Daily Devotion: Love of Money, Part 2

Bible Reading:  Revelation 4:1-11

Key Verse: Verse 11 – “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Key Words: for thy pleasure they are and were created

I Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Sometimes I must admit that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry over the financial crisis we are in.  I don’t mean laugh like it is funny, but laugh like in “I can’t believe what the government and businesses are doing.”

For the fourth time in less than six months the government is going to bail out the AIG Corporation.

The government has scolded the banks such as Citibank and Bank of America.  They have rebuked the auto industry and put over one trillion dollars...that’s over $1,000,000,000,000,000...into the sinking economy; but still the economy continues to sink.  It’s this same government that scolded the banks and rebuked the automobile industry for not being good watch dogs over their finances that just loaded itself $410 billion, because they had out-spent their own budget and lived outside their own means.

Today, government, business, families, and even our churches are hurting financially which raises the question during these tough economic times: what can your family do to remain financially sound? 

Here are a few things that will certainly help.

1. Put God first in your finances.  Are you giving your tithes and offerings?  Good!  I recommend that be done...and through your local church.  See I Corinthians 16:1-2 and Haggai 1:1-6.

2. Establish a budget and live within that budget (Luke 14:28).  This is not only possible, it is do-able.  It may be painful, but it can be done!

3. Live off cash, not credit cards.  Credit card companies have a lot of benefit plans to lure you in, but don’t fall for it – it’s a trap.

4. Pray about major purchases.  Ask God to supply before you commit to signing your name on the dotted line (Philippians 4:6).

5. Never borrow for pleasures, this includes such things as vacations, Christmas and birthday gifts, etc. (James 4:13-15).

6. Don’t confuse needs with wants.  You may want a large house, a better vehicle, designer clothes; but you don’t need them (Philippians 4:11, I Timothy 6:6).

7. If you are in financial bondage, confess it as a sin and ask God for wisdom to get out, and be willing to apply the above principles as well (James 1:5, I John 1:9).

            Always remember to put God first in your life (Matthew 6:24).  Life isn’t about money or making money – life is about God.  We are told in Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”  Right now, are you a pleasure to God?

What to do:
✞ Live for God’s pleasure, not your own.

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