Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 5 of “Fan or Follower – Invest Wisely” (LISTEN HERE).
1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Money is not the problem.
In fact money allows for many blessings. We can give money to honor God by giving to our local church. We can use money to buy food and clothes. Money pays the rent or mortgage. Yes, money pays for our local police, fire, EMS, schools, roads, governing officials, etc. Money even allows us to enjoy God’s creation through travel to different parts of the country and world.
God never commanded us to NOT have money.
He just commanded us to not LOVE money more than him.
Money turns from a blessing to a curse as soon as our heart turns from God to money.
The news often contains articles where crime was committed to gain some level of money. Individuals orchestrate a “murder for hire” to collect a life insurance policy. Investors develop a ponzi scheme to bilk millions from investors. Pyramid schemes are set up to sell nothing, but make the organizers rich. Insurance fraud gains payouts beyond the injury incurred. Avoiding paying taxes. Falsifying information to gain a government payout. The list goes on.
When the heart is captivated by the love of money, the head and the hands will facilitate what the heart desires.
Are you one of those?
No, of course not, right?
Or are we?
Every word of Scripture is given because God loves us enough to expose the sin in our hearts to avoid greater and more prolonged sinning.
So, of course we are in danger of falling for the tempation of wealth. If we weren’t the Spirit of God wouldn’t have inspired the Apostle Paul to write this. What maybe is our temptation?
We take a new position that pays more, but we are unable to come to church on a Sunday.
We are blessed with many recreational toys (boats, hunting leases, etc.), but the money to use them and sustain them keeps us from giving 10% to the Lord.
We find it important to “keep up with the Jones’” so we or our kids aren’t “embarrassed” by having the latest clothing or trendy attire, accumulating credit card debt beyond our means.
We work relentless hours only to have our marriage and family crumble.
We neglect time with the Lord in his Word claiming, “We just don’t have time. I have to work these hours to get the promotion.”
The list goes on.
Money, wealth and all that goes with it can easily captivate our heart.
But is it worth it?
There is no U-haul you can pull behind your hearse.
The investments that last to eternity are what you invest in your relationship with the Lord, the time you pour into the faith of your family, the generous offerings that you give that allow the Gospel to go around the community and the world.
Money is a tool when we manage it as God intends it. Money is a curse when our heart is captivated by it.
Money is not the problem. Our sinful heart is.
Money is not the solution. Our perfect Savior is.
Apply: How is your heart tempted to love money over loving God?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for warning me of how tempting it is to love money more than you. Redirect my heart to always love you above any material thing. AMEN.