Challenged To Win

21 – MONEY – CTW-2022-E

 

21 – MONEY – CTW-2022-E

CHALLENGED TO WIN by Gregory Fernandez

Chapter 21 – MONEY

In the Chapter FOR HUSBANDS ­ C. 5 – Financial Difficulties, we came across the topic of “MONEY” from the angle of a depression-causing factor.   This chapter examines the subject of “MONEY” from the Biblical angle.

The purpose of this chapter is concerned only with the attitudinal aspect of money.   It attempts to project an attitude perspective to the reader based on the Wisdom of the Holy Scripture.   This chapter does not include tips or guidance on the commercial mechanics of making or managing money.   If money is a matter of pressing concern in a marriage, there are several books on the subject which cover the topic well.   One can get excellent and practical tips.

‘Money is not everything in life, but it is far ahead of whatever comes in the second place’; that famous quip is wrong.

Money is not life’s most crucial ingredient.   Nevertheless, we cannot take the significance of money lightly.   Many Christians consider it unspiritual to be interested in money.   However, the simple truth is that without money, we cannot live, and even God’s work, which we would like to do, will not be possible without money under normal circumstances.   If Christians used more of their money for the cause of evangelisation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ would make a much more significant impact on the world. Therefore, we need to know how to manage money for evangelisation and our own sake.

 

Our Christian testimony depends, to some extent, on how well we manage money.   The Christian who does not pay his bills is a poor testimony to the saving power of Jesus Christ. So likewise, the believer whose finances are in a fiasco is a flawed testimony to the wisdom and guidance of God.

Husbands and wives where conflict centres on money are a poor testimony to the love and peace of the Holy Spirit.

Many marriage counsellors rank money problems as relatively worrying for a conflicting reason—some rate it up to 60%.

 

Since Money matters are decidedly an area of conflict, we should see what the Bible says about this subject.   First, the Bible never suggests anywhere that it is a sin to be rich. On the contrary, some of the great men of faith were rich. For instance, people like Job, Abraham, David, Solomon etc.   It was God Himself who made these riches possible.   It is He who holds the reins of wealth in His hands.

 

DEUTERONOMY 8:18

18 “AND YOU SHALL REMEMBER THE LORD YOUR GOD, FOR IT IS HE WHO GIVES YOU POWER TO GET WEALTH, THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT WHICH HE SWORE TO YOUR FATHERS AS IT IS THIS DAY.”

However, even though money by itself is not sinful. Therefore, the saying, ‘Money is the root of all evil’, is an error.   The Bible never said that. Instead, the Bible said, ‘LOVE FOR MONEY’ is the root of all evil.

 

1 TIMOTHY 6:10

10 “FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL, OF WHICH SOME HAVE STRAYED FROM THE FAITH IN THEIR GREEDINESS AND PIERCED THEMSELVES THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS.”

Greed makes many people stoop very low.

1 TIMOTHY 6:9

9 “BUT THESE WHO DESIRE TO BE RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND A SNARE, AND INTO MANY FOOLISH AND HARMFUL LUSTS WHICH DRAWN MEN IN DESTRUCTION AND PERDITION.”

 

Many happy people have far less than we have.   Their success depends on their ATTITUDE.   ­Their attitude is, ‘Let’s be happy with what we have rather than be miserable with what we do not have.’

Stop! Think!   A lot depends on how well we grasp this point.

• FIRST: Our general happiness depends on it.
• SECOND: Our attitude influences the satisfaction of those around us.

 

There is another word; it is called CONTENTMENT.   The whole of contentment hangs on the wisdom in understanding the meaning of the above sentence.   After all, no matter who we are, we will not have everything, so the correct ATTITUDE is that we must be content.

PHILIPPIANS 4:11

11 “NOT THAT I SPEAK IN REGARD TO NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER STATE I AM, TO BE CONTENT.”

 

1 TIMOTHY 6:6

6 “NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS A GREAT GAIN.”

Of course, there are times when our contentment is troubled by an urgent or impending need.

