Applying Bible Principles

November 2009
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1)

“God Owns It All” is the chapter heading in a book by a Christian author who presents this chapter first as the foundation for money management and giving.

God does own it all! That is the teaching of Psalm 14:1 which says, “The earth is the Lord’s.” Psalm 50:10 says that all of the beasts of the field belong to God, and that the cattle on a thousand hills are His. Haggai 2:8 says that God even owns the silver and gold in all the mines.

Now, He allows us to use what rightfully belongs to Him, but God continues to retain the ownership. We are managers and stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Someday, when we stand before Him, we shall give an account of what kind of job we have done in managing the resources which God has allowed us to use.

That’s why every spending decision becomes a spiritual decision. Every time we use some of God’s money, we are making a decision which has eternal ramifications.

Are you using money and possessions as if they belong to you, or are you making spending decisions with the full realization that is all belongs to God?

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December 2009
Paul gave an admonition to his son in the faith, Timothy, in First Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Notice that he did not say that money is evil, or that having money is evil. He simply instructed Timothy that loving money is a root of all kinds of evil, or as some translations say, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

When we view money in an incorrect manner, it is usually in one of two areas. First, we view it as something that belongs to us. As we observed in previous presentations, money is something that God has entrusted to us. It all belongs to Him. We are simply managers and stewards of what is rightfully His.

Second, we view money incorrectly when we trust in it, when we place our hope and our confidence in it.

Steve Mizerany once owned several appliance stores in St. Louis. He zipped around those stores on roller skates, shouting out to customers his well-known slogan: “Don’t be confused.” That’s good advice when it comes to buying appliances or when it comes to a right view of money. Don’t be confused! Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can purchase medicine, but not health. Money can buy a companion, but not a friend. Money cannot buy happiness. Money cannot buy contentment. Money does not bring peace or joy. Money cannot purchase eternal life or even a moment more of this life. Money is simply a means to an end.

Solomon’s advice concerning money was simple and to the point as expressed in Proverbs 4:23, where he said, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” It is the attitude of the heart that matters when it comes to money. You see, if we are trusting in money, it becomes a focal point in our life. It becomes the center of our attention, the single most important facet of our life.

That’s why Jesus admonished His listeners to seek first the kingdom of God, for when we do that, the material needs of life will be provided. That’s why the Apostle Paul urged Christians to set their “minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” — like money.

What is your view of money? Is it the center of your life? Do you spend your time and attention thinking about money, scheming how to get more money, planning what you would do if you had more money, or worrying about how to get more money in the future? Or, are you seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the expectation that God will provide your needs? Remember the admonition of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 6:21 — “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

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January 2010
The amount of money we have is determined by God. According to His wisdom and sovereignty, God has placed each of us at some point on the economic spectrum. He has entrusted some people with considerable wealth; to others, He has provided lesser amounts.

The Bible does not assume that it is wrong for people to make money, but rather, it clearly states that God allows people to earn money. Solomon said that money is one of God’s many gifts to mankind. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon said that God wants us to enjoy the fruit of our labor, namely, money which we have earned and the things it can buy.

David expressed it this way in his prayer recorded in the 29th chapter of First Chronicles: “Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.”

When you stop to think about it, Christians have a great thing going when it comes to money. According to this passage and to other scriptures, God gives us the power and ability to get wealth. He provides the energy, the stamina, the mental and physical ability, the creative juices, and whatever else it takes for us to earn a living. As we saw recently, since God owns everything, He is actually enabling us to earn that which is rightfully His.


What is really great about God’s plan from our perspective is that He then provides a blessing to us for giving back to Him what was His in the first place! Sometimes the prayer offered before our church offering is received includes the thought that we are only giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. That prayer is very scriptural, for in the First Chronicles passage, David said, “For all things come from you, and of your own we have given you.”

In reality, then, there is no such thing as a self-made man or woman. As the Apostle Paul so clearly asked the believers at Corinth, “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7). This morning as you give to God, remember the source of your funds. Yes, you did your part by working and by laboring by “the sweat of your brow,” but in reality, God gave you the ability to get money.

