"Rich people can't enter heaven, so I shouldn't want wealth."
How it sounds in your head: Jesus said it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven. That sounds like rich people are doomed. Maybe wanting to be successful means I'm choosing money over God.
"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"
-- Matthew 19:26Religion misinterpreting Matthew 19:24 and ignoring that the disciples asking 'who then can be saved?' shows they misunderstood too.
The camel-and-needle verse is famous and sounds like a clear warning against wealth. If rich people can't be saved, then wanting to be rich must be wrong.
Abraham was 'very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold' (Genesis 13:2), yet God called him 'friend' (James 2:23) and 'father of faith' (Romans 4:16). His wealth didn't disqualify him—it funded God's purposes and blessed nations through his generosity.
I REFUSE the lie that wealth disqualifies me from God's kingdom or His love. IT IS WRITTEN in Matthew 19:26 that with God ALL THINGS are possible, including rich people being saved, blessed, and used mightily. Abraham was insanely wealthy and called God's friend. The BARAK blessing made him rich, and that same blessing is mine through Christ. IT IS WRITTEN in Galatians 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham comes on me through Jesus. Wealth in my hands will advance the kingdom, not hinder it. I trust God, not riches, and He blesses me abundantly.
Your Father isn't afraid of you having money—He's afraid of money having you. He's running toward you with the same blessing He gave Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Job, knowing that wealth in surrendered hands does more good than poverty ever could.