HEBREWS 13:5

5 “LET YOUR CONDUCT BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS, AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YOU HAVE.   FOR HE HIMSELF HAS SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”

 

This anxiety has come up many times down the ages because these very same words are in DEUTERONOMY 31:6,8 and JOSHUA 1:5, 

DEUTERONOMY 31:6,8

6 BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM; FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”

 

JOSHUA 1:5

5 NO MAN SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND BEFORE YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE; AS I WAS WITH MOSES, SO I WILL BE WITH YOU. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.

In today’s rich world, the advertising man awakens our attention to material things.   He spreads the message with exceptionally clever persuasion, “These are not luxuries ­ they are necessities ­ you simply must have them.” His skill lies in whether or not he has convinced you.   Satan achieves at least two significant distractions to our well-being with this manoeuvre.

(A)    We become discontent, and in the wake of this, we bring unhappiness to ourselves and those around us.   The automatic by-product is:

(B)    We turn our attention from the things above to the things of the Earth. The result is that we strive to attain the things of the world. Consequently, we think less or not at all about what is divine.

COLOSSIANS 3:2

2 “SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.”

The advertising man still pressures the already burdened marriage with persuasive pestering.   It is the attitude of “Must have more. – Still More,” this is what the Bible calls sin.   The sin of greed is together with other grievous sins.

1 CORINTHIANS 6: 9-10.  

9 “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED.   NEITHER FORNICATORS, NOR IDOLATERS, NOR ADULTERERS, NOR HOMOSEXUALS NOR SODOMITES

10 NOR THIEVES, NOR COVETOUS, NOR DRUNKARDS NOR REVELERS, NOR EXTORTIONIST WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

 

COLOSSIANS 3:5-6

5 “THEREFORE PUT TO DEATH YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE ON EARTH.   FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, PASSION, EVIL DESIRE, AND COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY.  

6 BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE WRATH OF GOD IS COMING UPON THE SONS OF THE DISOBEDIENCE.”

 

If we want to serve God in the complete sense of the marriage, we must conquer our love for money.”

 

MATTHEW 6:24

24 “NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS; FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR ELSE HE WILL BE LOYAL TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER.   YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON.”

The word mammon means wealth.

Concerning managing money, the Bible has the following messages:

 

MARK 12:17,  

17 “THEN JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM, ‘RENDER CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR’S AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S.’“

 

ROMANS 13: 6-7

6 “FOR BECAUSE OF THIS YOU ALSO PAY TAXES, FOR THEY ARE GOD’S MINISTERS ATTENDING CONTINUALLY TO THIS VERY THING.   RENDER THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUE TAXES TO WHOM TAXES ARE DUE, CUSTOM TO WHOM CUSTOMS, FEAR TO WHOM FEAR, HONOR TO WHOM HONOR.”

 

ROMANS 12:17,  

17 “REPAY NO ONE EVIL FOR EVIL.   HAVE REGARD FOR GOOD THINGS IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN.”

 

Many Christians spend more on their hobbies, entertainment, cigarettes, drinks etc. than what they give for God’s work and the spreading of God’s Kingdom.

 

MATTHEW 6:21

21 “FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.”

 

The truth and meaning of this statement are that we pour our money into the things we love.   In the same way, if we love God and are interested in spreading God’s message of love and eternal salvation, we will channel our resources there.

 

Like so many people, you may also wonder how much money I should give for God’s work.   How much money I should give for God’s tasks is strictly a matter between you and God.   God gives you freedom.

 

2 CORINTHIANS 9: 6-8

6 “BUT THIS I SAY:  HE WHO SOWS SPARINGLY WILL ALSO REAP SPARINGLY, AND HE WHO SOWS BOUNTIFULLY WILL ALSO REAP BOUNTIFULLY.”

7 “SO LET EACH ONE GIVE AS HE PROPOSES IN HIS HEART, NOT GRUDGINGLY OR OF NECESSITY, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.”

8 “AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACES ABOUND TOWARDS YOU, THAT YOU, ALWAYS HAVING  ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS MAY HAVE ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

 

When we are charitable, God will bless us.

