“The earth is
the Lord’s,
and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”—Psalm
24:1
A serious error is alive in the thinking of many Christians.
Some Christians think that their beliefs and their wallet belong in separate areas.
However, the truth remains the same: financial health and obedience to God are
inseparable. He owns everything, “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). Cash, possessions, and ways to earn more are
gifts from the Lord; we are simply stewards, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who
dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).)
A steward oversees the use and care of someone else’s riches. “Moreover
it is required in stewards, that a
man be found faithful” 1 Corinthians 4:2. A
wise steward bases financial decisions upon the owner’s rules for using and
multiplying material goods. In our case,
God has woven financial principles
into the fabric of Scripture. Since
money touches nearly every aspect of life, it is mentioned over 2,000 times in
many different contexts. For example,
God urged the Israelites to stay faithful to His teachings and to avoid the
trap of self-reliance, “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” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
He reminded them that the
power to make wealth resides with Him rather than in their own hands, and
remember everything that we do in the kingdom of God involves faith.
The minute a steward presumes that he owns the money he
manages, mistakes are made. He stops
consulting the Owner and spends as he sees fit. Even in trying to do well, the wayward steward
is ruled by his shortsighted perspective rather than God’s omnipotent view and
gentle guidance. He will suffer the
consequences of violating Scripture’s financial principles.
Faith and finances are
permanently intertwined. A believe must understand that he or she
cannot keep his or her money out of God’s
hand, because He holds it all—he or she is simply managing it.
Prayer—Father I repent
and ask You to forgive me for the times that I have not used wisdom in my
financial decisions and mismanaged Your money.
I surrender my finances to You and I thank You for Your wisdom directing
me in all of my decisions, big and small. I purpose in my heart to remain
faithful in what You have entrusted to me, in Jesus Name. Amen.
