God And Money

Money is an essential part of life. We need it to buy food and clothing. It pays for our cars and fuel to get us to work and back so that we can earn the money to get those things we want in life. But the love of money ( 1 Tim. 6:10) can also get us into problems that not even money can get us out of.  When we focus on money rather than the provider of money. We begin to fall into the trap of idolatry.  (Col. 3:5)

Jesus, The Son of God, says to us, “You cannot serve God and money. You will either love one or hate the other or hate one and love the other.”  (Mt. 6:24) We can trust Jesus’ words for they exhibit to us the knowledge of God’s love for us. It was he who said do not be anxious for tomorrow for our Father in Heaven will take care of us better than He will take care of the animals of creation. (Mt. 6:25-34) Service to God is knowledge that He will provide for us.

And God will provide for us as He is the creator of the universe. He owns the world. And we are a part of the world. Remember the Bible begins with the story of creation. Everything was good. Then God made man and put him the Garden. Everything was provided for him. But because of disobeying God’s word, we could not remain in the Garden but had to work the ground. (Gen. 3:19) Yet the ground was there to be worked provided by God.

King David was well aware of this as he took up a collection for the new Temple his son was to build as he prayed, “ …for all that is in heavens and the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom O Lord and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you and you rule over all…. For all things come from you and of your own have we given you.  (1 Chron. 29:11-14)  Everything belongs to God! Everything comes from God. Our money belongs to God! And so how do we say thank you?

Like King David, we give back what God has given us. We use what belongs to God for His purposes. This means in every area of our life, our money and our possessions which are not ours to begin with are to be used as God wills it.  The Old Testament set guidelines for giving back our first fruits. (Dt. 14:22) In other words, we put God first. We give Him our best. When we get paid we should set aside our first fruits giving to the church for the spread of the Kingdom.

This may be hard if we have bills to pay.  But everyday is an opportunity to turn back to God. The first step is to look at what 90% of your income looks like.  This is what God wants you to be a steward of.  Look at your necessities. Is there anything you need to trim or cut back such as cable programs or phone plans. God says he will provide for us but all too often we want more than what God is providing. It is no wonder the very last commandment of the Decalogue is “Thou shalt not covet!” Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, we see what appeals to our eyes and we reach for it. Let us not forget our God will cleanse us of our sins when we confess them to Him. (1 Jn. 1:9) He is in the heart changing business.  Begin with asking God to help you rearrange your priorities. Ask that your finances be Christ-centered and not self-centered. Once you begin to do this, you will be trusting in God’s promise of provision.  And once you start living for Him in all aspects of your life, you will be free to give to God what already belongs to Him. And God loves a cheerful giver! (2 Cor. 9:7)

Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord of Hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?” Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. …..Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:7-10)

Do we really determine our life?

²⁴ A man’s steps are of the LORD;
How then can a man understand his own way?
(Proverbs 20:24, New King James Version)

²⁴ The Lord decides what a person will do;
no one understands what his life is all about. (Proverbs 20:24, New Century Version)

Here is Proverbs 20:24 in two versions. Both imply humankind is at the mercy of God's will! Please comment below how you feel this verse speaks to the Truth of God! Or, if Christ is in us, then can we trust Him to lead us where He wills?

In the Belly of the Fish

God's will will be done! We all know the story of Jonah. There was a man sent by God to call the people of Ninevah to repentance and worship of the one true God of Israel! He did not want to go. So he heads in the other direction. A storm arises, he accepts responsibility for God's anger and is thrown overboard. But he is saved by a big fish! This act of being swallowed up gives him time to pray. In the darkness he looks to God who has been returning Jonah back to Ninevah. Once ashore he walks for a day and his slight words bring about the conversion of this mighty city.

Jonah's prayer in the belly of the beast is one of thanksgiving for being kept from drowning. The fish was God's instrument of salvation, both for Jonah to prevent him from dying and for the people of Ninevah to prevent them from eternal death!

So the next time we are in darkness, wondering where we are, look to God and give thanks for His providence. After all, He knows where He is going!

 ¹ While Jonah was inside the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God and said,
 ² "When I was in danger,
       I called to the Lord,
       and he answered me.
    I was about to die,
       so I cried to you,
       and you heard my voice.
 ³ You threw me into the sea,
       down, down into the deep sea.
    The water was all around me,
       and your powerful waves flowed over me.
 ⁴ I said, 'I was driven out of your presence,
       but I hope to see your Holy Temple again.'
 ⁵ The waters of the sea closed around my throat.
       The deep sea was all around me;
       seaweed was wrapped around my head.
 ⁶ When I went down to where the mountains of the sea start to rise,
       I thought I was locked in this prison forever,
    but you saved me from the pit of death,
       Lord my God.

 ⁷ "When my life had almost gone,
       I remembered the Lord.
    I prayed to you,
       and you heard my prayers in your Holy Temple.

 ⁸ "People who worship useless idols
       give up their loyalty to you.
 ⁹ But I will praise and thank you
       while I give sacrifices to you,
       and I will keep my promises to you.
    Salvation comes from the Lord!"

 ¹⁰ Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and the fish threw up Jonah onto the dry land. (Jonah 2, New Century Version)