MONEY
The almighty dollar. Oh, yeah, we all want it. You may not admit to it, but you
want money. Can money buy happiness? I think so. I’ll put it this way: that trip to your
favorite resort, did it make you happy? That gorgeous bracelet he got you for your
anniversary, did it make you happy? Paying all your bills on time last month, did it
make you happy? If you said no, either you’re lying or a robot incapable of emotion.
How did you get those things? Money. “But, money is evil, how can something evil
produce happiness?” you may be thinking. Is money evil, is that what God’s Word
says about money? Listen, money in and of itself has absolutely no power. Money by
itself is just green and white paper with a picture of a president on it. But, money in
the hands of a terrorist can produce evil. The correct and truth about money is this: it
has only the potential to create happiness or destruction, all depending on how you
use it. God said that “the LOVE of $MONEY$ is the route of all evil.” He never said
money is evil.
Covetousness
Those rich folks. They have it made, don’t they. The nice house on the hill, the fancy
cars and clothes, vacations in Paris. They’re just a bunch of greedy no goods who
never worked a hard day in their life.” Now wait a minute. I know some poor folks who
don’t have hardly a dime to their name, and yet they are some of the greediest
people I know. Sitting around wallowing about how the rich keep getting richer and the
poor keep getting poorer. The haves vs. the have nots. But if you will apply God’s
principles regarding money to your life, then you, too, can live in the abundance God
wants for you. But, you can’t stop at that. God wants you to have abundance in all
areas of life, not just financially. He wants you to prosper in health, relationships,
education, family, wisdom and much more. To gain what God has for you, you must
apply His will to your life. What is His will: to love one another as Christ has loved you
and laid down His life for you. If you are not walking in love and forgiveness, then
forget it, you will not prosper. If you are living in sin, then God can not prosper you.
But if you want to experience the joys of following Christ and walking in the will of God,
then get in the Word. Study it, meditate on it. Start today and watch you life change.
“And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Luke 12:15 NKJV
Money is the Root of All Evil!!
Now that I have your attention, let me clarify something. God did NOT say that MONEY is the root of all evil. He said that "the LOVE of MONEY is the root of all evil." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)What else does God say about money? Here are just some of the things God says about money, prosperity and abundance:III John 2 (KJV) "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers."1 Timothy 6:3-10 (AMP) "But if anyone teaches otherwise and does not assent to the sound and wholesome messages of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and the teaching which is in agreement with godliness (piety toward God), He is puffed up with pride and stupefied with conceit, [although he is] woefully ignorant. He has a morbid fondness for controversy and disputes and strife about words, which result in (produce) envy and jealousy, quarrels and dissension, abuse and insults and slander, and base suspicions, And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood], from such withdraw. [And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and obviously we cannot take anything out of the world; But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied). But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing. For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. But for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.Psalm 15 (NAS) "O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken."Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 (NIV) "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land."Matthew 17: 27 (NAS) (this is Jesus speaking to Peter) "However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them (for my tax- NIV) for you and me."Matthew 25: 16-29 (NIV) "But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a whole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five, ‘Master,’ he said ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well, then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents, For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.Acts 8: 18-23 (NAS) "Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostle’s hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gist of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.’"Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 (NAS) "Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth . All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways. The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you. The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you. The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. The lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give to you. The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left; to go after other gods and to serve them."Proverbs 22: 7 and 9 (KJV) "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."Psalm 37: 11, 16, and 21 (NAS) "But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity." "Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of the many wicked." "The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives."Psalm 1: 1-3 (NIV) "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers, But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."Proverbs 28: 3, 6, 8, 10-22, 25-28 (NAS) "A poor man who oppresses the lowly Is like a driving rain which leaves no food ." "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked though he be rich ." "He who increases his wealth by interest and usury Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor ." "He who leads the upright astray in an evil way Will himself fall into his own pit , But the blameless will inherit good . The rich man is wise in his own eyes , But the poor who has understanding sees through him. When the righteous triumph , there is great glory , But when the wicked rise , men hide themselves. He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper , But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. How blessed is the man who fears always , But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity . Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people . A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding , But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days . A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood Will be a fugitive until death ; let no one support him. He who walks blamelessly will be delivered , But he who is crooked will fall all at once . He who tills his land will have plenty of food , But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty . A faithful man will abound with blessings , But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished . To show partiality is not good , Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress . A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him." "An arrogant man stirs up strife , But he who trusts in the LORD will prosper . He who trusts in his own heart is a fool , But he who walks wisely will be delivered . He who gives to the poor will never want , But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses . When the wicked rise , men hide themselves; But when they perish , the righteous increase ."Malachi 3: 8-12 (KJV) "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts."Deuteronomy 14:22 (NIV) "Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year."Philippians 4:19 (KJV) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."Proverbs 15:6 (NAS) "Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked."Proverbs 3: 9-10 (NAS) "Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine."So, basically what does God say about money? To some it up one could put it this way: If you are not walking in obedience to God’s commands, which are to love and forgive one another, or if you are walking in sin then you cannot prosper. If you cheerfully give God His rightful ten percent of your first fruits, generously give to the poor, pay your taxes, and be content with what you have, then He will prove to you that He shall meet all your needs according to His riches in Glory. You must trust Him to prosper you. If you work hard, love God and others and are not lazy, unrighteous and wicked, then you will prosper and not have to borrow money to have your needs met. If you are not prospering as you think you should, then you should ask yourself some questions. The first question is "Are you tithing?" If the answer is no, then I suggest you start today!! The next question is "are you living in sin?" Are you fornicating, committing adultery, using people, harboring unforgiveness towards someone, etc…? Well, God can’t very well bless you if you are not walking in obedience and being Christlike, now can He? Lastly, you may be saying "I tithe, I walk in love, so why am I still not prospering?" Check your heart. Are you humbly righteous or "Holier than thou?" Are you a cheerful giver or are you giving to get? Are you giving out of love and faith or because you think that just because you gave that $5.00 last week in the offering plate then God is supposed to pay off your $20,000 car loan? If you want to prosper, then simply walk in the ways of the Lord, He’ll never steer you wrong.