Fact: at least 16 of Jesus’ 38 parables deal with money. Why?
Fact: Jesus talked more about money than heaven and hell combined. Why?
Fact: one out of 10 verses (10%) of the first 4 books of the New Testament concern money. Why?
Fact: There are over 2000 references to money and possessions in the Bible – twice as many as the total references to faith and prayer. Why?
Because money is an integral part of life with enormous potential to build or ruin us. It is a serious spiritual issue that must be monitored closely if we want to have a life pleasing to God.
“How you spend your money shows where your heart is and where your life priorities are.”
With so many principles in the Bible regarding money (one Bible student found 120) it is obvious we can’t cover all of them..
(God did not give us the Bible primarily to help us manage our money, but by studying the financial principles it contains we will surely be blessed greatly.)
It should be clear Jesus doesn’t apologize for talking about money as an important spiritual issue. Neither should we.
So let’s look at several key principles of money management.
Principle #1 Let Jesus be Lord of your money.
Haggai 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.
God owns all the wealth of all nations. Whose money is it? HIS! Therefore, it must be used in obedience to Him. How much of my money is mine? Zero.
Deuteronomy 8:18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day
God not only created the raw materials but has given us the ability to gain wealth as we use them.
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
“What do you have that you didn’t receive?” Guess what? The money you gave to the Lord belongs to God. Guess what? The money you didn’t give to the Lord belongs to Him, also.
If Jesus is the Lord of your life, how much money do you have? None.
If Jesus is really our LORD, that means He runs our life. All of it. Including our wallets. Let Jesus have the rightful rule of your money that He deserves. Otherwise, is He our Lord?
Application of this principle: Transfer ownership of your money to God. Deliberately. Intentionally. Joyfully.
Get out of the way!
Let Jesus be Lord of your finances.
If you don’t, don’t bother to read on.
Principle #2 Pray over every financial decision.
We live out Principle #1 concretely by prayer.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray without ceasing, .
And that would certainly include how we manage money.
I love model boats. I mean I LOVE model boats. So I walked into a store that sold them, asked the salesman to put a beautiful model boat right in front of me on the counter, and was in ecstasy looking at it.
But just before I was going to give the clerk the money for the boat, I prayed. And the more I prayed, the more doubts I had about buying it. As incredibly beautiful as that model boat was, I walked out of the store without it.
Just one example of God steering me away from something I really didn’t need. But I am not the only one who can give testimony to God guiding clearly on all sorts of financial issues. That should happen frequently if we call Him Lord.
Principle #3 Give enthusiastically to the Lord.
WHEN should you give?
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
“On the first day of the week” means giving is to be regular, systematic. If you are paid twice a month, give twice a month. If you are paid once a month, give once a month.
WHERE should you give?
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
This is evidence that the New Testament church had switched the day of worship to Sunday out of respect for the resurrection. But it is also evidence giving should be done through the church as part of worship to the Lord.
Christ died for the church so it should follow logically that our giving is funneled through the church to build what He died for.
WHO should give?
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
He is writing to the Corinthian church with the directive –all should give.
But I am so poor I can’t afford to give.
Mark 12:41-42
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.
It doesn’t say Jesus just happened to notice this scene. No!
Jesus deliberately was watching how much people were giving 2,000 years ago. And He still watches our giving today.
And while there is a lot to be squeezed out of this story,
the point for us now is – this poor lady becomes a key Bible poster person for giving.
You want God to bless your finances? Then you can’t possibly be too poor not to give.
WHAT safeguards should you expect your church to exert over money?
You should expect the church to be very careful with money.
1 Corinthians 16:3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem.
Note that Paul doesn’t want his fingers on the offering that the Corinthian church is collecting for the church in Jerusalem. The Corinthian church had collected money to be sent to Jerusalem, but the Corinthian church would see to it with great care that the money got to its destination.
John 12:6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the 12 disciples,
and he stole from the treasury which should motivate every church to go slowly in choosing a treasurer. Business acumen is not the first qualification for treasurer, character is.
And now to what is probably the key question weighing on your mind:
HOW much should you give?
2 Corinthians 8:2
for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part
Liberally.
2 Corinthians 8:3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
No coercion, manipulation, intimidation.
2 Corinthians 8:4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— not wanting to be left out of this opportunity or this blessing.
2 Corinthians 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. generously.
Sit for a while at the feet of Jesus on the cross. He didn’t count the cost and try to do the bare minimum for you. Why would we be stingy with Him? He has been extravagant with us. We need to be extravagant with Him.
What is the last word for giving today?
Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
If believers would actually obey this, they would be blown away.
Generous giving puts our money where our mouth is and puts us in a position where God will dump out His blessings on us. We put ourselves on a direct pipeline to blessings by God, the clearest indication of where the heart is.
