Jesus said to His followers that He had no place to rest His head. He said that you can not serve both God and money. He also said to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (food, clothes, shelter) will be added to you.

Like beauty, wealth is in the eye of the beholder. To some, good health = wealth. To others, having loved ones around them = wealth. What really do you need money for? To buy things? Seek first His righteousness and these things will be added to you. Sometimes it is the food it's self, sometimes it is the money to buy the food.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

http://bible.cc/matthew/7-7.htm

I assume that, by wealth, you are referring to money.

True wealth transcends money. True wealth is the knowledge that you can be secure and happy without a lot of money, and in the peace of mind that comes with that knowledge.

After all, you can't take all of the money you've earned with you when you die.

Here is a link which explains this verse in one way..It's from an old site called "Millionaires for Jesus". I could not explain this verse any better than the interpretation there...basically, it explains that "needle" referred to an opening in the defensive walls of a city...read it, and it will help.

Now, Wade tells me that in the Aramaic Bible, the direct translation really is "Rope through the eye of a needle" and that the verse has been mistranslated all over the place.

So what is a rich guy supposed to do? I think the key lies in the phrase, "The Kingdom of Heaven" at the end of that verse from Matthew to which you are (indirectly) referring. The "Kingdom of Heaven", at least from what I have learned in school, is a state of being one with God, and loving God with all your heart. It really is hard to forget all about the care of money- whether you have it, don't have it, or worse, have a lot of bills. I think that this is what Jesus means. We are supposed to love God so much, and Jesus, too, (if you are not Christian, please forgive me) that He is totally in control of your life and mind. You basically live on the Trust in God, and NOT trust in money.

Wade and I know about this struggle personally, as we have a lot of bills, and it is very hard not to obsess about them...in fact, that obsession is what I think Jesus is referring to in the first place. In other words, if your debts or money are more on your mind than God, you are not living in "The Kingdom of Heaven".

I hope all this helps you understand!

Blessings, Jai

response to acquiring wealth,
for some reason my intrepretation of the 'Jesus' is that of selflessness,
the willingingness to serve and help the inflicted
in comitting to a way
renewed in faith