And as the old chorus by Wendell Loveless asks, “After all He’s done for me, After all He’s done for me, How can I do less than give Him my best, And live for Him completely, After all He’s done for me?”

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February 2010
God grants to people the ability to earn that
which is His already: money and wealth.

“Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.
In your hand are power and might;
and it is in your hand to make great
and to give strength to all” (1 Chron. 29:12).

“Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil — this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

According to James 1:17, every good gift has an identical source: God. A contemporary translation expresses this verse in the following way: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.”

Unfortunately, people often twist and pervert God’s good gifts. For example, the appetite for food is a gift of God, but some allow this gift to become a reason for existence rather than the means by which they exist. Money is another gift from God that frequently is twisted and abused.

In Ecclesiastes 5:19, Solomon spelled out God’s intention with respect to money. First, as we have mentioned previously, all that we have belongs to God. We are to view money in that context. Second, God desires us to work for what we have. Third, when we do so, we will be rewarded. For most of us, that means a paycheck of one sort or another. And fourth, we are to enjoy the fruit of our labor. Money certainly is a primary means of enjoying all that we have worked for.

But money is a means to an end. It is not an end in itself. When it becomes our goal, when we work only for money, when we are obsessed with money or what it will buy, then we have twisted one of God’s good gifts and misused it.

How do you view money? Is money an end, a goal, in and of itself? Or is it a means to an end? You see, how you answer that question will in large measure determine how you give to God. If money is an end in and of itself, you will not give as freely as you will give if you view it as a means to an end, especially the overall goal in the Christian life to glorify God in all that we do.

That, my friend, just may be the main reason God gives us the ability to earn money. Yes, He wants us to enjoy it. Certainly, He wants us to use it as one of His good gifts. But maybe — just maybe — one of the main ways He desires us to enjoy it is to give it away, especially to His work.

Once, a church officer called on a member of his church concerning his attendance. The member complained that he had quit coming to church because all the church ever did was ask for money. The other man replied, “When my son was a boy, he was like that. He was very costly. He always wanted money for school books and  lunches, and he always needed new shoes and clothes. The older he grew, the more I had to spend on him. But he hasn’t cost me anything in the last year.” “Why not?” the member asked. “He died a year ago, and since then, he’s not cost me anything.” The church officer concluded, “A live church will always need money. Dead ones seldom do.”

How do you view money today? As an end in itself, or as a means to an end?

March 2010
Money is one of God's gifts to people.

“Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil — this is the gift of God” (Eccl. 5:19).

Solomon, who penned this verse, was one of the wisest people who ever lived. When Solomon succeeded his father, David, as King of Israel, God said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Many of us would have answered differently than Solomon did. We would have asked for wealth, for beauty, for possessions or for material things of some sort.

Solomon asked God for wisdom and knowledge so that he might properly rule over the nation of Israel. And because he did not ask for riches or wealth, God gave them — as well as wisdom and knowledge — to him in abundance.

One of the areas in which Solomon’s wisdom was prevalent was in the matter of wealth. That’s why in our text for today from Ecclesiastes 5:19, Solomon describes wealth and the enjoyment of wealth as a gift from God. As we have seen in previous presentations, God grants mankind the ability to earn that which belongs to God Himself: money and wealth. But then He goes a step further and proclaims through His servant, Solomon, that we are to enjoy this provision, for both the wealth and the enjoyment thereof are a gift of God.

Some people, of course, carry their enjoyment to an extreme. They abuse their wealth, this gift of God, by thinking that their enjoyment is all that matters. They excel in the enjoyment of their wealth to such an extent that they forget the foundational principle that all that we do — including using our money — is to bring glory to God.

A pastor once was encouraging his congregation to give, and he said that some present that morning could not give. The reason, he said, was that they had left God’s money at the shopping mall. In other words, they had placed their desires and their pleasure before what they should have given to God and to their church.

How do you view money today? Do you realize it comes from God, that just as He gave to Solomon of old, He also gives to you? And in your use of the wealth that God has entrusted to you, are you glorifying Him?

