God says the love of money is the root of all evil - (I Timothy 6:10) God says you can't love God and money - it's either one or the other (Matthew 6:24) God says if you love money you are a friend of the world and an enemy of God. (James 4:3-5) God says the love of money is deceitful and will make you unfruitful (Matthew 13:22)
So are you a lover of money?
You'll probably have to think about that for a minute. That's the way deception works; it's not obvious, it's deceptive. Your first reaction is always - No, not me... So and so is... but not me.
But are you? Ask God, He'll tell you. And He'll also tell you what to do next. Either repent and turn, or how to guard yourself against this deception. God has only good for you! His plan for you is toprosper you in every way - to give you the life that is truly life!
God said: Humility and the Fear of the LORD brings wealth, honor and life. See the PRISM Topic – You Are Not Fearing God For Nothing. Learn the Fear of the LORD. Also know what could prevent it: The love of money.
Do you have to be rich to be a lover of money – which prevents you from ever learning the Fear of the LORD?
No. You don't have to be rich. Many people who aren’t rich and don’t have a lot of money to spend, love money just as much as rich people do.
So how do you know if you are a lover of money? By now you have probably thought of several people you know that are Lovers of Money... But what about you?
There is a comedian, a rather funny guy, named Jeff Foxworthy; who pretty much became famous with one phrase… “You... just might be a redneck."
Humor aside, there are some things that may indicate that the love of money - the root of all evil has crept into your own life. If so, it will prevent you from ever learning the Fear of the LORD.
You just might be...
If you are not content with your current car… you just might be a lover of money. Not saying you are… but you just might be… a lover of money.
If you are not content with your current house, or the clothes you already have in your closet… you just might be... a lover of money. Not saying you are… but you just might be...
If your most frequent desire right now is a material possession - you just might be... a lover of money.
If you often think of your next desired purchase, the next thing you want to buy – you just might be... a lover of money.
If you dream of winning the Lottery, if you have spent any amount of time imagining what you would all spend it on – you just might be a lover of money.
If you are choosing your career based largely on what income it pays or status it offers – you just might be a lover of money.
If you respect your friend’s dad who is a doctor or lawyer more than your friend’s dad who works at Walmart – you just might be a lover of money.
If all your Pinterest Boards are of things that money can buy - you just might be... a lover of money.
If your favorite TV Show is Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, MTV Cribs, or Secret Lives of the Super Rich - you just might be a lover of money.
If you think guys that dress well or drive a nice car (even if daddy bought it) are more attractive… you just might be a lover of money.
If you subconsciously have an income requirement for a husband or a boyfriend – you just might be a lover of money.
If you think you might love someone but want to wait and see what career they end up with… you just might be a lover of money.
If you want to marry rich, or if you just want to be comfortable, and have a good life… you just might be... a lover of money.
If after reading this so far, you have already thought "what's wrong with..." or "what's wrong with having..." you just might be... a lover of money.
If you do not want to get married until you have enough money in the bank... you just might be a lover of money.
If you do not want to have children until you have enough money in the bank... you just might be a lover of money.
If you grew up getting pretty much everything you wanted… you just might be a lover of money.
If you grew up thinking you were poor or wishing you weren’t so poor… you just might be a lover of money.
If you spend money every time you go out - you just might be a lover of money.
If you can’t have as much fun if you are not spending money on something - you just might be a lover of money.
If your friends always go out and spend money – you just might be a lover of money.
If you seldom give money away, or only give little - you just might be a lover of money.
If you think that "when I make more money, I will give more" - you just might be ... a lover of money.
If you do not give to the poor (currently) - you just might be a lover of money.
If you have never: Really wanted something, but then decided not to buy it – ever. You just might be a lover of money.
If you do not have a close friend that encourages you to spend less money - you just might be a lover of money.
If your best friend encourages you to spend more, rather than be content – you just might be a lover of money. (and you definitely have the wrong best friend).
If you often talk with your friends about what you want to buy, or what you just bought… you just might be a lover of money.
If all your dreams cost money - you just might be a lover of money.
If you always feel guilty when you spend money - you just might be a lover of money.
If you think you are more Godly because you spend less money – you just might be a lover of money.
If you want what your friends have - you just might be a lover of money. If your relationship times (with family or friends) usually involve going out and spending money - you just might be a lover of money.
If you catch yourself saying or thinking, “There’s nothing wrong with having money” or "There’s nothing wrong with having nice things" - you just might be a lover of money.
If you want something more, than you have right now… You just might be... a lover of money.
If you have to dress up and put on makeup and go out - to feel pretty, or valued or to have fun… You just might be a lover of money.
If you are more concerned with how you look, than how God looks at you… You just might be a lover of money.
If you have to drive a newer car - You just might be a lover of money.
If you are in debt - You just might be... a lover of money.
