We have to have it, and there is
no doubt that not having enough money is not only a source of great distress to
many, but poverty is known to be a significant source of emotional and physical
health problems as well—poverty is even known to cause death—sometimes on a
massive scale (that is not to say that there are many happy and healthy people
who may also happen to be poor).
That being said, no one can deny that
having more than “just enough” money does indeed make life easier and sometimes
a bit happier for some, while not necessarily so for others.
Most have heard the saying found
in the Bible: “The love of money is the root of all evil.” How do we reconcile
this saying with another in the Word of God which says: “But thou shall
remember YAHWEH ELOHIM for it is HE who gives you power to get wealth…THAT HE
MAY ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT (Deut 8:18)?”
The first, we see, is self
oriented, and the second God oriented. When we are after all we can get for
ourselves, others always suffer—one way or another. But when our focus is on
God, others always benefit, because God is love. We are told that there are
three things we have access to, now, that will transcend time and follow the Christian
into eternity. Those three things are faith, hope, and love, and Bible tells us
that the greatest of these, is love.
How do we apply this truth to
money and provision? To most people money is a highly personal matter. They
take their money very seriously—one way or another. And the Bible has much to
say about money. So it behooves us to understand how we can rightly discern the
Word of God on this very important subject. Thank
God, the Bible, on the subject of money, is really very simple.
Christians live in every
conceivable financial strata. Some are rich (the majority are not wealthy,
though plenty are), and some are poor. And most will fall somewhere in between.
All, at some point in their lives, will know what it feels like to experience
financial need. But we can be comforted by the words of Christ when he said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and
all these other things will be added unto you.”
Does this mean that we devote our
lives to only spiritual pursuits to the exclusion of everything else? Of course
it doesn’t, we know that would be foolish—unless, of course, we are
specifically called of God to do such a thing—and some are. Let’s balance this statement
of Jesus with the passage that says, “Consider the ant you sluggard consider
her ways which having no guide or ruler provides her food in summer and gathers
her food in harvest.” And also with the verse that says, “They that do not work
do not eat.”
There is no denying that we see a
clear parallel in the Bible between work and financial provision. Even the
apostle Paul referred to his work as a tent maker. But what about those who
cannot work? And when we look around us, we also see that there are many hard
working people who struggle financially.
Why is that?
One reason for financial
difficulty, to the hard working Child of God, is debt. Many have
struggled financially for that very reason, in spite of the fact that the Bible
explicitly admonishes the Christian to avoid debt by owing no one anything but
to love them. Another reason for financial struggle to the hard working Child
of God, is that we live in a fallen world. The enemy of our souls is determined
to overthrow our faith--even our lives—If he can. God knows how to add to our income
when it is not enough to make ends meet. And he counsels us through His word to
build our knowledge and faith in the area of His provision—note that I just
said KNOWLEDGE and faith.
The Word of God illustrates for
us examples of how our attitudes towards and treatment of our money and
possessions can affect all parts of our lives—for the good or for the bad—and not
just the financial parts. Our money can serve as a god for us—separating us
from the intimate counsel of the one true God. Or it can serve as a way to
bring us closer to God, as it does when we worship him by his Spirit and by his
Word of Truth when we obey his commands to give—to both God and to the poor and
needy.
Nabal is an example of a man who
allowed his possessions to create a gulf between him and God. David and his
band of armed men had a need to eat. Nabal was so hateful and greedy with his
food (of which he had in an over abundance), that he died of a stroke when he
found out that his wife, Abigail, had gone behind his back in taking food to David
and his army.
Abigail knew she was married to a
fool who would get them all killed if he had his selfish way. You can read
about this in the 25th chapter of 1st Samuel. It is
fascinating.
Psalm 41:1-3 Promises that if we
consider the poor (in providing for their needs, including giving them money),
we can be assured of God’s provision and deliverance in times of trouble and
calamity (all calamity is not money related). When sickness strikes, we have a
promise of healing that is directly related to giving to the poor. Read about it.
Psalm 41:1-3 contains that amazing promise to God’s people.
Speaking of the Nation of Israel,
God said, “I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfy her poor with
bread.” He also said, and I will paraphrase here, “If you love and serve me I
will bless your food your water your children your garden I will take away all
sickness from the midst of you and you will not die before your time.” Read it.
It is found in Exodus 23:25-27.
Serving God includes giving
money.
But that is Old Testament you
say? We agree. The Children of Israel had a fantastic Covenant with their God—who
also just happens to be our God—the God who is the same yesterday today and
forever. And doesn’t it say in the book of Hebrews that although the Old
Covenant was good, the New Covenant is even better,
as it is based on even BETTER promises? That’s Bible!
God said through the prophet
Malachi, that if we are selfish and stingy with our money, and do not allocate
God his portion, that we are robbing God. Haggai wrote that, “You have sown
much and reaped little you eat and you are still hungry you drink and you are
still thirsty you have clothes but they are not warm enough you earn wages and
put it in bags with holes—Thus says the LORD OF HOSTS—Consider your ways!
Strong words.
There are many ways we serve God.
The most important is to know His Son. After that we build on our foundation of
faith in many ways. One of those ways is looking at our money in a new and a
better way.
Every good thing we have comes
from God. Money is a blessing to most. It is a curse for some. God warned that
too much money is a curse to all. How
about that? Consider this, when ancient Israel demanded a King, so they could
be like all the nations surrounding them, God gave them what they asked for,
but He warned their Kings, because he knew they would be in the best position
to accumulate wealth, not to “greatly multiply” that wealth to themselves.
God is not a respecter of
persons. If the Kings Israel were commanded not to do it, then we can rest
assured, that greatly multiplying
financial wealth to ourselves cannot be a good thing for any of us.
Remember, we balance the command
not to greatly-key word, greatly—multiply our personal financial wealth
against many conditional promises that God indeed wants us to prosper and get
wealth. So obviously there is a difference between the prosperity of God—which can include financial wealth—and the love of money (which is the root of all evil) which
would cause some to GREATLY multiply money to themselves.
God never said money was evil or that
having it makes us bad, although it can tempt some who have it to use it in
ungodly and unhealthy pursuits. The Bible promises that God loves us and will
provide all of our needs according to His riches in glory. We are admonished to do
the work God has given us to do, whether it be a secular job, or a ministry
job—or both. God’s word says it is God will for us to be in good health and to
prosper—and to trust God in all things.
The writer of Proverbs said it
well when under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he penned the words, “Give
me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food just right for me lest I be
full and deny thee and say Who is the LORD or lest I be poor and steal and take
the name of my God in vain.