As you consider how to glorify God through your money and wealth, and as you consider the offering this morning, remember the words of missionary Jim Elliot, who was martyred in 1956 by the Auca Indians in South America:

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

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April 2010
If you read annual reports from publicly held companies or banks, you will frequently see the word “fiduciary.” Fiduciary is used as an adjective to describe something which is held in trust. It is also used as a noun to describe the one who is a trustee who must account for that which is held in trust.

For example, a bank president has a fiduciary responsibility to stockholders in the bank and to depositors who place their money in the bank. A company treasurer has a fiduciary responsibility to the owners of the company. A payroll clerk has a fiduciary responsibility to pay people what they have earned.

You may never have considered yourself a fiduciary, and you may never have acted officially in a fiduciary capacity, but in reality, you are a fiduciary. All of us are. That applies both to Christians and to those who are not part of God’s family through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We who are Christians will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. There, we will not be judged for salvation, since the penalty and judgment for sin was settled once and for all on the cross of Calvary when the Lord Jesus paid the price for our sin. Instead, when we stand before Christ, we will give an account of how we have used what God has entrusted to us.

Just as a bank president must account to stockholders and depositors on how their funds are used, we must account to Christ for how we have used what God has entrusted to us. Since everything we have rightfully belongs to Him, we will need to report on how we have managed His assets!

As you consider how you have used what God has entrusted to your care and keeping during the past few months, what kind of job have you done? And more importantly, as a “fiduciary” of what God has placed in your hands, will you stand before Him with joy, eager to report on your giving and management of His assets?

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May 2010
A wise person once observed, “Half of any task is having the right tool, and the other half is knowing what to do with it.” Although we don’t often consider it as such, money is a tool which God uses in our lives as a means of spiritual growth.

You see, money is not an end in and of itself. It is a means to an end. And in God’s hands, one of its primary “ends” is to instruct us and to help us grow spiritually. God especially wants us to avoid our natural tendency which is a bent toward selfishness, greed, and hoarding. That’s why the Lord Jesus said, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Well, if an individual’s life does not consist in having a lot of possessions, in what does it consist? Jesus provided an insightful answer to that question in Matthew 6:20-21, where He said, “ . . . store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Now, according to Jesus’ teaching in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25), there is nothing wrong with saving. There is nothing wrong with investing or earning interest on investments. There is nothing wrong with being a wise steward by planning for the future. In fact, Jesus taught that those who do so are to be commended. But our primary emphasis as God’s children is to make our investments in the “Bank of Heaven.” When we do that, our investments are secure. They are not affected by inflation, by theft, by wear and tear, or anything of the kind.

There is only one way to make deposits in this special “bank”: By giving to the Lord’s work. Although the money is used here, it is credited to your eternal account. Each time you give your tithes and offerings at First Presbyterian Church, you are giving to the Lord by investing for eternity. You are storing up “treasures in heaven” that will glorify God forever.

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June 2010
Someone once said, “Experience is a good teacher, but she gives the test first and then the lesson.” That’s certainly true, and based on many of life’s experiences, we frequently fail the test before we can benefit from the lesson.

The formula “e equals mc2” is familiar to many college students but understood by very few people. Most of us know it had something to do with Einstein and was the formula that led to the release of enormous power and to the nuclear age. Similarly, in funding the local church, “e” might stand for every, “m” for member, “c” for commitment, and the “2” for the effort multiplied by itself. The fruit of that kind of effort is much more powerful than what Einstein discovered, even as Jesus described it in Matthew 21:22 — “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

Right now, as we consider the opportunity to support the ministries here at First Presbyterian Church, God is putting us to the test. As Gordon Moyes stated, “Responsible giving or stewardship is not man’s way of raising money, but God’s way of raising people. . . .The church’s budget is not a list of its expenses, but a record of its vision. It is not a list of bills to be met, but a program of ministry to be achieved.”

As each of us prayerfully considers what God would have us give, and as we obey what God asks of us, we can trust Him to provide the resources. That’s a test — a test of where we are spiritually much more than where we are financially. It’s a test of us as individuals and of us as a church. The question is whether or not we really believe that God has the power and ability to bless our obedience “far more than all we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).

