Wealthy Celebrations

Today is the Hindu festival of Dhanteras, a day to welcome wealth and riches.
The festival of Dhanteras ushers in the Festival of Lights – India’s most celebrated occasion, Diwali.

This year it is celebrated on November 7th, 2007, two days prior to Diwali. As it is the very first day of the 5 day-long festivities, it lends special significance to it.
It is an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar, marked to bring eternal good fortune. It is celebrated in honour of Dhanavantri, the physician of the gods and an incarnation of god Vishnu.
On this auspicious day, Hindus follow the tradition of purchasing precious metals: gold, platinum or silver, in the form of jewellery, gold and silver coins or kitchen appliances and utensils, and electronic goods , ornaments and clothes even cars for good luck. People also buy gifts and sweets to gift each other.

The shops are all beautifully decorated and we get invitations cards from jewellery shops etc.The various brands are offering attractive discounts and free gifts . There is a discount on digital cameras and I am day dreaming about a cheapo one.

And reflecting upon this I looked into my Bible and other books for what God says about wealth and money

Proverbs 3;9 "Honor the Lord with your riches" God is concerned about our money and riches because they are vital to our lives.Dr Woodrow Kroll lays down several principles for stewardship for our God-given resources

1. Wealth is a product of work

Proverbs "He who gathers by labour will increase

2.Money is God 's gift to us for ministry

"He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he gives his bread to the poor"Proverbs 22;9

3.Money is God 's gift to us to honor Him

Proverbs 3;9,10 "Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruit of all your increase

4,Money is not God 's solution for every problem

Proverbs 11;4"Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,but righteousness delivers from death"

5.Eternity is ultimately important

Jesus said in Matt 6;20 "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in steal"

Proverbs 10;22"The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it"

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Had a good today. Speaking the Word out loud is wonderful.

At 8pm I will watch the series on the Ganges on the Discovery channel and then at 9 there 's Tom Cruise 's Mission Impossible Part 3 on HBO