When the Beverly Hillbillies struck oil and moved to a mansion in Beverly Hills they had $25 million, which grew to $95 million, in the bank and could have had anything they wanted.  With all this wealth they continued to live as they did back in the hills.  Granny made lye soap, they took baths in a No. 2 wash tub, Jethro cut wood and Granny tried to build a fire in the electric stove.  They had a freezer full of steaks but wouldn't eat them because they were frozen solid.  They wouldn't go upstairs in their mansion because they thought it might belong to someone else.  They thought their swimming pool was a cement pond.  They did not know how to enjoy the electric lights, running water, and all the other conveniences available in their mansion.  They had what most people dream about, yet they lived like they were still poverty stricken.  They eventually learned to use some of their wealth but never to the fullest. 

 

    Many Christians are a lot like the Beverly Hillbillies and continue to live in spiritual poverty after they become Christians.  The moment we accepted Christ as our Savior we became spiritually wealthy and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  We will spend eternity in Heaven when this life is over.  Our Heavenly Father owns the entire universe and His power is unlimited.  When we accepted His Son, Jesus, as our Savior, the Holy Spirit came to live within us.  He will help us anytime we call upon Him.  We can pray at any time and at any place, and about anything we want to pray about.  All the power of the universe is just a prayer away, yet many Christians still live in spiritual poverty much like the Beverly Hillbillies.  We get depressed and feel sorry for ourselves.  We often feel inferior to those with more material possessions than we have. 

 

    The truth is, a Christian without a dime to his or her name, is wealthier than the richest man in the world if that man does not know Jesus as his Savior.  The God that created the universe and everything in it and healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, gave hearing to the deaf, and raised Lazarus from the dead, and sent His Son to die for the sins for mankind is available to every Christian who prays in the name of Jesus.  God loves us even when we are unlovable.  He wants us to be happy.  He wants us to live in spiritual wealth and not spiritual poverty.  As Christians we should thank God many times every day for allowing us to be a child of the King and a joint heir with Jesus. 

 

 

Billy Heatherington

Written March 19, 1985