How are you doing concerning God’s tests regarding money in your life? If God’s provision in your life in the days ahead depends on how you obey His leading now concerning your giving, what will the future be like for you?

It just might, you know. . . .

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July 2010
“ . . . if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away . . . everything has become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Christians should have a different outlook on life, including money and material possessions. They realize that they own nothing, that everything they have belongs to God, and that they are only managers and stewards of what God has entrusted to them. Because of that, Christians should have a different attitude towards “things.”

That attitude demonstrates itself in many different ways. For example, Christians show mercy and give, in contrast to the those who borrow and do not repay (Psalm 37:21). Christians should hold possessions with an open hand, and “refresh” others with their bounty (Proverbs 11:24-25). They are honest and demonstrate their faith by their work and integrity (1 Thes. 4:11-12). They give to those in need and thereby demonstrate to a watching world the love of God (1 John 3:17).

When this kind of lifestyle is present in our lives, Jesus said that people will see our good works — our different attitude and perspective — and will glorify our heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16). And as we seek His kingdom first and foremost, we have His promise that He will provide what we need (Matt. 6:33).

As others observe you and your lifestyle, do they see any difference because of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? As they observe your relationship to “things,” especially to money, do they realize you are a manager, a steward, and not an owner? Or stated another way, is the manner in which you handle money and material possessions a testimony to your faith in Christ?

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August 2010
A wise person once observed, “Half of any task is having the right tool, and the other half is knowing what to do with it.” Although we don’t often consider it as such, money is a tool which God uses in our lives as a means of spiritual growth.

You see, money is not an end in and of itself. It is a means to an end. And in God’s hands, one of its primary “ends” is to instruct us and to help us grow spiritually. God especially wants us to avoid our natural tendency which is a bent toward selfishness, greed, and hoarding. That’s why the Lord Jesus said, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Well, if an individual’s life does not consist in having a lot of possessions, in what does it consist? Jesus provided an insightful answer to that question in Matthew 6:20-21, where He said, “ . . . store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Now, according to Jesus’ teaching in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25), there is nothing wrong with saving. There is nothing wrong with investing or earning interest on investments. There is nothing wrong with being a wise steward by planning for the future. In fact, Jesus taught that those who do so are to be commended. But our primary emphasis as God’s children is to make our investments in the “Bank of Heaven.” When we do that, our investments are secure. They are not affected by inflation, by theft, by wear and tear, or anything of the kind.

There is only one way to make deposits in this special “bank”: By giving to the Lord’s work. Although the money is used here, it is credited to your eternal account. Each time you give your tithes and offerings at First Presbyterian Church, you are giving to the Lord by investing for eternity. You are storing up “treasures in heaven” that will glorify God forever.

Back to top

September 2010
Someone once said, “Experience is a good teacher, but she gives the test first and then the lesson.” That’s certainly true, and based on many of life’s experiences, we frequently fail the test before we can benefit from the lesson.

The formula “e equals mc2” is familiar to many college students but understood by very few people. Most of us know it had something to do with Einstein and was the formula that led to the release of enormous power and to the nuclear age. Similarly, in funding the local church, “e” might stand for every, “m” for member, “c” for commitment, and the “2” for the effort multiplied by itself. The fruit of that kind of effort is much more powerful than what Einstein discovered, even as Jesus described it in Matthew 21:22 — “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

Right now, as we consider the opportunity to support the ministries here at First Presbyterian Church, God is putting us to the test. As Gordon Moyes stated, “Responsible giving or stewardship is not man’s way of raising money, but God’s way of raising people. . . .The church’s budget is not a list of its expenses, but a record of its vision. It is not a list of bills to be met, but a program of ministry to be achieved.”

As each of us prayerfully considers what God would have us give, and as we obey what God asks of us, we can trust Him to provide the resources. That’s a test — a test of where we are spiritually much more than where we are financially. It’s a test of us as individuals and of us as a church. The question is whether or not we really believe that God has the power and ability to bless our obedience “far more than all we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).

How are you doing concerning God’s tests regarding money in your life? If God’s provision in your life in the days ahead depends on how you obey His leading now concerning your giving, what will the future be like for you?

