Over the years I have heard many goofy teachings about money from ministers. I once heard of a preacher telling a congregation that if they would come forward and give a $1000 love offering God would speak to them in the form of a prophecy! Maybe you have heard things like that, too. Like a sales pitch or money hype, a preacher says all you have to do is give radically and your finances will be miraculously multiplied by God.
That is kind of like the story of Jill, who was discussing the various aspects of life insurance for her husband with an agent. She wanted to buy 1 million dollars’ worth of life insurance. During the discussion, she asked the agent, “Suppose I take the $1,000,000 life insurance for my husband today and tomorrow he unexpectedly dies? What will I get?” The agent eyed her suspiciously and replied, “Probably 20 to Life.” The lie in the prosperity gospel says it is all about “What do I get?” The truth is that money is really all about “How do I handle it?”
There are over 500 verses in the Bible about prayer and nearly 500 on faith . But there are more than 2300 verses are on the subject of money and possessions. Sixteen of the thirty eight parables Jesus told were about money. Obviously, God wants us to know about money. Yet for many Christians, they would rather hear messages about the end times or prosperity than how to accurately use the money He gives us.
It is unmistakable in scripture that God wants to provide for His people. It is also true that God is generous. Jesus Christ was the one who said, Luke 6:38 (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Yet giving and receiving is only one aspect of what God thinks about money. There is so much more in scripture about it. Why?? Because money is a test from God. How you handle money reveals your priorities, loyalties and affections.
Luke 16:11-13 (NASB77) “If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Jesus said how you handle money is the test of your spiritual life. Are you “serving” money and the things you buy, or is money your servant for His sake? We the church are here to serve God. It should be the church that is the living breathing example of how people handle money… it should be God’s people that set the example…. Don’t buy into the lie of the prosperity gospel. God prospers men and women who will use money His way.