Exodus 20:35 - You shall have no other gods before Me.
For God
Matthew 6: 24
Treasures in Heaven
There are some scriptures in the bible which will make most of the Christians uncomfortable while reading them. Verse 24 is one of those.
why is it uncomfortable:
1) we want to serve God, 2) we want to serve money also
So this is the main problem for the Christians..
verse 24 says you love God and hate money or love money and hate God.
when you are loving God, you are saying money i hate you
when you are loving money, you are saying God i hate you.
so it is very clear to your heart what you love and what you hate.
Whenever bible talks about money it is crystal clear, it does not hide, it is radical.
lots of verses in bible:
keep yourselves from the love of money
love of money is the root of all evils.
so how do we know that we try to serve both God and money.
some symptoms to know where your treasure is
a) Compromising
Numbers 22: 4-6
Balaam is prophet who practices divination.
Numbers 22:4-6
verse 9 , God said "dont go with them"
verse 16,17 - "trap of money comes consistently"
verse 19 - some where there is desire that God might change the plan
Revelation 2: 14
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality
Whenever you compromise on Godliness for a worldly gain, then it is a clear symptom of serving both.
When you love money , it says you hate God.
b) Uneasiness in giving money is one good symptom of loving money
Ananis and sappira
Acts 5:2 - not a cheerful giver is one symptom.
you may give money, but is it cheerfully. or you are trying to just act.
Tithe:
1 timothy 6:10 says - Paul says, love of money is the root of all evils.
c) cheating people.
Man tries to cheat in lot of ways, .. income tax, medical bills.
Deuteronomy 15:7
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelite in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfistedtoward them.
Sense of posessing: By 2015 i must buy this car,
i must by this house.
i must buy this gold.
But the sense of possesing is dangerous
Acts 4:32-25 - time and again people sold off what they have and brought it to peter.
- today just to give building fund, it is so difficult. how about giving everything.
Acts 2:44,45 looking for people who are in need.
2) Contentment
Hebrews 13:5
Philipians 4:11-13 says Paul was content man.
1 timothy 6:6
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [d]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition
3) Investment
Many people invest in stocks, share market, real estate.
suppose you buy a land in india, say for 5 lakhs, by 20 years it might become 2 cr or 3 crs.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
4) Using money where you cannot be benifited
Luke 14:12-14
Luke 14:12-14 (NIV) "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous
Many times we think its impossible to get away from love of money.
but with God its possible ( Mark 10:31)
Mark 10: 21-27
Many times we think we are doing good in our godly lives , but is the heart dwelling on money.
What bible teaches ways to get away from love of money.
Finally
Ecc 5:10-15 (NIV) Whoever loves money never has 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 laborer 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... Naked a man comes from his mothers womb, and as he comes, so he departs...
For God
Matthew 6: 24
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
A person heart is always where his treasure is.
There are some scriptures in the bible which will make most of the Christians uncomfortable while reading them. Verse 24 is one of those.
why is it uncomfortable:
1) we want to serve God, 2) we want to serve money also
So this is the main problem for the Christians..
verse 24 says you love God and hate money or love money and hate God.
when you are loving God, you are saying money i hate you
when you are loving money, you are saying God i hate you.
so it is very clear to your heart what you love and what you hate.
Whenever bible talks about money it is crystal clear, it does not hide, it is radical.
lots of verses in bible:
keep yourselves from the love of money
love of money is the root of all evils.
Every evil thing in life - if we can trace back the root is love of money.
Although we know it is the root,Still there is love of money.
Many things you see - people fall in adultery, people get killed after they win lottery - the root is love of money.
How many people might have won lottery and many of them end up in bankruptcy.
Some got killed.
so how do we know that we try to serve both God and money.
some symptoms to know where your treasure is
a) Compromising
Numbers 22: 4-6
Balaam is prophet who practices divination.
He has a reputation that whole he blesses are blessed and whom he curses are cursed.Balaam wants to serve God and also wants money..
Numbers 22:4-6
verse 9 , God said "dont go with them"
verse 16,17 - "trap of money comes consistently"
verse 19 - some where there is desire that God might change the plan
Compared this with Elisha refusing gifts from namaan.
But he said, “ As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
II Kings 5:16 NKJV
Revelation 2: 14
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality
Whenever you make a choice in your life, first see if there is any root of love of money.
Whenever you compromise on Godliness for a worldly gain, then it is a clear symptom of serving both.
When you love money , it says you hate God.
b) Uneasiness in giving money is one good symptom of loving money
Ananis and sappira
Acts 5:2 - not a cheerful giver is one symptom.
you may give money, but is it cheerfully. or you are trying to just act.
Tithe:
1 timothy 6:10 says - Paul says, love of money is the root of all evils.
c) cheating people.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”
Gehazi said My master sent me- cheating.
Man tries to cheat in lot of ways, .. income tax, medical bills.
Temptation of money : whenever there is temptation of money it is very hard to resist.
Suppose if you get a high paying job, then it is very difficult to loose it.
For Gehazi, the temptation of money is so high. He is servant of Elisha, and he has seen company of prophets with him, still he had the love of money.
You might be coming to Church , attend all the meetings, but still might have love of money.
Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
II Kings 5:26-27 NKJV
Elisha said because of this love of money, the money comes with baggage. It has leprosy also.
It has its own problems.
Free from love of money
Know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.
1) Trusting the promise of God.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
when we trust the promises of the Word of God, then the concepts of oh i wont have enough if i give will go away.
2) Name of God is above all things.
When you have desire to keep the Name of God the top most in your life, there will be no compromise.
Genesis 14:22
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’
3) Giving- getting rid of Sense of possessing.1) Trusting the promise of God.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
when we trust the promises of the Word of God, then the concepts of oh i wont have enough if i give will go away.
2) Name of God is above all things.
When you have desire to keep the Name of God the top most in your life, there will be no compromise.
Genesis 14:22
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’
Deuteronomy 15:7
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelite in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfistedtoward them.
Sense of posessing: By 2015 i must buy this car,
i must by this house.
i must buy this gold.
But the sense of possesing is dangerous
Acts 4:32-25 - time and again people sold off what they have and brought it to peter.
- today just to give building fund, it is so difficult. how about giving everything.
Acts 2:44,45 looking for people who are in need.
2) Contentment
Hebrews 13:5
Philipians 4:11-13 says Paul was content man.
1 timothy 6:6
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [d]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition
Many people invest in stocks, share market, real estate.
suppose you buy a land in india, say for 5 lakhs, by 20 years it might become 2 cr or 3 crs.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
4) Using money where you cannot be benifited
Luke 14:12-14
Luke 14:12-14 (NIV) "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous
Many times we think its impossible to get away from love of money.
but with God its possible ( Mark 10:31)
Mark 10: 21-27
Many times we think we are doing good in our godly lives , but is the heart dwelling on money.
What bible teaches ways to get away from love of money.
Finally
Ecc 5:10-15 (NIV) Whoever loves money never has 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 laborer 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... Naked a man comes from his mothers womb, and as he comes, so he departs...
No comments:
Post a Comment