If you are not willing to wait til next year to buy something… or not buy it altogether… You just might be a lover of money.
If you are willing to borrow money to get something God has not yet given you the money for yet... You just might be... a lover of money.
If you cannot have fun without spending money - You just might be a lover of money.
If you cannot go six months without buying clothes - You just might be a lover of money.
If you cannot go one day without thinking of something you want to buy. - You just might be a lover of money.
If you cannot go a weekend without spending money - You just might be a lover of money.
If you cannot go a month without going out to eat - You just might be a lover of money.
If you only feel loved when your husband buys you something nice - You just might be a lover of money.
If your friends love money… You just might be a lover of money. (No, you probably are a lover of money)
If you do not tithe first before spending or paying bills - You just might be a lover of money.
If you do not give any money more than your tithe - You just might be a lover of money.
If you want to get rich, you just might be a lover of money.
If you are working to get rich - you just might be a lover of money.
If you want to get rich without working - you just might be a lover of money.
If you complain about those who are rich - you just might be a lover of money.
If you are not content with what you have – even if God never gave you anything more - You just might be a lover of money.
If you spent more than 90 percent of what you earned last year on yourself - you just might be a lover of money.
If you believe that God wants you to have money to enjoy life – you just might be a lover of money.
If you want more, than what you have right now… You just might be a lover of money.
These are just things that could mean you are a lover of money – there may be more that you can think of…
If you love money - it is the root of all evil It makes it hard to Fear the Lord. You cannot hate evil, if the "root of all evil" is inside you.
You cannot be a lover of money, and ever learn the Fear of the LORD.
This is a hard word, but those who are not content with what they have I Tim 6:7-8 who do not keep themselves from the love of money Heb 13:5 who desire to spend what they have own their own pleasures, James 4:3-5 who consider themselves blessed while they lived Psalms 49: 18 whose God is their belly Philippians 3:17-19 These are those who choose to be a friend of the world, and therefore an enemy of God.
James 4:3-4 - When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend with the world becomes an enemy of God.
Philippians 3:17-19 - Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
This verse talks of those who now live as enemies of the cross. How do you become an enemy of God? You choose to be a friend of the world, by desiring to spend money on your own pleasures.
While they start down this road by counting money as God’s blessing, and spending it on pleasures, as enjoying the lifestyle he gave them; they end up getting choked by the thorns, the deception of wealth, serving the god of their stomach, having set their mind on earthly things. The things the world has to offer.
If they are not careful, and escape the corruption of the world, these people have an end…
James 1:1-3,5 - Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days… v5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.
While this passage also condemns them for oppressing the poor and murdering for gain, the reason they eventually committed these unthinkable acts is because the love of money is the root of all evil. They didn’t start out to do those horrible things, it’s just the end result that the love of money produced in them.
At the very least you could end up fruitless! What we do in this life will be tested at the end!
I Corinthians 3:12-15 - If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved--even though only as one escaping through the flames.
While God clearly says he gives us all things to enjoy, and every good and perfect gift comes from God; God never encourages pursuing a life of enjoyment. All the time and money spent on your own pleasures - what God calls friendship with the world - making memories with like-minded people: How will that ever stand the test of fire? It will burn up like dry grass (stubble) – leaving you nothing of eternal value! God wants so much more for you!
Can you imagine! You lived life on earth, telling yourself that God wanted you to enjoy life, to the enjoy the blessings of God… you spent money on your own pleasures, you spent your time with like minded people that you thought were your friends. And then in a moment - your life here on earth is over. The mere 70 years you lived on this earth. And God lit the match to your life, and everything that you enjoyed, the pleasures of what you called his blessing, all the memories– burnt up in seconds! Like dry grass.
You have nothing left of eternal value! You didn’t turn people to the salvation of Christ, or the obedience of Christ, you had no testimony other than spending money on yourself and spending time with your pleasure-seeking friends, and it all burned up – completely worthless!
And for the rest of eternity - those who learned to walk in the fear of the LORD, faithful in hearing and obeying God and turning others to righteousness, leaving behind the things of the world, not valuing money, but valuing faithfulness and righteousness - they are now living large – not for 70 years, but for all of the millions of milleniums for all of eternity.
God said the first will be last and the last will be first, praise God you got in… but you spend all of eternity in HUD housing? without the rewards your heavenly Father so longed to give you…for all of eternity! While those that did not choose the love of money on earth, but kept themselves free from the love of money, pursuing the Fear of the LORD, and winning souls for the Kingdom of God - are now enjoying the unimaginable rewards that God wanted YOU to have!
The Apostle Paul thought very differently…
Philippians 3:8,10 - What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ… I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
This does not sound like someone believing God wants them to enjoy the luxuries of the good life that God blessed him with. So what if you are a lover of money? What if you have that root of all evil inside you? What if you have been choosing to be a friend of the world and an enemy of God - that makes you unable to ever Learn the Fear of the LORD, to begin to walk in wisdom, and find out what God’s true blessings really are...
