Money in Love
Money is a controversial topic in the church today. There are those, who for their own selfish gain, have exploited members of the church. And then there are those who believe money and all that it stands for is evil. But, what does Love say about money? How should we handle our money in Love?
Money Belongs to Love
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.
Haggai 2:8 (KJV)
We need to understand that God owns everything. He lets us know in the above mirror that the silver and the gold belong to Him. Colossians 1:15-17 further emphasizes this by stating:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.For in him all things were created:things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things,and in him all things hold together.
All things, in the mirror above, is just that ALL THINGS, including money and wealth. Verse 17 highlights to us that He (Christ) is BEFORE all things and that IN HIM all things are held. Therefore, Jesus comes BEFORE money and wealth, and money and wealth is HELD in Him and FOR Him. To access His silver and His gold, you have to go through Him.
Accessing Money in Love
God is Spirit, but we live in a physical world. How then can we access wealth from Him, when we exist in different states of being?
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
The knowledge of Him, Jesus Christ, the is our key to accessing everything we need for this life.And who is Jesus?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:1-3 (NIV)
In essence, apostle Peter is telling us that God has given us EVERYTHING we need for a godly life through our knowledge of the Word of God.
Knowledge to Action
But knowledge on its own is not enough. You have to act on the revealed knowledge.
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:17 (NIV)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:22-25 (NIV)
The Error
The grave error we as the church has made is placing the created (money) before the Creator. In so doing, we have found ourselves disheartened. We have found ourselves paying for breakthroughs and in the process we have resented God. We saw last week that we each have to make a decision about whom we shall allow to have authority over us…whether Love or money.
If you choose Love, how then can you walk in His wealth without falling into this error?
1. Seek God, not money
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13(NIV)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
2. Direct your love correctly
Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 ( NIV)
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
3. Make the Word your Foundation
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
Your Turn
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 2 (KJV)
God wants us to prosper, but He is concerned about how we choose to prosper. He is concerned about our motivation for prosperity. He does not want to lose us to money.
And because of this, He has laid out in His Word the principles we should adhere to if we are to access His vast wealth.
In this path of Love, do you commit to study the Scriptures and seek Him in this area of your life. Seeking Him, not out of lust, covetousness and greed, but out of love.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:7-8 (NIV)