From: October 21, 2023
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10 NLT).
Money is a means of exchange, a morally neutral thing that is useful when rightly used. Yet, the love of money is idolatry. It puts money in the place of God. Rather than saying, “in God we trust,” it puts its trust in money. The one who loves money sees serving God as a means to get more money, rather than money being a means to serve God.
How can we tell if the love of money has infected our hearts? When our hearts are full of grumbling rather than generosity, the love of money may be at its root. When we feel unable to give to God’s ministry, or to go on His mission, or to share with His people, we may be suffering from the love of money.
But giving is the antidote to greed. Be a giver because love gives. As we read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave…”
PRAYER: Dear Father, we look to You for our provision. For You alone can supply our every need. Help us not to depend on money, nor to give it our affection. Empower us to always be generous like You. Give us wisdom to use money to invest in things that have eternal value. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: October 21, 2022
TRUST GOD, USE MONEY
Those who are rich in worldly wealth are tempted to trust their money, rather than God. They end up reversing the biblical admonition by trusting money and using God. As a result, many of them will “wander from the true faith and pierce themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
Money itself is not evil, but the love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). It doesn’t matter whether one is rich or poor. The love of money, trusting in money rather than God, is destructive to the soul.
Besides, worldly wealth is “unreliable.” It can be gone in a moment. Yet the inheritance we have in Christ Jesus “is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4).
So, let us put our trust in God alone. For He is the source of all blessing. He will give us all we need for our enjoyment. And when God trusts us with money, let us use it for doing good. Trust God, use money.
PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for putting our trust in the worldly blessings You give us, rather than in You alone. For You are the Giver of all good things. We put our trust in Your provision. For Your name is Jehovah Jireh, the God Who Provides. Thank You for Your provision. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: October 21, 2017
Pull your trust off of your dead idols (i.e. worldly wealth) and put your trust in the living God! This is Paul’s command to those who are “rich in this present age.” Don’t get the big head about having more stuff than someone else. After all, it is the Lord who “gives” us whatever we have, whether in this age, or in the age to come. Besides, worldly wealth is “uncertain.” It can be gone in a moment. But the inheritance we have in Christ Jesus “is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4).
From: October 21, 2016
Jerusalem was extremely dry, especially during the summer months, so its inhabitants dug cisterns to collect rainwater. These cisterns were hewn out of the limestone rock prevalent there. They were usually pear-shaped, with a small 2 to 3 foot opening at the top and 15 to 20 feet deep at the bottom. It was into one of these cisterns that the prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned for preaching the Word of God. There was no place to sit nor sleep, just a muddy bottomed cavern with a narrow ray of sunshine passing through the opening above. Perhaps Jeremiah thought it ironic as he cried out from this hollow tomb, remembering his prophecy concerning broken cisterns, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). God heard his cry and sent someone to rescue Jeremiah from the miry pit. And God has sent another Rescuer, who is the Living Water, Christ Jesus, to save us too.
From: October 21, 2015
Even after the King had allowed Jeremiah to be thrown into a miry pit, he still had compassion for the ones who heard his preaching. This is the mark of a true prophet. He preaches the Word of God without apology, whether blessing or judgment, yet retains the compassionate heart of God for his hearers. Jeremiah was ready to warn or plead in his preaching. He genuinely cared that people repent and return to the Lord. But in Jeremiah’s day, no one did. His preaching went unheeded and the nation fell to Babylon.
From: October 21, 2014
Money is a means of exchange, a morally neutral thing that is useful when rightly used. Yet, the love of money is idolatry. It puts money in the place of God. Rather than saying “in God we trust,” it puts its trust in money. The one who loves money sees serving God as a means to get more money, rather than money being a means to serve God. How can we tell if the love of money has infected our hearts? When we feel unable to give to His ministry, or to go on His mission, we may be suffering from the love of money. Giving is the antidote to greed.