LUKE 6:38

38” GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU:  GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, AND RUNNING OVER WILL BE PUT INTO YOUR BOSOM.   FOR WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU.”

 

There are times when charity is in cash or kind.   However, there are many times when charity is merciful.

LUKE 6:36-37

36 “THEREFORE BE MERCIFUL, JUST AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALSO IS MERCIFUL.   JUDGE NOT, AND YOU SHALL NOT BE JUDGED.  

37 CONDEMN NOT, AND YOU SHALL NOT BE CONDEMNED.   FORGIVE AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN.”

Mercy is very dear to the Lord’s heart.

In addition, at times, mercy can ‘Over-Trump Judgement’.

JAMES 2:13

13 “FOR JUDGMENT IS WITHOUT MERCY TO THE ONE WHO HAS SHOWN NO MERCY.   The second half of this verse says something interesting: MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT.”

 

This point of mercy is put under the chapter of money because there are times when people owe us work because they have taken advances.   They may have spent some of this money, or something backfired because of calculation errors, quality, weather delays, etc.   We can demand absolute excellence, but this could mean a loss beyond their working profit. So we should ask ourselves whether we could be merciful enough to condone the amount.

 

As business people, we sometimes face situations where we have to WRITE OFF cash or things.

In like manner, we could face situations on a personal level where our decision to WRITE OFF money or something is more about being merciful rather than claiming “OUR RIGHTS or OUR DUES”.

 

Even in private life, we face similar situations, like a child breaking one of the windowpanes of your house while playing cricket or baseball.   Or your expensive car got scratched because some wobbly pensioner could not control the shopping cart properly.   Legally you may have the right to demand payment, but you will have to use the words of your HEART rather than the law book.

 

In this context, we sometimes will be faced with situations like throwing a TIT FOR TAT at the misdeed of a person who put us down because they had an advantage.

 

For example, A person told a fellow renter to get rid of his parents just five days after they had come from another country and still had to find a place to stay. Years later, the friend had his parents stay at home for months. A situation like this could easily provoke a TIT FOR TAT remark.

However, we can choose to WRITE OFF the old injury.

FIRST, we should remember how many insults and wrongdoings Jesus faced while on Earth and even after he paid the price of our SALVATION by dying on the cross.

SECOND, we should also remember that all the wrongdoings were not done only by others; we also insulted Jesus.

 

BE BIG, BE NOBLE WRITE INSULTS OFF. If it feels difficult, think of God’s Words in

PSALM 103:11-12

11 FOR AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH,

SO GREAT IS HIS MERCY TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM;

12 AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST,

SO FAR HAS HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US.

 

Another way to look above people’s insults. More especially when we think the other people are our friends and relatives:

PSALM 103: 13-18

13 AS A FATHER PITIES HIS CHILDREN,

SO THE LORD PITIES THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

14 FOR HE KNOWS OUR FRAME;

HE REMEMBERS THAT WE ARE DUST.

15 AS FOR MAN, HIS DAYS ARE LIKE GRASS;

AS A FLOWER OF THE FIELD, SO HE FLOURISHES.

16 FOR THE WIND PASSES OVER IT, AND IT IS GONE,

AND ITS PLACE REMEMBERS IT NO MORE.

17 BUT THE MERCY OF THE LORD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING

ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM,

AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO CHILDREN’S CHILDREN,

18 TO SUCH AS KEEP HIS COVENANT,

AND TO THOSE WHO REMEMBER HIS COMMANDMENTS TO DO THEM.

—

What we give God, God will always reward.   GOD IS NO ONE’S DEBTOR.

 

PROVERBS 19:17

17 “HE WHO HAS PITY ON THE POOR LENDS TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL PAY BACK WHAT HE HAS GIVEN.”

 

PROVERBS 11: 24-25 

24 “THERE IS ONE WHO SCATTERS, YET INCREASES MORE; AND THERE IS ONE WHO WITHHOLDS MORE THAN IS RIGHT, BUT IT LEADS TO POVERTY.”

25 “THE GENEROUS SOUL WILL BE MADE RICH, AND HE WHO WATERS WILL ALSO BE WATERED HIMSELF.”

