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.
Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV)
Wealth is not an end, it is a means to an end. Accumulation of wealth should never be our life’s goal. Eternal life, through Christ, should be our goal.
John 6:27 cautions us that we should not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. This is the food we should focus on.
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
True wealth only comes from Christ, not from money, not from property, not from status. Does this mean God is not concerned about our financial well-being? No. In fact, God has a lot to say about our finances. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible concerning money. But, God wants us to place our money in the right position. The position of a servant and not of a master.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
Money should serve you. It should be your servant in helping you to accomplish the purpose for which you were sent here on earth. You should not slave after money, money should slave for you. God is concerned about us accomplishing our life’s purpose and He gives us everything we need to do this.
For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through [a]true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
We each have a unique calling on our lives, meaning we each require different resources to fulfill our callings. Our success is therefore not dependent on the amount of resources (wealth) we have, but on the accomplishment of the unique call of God on our unique lives. This is the reason we should not compare ourselves to others.
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were appointed for me,
When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape]
Determine today that you will not chase after material wealth and serve money. Determine to chase God, and by applying His wealth and financial principles, accomplish your purpose on earth.