This week’s devotions are based on “The Key” Week 5: “Let Grace Lead Your Finances!” (WATCH HERE)
1 Timothy 6:9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people 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.
On Sunday, I told the story of a couple of raccoons that have found the treats that my wife has set out for the delivery drivers. One night they enjoyed trail mix, cheetos, doritos, and even got some of a bottle of gatorade. Of course they found an easy opportunity and things that taseted good, but we don’t want the raccoons around the house. So, I borrowed a trap. The challenge is to put something in the trap that would entice the raccoons, but not the neighborhood feral cats that my wife likes to feed…another story for another time :). So, I put a bag of doritos in the trap. The next morning the doritos were out of the trap and the empty bag was in the front grass. They got the chips, but didn’t get caught.
Paul tells Timothy that riches can be like a bag of doritos in a trap. They are enticing and we go after them. Sometimes, we get away with it and so it emboldens us to chase after riches more. Perhaps to the extent that we completely ignore the trap that the love of money can set.
Eventually we will get caught when our hearts are loving money above all else.
Jesus put it this way: Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Money is a blessing. The love of money is an idol.
The love of money has sent many people into ruin. When the love of money leads our heart, it leads us to be dishonest. It leads us to make gaining wealth our top priority above anything and anyone else. It leads us into a trap we think we can get out of, but ultimately when our hearts love money, we step away from the love of God and focus our life on the accumulation of wealth.
Satan sets this trap for our hearts. We need to turn from it and as enticing as it is and as much as the culture around us promotes us, heed the spiritual warning Paul gives. “Flee from all this!”
Repentance turns our heart away from the love of money back to the love of God. WIth the love of God we find forgiveness and God’s grace. It is God’s grace that turns the trap of money into a blessing that can be a tool to be a blessing. When God’s grace takes the lead in our hearts. So what happens when God’s grace is first in our hearts and money is led by grace?
Money becomes a blessing that we use in ways the Lord gives to support his work, provide for our family, and give to those in need. Money serves the cause of God’s grace rather than being a hindrance to God’s grace. When grace fills our heart, we can go to work not just to gain money, but rather to serve the Lord and serve people…what we get paid becomes a bonus! Our hearts aren’t filled with worry about finances because grace leads us to become good stewards and manage our wealth in a way that honors the Lord, putting him first and living within the means God has given. Grace leads us to live and give with joy and generosity. Money becomes a tool which is used to carry out the good works God has planned for us. Paul wrote to the Corinthians (9:7) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
So don’t fall for Satan’s trap. I like Doritos too. It’s tempting to pursue after them. But I love God’s grace more and it’s his grace that will lead my finances and bring the greatest blessing from them.
Apply: Evaluate your heart. Has the love of money become an idol? Is your heart set on financial gain or God’s grace? Ask God’s Spirit for power to replace the love of money with the love of grace!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace. Let me notice and avoid every trap Satan sends to get me to love money more than you. AMEN.