 

God’s promise extends even beyond the giver.

 

PSALMS. 37: 26

26 “HE IS EVER MERCIFUL, AND LENDS. AND HIS DESCENDANTS ARE BLESSED.”

 

Even though God gave us FREE WILL to decide, he has not left us to be in doubt to drift into uncertainty.   So in more places than one, the Bible has indicated that one-tenth would be a guideline.   Giving money for God’s work is called TITHES.   The literal translation of Tithes is a Tenth part.

For those who are interested in knowing the Bible’s references to Tithes, they can refer to the following chapters.

 

HEBREWS. 7:1,2,6;  GENESIS 28:22;  Lev. 27:30-33;  NUMBERS.  18:21-28;  DEUTERONOMY. 12:5-19;  DEUTERONOMY. 26:13-15;

NEHEMIAH. 13:5,12;  MALACHI. 3:7-12;  LUKE 18:9-14,

The above references are a guideline for us.   What you decide to give God for His work is up to you.   But we should be in no doubt that we SHOULD give God something so that His projects, through His church, can be done.   If you do not do this, God calls it robbery ­ all we have is what He has enabled us to have. Nothing is due to our exclusive credit or merit.

MALACHI 3:6-12,

THE PEOPLE ROB GOD

6. “FOR I AM THE LORD, I DO NOT CHANGE, THEREFORE YOU ARE NOT CONSUMED, O SONS OF JACOB.”
7. “YET FROM THE DAYS OF YOUR FATHERS YOU HAVE GONE AWAY FROM MY ORDINANCES AND HAVE NOT KEPT THEM. RETURN TO ME, AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU. SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, BUT YOU SAID, ‘IN WHAT WAY SHALL WE RETURN?”
8. “WILL A MAN ROB GOD? YET YOU HAVE ROBBED ME! BUT YOU SAY, ‘IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE ROBBED YOU?’ IN TITHES AND OFFERINGS.”
9. “YOU ARE CURSED WITH A CURSE FOR YOU HAVE ROBBED ME, EVEN THIS WHOLE NATION.”

THE BLESSING

10. “BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE. THAT THERE MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE. AND PROVE ME NOW IN THIS.   SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, IF I WILL NOT OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN.   AND POUR OUT FOR YOU SUCH BLESSING THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT.”

11 “AND I WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER FOR YOUR SAKES, SO THAT HE WILL NOT DESTROY THE FRUIT OF YOUR GROUND, NOR SHALL THE VINE FAIL TO BEAR FRUIT FOR YOU IN THE FIELD.   SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS.”

12. “AND ALL NATIONS WILL CALL YOU BLESSED, FOR YOU WILL BE A DELIGHTFUL LAND. SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS.”

 

I have written this part of scripture entirely so that cross-reference is unnecessary.   Most couples have different opinions on this point, especially about how much one can or should give.   Most of us have to allocate how we use our money in today’s world.   These allocations have different priorities within the same family.   The writing on tithes aims to orient both partners to obey God’s words.    If there are difficulties, sit before the Lord, tell Him what they are, and ask Him how to do it.   We have all done this at one time or the other with our earthly fathers and mothers, haven’t we?

 

Giving for God’s work is not exclusively limited to money alone, nor is it stretched to items like fruits, grains, cattle, or other things we may have or produce.   It also includes our TIME. Therefore, we must give God a part of our time for at least two primary purposes.

(1)   We must give God a part of our time to pray to Him, Praise Him, Worship Him, to Love Him.

(2)   We must give God a part of our time to do service to our fellow people through using our skills, talent, efforts, and presence. For example, we could teach, evangelise, befriend, console; offer lonely people company; help people through a telephone talk service.   The list of things we can do for our fellow people is as extensive as the needs of humanity itself.

 

If the well-provided families of the world if approached for a donation, many will be able to give a little MONEY.   They do not mind it very much, but a vast majority will offer excuses if called to give up their TIME.   Few people highlight the concept of giving one’s TIME.   In addition, the world chokes even the meagre efforts to put this point forward. The worldly demands drive people into a rat race.

