Let Love Lead
… In Our Money – Part II
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-10
Key Verse: Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Our Key Verse for today is much easier to obey once we have learned the first lesson from yesterday’s devotional: The Lord owns everything!
The second lesson is to be content with what the Lord has given us. This lesson begs the question: is it wrong to be successful and grow our finances? It is not wrong nor sinful to be successful. I believe that God can cause us to prosper! Proverbs 3:6 reminds us:
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
This verse tells us that God does not hate money. It does tell us that He first wants us to be humble, not proud about our status in life.
Finally, as we look at this verse, we must put it in context of all Scripture and realize that God does not define “riches” as only money. The Bible tells us to be “rich” in good deeds and in our knowledge of God. When I thank God for my wealth, I often include my family, my relationship with Him, and my money.
The bottom line of this lesson is that we can be content with what we have and still seek excellence in our jobs so that our wealth increases. As we “climb the ladder” of success, the challenge is always to stay humble. Recognize that God is the one who gives us the wisdom and strength to succeed.
The great promise in our Key Verse for today is that God never leaves us nor forsakes us! I imagine that all of us would enjoy having a little more money. But as Christ-followers, we can relax in whatever circumstances we find ourselves because God has promised to take care of us! The Apostle Paul told the Philippian believers:
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Think about this: God has decided to take you and all your needs upon Himself. You truly have nothing to worry about when it comes to your needs. We all have “wants” that God may not provide.
However, in my life, our gracious Father has gifted many of my wants.
Jordan St. Cyr has a great song out called “Fires”. One of the lines says: “I’m living out the victory but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel the heat”. In other words, we feel the heat of our needs, troubles, or suffering but God steps in and never forsakes us.
If you have financial circumstances that seem overwhelming, keep speaking your faith in God’s promises. Know that He works all things out for you!
Father, when I “feel the heat” of bad circumstances help me to feel Your encouragement rather than discouragement. Help me to trust Your faithfulness to me. In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.