It just might, you know. . . .

Back to top

October 2010
We’ve all heard the expression, “Money talks.” That’s true. Money does talk. Oh, not in words or phrases that constitute a language, but money talks. Because it is valuable to us, how we use it communicates volumes to those about us. People tend to spend their money on things that are important to them. With the exception perhaps of taxes, all of us vote with the contents of our purses, wallets and checkbooks concerning what means the most to us.

In fact, we could even go so far as to say that a person who does not spend money on something which is supposedly very important in his or her life really does not place much value on that item or activity. Suppose for a moment that you think “little league” baseball for kids is very important. You talk about it wherever you go. You attend the games. You enroll your own children in the program. But when someone calls you to ask you to be a sponsor of a team, or when someone “passes the hat” at a game to pay for equipment, you refuse to participate.

Would you not agree that an impartial observer of such behavior would conclude correctly that little league baseball really does not mean much to you? Your lack of financial support would outweigh the other positive aspects of your attendance, enthusiasm and participation.

The same thing is true in the spiritual realm. It is one thing to talk about Christianity. It is yet another to demonstrate our faith by how we use the money which God has entrusted to us. And that is especially true in our support of the ministry of First Presbyterian Church. As someone said recently in one church just before the offering was received, “Lord, in spite of all we say and do, this is what we think of you.”

Or as the Lord Jesus put it, “ . . . let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

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November 2010
What comes to mind when someone mentions “work”? Is your initial tendency to moan and groan, wishing you could avoid work?

It might surprise you to learn that God described His creative acts as “work” and that he brought “work” into being shortly after He created man. Adam worked in the Garden before and after his fall due to his sin. Cain worked by raising vegetables. Abel worked by tending sheep. Throughout Scripture, people worked. Even the Lord Jesus worked while He was on earth, and He described God the Father as having worked. Work has always been part of God’s nature and eternal plan for mankind.

Wait a minute — If God created and owns everything, why should we His children have to work? Couldn’t He just provide for us in some supernatural way that would enable us not to have to work? Surely, God could do that, but He doesn’t do so. According to the admonition in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, one of the primary benefits from working and providing for our needs is to be able to lead lives marked by integrity and a healthy self respect. And God’s plan is that we are best able to accomplish these worthy goals by working.

God also knows that by utilizing our talents and abilities through work, He will be able to minister to others through us in an effective way. Work, then, is one of the primary avenues by which we can demonstrate our Christian faith, particularly as we do our tasks to God’s glory. Work is also the primary way through which we obtain money to give to God.

What should be the Christian’s response to work? First, thank God for work and for the ability to work. As Solomon observed, this is a “gift of God.” Second, view your work as a means of bringing glory to God. Third, whatever you do — no matter what your vocation or occupation — do it “with your might,” as unto the Lord. And finally, remember that by providing work for us to do, God enables us to give to Him and to His ministry at First Presbyterian Church.

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December 2010
Many people — including Christians — sometimes end up in serious financial difficulty because they ignore this basic principle from God’s Word: God wants us to know the state of our finances. Proverbs 27:23-24 instruct us, “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds; for riches do not last forever, nor a crown for all generations.”

In Old Testament times, livestock were one of the primary measures of a person’s wealth. Today, we might be admonished, “Be diligent to know the state of your bank accounts and your possessions.” Or as Proverbs 24:3-4 says in a contemporary version, “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.”

Why is this so important? As managers, we are responsible for what God has entrusted to us. Part of that responsibility includes monitoring the status of our possessions and making wise investments.

One of the best investments we can make is to send deposits to the “Bank of Heaven” by giving to the Lord’s work here at First Presbyterian Church. When we do that, we are not only exercising good stewardship, but we are also earning God’s approval. There’s no better return on an investment than that!

As you think about your life today, do you have a good picture of where you are financially? Are you keeping the commitments concerning giving which you have made to God?

Think about it: A dollar spent for lunch lasts about five hours. A dollar spent for a necktie lasts about five weeks. A dollar spent for an automobile lasts about five years. A dollar spent in the service of God lasts for eternity.