 

Most people today, including homemakers, feel time pressure.   When they see their contemporaries with less time strain, they often wonder why they are less strained despite having the same responsibilities, work and distances to commute. But you also can be less time strained by giving to God your time. And remember ­, God rewards the TIME you spend on His work. And satisfaction is only one of the many Blessings showered on you ­. God is no man’s debtor!

 

Like so many remaining others, you will probably discover that the 9/10 pay cheque goes much further than when you kept the original sum.

 

People may wonder how much to put aside for God’s work and when to put this amount.   Most people try to gather something from the month’s leftovers.   The result is that they usually have less than they earmarked for the purpose and cause. Consequently, they feel they have fallen short of their established mark.

1 CORINTHIANS 16:2

2 “ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK LET EACH ONE OF YOU LAY SOMETHING ASIDE, STORING UP AS HE MAY PROSPER, THAT THERE BE NO COLLECTIONS WHEN I COME.”

St. Paul says, do not owe anything.   However, there are certain times when we must owe someone for a specific time, like purchasing a house, where we will have to pay instalments because otherwise, most people may not be able to afford a home.

 

The second Biblical principle is to save a specific amount.   Here again, one-tenth has been made available as a guideline. Although this percentage decision has to consider various factors, a reasonable saving would mean that we do not become servants to our Bank accounts and drive us to miserliness.   Life will go past us quietly before we even have time to realise how much we have missed by being stingy.   We must recognise that God wishes that we have a reasonable amount of comfort and a good time.   Do we not want to do it for our children? So how much more would the Heavenly Father not wish this for us?

 

The following important principle would be to live within your income.

 

ROMANS 13:8

8 “OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW.”

 

Under the topic of money, some of these points may apply to one or the other.   I have included them so that they may serve one, or the other, in whatever way.   Concerning interest rates, the Bible has the following to say:

 

EXODUS 22: 25, 

25 “IF YOU LEND MONEY TO ANY OF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR AMONG YOU, YOU SHALL NOT BE LIKE A MONEYLENDER TO HIM; YOU SHALL NOT CHARGE HIM INTEREST.”

 

LEVITICUS 25:35-37, 

35 “AND IF ONE OF YOUR BRETHREN BECOMES POOR, AND FALLS INTO POVERTY AMONG YOU, THEN YOU SHALL HELP HIM, LIKE A STRANGER OR A SOJOURNER, THAT HE MAY LIVE WITH YOU.  

36 TAKE NO USURY OR INTEREST FROM HIM; BUT FEAR YOUR GOD, THAT YOUR BROTHER MAY LIVE WITH YOU.   YOU SHALL NOT LEND HIM YOUR MONEY FOR USURY,

37 NOR LEND HIM YOUR FOOD AT A PROFIT.”

 

DEUTERONOMY. 23:19-20,

20 “YOU SHALL NOT CHARGE INTEREST TO YOUR BROTHER ­ INTEREST ON MONEY FOOD OR ANYTHING THAT IS LENT OUT AT INTEREST.”

21 “TO A FOREIGNER YOU MAY CHARGE INTEREST, BUT TO YOUR BROTHER YOU SHALL NOT CHARGE INTEREST, THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD MY BLESS YOU IN ALL TO WHICH YOU SET YOUR HAND IN THE LAND WHICH YOU ARE ENTERING TO POSSESS.”

 

Even though it may not apply to most people, we have included the following verses.   Nevertheless, for the sake of rounding off this chapter, they are included:

 

2 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 

14 “FOR CHILDREN OUGHT NOT TO LAY UP FOR THE PARENTS, BUT THE PARENTS FOR THE CHILDREN.”

 

1 TIMOTHY 5:8, 

8 “BUT IF ANYONE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR HIS OWN, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, HE HAS DENIED THE FAITH AND IS WORSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER.”

 

MATTHEW 25:27,

27 “THEREFORE YOU OUGHT TO HAVE DEPOSITED MY MONEY WITH THE BANKERS, AND AT MY COMING I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED BACK MY OWN WITH INTEREST.”

 

God Bless You.