nice new car and other nice stuff wrong?  No, but it all depends on your priorities.  What comes first? “¹⁰ Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10 ESV).  Most of us put God to the test alright, but not in this one way we are told to.Why? The answer is simple, and we all know it. Because we don’t trust Him with our money. Some of us trust Him with our immortal souls but not our money.Why? Again, the answer is simple and obvious. We treasure our money and comfort in this life more than our souls.Are you submitted to God? Are you ready to conform your life to the Word of God?If so, let’s read the passage about the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³ Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of ^[c]covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” ¹⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ ²¹ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Jesus was teaching deep and great things and someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus didn’t seem to welcome the question. ¹⁴ But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Jesus was not one to waste a teaching opportunity. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”What is covetousness? Greediness. Don’t be greedy! Let’s look at the last part of verse 15: “For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  What is your life about? Is it about your stuff, your family, your business, your ego? Or is your life about your identity in Christ and about the mission that He gave you? If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, your life is NOT about your stuff.

The world says, “Whoever dies with the most wealth, wins.” The world is dead wrong! You can’t take the wealth with you.   What can you take with you? The souls of men and women you win to the Lord. You can store up treasure in heaven. How? Rewards come through obedience. Invest your money in the kingdom – you can’t take your money with you, but you can send it ahead. Put God at the centre of your future. Let’s get into the parable. ¹⁶ And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully.  Who made that man’s land produce plentifully? God. Who gave you the things you treasure? Who gave you the job you have? God. Who gave you the mind and body you use to make money? God. Who gave you strength to acquire wealth? God.  You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (NIV)

God provided for this rich man. He provided generously and plentifully for him. We have to realise the reason we have what we have is that God provided us the ability to make money.  Don’t get all proud and forget the source of your blessings. God resists the proud. “²¹ On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. ²² And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” ²³ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:21–23 ESV).  It’s great to work hard and save wisely, but remember God is the source of your possessions. Considering that God is the source of your wealth, what will you do with the wealth with which God has entrusted you? Don’t be like the rich fool. 

¹⁷ And he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ What could have been the answer to this guy’s question? He could have given it to God. The church needs money in order to function. The more money it has, the more it can do. Churches need money, ministry involves money, expansion involves money, planting churches involves money. This rich man could have given his money to God, and he would not have squandered it. He could have sent his treasure ahead of him.What else could this man have done with the wealth God entrusted to him?He could have given it to the needy. There are people all around you with genuine needs. Also, there are people in other countries who truly are in poverty to the point they don’t have food and clean water. You can give to good charities that will use your money wisely to alleviate suffering. But this man forgot about God and his fellow man and only thought of himself. 

¹⁸ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry”. Here is the problem:  We are all at least a little bit like this man. We have what we need, but what about tomorrow. I better save any and all surplus in case I need it later.There is nothing wrong with saving, but there is a lot wrong with saving what you should be giving to God. There is a lot wrong with using for yourself and your family what you should be giving to God.  If you are awake and paying attention this may seem weird because what I’m saying differs substantially from those of mainstream society. It’s true though.

People come up with surprising ways to rob God and feel justified. “I don’t like everything about how the church uses my money, so I’ll withhold my tithe.” “I have too many expenses right now and I can’t possibly give a tenth or more to God.”  “I have a lot of debt, and I should get out of debt and then tithe.” The rich man in the parable forgot about God. He forgot about his fellow man. He forgot about his own future and things of eternal value. ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ If you think this life is all there is then get all you can, relax, eat, drink, and be merry. If you know that God and eternity are real, then live accordingly. Put God at the centre of your future.