January 2011
A Christian business owner once observed, “I would rather do business with a non-Christian any day than with a Christian.” His statement was a descriptive commentary on a sad state in the lives of some Christians who fail to pay their bills or to deal with their debts as promised.

A debt simply represents a promise to pay. Nothing more. Nothing less. Whether the debt is to purchase a car, a house, braces for the kids’ teeth, or to facilitate a purchase by using a credit card, the issue is the same. By creating a debt, we also create simultaneously an obligation and promise to pay.

Larry Burkett wrote this, “To define debt is not simple, but basically, it’s an obligation to pay that can’t be kept. . . .Probably forty percent of all American families are in debt in a typical year. They’re unable to make the monthly payments on the money they borrowed. Many actually borrow more money to make payments on the money they’ve already borrowed.”

We who are Christians — of all people — should pay our debts, not only for our reputations and personal integrity, but also because what we do is a direct reflection on our Lord. Or as the Apostle Paul expressed it so clearly in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, we are to behave properly towards people who are outside the family of God and outside His church.

Psalm 37:21 says that to borrow (to create a debt) and then not repay it is wrong. But on a positive note, this same verse also says that the person who is righteous shows mercy by repaying debts and by giving to the needs of others.

By the way, do people know you’re a Christian by how you pay your bills and by how you give to others?

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February 2011
Under the Old Testament economy, people were required to give to God because this was also the means of providing the government. A theocracy was in place then, which meant that government was actually operating under the direct authority and leadership of God Himself.

Today, we are under a different economy. However, we are still required to support the government. We may not like the way government operates. We may not agree with the policies of our governmental leaders. We may not even like the political process or the individuals involved in it.

But God says that is not the issue. The issue is one of obedience. He says we are to pay our taxes to whom “taxes are due” (Romans 13:7). In spite of all the ills of government, God says that governmental agencies and government leaders are His “servants” and that they operate for our ultimate “good.”

So the question is not whether we agree with or even support the work and activities of our governments at the local, state and national levels. The question is one of whether or not we will obey God. You see, it’s relatively easy to sing, “Oh, How I Love Jesus.” It’s far more difficult to demonstrate our love for Him by yielding to Him in full and complete obedience, especially when His commands are ones we do not care for — like paying our taxes.

If He is in charge, if He is Lord of our lives, then we will do what He tells us to do. As the little chorus states it so clearly, “I’ll say, ‘Yes,’ Lord, ‘Yes,’ to Your will and to Your way; ‘Yes,’ Lord, ‘Yes,’ I will trust You and obey.” Even when it comes to paying my taxes? Even when it comes to paying my taxes!

“Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21).

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March 2011
God uses money in a variety of ways in the lives of His children. One of the most important ways God uses money is to confirm direction. Simply stated, God uses the supply of money or the lack of it to confirm His direction for many of the decisions we must make in life.

If God gives us clear direction which is confirmed by His Word, then He will provide whatever is needed to carry out that direction. The only problem is that He expects us to step out in faith in obedience to His leading and His Word, usually without knowing in full the pathway that lies ahead.

Living that kind of life requires faith in God’s person and His promises. It requires taking God at His Word and basing how we live on His Word. It requires trusting Him, even when circumstances appear to be contrary. It requires seeking first His kingdom, and then being confident that He will provide what we need. It requires — as the writer of Hebrews observed — believing that God “ . . . exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China who lived in the 19th century, summed it up beautifully this way: “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” This means that if we are not experiencing God’s supply, either we are not doing God’s work (that is, we are not seeking first His kingdom) or we are not doing God’s work in His way.

Make no mistake about it: God is not a God of disorder. He will not provide specific direction which He confirms by his Word if He does not intend to provide what is necessary for us to obey Him fully. But He looks to us to be willing to trust Him by taking the first step, and then another, and yet another.

By the way, has God been speaking to you lately? Has He confirmed that direction through His Word? If so, remember this: You can be confident that as God works in your life, He will use money or the lack of it to confirm His direction.

