“Treasuring God’s Money”
2 Chron. 20:1-17; Heb. 12:25-29
I treasure my family. That’s why I have pictures of Barb and our kids and grandkids in my office (and on my computer screen.) There’s little I wouldn’t do for them; there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect them. That’s just what we do when we treasure something. We take pride in it, we protect it, we treat it with love, and we use it wisely. And that’s pretty much what stewardship of financial resources is all about. When it comes to money – which, by the way is not ours but God’s - the extent to which we treasure it will determine how we treat and use it. In this prolonged, difficult economic recession what role does our Christian faith play? In tough times what does treasuring God’s money look like? What should or witness to the world look like?
I am not an economist. If you are hoping to hear some great financial tips on what to do, you will be disappointed. I am a pastor whose heart is heavy for all who have been deeply impacted by the melt down. I am a preacher who desires to apply the Word of God to the issues of the day. My intent is not to propose a biblical economic structure that we could promote – I’ll leave that to others far more equipped to do so. Rather I want to suggest biblical perspectives that will, I believe, help us truly treasure God’s money.
First, there is A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. The Bible teaches repeatedly that GOD IS IN CONTROL – and God is unshakable. God sovereignly orchestrates human events to bring us into right relationship with Him. The prophet Isaiah spoke powerfully about this. (40:23-24) “He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.” (45:7) “I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.” (46:4) “I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” God is in control.
To believe that God is in control is to acknowledge that THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CANNOT CONTROL. The economy is one of those things. Economies can meltdown or turn south because of famine, natural disasters, military conquests, war, oppressive governments, and bad policies. The bad news is we have little or no control over these forces. But the good news is that God does. It’s all in his hands.
And this means that GOD TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES. God has our backs! It’s not up to us to solve the problem! Think about the life of Joseph. To develop Israel into a nation God had to change their social structure and get them into a land and under conditions where they could thrive and grow. So He made Pharaoh all-powerful and favorable towards this little band of Israelites – and the Israelite population grew from this single family into a nation of 1 to 2 million people. God is never at a loss for means to affect his purpose. GOD USES EVEN THE ECONOMY FOR HIS PURPOSES! He used Joseph, Joseph’s brothers, Potiphar, Pharaoh, Egypt, and a famine to position his people to eventually be the light of the world. God is never at a loss for means to affect his purpose.
GOD IS A MASTER DISCIPLINARIAN. Patrick Morley, in his book “Surviving the Economic Meltdown”, stated that God has three ways of dealing with people who have lost their focus. “Sometimes He withholds the thing they think they can’t live without. Sometimes He gives them so much of what they want that they “gag” on it. And sometimes—as in a meltdown—he removes the thing they think they can’t live without.” Certainly King David understood this. (Ps. 119:67) “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.” (Ps. 119:71) “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Ps. 119:75) “I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” Hebrews 12: 5-11 (MSG) states it differently yet powerfully. “My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so
why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.”
Since God is in control and takes responsibility for our lives, WE WILL SURVIVE. As we read earlier from Hebrews (12:27-29) “The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken…” We will survive. So how does that impact us? “…let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."” Be thankful in these difficult days, because God is in control. Worship during these tough times because God is purifying us and changing nations. God is in control – we will survive.
In addition to the theological perspective, there IS A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE to treasuring God’s money. While we are not in control, we can ask some tough questions. First, WAS I PART OF THE PROBLEM? Was I too dependent on material hopes and dreams? In Romans 1 Paul wrote that God gave people up to their own passions. Two ‘passions’ he specifically mentions are exchanging the glory of God for idols and exchanging the truth of God for a lie. We need to ask if we have idolized material things, if we have made material wealth the god for which we live. Have we believed the lies of our culture that ‘more is better’, that we deserve more, and that we can have it all? Have we believed the lie that money and things are signs of success and money will solve all our problems and success will make us happy?
THE REAL ISSUE IS GREED. We need to get a handle on greed versus need. Someone once said, “God has made enough in this world for every man’s need, but not enough in this world for every man’s greed.” In February of 2008 Cal Thomas wrote what I thought was an outstanding editorial about our economic struggles. In responding to the mortgage crisis he wrote, in part: “Some of the lust for bigger and better is human nature, but a lot is the result of consumerism. The Timex watch is no longer enough. We now must have a Rolex, though both accurately tell time. The adequate low-end automobile is insufficient. We must trade up o a luxury car with numbers and letters on the rear that mean nothing, but convey ‘status.’ And the house we are living in, which would have been more than adequate for our parents and certainly our grandparents, must be upgraded to larger digs in order to impress, if not growing families, then enlarged egos…We can’t say we haven’t been warned about this endless pursuit of stuff. The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote, ‘Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income…As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?” (Eccl. 5:10-11) When want and needs are confused, desires become entitlements…Who will tell us that unending and expanding prosperity…is a fantasy that is bound to end in heartache for those who buy into it? The economy isn’t bad. We are bad for believing that more is better and the most is best. We have an abundance of things, but a deficit of character. The economy is a false god, a golden calf.”