How do you Break Free?
How do you uproot - the root of all evil inside you – the love of money - that could prevent you from ever Learning the fear of the LORD?
#1 Practice Contentment: Be Content With What You Have
First – Be thankful. Thanksgiving breeds contentment – Contentment is learned
Second – Stop spending. Go on a spending fast… for 30 days. Nothing beyond food and gasoline. Replace shopping time, with time in God’s Word. Third – Stop thinking about spending. Every time you find yourself thinking about or talking about buying something… stop and Praise God instead – for what you already have.
I Timothy 6:6 - But Godliness with contentment is great gain I Timothy 6:11 - But you, man of God, flee these things…
Hebrews 13:5 - Keep yourself free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
This is how you guard yourself from the love of money, becoming a friend of the world, an adulterer, an enemy of God. Practice Contentment. Want what you have, not what you don’t have.
Be thankful – spend God’s resources not on yourself, but where He directs. God may give you something you need, or wanted, that you thoroughly enjoy! Praise and Thank God for it, but this does not mean calling the pursuit of pleasures for yourself, the blessing of God.
Practice contentment, be content with what you have, and you will keep yourself free from the love of money.
#2 Tithe Make sure you direct the first 10% of everything you receive as a tithe to the LORD. This not paying tithe or giving tithe, God says your management doesn't even start until the 10% is put where it belongs. God design is - you only manage 90%
#3 Give Ask God what he wants you to give beyond the tithe, and to whom? Then do it.
#4 Learn What God Says About Money See PRISM Topic - The Money Packet #5 Let God Make Your Spending Decisions Become a money obeyer! Not just a money manager. The goal is not to get more. The parable of the talents used the subject of money, but said “the kingdom of heaven is like… a man who went on a long journey…" this story was a parable to teach us about how the kingdom of heaven operates, not that Christians are supposed to double their money…
See 4C's Tool - and learn to become a money obeyer - God's priorites will become yours. If you obey with money, you won't love it anymore, you'll begin to love God more than you used to love money.
These five steps will help you uproot the root of all evil in your life that will prohibit you from ever Learning the Fear of the LORD.
To hate evil is also to guard yourself from the Love of Money, and the deceitfulness of riches.
So if we are not to love money, what are we supposed to do with it? Obey with it. It’s not your money, it’s God’s, he’s just entrusting it to you.
He will direct you how to use it, if you will ask him - and be faithful to obey. He will use it not just to provide for your needs, but will direct you to use it for the benefit of others, that will not only bless them here, but will lay up for you a firm foundation for the life to come. You will have treasure in heaven.
So Just a Final Review - it's more than money...
Why Learn the Fear of the LORD? 1) God requires it 2) It is the beginning of Wisdom 3) God will bless you if you learn to walk in the fear of the LORD.
What could prevent you from ever learning the Fear of the LORD? The love of money
Why would that prevent you? Because to Fear God is to depart from evil; the love of money is the root of all evil
How do people get deceived into loving money? They consider it God’s blessing
What happens if you love money? You spend money on your pleasure – which God says is choosing to be a friend of the world God calls it becoming an enemy of God – God considers it adultery
What will happen in the last days? Many people will become lovers of money, having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof
Will you go to hell if you love money? Only God determines who goes to heaven and hell. The Bible says Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and you will be saved. LORD means – the absolute authority in your life. And the LORD says, "keep yourself free from the love of money."
Every mans work will be tested with fire. Everything that has to do with the love of money, will burn up –
There will be nothing of eternal value of all the memories you made with your money-spending friends. You will be left with nothing, entering as one escaping through the flames.
How do you escape from the love of money? #1 Practice Contentment #2 Tithe #3 Give #4 Learn what God says about money #5 Obey with It (Let God Make Your Money Decisions)
Obedience is the secret! Obey God every day with time thought and money decisions. Let him make those decisions in your life. That’s what Lordship is. The Supreme Authority in your life. Follow his plans for you! His plans are so much more than you can imagine!
He loves you! He has so much more in store for you! He has fruit for you! Fruit that will last!
A PRISM Topic: is God’s Word on a single subject. A Relationship Topic is a perspective from God's Word on relationships. A PRISM Topic Packet is a grouping of PRISM or Relationship Topics of similar subjects... part of the M: Meditate on theWord of PRISM – (5 Things You Can Do Daily in God’s Word) to transform the way you think. Ask God what PRISM Topic or Relationship Topic He wants you to meditate on today.Take your PRISM Topic, Relationship Topic or Packet with you! Come back to them multiple times a day! “It is to be with him, and he is to meditate on it day and night, so that he may learn to fear the LORD…” - Deuteronomy 17:19 PRISM Topics - RELATIONSHIP Topics - PRISM Topic Packets