A personal testimony: When I graduated from seminary I had student loans to pay off, my car was totaled, I badly needed some new clothes, and I had zero savings.
But I knew I should give generously to the church, and I did.
Within one year I saw an economic miracle in my life. I was able to pay off the loan to get my newer car in one year, pay off the student loan; one year after graduation I looked at my bank account and couldn’t figure out where all the money had come from. And it was not from gifts.
But there is more to tell. I got word that several men’s stores near where I lived were going out of business so I hustled over there and got new clothes at incredible bargains.
You let Jesus be your money manager, and now He works for you. That should excite us.
There are lots of reasons why people come to church. Have you ever heard anyone say they come to give? If we take these verses seriously, we will.
Principle #4 Avoid cosigning.
Notice the strong warnings against cosigning:
Proverbs 22:26,27 Be not one of those who give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
Proverbs 11:15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
Proverbs 6:1-5
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Warning lights are flashing boldly here. Cosigning means I promise to pay your bills if you cannot. Whether your decisions were wise or unwise, I am the fallback guy.
Do your family and friends a favor. Do not cosign (unless you are filthy rich and can afford to lose a great amount of money.)
Why are you doing your friend a favor by refusing to cosign?
You are not enabling or reinforcing poor financial decisions on his part. You are wisely pushing him to live within his means. Why are you the back-up person to a friend buying what he can’t afford?
Don’t be surprised if friends try to pressure or manipulate you to cosign. Ask yourself: is it wise or loving for you to put your own finances and your family’s future in jeopardy by cosigning? Recent statistics indicate 50% of cosigners wind up paying part or all of debt. Please do not be part of that.
The first time I taught this topic immediately a young lady burst into tears. Her horror story was that her dad cosigned a loan and had to pay when the person who took out the loan could not. As a result that young lady grew up in a house with no furniture. None. The bank confiscated all furniture as a result of dad cosigning. Tragic.
Years ago a young man at church whom I thought was a friend asked me to cosign a loan for a car. I prayed about it and declined. He never talked to me again. While I regret the loss of the friendship, I never regretted the decision.
Principle # 5 Avoid debt.
Debt. What’s wrong with it?
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Debt is bondage. Do you want to be a slave? Study history and find anytime people easily got out of slavery. You don’t. Slavery doesn’t sound like a good idea.
Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
That surely doesn’t look very pro debt to me. This is not a blanket prohibition on all borrowing at any time – but it surely discourages borrowing. You make a promise to pay back money and you must pay back every single penny when it is due.
Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
For you not to repay your debts is to act like an unsaved person. Why would a person who has trusted Jesus as his savior choose to act like an unsaved person?
Proverbs 3:27-28 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
and this would include paying off your debt as soon as you possibly can. The lender deserves nothing less.
Note: The Bible doesn’t prohibit borrowing – but it does expect repayment at the agreed upon times. Christians who owe money or goods should always pay what they owe. If you knowingly borrow money you cannot pay back according to a predetermined agreement, you are out of God’s will.
The action step should be clear: get out of debt asap.
Principle #6 Do not gamble.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #1
Colossians 1:16,17 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Gambling is contrary to the character of God.
The God of the Bible rules. He rules everything. He is in control. He is in control of all events. Nothing takes Him by surprise. There is wisdom behind everything God does. God does not deal in wasted effort. He has a reason behind everything that happens.
Either God rules and is in control, or He doesn’t rule and is not in control. You can’t have it both ways.
The Bible comes down squarely that God does rule and is in control, and there is order to this rule of God.
I am upset about some of the things that have happened to me.
I don’t understand some of the things that have happened to me.
I get bewildered by some of the things that have happened to me.
But – and this is an important “but”. I know that God is behind everything that happens to me.
When I get to heaven I will ask God for an explanation of many things in my life, but I am absolutely confident, totally confident that I will be happy with God’s answers.
The fact is everything that has come my way in life-
good or bad – has come with God’s fingerprints all over it.
Now take a look at gambling. It is built on chance, on luck, on random choice not influenced by anything.
Gambling comes with the fingerprints of the nonexistent god of chance or luck or fate all over it.
Pushing the God of the universe out of the way so you can gamble is to try to remake God in another image – and that is called idolatry. Respect to God and His character should matter to us which is the #1 reason we should reject gambling.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #2
1 Timothy 6:9,10 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
For many years my family had contact with a man well known for his greed. One day his kids came over to the house, and I lost track of them until I decided to go to my bedroom where I was surprised to find the youngest kid already in my bedroom going through my dresser drawers.
I asked him what he was doing. His reply: (totally unapologetic), “I’m looking for money”. That father had discipled his son well to be greedy.
How many disciples of greed is our government producing when it deliberately encourages gambling? Why would the government deliberately unleash the monster called “More”?
“All that is required for my happiness is more money.
