Why does God use money the way He does?

Years ago when I was Pastoring in Hawaii, I experienced an important lesson on proper identification. I went to a special night with my brother. This is when it was only Chris, he was almost 3 years old, Dee and myself. My baby brother loved being an Uncle, and while we were out he bought Chris two helium balloons that looked like “Bert & Ernie” from Sesame Street. Later that night I woke up around 2 AM and as usual I would get up and get a drink of water from the kitchen. In the hallway I could see the shadows of two heads in my living room. They were moving back and forth. This meant that two people were in my kitchen! My heart was beating, but my family was in rooms behind me and I needed to defend them. I hit the light switch on the wall as I jumped out into the kitchen. 

Suddenly two faces came at me…I screamed, put my fists up…and then realized I was looking at the two balloons! They were losing helium and now were floating around the house! It was their shadow I saw. Now I was laughing but I realized how important proper identification is. The racing heart, sweating palms and adrenaline rush were all unnecessary. 

I believe many people suffer unnecessarily concerning money because they have misidentified what money is for, what God considers being “rich” is, and how does God want us to think about money.    

I want to approach this from those three Angles:

1. What is Money for?

2. What is the right perspective about being “rich?”

3. God’s attitude toward Money!

I will cover #1 today, then #2 and #3 in following Devos.

1. What is Money for?

Many think - “I need it to live!” NOT!!! Nothing is less true. God uses money to meet our needs, but Scriptures are full of examples of how God supplies needs when no money is involved. My family and have witnessed this in our lives for over 4 decades.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:24–34  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

·      a. Money is God’s Tool!

Many children of God wonder why their all powerful Maker, Who owns everything, does not just give everyone of His children all the money they desire to take care of all their needs anytime they ask for it. I experienced those feelings early in my walk with God, but it reveals the lack of understanding that God is focused on developing our faith and character, and He uses money to accomplish that.

Proverbs 30:7–9 Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.

God sees money as a "means," not an end! We learn to depend on Him, not it. We see it as something we can use in a way that would glorify Him. Providing for our family, helping others and enjoying what we can use it for...even for some of our desires, is glorifying to Him. God enjoys teaching His children how to use money, instead of it using us! 

·      b. BIG Surprise! The Extra you are given is not all for you!

One of the key ways God teaches us to be generous is when we have more money than our needs demand. This is the way He guides us to seek wisdom on how to use our money. How much we save, how do we plan to use it in the future and, first and foremost, how is God leading us to share some of that with His work and others in need. We also learn the difference between “saving” and “hoarding.”

Ephesians 4:28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

1 Timothy 6:17–18 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.

Meditation: How much do you think about money? When you think about it, what do you think? How much of your prayer time is for your physical needs? Spiritual needs? Other’s needs? What is the difference between saving and hoarding?