God, Money, And You

In almost every conversation, people speak about money and property. A very large number of people want money.

Those who don’t have, desire it. Those who have a little of it desire to have a little more. Those who have a lot of it desire even more. The millionaire dreams of a day when he’ll become a multimillionaire. The multimillionaire dreams of having more money and he is far from being satisfied with what he already has. Even though he has made all the money he could spend most extravagantly during an entire lifetime, he nevertheless continues planning, worrying, toiling, bribing or even killing in order to make more money.

There’s just a very small minority of people in this world who are free from the desires, wishes, plans and worries tied to making money. You are perhaps one of those who dreams, wishes and worries about how to get more and more material possessions. This message was written in order to help you become one of those belonging to the blessed minority who have been delivered from the power of money.

Money, of course, is important. It can be used to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, other similar things as well as to meet the needs of others. But then, money cannot satisfy the deepest needs of a man’s heart. That is why the multimillionaire cannot be satisfied. He strives to make more money in order to find some inner satisfaction. But unfortunately, he is seeking satisfaction in the wrong thing.

Listen to what the Bible says about money and riches. King Solomon, one of the richest men who ever lived, wrote this: “Whoever loves money never has money enough, whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? The sleep of a labourer is sweet whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labour that he can carry in his hand”(Ecclesiastes 5: 9-14).

The Apostle Paul writes: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”(I Timothy 6: 6-10).

Jesus Christ also taught the following: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”(Matthew 6: 19-21).

From the scriptures just read, we can learn that a person who loves money might never find any satisfaction in it. And also, we learn that those who desire to be rich will never be rich enough to stop desiring more riches. Finally, we learn that it is possible to have little and be happy, without the desire for more.

You might ask: “Why is everybody running after money?” The answer is found in the heart of man. God created man in His image. God also placed a gap and a void in man’s heart. He is expecting man to turn to Him out of love and invite Him into his heart to fill that void. When God fills that void in man’s heart, He will then guide man to true happiness and concrete accomplishments.

But unfortunately, man sinned. He turned his back to God and chose his own way. In choosing his own way, man put other things, especially money, at the centre of his heart, at the very place that is supposed to be filled by God. In doing so, he put God out of his life and made money his god. That is why so many people are dominated by the love of money. Every decision they make is influenced by the desire to gain money. This influence affects their relationships, career choices and many other aspects of their lives.

Unfortunately, the money god cannot satisfy. He seems to say “Go on, get more of me and all things shall be well”. But this “more of me” is an endless craving for more things that only live the heart empty. Money can never satisfy when it is at the centre of man’s heart.

God was expecting man to invite Him to become the centre of man’s life, with God controlling everything from this central position, so that man’s relation with Him on the one hand and with other things, on the other hand, produce a life of joy and fulfilment. Unfortunately, man turned his back on God and chose the way of sin. In his sin, he put money or some other object in the place exclusively reserved for God. Money took control and became the god of man. Consequently, man became empty and was cut off from the leadership that only God can provide.

Every human being has two fundamental problems. The first is that he is disconnected from God, the second is that he is being dominated by a god named money, instead of being led and guided by God Almighty.

THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

There is, however, a solution to the problem. Due to his abundant love and mercy towards man, God decided to help him. He did it in one decisive act. He did it by sending His only Son, the Lord Jesus from heaven, to the world to die on the cross and release man from the enslavement to money. Jesus Christ effectively came to this world and died on the cross to free man from the bondage of money and other things. In dying for man on the cross, Jesus overthrew money from the central position it occupied in man’s heart and opened a path upon which all those who want to be filled by God can invite God back to the central position reserved exclusively for Him.

When man changes his attitude towards God and money and invites the Lord Jesus into his heart, Jesus immediately comes into the man’s life and heart. He comes in with God to take the rightful place at the centre of man’s heart. From that point, God begins to control and lead all things in the man’s life, including his attitude towards money. From that moment, man shall begin to control money because God controls man. All things shall then work well and be most satisfying. Man shall then be correctly linked to God and money shall become man’s servant, not his master.

With this being so, you need to invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life right away. When he comes in, he brings God with him; the power of money upon you shall be broken and the power of God shall be established in you. God shall begin to reign in your heart, helping you to acquire and use money in small or large quantities such that money remains your servant while you also live a life of contentment. It shall be you commanding and controlling money, not money commanding and controlling you.

You surely want to receive the Lord Jesus into your heart and life now, so that the problem you have with money and other things can be solved.

You can receive Him by inviting Him into your heart now. The Bible says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3: 20).

The door Jesus is talking about is the door to your heart. Invite Jesus into your heart and life by saying the following prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I am fully aware that money and other things hav until now controlled my heart and life. I know God created me and has the full right to dwell in my heart and control my entire life from there. I regret for having allowed money and other things take God’s place in my heart. I change my heart attitude today. I want things to change. I invite You into my heart and life and as You come, bring God with You so that He can take His rightful place at the centre of my life. Lord, come so that things shall be different, from now and forever. Amen.”

If you did pray, believing that Jesus has come into your life, then you can be sure that He has certainly brought God with Him to take the central place of your heart.

If you have received the Lord Jesus into your heart, call us or get in touch with us through the contact form. Our pastors and spiritual counsellors will be happy to help you grow in your new life with Christ. May God richly bless you.

The Spiritual Adviser