I want nothing to do with time-consuming and humbling disciplines, I want no more complex or unfulfilling relationship, I want no pain. Because the #1 thing I can never ever have enough of is money.”
Gambling appeals to greed. The desire to be rich is suicidal. And for the government to endorse it is cruel.
One spokesman for greed said, “Greed is good, right, works, clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed in all its forms for life, money, work has marked the upward surge of mankind.”
Every government needs money, but resorting to an evil to get the money makes no sense.
Look at 1 Timothy 6:10b
Gambling – the fast track out of church,
the fast track towards greed –
which is the second reason for rejecting gambling.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason # 3
Gambling contradicts the one another mentality.
Remember all the one anothers in the New Testament? (Love one another, forgive one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, etc)
Tearing down one another is not on that list. But that is what gambling does. Instead of nurturing good behavior, you are getting people hooked on evil.
Survey say – what age group has the highest increase in gambling? Seniors.
The gambling industry is deliberately trying to seduce seniors. Why are gambling halls packed all the time?
Because it offers Satan’s counterfeit to fellowship,
and who is more vulnerable to that than seniors?
But let’s not ignore the other end of the age spectrum:
“The gambling industry is going all out to build its customer base and groom future gamblers through many video games.”
Gambling is as habit forming and addictive as drugs and liquor. “Like all lusts the promise of gambling is energizing.
But sin entraps us rather than equips us for life’s challenges.”
Shouldn’t our concern for the one anothers of life demand we reject gambling?
That’s the third reason.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #4
Gambling violates our calling.
God created man in His image.
Part of that image is to work.
In the 10 commandments the 4th one reads – “6 days you shall labor and do all your work.”
Interesting that the Jews during OT times had a saying:
“If you don’t teach your son a trade, you teach him to steal.”
In other words, it was a no-brainer in Jewish culture that one of the key duties of dad was to teach his son the Bible’s high value of work.
Ephesians 4:28
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Don’t be a mooch. If you can work, do so. And be generous with those in genuine need.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
If a man will not work, he shall not eat. What obligation do you have to feed someone who refuses to work? Answer – none.
Proverbs 12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Maybe you’ve heard mention of the Protestant work ethic.
That’s another way of saying Christians have genuinely earned a reputation for hard work. Gambling is nothing more than a direct assault on hard work.
“Part of what motivates a gambler is the hope for a windfall
without having to submit to the discipline and rigors of working and budgeting and saving. There’s the draw of easy money associated with gambling. The hope for the quick hit.”
Proverbs 12:11b – Gambling is running after a fantasy –
It runs totally contrary to the need of everyone to work.
Yes, there are winners, but have you ever stopped to count all the losers?
Consider the odds –
Be honest; Gambling is really much more about losing
your money, your work ethic, and your self-respect.
“Jesus resisted the temptation to jump off the temple
for the jackpot of instant recognition. The calvary road is not paved with lottery tickets but blood. Achievement that matters will never come through the lottery.”
Cherish hard work. A government that raises money by encouraging and exploiting the weaknesses of its citizens and undermines hard work is a government that is in grave danger.
“Gambling seduce us to believe in gain without pain
earnings without effort” which is the 4th reason to reject gambling.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason # 5
Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Gambling gives nothing to the poor. It oppresses the poor. The Bible cares a lot about poor people. Look at the statistics, and you find the poor spend a much higher percent of their income gambling than do the rich.
Is it kind to fund schools on the back of lotteries that suck money from poor people? When casinos pay for billboards in poor areas that read “Your ticket out of here”, can you be more blatant than that?
And the government is backing that?
Poor people have enough problems. They don’t need to add gambling to their list of woes. That is reason #5 for rejecting it.
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #6
Have you ever studied the social cost of gambling?
Gambling Anonymous is an organization patterned after AA
to help people break the gambling habit.
Their survey of their own membership tells us:
44% had stolen from work to support gambling debts,
34% had lost or quit a job,
26% had been divorced or separated,
21% had filed for bankruptcy,
18% had gambling related arrests.
And governments encourage and profit from that self-destructive behavior?
Governments that permit gambling betray us.
Visit cities where casino style gambling is legal
and you’ll find higher rates of crime,
more bankruptcy,
more divorce, and
more suicide
than cities without legalized gambling.
Should a church accept money won in gambling?
“Is it a blessing for the church of Jesus Christ
to have the backing of a social sickness that destroys marriages,
undermines the work ethic,
increases crime,
motivates suicide
and destroys the financial security of families?
Reject such money!
The social cost of gambling is too high –
which is reason #6 to reject gambling
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #7
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
Gambling violates the very first principle we looked at of managing money. We own nothing. God owns everything.
We are simply stewards of the money God has given us.
All of us have a trust fund from God to manage which includes absolutely everything He has given us.
