Revelation 2:9
“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)…”

Meditation;

“Poor but Rich” was the testimony of Jesus Christ about the church in Smyrna. This church is described as the persecuted church. They went through a lot of persecutions and tribulations and could not make material riches for themselves. Some of the members were to be thrown into prison. Jesus encouraged them to remain faithful even unto death. And they will receive a crown of life.

Though they were materially poor and going through these challenges, Jesus who has the proper expertise to evaluate their lives said, they were rich. Hallelujah! Which riches was Jesus referring to? Rich in their relationship with God. Rich in their spiritual contain which is in fact the true riches of a man. You can look physically and materially poor, but very rich spiritually.

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On the other hand, there is a second church that Jesus addressed them as “Rich but Poor”, that is the Laodicean church (Rev 3:17). This church is again called the lukewarm church. Members of this church had great material riches and living a life of ease and leisures; but unfortunately, they fell into the temptation of many people who have material riches. They said to themselves, “we are rich, we have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”. That is the trap for many people with financial and material riches without the fear of God.

That is the trap of those who focus on making money without working their spirituality. They neglect Bible reading, prayer, fasting, church service and fellowship. They may reach a stage where they think, “I have everything, and I need nothing else”. that is a foolish self-sufficiency.
Beloved, the sufficiency of men is not in themselves neither in material riches, but it is in God. We will always need God in our lives and in every of our steps.

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From the words of Jesus to that second church, we understand that materials riches without a rich relationship with God only makes one wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Which of the two groups are you: “Rich but Poor” or “Poor but Rich”?

Pursue God and you will not miss money.
Pursue money and you will miss God.