September 2008 Tip Series: Money

Title of the Month: Money: What Does God Say?

1. TIP: Dangers of Money: Forgetting God (Deuteronomy 6:10-13 (NLT)
10 “The LORD your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. 11 The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from wells you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, 12 be careful not to forget the LORD, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. 13 You must fear the LORD your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.”

Your money is a reminder to be thankful to the Lord. Whether He’s given you a lot or a little, money is one of the ways God provides for you. When God gave Moses His law in Deuteronomy, He reminded His people to always be thankful. He said when you’ve eaten as much as you want, praise the Lord for the good land that He has given you. God’s command to the Israelites is an important reminder. Whenever you eat or receive a paycheck- anytime your needs are met – you can praise God for His provision in your life. Remember to always be grateful to God.

2. TIP: Dangers of Money: Acting Dishonestly, Taking Advantage of Others James 5:1-6(NLT)
1 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people,[a] who do not resist you.[b] Today’s money will be worthless when Christ returns, so we should spend our time accumulating the kind of treasures that will be worthwhile in God’s eternal kingdom. Money is not the problem; Christian leaders need money to live and to support their families; missionaries need money to help them spread the Good News; churches need money to do their work effectively. It is the love of money that leads to evil and causes some people to oppress others in order to get more. This is a warning to all Christians who are tempted to adopt worldly standards rather than God’s standards as well as an encouragement to all those who are oppressed by the rich. Have you ever not received your fair hare of money after finishing a project you worked on? The Lord takes fairness seriously. God commanded Moses to be fair when he divided the loot the Jews got from the battle against the Midianites. God insisted that the soldiers, the people, and the priest all receive an even share of the spoils. You probably won’t ever divide up the spoils of war, but you can always be fair when money is concerned. It is the simple, right thing to do.

3. TIP: Dangers of Money: Being Greedy Luke 12:15-21 (NLT)
15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” 16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Jesus says a good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so be on guard against greed (desire for what we don’t have). This is the exact opposite of what society usually says. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, more comfortable. How do you respond to the constant pressure to buy? Learn to tune out the expensive enticements and concentrate instead on the truly fulfilled life- living in a relationship with God and doing His work.

4. TIP: Dangers of Money: Allowing it to take God’s place Matthew 6:24 (NLT)
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Mark 10:17-23(NLT)
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’[a]” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Great wealth can wreck a relationship with God. Accumulating possessions and money can distract a person from keeping Jesus as his or her highest priority. The story of the rich young man is a perfect example of a young person who loved money more than God. Jesus tried to show this man that true wisdom and significance come from pursuing spiritual matters. Material possessions will never satisfy our spiritual longing. We can avoid this trap by loving God more than anything else. Jesus wants us to love him not things.