Wealth doesn't insure that the kingdom of God will come to a community, church or nation. God's kingdom isn't built on the foundation of material possessions. The kingdom of God is built on righteousness. That's why Jesus said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well" (Matt. 6:33). As I travel throughout developing nations, I've found a church that's seeking first God's kingdom. They don't always have nice edifices or beautiful stained glass windows. But they have peace, joy, and love in God's Spirit, which is more valuable than all the material possessions that anyone could ever acquire.

Let me be clear - being wealthy is not necessarily sinful. Money isn't the "root of all evil." It's the love of money that produces all kinds of evil. I've met some poor people who are extremely materialistic. It's not the amount of wealth that one has that makes him materialistic. It's a person's heart attitude towards material possessions that determines whether he is materialistic. Materialism is one of the most subtle temptations that any Christian will ever face.

How do we overcome such subtlety? First, we must keep our focus on Jesus. Seek Christ first. Our attitude towards wealth must be one that says, "I want God more than I desire anything else in my life. I want to know Him and walk in sweet fellowship with Christ." The real test of that attitude is whether we can be content with or without possessions. The Apostle Paul was able to know such contentment because his contentment was in Christ alone. It didn't matter whether he had much or little. He knew contentment that came from the intimate knowledge of God.

Not only must Christ be first in our lives, but our hearts must seek after His kingdom. One of the reasons that God required the tithe of the children of Israel was to remind them Who it was that had provided for them. God gave them everything they possessed. He met every need of theirs. But they were to always keep His kingdom first. They were to first take care of those things that pertained to His kingdom. As long as they did that, God would bless and provide for them.

Often the test of whether we've gotten caught up in the trap of materialism is how we view giving to the kingdom of God. If we simply tip our hats to God and flip him the leftovers of our wealth, then we've probably been snared by a spirit of materialism. But if we have kept our priorities straight, putting Him before our own wants and desires, He will meet every need we have and keep us from any spirit of materialism.

A final safeguard against a materialistic spirit is seeking God's righteousness. What would it take for you to compromise God's commandments? How much money would it take for you to tell a "little white lie?" What Biblical principle would you violate in order to have more things? We will overcome materialism only when we have a rock solid commitment to Christ's righteousness. We must seek Christ first and His kingdom, and we must maintain an unwavering commitment to living in a righteous and Christ like manner. Only then will we know victory over materialism.