John 17:14 “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world”.
Jesus has set us free from worldliness, materialism, love of the money and the cares and concerns of this world. Materialism is greed towards money and material possessions and a constant desire to increase them. Materialism is obsession of wealth, assets and material goods. For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God (Ecclesiastes 2:26). Money is not bad but love of money will incarcerate us to greed, dread and many sorrows. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). It is important to have money but money should never ever have us.
The skill to make money is a gift from God. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). In fact Jesus taught us a great deal about money management in the Gospels. He spoke about 39 parables and 11 of them are on money. Finance is a very important area of our life and if it is mismanaged, we will imprison ourselves in the bondage of debt. “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Don’t let money direct you or control your conduct (James 2:3-4). Respect people for who they are and not for their property, prosperity or their possessions. Jesus gives us freedom from the love of money.
Freedom from materialism and the love of money:
1. Request: It is not wrong to pray for wisdom to produce wealth. “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22). However if our prayer, petition and plea is only about money, then we are caught in the slimy rut of materialism.
2. Invest: Use money wisely. Invest, don’t spend. Spending destroys wealth but investing builds wealth. As much as it is important to go on a holiday, rest and relax, leisure should never be on borrowed money. Save and spend, invest and build.
3. Divest: Most importantly, we are in the world but not off the world. Money must be used to build intangible assets that build wealth in heaven. Generosity, especially in giving to those who cannot repay, divests our wealth from earthly possessions and invests in the lasting, eternal riches. Divest from the earthly and invest into the eternal.
Produce wealth but never allow wealth to possess you. Jesus set us free from the love of money.
Matthew 6:20-21 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Prayer: Divine Father, Teach me to build wealth and use it to build my mansion in heaven. May money never take control of my life. Amen.
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