Hebrews 13:5-6(NLT)
“5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
At a time when so many people are struggling financially, it seems odd to consider that having more money isn’t the solution they might think it would be. For many years I believed that money was the key to having a good life. As I matured, I saw firsthand accounts that showed me that this just isn’t the case. In many instances, it seems the more money people have, the more miserable and unhappy they are. So, it’s true on both sides, there are sad predicaments of those that have a lot of money and those that don’t. This isn’t in every situation, but it can’t be denied that handling God’s wealth requires ample doses of His wisdom. Given this, one thing is true, money isn’t the answer, however, a person’s attitude and mindset about money is a major factor. If the way we view money doesn’t line up with the attitude and mindset of Christ, having extra coins can easily become a curse rather than a blessing.
If we’re not dealing with financial struggles ourselves, we probably know someone who is. It’s also not too much of a stretch to imagine that having less bills to pay and more money in our pockets would ease a lot of people’s stress. Let’s face it, many of us need some relief and extra dollars would go a long way to providing it. The problem is that some of us have tunnel vision when it comes to finances. We might be thinking that solving a problem with more money is the only way God can move, and this just isn’t the truth. Thinking this way binds our faith, and it can keep us from moving forward in the abundance God wants to give us. God said in Isaiah 55:9(NIV), “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” The ways in which our Heavenly Father can move in our situations and conditions are unlimited, and we must always remember this.
Jesus Christ told us in John 10:10 that he came to make a more than abundant life available to us. He came so that we could have exceeding abundance in every area of our lives, and this definitely includes our finances. God doesn’t want us in lack, and for many individuals, this is the first thing we have to address in our attitude and mindset. Many of us were taught that being wealthy is a sin, but a careful study of God’s Word shows us that several of His most devoted and faithful followers had tremendous wealth. He told His people in Deuteronomy 8:18(NIV) “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
Our Heavenly Father’s desire to see us tremendously blessed does not contradict what He tells us in Hebrews 13:5-6, where He warns us not to love money. He reminds us in Deuteronomy 8:18 that HE is the One who empowers us to get wreath. This ability comes from Him, but the most important command in this verse is that we remember HIM! In all our giving and getting, God must come first. Money, or the lack of it, can’t be all we think about. We can’t place our desire for more dollars over our desire to please God and to show Him gratitude through the fruit of our labor. Sadly, many believers have done exactly that. Our Heavenly Father calls each of us to a radical lifestyle of total surrender and commitment to Him. 2Chronicles 16:9(NIV) says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” Our commitment to Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ is something we can’t fake. He knows exactly what is in our hearts.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to what we’re doing for God’s Kingdom. He’s looking at the decisions and choices we make. He’s looking at what we put first, because what we put first shows Him what we’re treasuring. If when He looks at our hearts, He finds that we are not fully committed to Him, this means that we are putting other things before Him and that’s an offense to His throne.
Jesus Christ said in Luke 16:13(NIV), “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Even thousands of years ago, people were looking to money as the solution and not our all-powerful, all-knowing God. They were not putting their commitment to Him first. They looked upon a commitment to put God first as a sacrifice that they weren’t willing to make. This was especially true when it came to giving money to God’s Kingdom, and it is still happening today.
Psalm 37:4-6(NIV) tells us, “4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Often our commitment to God and His Word breaks down when sacrifice is required. We give more to the world and its systems than we do to God. Many of us refuse to tithe and be obedient with sowing into His Kingdom. We don’t commit our ways to the Lord and trust Him as we should, but Jesus made it clear to us that there are only two choices, serving God or serving money. We need to be always and forever prayerful that we make the right choice.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“Don’t Give It All to The World”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.