A Closer Look @ The Love of Money- part 2

1.  What men truly believe in can always be traced to what consumes their daily meditation, or what they habitually invest their time, money or resources in, which are mostly vain in nature. And so, a breaking free from vain things and laying hold on enduring and everlasting things, must always be accompanied with a change in how our time, money and resources was previously used. (Col. 3:1-2; John 6:27).

2. One motive behind the wisdom driving the monetary system has been to create a competition to the faith; so that men can have an alternative fear-driven currency for living—with a limited need to transact with heaven through the faith of God (2Thes. 3:2). God arrested this abnormally by offering men His faith; so new men can be raised whose hope is to become everlasting men —or heavenly citizens of the world to come. (Acts 26:18e, 2Pet. 3:12-13).

3.  The monetary system not only came after the fall of man—but it has since been used to create a life or civilization that empowers carnal and evil men (Gen. 6:3,5; Philip. 3.18-20); a life that thrives on the absence of faith (Rom. 14:23); a fallen everlasting order of life that elevates living by sight above living by faith and love in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:7).

4. For a natural man or a carnal believer, nothing creates hope for living or expectations around this present life, like money does (Rev. 3:17). So, when heaven wants to give Christ to such a soul, they most often would have to deflate his initial hope and birth a new one by regulating his income or what and how things come his way (Phi. 4:12). Economic or financial principles that used to work for him or others would begin to fail, so his unknown love for this world can be exposed and treated (1Jn. 2:15-16).

5.The restless life or system that sees generations of men wake up with the thought of how to make more money rather than wake up thinking about God, was created by the god of this world to make men to quietly worship money (Matt. 6:24). A believer who goes to heaven without overcoming that order or design of life, has actually been overcome by it. (Rom. 14:17-18, 1 Cor. 15:50).

6. One good clue that money has become a servant to us, or ceased to be a master, is if our eyes and hearts have found rest in the living words of the Father, which alone can selflessly govern our use of money. (1Tim. 6:17-19, Matt. 4:4).

7. There is nothing wrong in owning and enjoying things that money can provide or things that God still freely gives. But what the Lord – through the epistles – frowns at is that such things should neither satisfy us nor compete with the good and glad things (tiding) of the gospel, which we should rather keep seeking until we possess the content of peace and salvation contained therein (Rom. 8:32, Ps. 103:5, Isa. 52:7).

8. That a believer has become a billionaire, is not a feat or a testimony in the sight of fallen or faithful angels. But that he would be able to selflessly, purposely and faithfully use it to secure a good foundation (or be founded or live with everlasting life in the sight of the Father), is a feat before them all (1Tim. 6:17-19).

9. When the Lord wants to bless a believer with giftings, abilities, potentials, anointing, graces or with money, He shops for those who are most unqualified for it; those who can serve others thereby, until they are found faithful and wise (Lk.17:10, Matt. 24:45-47). And such are they whose eyes should never be on themselves or on their being used by Him; who should remain humbled on being counted worthy to serve men so they can someday come into the honor of becoming servants of Christ and of God (1Tim. 6:17-19).

10. No man can ignore the faith that was designed to facilitate our escape from this world, and not hustle after money in a crude or civilized manner. So also can no man be at home with the pseudo peace that this world offers, and know the peace that only Jesus can give, which surpasses all human understanding (Jn. 14:27, Phil. 4:6-7).