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April 2011
God’s Word has more to say about money and material possessions than about heaven and hell combined. Obviously, how we as His children handle what God has entrusted to us is a very important subject to Him.

Money is also the only subject about which God says, in essence, “Prove Me. Trust Me. Try Me.” He does not issue that challenge concerning any other aspect of our Christian walk of faith. Not about prayer; not about sharing our faith others; not even about salvation. Just money.

God said to Malachi, the prophet, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test . . . see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.”

Some promises in the Bible are unconditional in nature. They are going to be fulfilled, regardless of what we might or might not do. Others could be described as “if . . . then” promises. If we will do our part, then God will do His part. This passage from Malachi 3:10 is one of the latter. If we will bring our tithes to God’s storehouse, then He will open for us the windows of heaven and pour out for us such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

The question is whether we really believe God when He makes a promise like this. If we do, we will take Him at His Word. We will accept His challenge and “test” Him by giving to Him as He direct. And if we do that by faith, then we can be confident that God will meet that “test” by providing all we need — and more.

May 2011

“ . . . ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Luke 11:9).

God has a wonderful “system” by which we as His children are to get our needs met. It’s a very simple “system,” but somehow, we fail to utilize it as we should. Here’s the plan: God says we are to ask Him. Is that simple or what? We are to call unto Him, to cry out our needs before Him, to bring our petitions before His throne. But somehow, we must think His plan is too complex, for with most of us, asking God is the last thing we do when we have needs.

Oh, we’ll tell our friends. We’ll discuss our needs with any and all who have the patience and courtesy to listen. We’ll frequently complain about our problems, even to the extent of sometimes holding God responsible for His seeming failure to provide for us. But ask God? Usually we’ll do that only as a last resort.

The result is a sad state of affairs among Christians. “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3). So our needs go unmet because either we do not ask or we ask with wrong motives.

J. Irvin Overholtzer was a pastor who was greatly used by God as the founder of Child Evangelism Fellowship. His philosophy of providing for the financial needs of this world-wide organization was this: “Ask God . . . and tell His people.” Yes, we need to share our needs with others. We ought to make others aware of opportunities for them to get involved in being used of God to meet those needs. But the first step in the entire process is this: “Ask God.”

And when we do, we can claim His promise stated so clearly in Jeremiah 33:3 — “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Say, do you have needs in your life today? Why not “ask God”? Why not come boldly to His throne? Why not take Him at His Word and “call” unto Him? That’s God’s plan for His children: “ . . . ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Luke 11:9).

Or as Eliza Hickock wrote a century ago, “I know not by what methods rare, but this I know: God answers prayer!”

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June 2011
The writer of the book of Hebrews made this short but powerful statement about the Lord Jesus, “Consider him.” That admonition is nowhere more needful than in the matter of giving and receiving.

Consider Him, the Lord of glory, who gave His life so that we might gain eternal life. Consider Him, who was rich, yet became poor for our sakes, that we through His poverty might be rich. Consider Him, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Consider Him, who was quoted by Dr. Luke in Acts 20:35 as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Although many Christians would at first glance agree with that premise on an intellectual basis, by their lifestyles, they demonstrate that their lives are diametrically opposed to this biblical principle. They might even go so far as to state their agreement with what the Lord Jesus said, but not so far as to change their selfish “me first” attitude. They might give mental assent or even verbal assent to His teaching, but in reality, their lives are consumed by a passion for “receiving” instead of “giving.” It is as though they pass through life’s portals with this striking question emblazoned across their foreheads: “What’s in it for me?”

Such an attitude should be foreign to the lives of those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. If our role in life is to follow Him, and to obey Him, we should demonstrate daily, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

God, who owns everything, gives material possessions freely and willingly to us, His children, for a number of reasons, but one of the primary reasons is for us to be able to give them back to Him. Each time we give to the Lord’s work out of a heart that responds to His love and grace, we give away a little of our selfishness and gain a bit more of Christ’s sacrificial spirit. As John MacArthur expressed it so well, “The major money issue in Scripture is not how you feel about it, or even how you spend it. The primary concern of Scripture is how you give it.” 

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July 2011