The wise preacher wrote (Eccl. 5:10): “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.” Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:10): “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.” The issue is greed.
The second tough question is WHAT CAN I LEARN? You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again. It’s far easier to complain about what we do not have than to be thankful for what we do have. So we must DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. In the book The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, the author reported that social scientists have discovered that once a person’s basic needs have been met, additional money and possessions have virtually no impact on his or her contentment level. They go on to say that the most important factor contributing to overall happiness is gratitude.(1) Isn’t it amazing that centuries earlier Paul wrote Timothy (1 Tim. 6:6-8): “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” When we are grateful for and content with what we have we will find it much easier to manage well in the midst of difficult financial times.
We also need to learn to ACT OUR WAGE. Christians are not immune to overspending. 40 percent of church members say they overspend monthly; also 40 percent of church members pay more than $2,000.00 a year in interest over and above their mortgage. It’s no accident that the leading Christian financial consultants, as well as secular consultants, list getting out of debt as a top priority. The personal debt of Americans is at record levels. We must live within our means. There are only two ways to earn more than you yearn – either increase your earning or decrease your yearning. Enter into a disciplined lifestyle to successfully do one or the other wisely.
Get out of debt and SET SOMETHING ASIDE. It’s true that Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow (Mt. 6:21 ff.). But He was not rebuking prudence and wise saving and disciplined spending. In fact, if there were more wise saving and disciplined spending there would be less worry about tomorrow. Sound financial planners, in fact, will stress not only setting aside 10% for a savings account but also establishing an emergency fund that can get you through several months of leanness.
Another lesson to learn is to PRACTICE GENEROSITY. The prophets were very clear that proper fasting included not only refraining from certain things but also giving to others in need. But it’s so easy to say "When I make more, I’ll give." I cannot afford to right now.” Listen to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 8:1-7): “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints…But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Practice generosity.
In addition to the theological and practical perspectives there is A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE. Our current crisis is not fundamentally a financial issue; it is a spiritual issue. Now is the time to get serious with our spiritual disciplines. First, SPEND TIME WITH JESUS. We cannot be in tune with God’s will if we spend too much our time apart from Jesus. His actions and words take on new meaning during a tough times. Remember what Jesus said? (Matthew 6:19-21). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
Where are the majority of your treasures right now? What is your net worth? Have you considered giving out of net worth and not just income? Do you see the amount you have given as the most important number on your balance sheet? Should you be more aggressive in re-allocating your investments from earthly treasures to heavenly treasures? What do you need to do to see that your good intentions become reality? Just between God and you, is your heart more enamored by things of this world or of God’s kingdom? Can you say with Paul (Phil.3:8), “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him…”?
Second, PRAY. In 2 Chronicles we read Jehoshaphat’s prayer in which he stated that God’s people, in the time of tragedy, would cry out to God. As Patrick Morley wisely said, “DON’T OVERESTIMATE THE POWER OF WORK TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS (AND) DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS.” (2) It was during the historic great depression of 1859 that Jeremiah Lanphier invited people to pray each day at noon. That simple invitation was the start of one of the greatest spiritual revivals not only in America but also throughout the world. How earnestly have you sought out God’s face – not just to ask for more money and things, but to seek His will for your life? To treasure God’s money, pray.
Fear and panic are the enemies of faith. Remember that God is in control, he has taken responsibility for your life, and you will survive. I leave you with what is, perhaps, a familiar, but powerful story. There was a good court jester. After some more than usually ridiculous outburst of his humor, the king had given him a beautiful staff, telling him to keep it until he found a greater fool than himself, and then to hand it to that person. For years the jester carried the staff wherever he went, until it came to be regarded as his badge of office. But now the king was dying, and the affectionate old jester went to visit him. The king said, “I am going on a long journey,” which prompted the jester to ask, “Has your majesty made any provision for the way?” The king replied, “No.” “Does your majesty know where you are going, or have you made any arrangements for your reception at your destination?” “No,” was still the answer. “Then,” said the faithful old jester, with tears in his eyes and his voice quivering with emotion, “take back this staff, for in you I have found a greater fool than myself, since I have cared for all these things in reference to my departure.” “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
(1) Reported in ‘God Lessons from the Great Recession’, by Martin Thielen, ‘Preaching’, Nov/Dec 2010
(2) “How to Survive the Economic Meltdown,’ Patrick Morley, Man in the Mirror Books, Casselberry, FL 32707, © 2009 by Patrick Morley. P. 48
