By Pastor Jack Marbida
Didi you know that there are over, 2,350 verses in the Bible that talk about money? If you learn about the concepts, ideas and the proper way to use money, you have to live it and share it to your friends and family. In the Bible, almost half of the parables of Jesus talk about possessions and ownership. That shoes that is it to e given utmost importance.
When talking about wealth, it is not only talking about money. Many people love money more than people. This all depends on. Your concept of money, who owns it and what you can do with it. God wants to bless you abundantly. Genesis 1:28 says, “God blessed them and said to them,’be fruitful and increase in number. Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves in the ground.’” God’s plan from the very beginning is good, up until now. Hebrews 2:10 also says, “ Everything belongs to God and all things were created by His power.” You are only caretakers of God’s possessions. Who do you think God wants you to bless with the possessions that He entrusted to you?
Do you know your purpose? Do you know why you were born? Why you are married to your husband or wife? Why you are working? Why you are going to church where you are going to church? Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Life is hard, but God will give you everything you need to get through it.
Worship
Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor God with your money, the first fruits of your labor.” How can you do that? How can you become a good steward of money? If you know that everything is God’s, then it should be easy for you to return to Him what is rightfully His. Give Him your tithes and offerings, first and foremost. But what if you do not have any money in the first place? What will you need to manage? It is said that “everything in the world operates in the natural law which is seed foundation.” That means that you reap what you sow. If your income is lacking, then you have to work more. Why do you think you are having a difficult time with money? Because sometimes, you are not good stewards of it. You do not give importance and honor your responsibilities. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “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.” Many people do not worship God and love money more than they love God. Money is not bad; the love of money is. In the Bible, there are a number of heroes of faith that are rich. There is Abraham, Noah, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, and a lot more. You will prosper according to the way you steward your riches. Ecclesiastes 5:10 also says, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” Even if you get everything you desire here on earth but do not use your riches properly, you will still not be satisfied. Your love for God is also proportionate to how you will use your money.
Fellowship and serve others
The way you use your money in fellowship and serving others will also change the course of your life. Going to church requires money. Attending your d-group requires you to spend too. How you fellowship with others will show how much you love the Lord. Love others more than money. Hebrews 13:6 says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” It is not how big the amount you give but the sacrifice that you had to endure in giving. It hurts to give, they say. God is more pleased with the sacrifice. Hebrews 10:24-25 also says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”Encourage one another as much as you can. This is not only about money. This is also about your relationship with God. The more you encourage your brothers and sisters, you are blessed yourself. If you feel otherwise, then you may have a different concept planted in your mind. If you love God, share Him to others. Give what you have received.
Be on the mission for God in this world
If you have everything and are not using it for God, Luke 12:20 says, ““But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Who will use your riches when you are gone? Your children, maybe. But if it was not used in the right way and for the right reasons, then it does not count.
As mentioned in Genesis 1:28, God has blessed you abundantly. But in Genesis 3:17, the blessing has turned into a curse. But in Romans 3:25, it says, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—” God gave Jesus Christ to the world so the curse can be broken. You have the victory because you have Jesus Christ. Amidst everything that you have experienced during this pandemic, Jesus Christ is with you. His promises in the Bible serves as a light in this darkness. Jesus bore the curse for you to be fruitful so that you can go back to the fruitfulness that He promised. You can manage your riches well because Jesus is with you. Love others and use money.