So imagine Mr Christian gambler standing in front of the Lord someday saying, “Oh, that money you gave me? Ha! I lost it all in the lotto! Isn’t that a hoot?”
Where did a Christian get the right to risk losing money
that was never his in the first place?
That is reason #7
Why have Christians so ferociously opposed gambling?
Reason #8
Because it is not the same thing as casting of lots.
We see casting lots several times in the Bible. It was used to make decisions, to find a thief, to identify Jonah as the cause of the storm, to choose Matthias as the successor to Judas Iscariot.
Get it? Notice what is missing from all those examples?
Money. The modern equivalent of casting lots is not gambling but drawing straws.
So there you have 8 reasons to reject gambling
1 Gambling is contrary to the character of God.
2 Gambling breeds greed.
3 Gambling contradicts the one anothers.
4 Gambling violates our calling to work.
5 Gambling oppresses the poor.
6 Gambling has a catastrophic social cost.
7 Gambling violates the very first principle we looked at of managing money.
8 Gambling is not the same thing as casting of lots.
Gambling is not about winning. It is about losing.
Losing your self-respect.
Losing your work ethic.
Losing your family.
Losing your credit rating.
Losing your one another attitude.
When you hear that someone has been diagnosed with cancer, you know the next thing you’ll hear is that all of the cancerous cells will be cut out. Immediately. Urgently.
Gambling is a cancer. All of it needs to be cut out of all of us.
Principle #7 Do not let advertising rob you of contentment.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Learn to be content with what God has given you, and you’ll suddenly find your spending habits have changed.
A Christian’s first priority should be to focus on godliness and contentment rather than on riches that often bring discontent.
Look at this verse. Contentment is learned. Contentment is so priceless to our testimony that Satan attacks it relentlessly through advertising.
The purpose of advertising of much advertising is to instill discontent. You don’t have the latest phone? You are a loser. Why are you wearing those clothes (which are in perfect shape but are last year’s fashion)? You are so uncool.
Why should some advertiser have so much control over your life that he can tell you to go buy things you don’t need. Advertising is seductive and manipulative. It programs us. We must reject its claim and counter them with God’s Word and guidance which tell us what we do and don’t need.
If friends only like you if you wear the latest thing, are they friends?
1 John 2:15,16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[a]—is not from the Father but is from the world.
All Christians need to learn to be content in all circumstances. Real security comes from who is in your heart, not what is in your wallet.
“A Biblical lifestyle will necessarily recognize itself as being in opposition to the prevailing values and lifestyle of its culture. It is informed by a different view of reality.”
Let’s let God control our money, not some advertising executive.
Principle # 8 Do not confuse wants with needs.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
My God shall provide all your needs. Not wants. Walk away from what you don’t need. I want lots of things. But I don’t necessarily need them.
I Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
If Christians put God first in all things, He has promised to meet their material needs.
Principle #9 Save some money
A clarification: We are not talking about hoarding money.
Hoarding money is putting money aside that will never be used no matter what. Saving money is putting money aside to be used for future needs such as unexpected expenses and financial emergencies, not luxuries, so that borrowing to meet the need will not be necessary.
Proverbs 21:20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,
but a foolish man devours it.
Any fool can use up reserves fast while a wise person sees the value of savings and a backup plan for rough times
and rations funds carefully.
Proverbs 6:6 – 11
Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
You mean there is something a little, tiny ant can teach me?
Yes. Do you catch the sarcasm here? The fact that an ant is used as our teacher here means this should be a no- brainer. If the ant saves up for rough times, shouldn’t it be obvious I need to do the same?
Luke 12:18-19
And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
Hoarders, on the other hand are not motivated by Godly wisdom and might be in for a rough future.
Why are you saving?
A Christian should practice saving money on a regular basis. Even if it is only a small amount it’s a great discipline to have.
Principle #10 Be good stewards of your possessions.
Proverbs 27:23-24 Know well the condition of your flocks,
and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
Flocks and herds are the rancher’s basic units of wealth. Know what your assets are and where they go. If you don’t have a plan for your assets, be assured other people do.
Two tips: keep track of your expenditures and have a budget. Those will help you detect problems. Financial disorder is one of basic causes of personal and family stress.
We close on a jolting note:
If we think our personal money management doesn’t matter
Luke 16:11
If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
Possibly to our great surprise there is a direct link between the material part of our lives and the spiritual. “We cannot be orthodox in our theology and worldly in our use of money.” We are on notice. God will not give His true riches to those who waste money. “Do you think you’re going to get a reward in heaven for abuse of money? If you don’t invest your wealth in building God’s church, evangelism and discipleship do you expect Him to give you the true riches, literally the true things, that eternal reward that comes to those who have been faithful?”
Sobering words – but hopefully they motivate us to get out of the way and implement principle #1 immediately.
.