C. BEWARE THE LOVE OF MONEY – Part 3 of 5
5. Money Can Be a Blessing
God blesses His people with money, often giving them abundant wealth to accomplish His purpose in the earth. When the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, they took most of the silver and gold with them. After ten plagues, the Egyptians were so anxious to see them go, they gave them “jewels of silver, and jewels of gold and raiment” (Exo 12:35). “He brought them forth also with silver and gold..” (Ps 105:37). a. Moses. When Moses built the Tabernacle in the wilderness, it was worth millions of dollars. It was built from the free-will gifts of the men and women of Israel who gave up some of their wealth for its construction. This is a perfect example of how God desires to finance His projects. He blesses His people with money so they can use it for His purposes. God has often raised up men and made them very wealthy. Job was very wealthy. He owned “seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, and five hundred teams of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest cattleman in that entire area” (Joh 1:3 tlb). b. Abraham was known throughout the ancient world for his wealth. He even had his own private army. c. David And Solomon. No one had more wealth than David and his son, Solomon. Solomon’s personal wealth ran into the millions of dollars. God was able to give them wealth because they used it for the Kingdom. Their wealth served them, they did not serve their wealth. They used it for God’s purposes, not just their own selfish ends. However, Solomon’s heart did go astray later in his life because of his many wives.
6. Important Questions To Ask
What is your relationship to your money? Do you have your money or does it have you? Do you or the Lord determine how you will use your money? Does the amount of money you have determine your happiness.. your style of living? How do you use your money? Are you generous toward God only when you have a surplus? If you don’t have much money, do you always think about it and dream of having more? Does your desire for money control you? Although these questions make us uncomfortable, they make us aware of how we relate to our money. This is especially true of those who lead the flock of God. Did you know that covetousness, or the love of money, causes the downfall of many ministers of the gospel? the love of money is one of the three sins that most often cause ministers’ downfall (1: Females; 2: Fame; and 3: Fortune).
Next week
Beware the Love of Money 4