Pastor David D Baskaran
Perception Towards Money – Part 1
Job’s friend’s advice to Job
Job:22:24-26
24. Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25.Yes, the Almighty will be your gold, And your precious silver ;
26.For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
Our outlook on money should be very accurate.
When we live in this world, we need money for everything in our life. We need money for rent, groceries, and children’s education. Therefore, the Scriptures also say that “money helps all things” Ecclesiastes 10:19. God is not against money.
Our God is not who gives as bits and pieces. He is the God who gives in abundance, good measure, press down, shaken together, and running over. This is the Biblical language and of God’s language.
Scripture says in Exodus:16:17-18 “They all gathered manna in the wilderness. And to the one who adds more, to the excess, and to the one who adds less, to the least ”
The above verse speaks about the people of Israel. They have a handful of money and jewelry but every day God met their needs. In the wilderness, no shopping mall, grocery stores, nothing. They have money but cannot buy it for their daily life. God taught them, with money you cannot live, but by every Word from God.
Our God is the one who gives us everything perfectly.
So, you are not going to lose anything because you have less. And you are not going to gain more because you accumulated your wealth.
God will give us a hundred times more fruit if we sow today.
Do not cling to money, do not love money. Love the God who gives you money. We must love God and use money.
Do you love God and want to live pleasing to Him? Then property and wealth will definitely stay in your home. The scripture says the same thing.
Psalm 112: 1-3
1.“Hallelujah, you have feared the Lord and are very afraid of his commandments.
2. His seed shall be mighty on earth, and the house of the upright shall be blessed.
3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house; His righteousness endures forever. ”
Even though David was anointed as King, he was chased by Saul and due to hunger he sent a few young men to Nabal, a rich man, but he refused to give them food.
Being a rich man, Nabal had lots of money but he didn’t have the character to give. Nabal’s wife came and apologized to David and gave them the food they needed.
We can often see that the husband doesn’t have the character to give but the wife may be generous, or the husband may be generous but the wife may not have the character to give. Our God is the one who gives everything perfectly including life partner.
1 Samuel: 25: 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed, be the LORD, which hath put my reproach upon Nabal, and restrained his servant from evil.
No matter how rich you are, if you lose your soul all your profit is vain.
When Job answers his friends, he says “I’m not as proud of my wealth as you say”
Job: 31: 24-27
24.“When I put my trust in gold, and looked at the gold, and said, Thou art my strength;
25 When I rejoiced that my substance was great and that my hand was abundant,
26 And when the sun was shining, and the moon was rising, I said unto him,
27 If my mind is secretly seduced, and my mouth kisses my hand,
Can we say like Job? That is the acid test. God must be with us even if we have money, possessions, etc.,
The blessing of the Lord knows no bounds. If His grace is with us He will exalt us wherever we are and place us as a blessing to many.
1 Chronicle 28:20And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it; Do not be afraid or troubled; The Lord my God will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you until you have finished all the work of building the house of the Lord. ”
No matter how much wealth and money you have, you will never be able to do what you want to do, if the Lord is not with you.
He will finish everything through us, if you remain in Him, even though you have nothing. He will end up doing through us what we cannot.
1 Chronicles 29: 3 And I will give unto the house of my God gold and silver, even all that I have chosen for the holy temple, by my longing for the house of my God.
Our life is destined for getting richer and richer after giving. When we do something for the Lord we must do it by believing without doing something.
1 Chronicle 29: 9 “The people rejoiced because they gave willingly; They gave earnestly to the Lord with all their heart, And king David rejoiced greatly.
Whatever we give to God or anyone, it should be given with an enthusiastic heart.
You give to God, only because you love him. If you have the idea of giving to God in your heart, the way you give will be different.
Your outlook on money must be right if you give willfully to God.
The house, the money, the property, the ministry that you have today are all one hundred percent 100% given by the grace of the Lord. So we have to give generously.
If you want others to do something to you, you first do it to them, without doing that you can’t expect it from anyone.
If you expect others to give to you, then you must give first.
God will increase the abundance of wealth in the lives of those who have the right outlook on money.
If you want to reap what you have sown in your life, you need to have the right outlook on money.
Those who see us will glorify God.
If you want to reap what you have sown in your life, you need to have the right outlook on money.
We must be careful in our prayer to defend our family. Even though the things around you are not right, God who is with you is right so, He can fix everything around you.
These 4 virtues should be vouched when we give to God or anyone;
- Generously
- Joy of giving
- Excitement
- Whole-Heartedly
If these four attributes are in us, when we give, then surely God will be glorified in them. There is no point in giving unless you give so enthusiastically, happily, and wholeheartedly.
We are guarded by faith and by grace.
God should not be put, where money should be put.
God should always be in the first place in your life.
Your outlook on money should always be right.
Amen…
Perception about Money continues next week… ….