Tuesday, August 23, 2016

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR.....WEALTH?

"For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" 1 Timothy 6:10
There is no one in this world who wants to be destitute, flat broke or maxed out with bills and stress. No, not one. In this lifetime, no matter which system of government  under which a person lives around the world, we need money to survive. Money is the currency (so to speak) that fuels an economy based on the multiplier effect created by God. If you have ever studied how economies, communities and even countries grow with a sane and balanced mind, it will established economies and markets to work. 

This is different than the pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake, for which many have lost their minds, sold their souls, destroyed their families and even worse – damaged their testimony about the Goodness, Greatness and Holiness of God. The Bible tells us that the “LOVE  of money is the root of all evil”. NOT money in itself. It is like the age old debate on guns.  A firearm is a dormant weapon. A car is a machine on four wheels and a fighter jet is just a fast plane until a human being gets behind it and sends it into operation.

There are examples of people in the Bible and over the years who were just plain greedy and short-sighted in their pursuit of temporal and temporary wealth over what matters most – true riches in heaven. Nabal is a good example of a fat, disgusting man of greed, whose wealth was more important to him than sharing even a morsel of food to King David, who was on the run at the time from Saul. (Click this sentence to read full account of Nabal).

Then there was the man who desired to pursue wealth and business outside the will of God, and God replied to him "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'" (Luke 12:20). James warns us to be careful of this sort of conduct, in the pursuit and even our prayers for wealth, outside of the Will of God. James says: "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:15)

Neither Jesus nor the Bible says that being financially secure, having money, or even money itself was a bad thing.  God tells us in His scriptures that it is the LOVE of money which is the root of all evil. Jesus created a gold coin in a fish’s mouth so that Peter could pay taxes for both him and Jesus. Jesus Himself proved the importance of Wisdom and Stewardship in personal financial management when He presented the importance of responsibility being fully equipped to start, finance and complete a construction job here in 

So, God’s economy is practical, honorable and sensible. He will provide for us to build that deck to have our children’s friends over so they’re not going off in strange places to be unaccountable. He will provide the mortgage financing for a new couple to buy their first starter home or  good working automobile, for us to get to work. This is how our God rolls. He is Yahweh Jireh – our God Who supplies all our needs- housing, food, transport and clothing.

So should we pray to be wealthy – yes – but only in Godly wisdom. Godly wisdom will then allow us to approach Almighty God in the proper manner to pray for the financial means to live, pay bills and even have enough left over for recreation and to help others.

Heavenly Father You have given us riches whose currency cannot be measured in terms of this present life, but whose value extend way beyond into Eternity. Thank You for the Gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah, Who became poor that we may become rich and this is the wealth we desire. This is the treasure which is more worthy and more lasting than any flim flam jam this dying age could offer. Thank You for not just giving us our daily bread, clothing, transport, homes, cars, vacations, jobs, health care and more but for blessing us, Your ungrateful people, more than we deserve. You even bless those who hate You without a cause. Even though they belong to their father the devil, You provide the same blessings, opportunity, good healthy and food for them as well as for Your eternal children.

So now, oh Lord, instead of praying for more and more possessions in this world, we pray that if it is Thy will to bless us more, in a certain way, may the overflow be used for the furtherance of Thy Kingdom, which is coming soon and whose ruler is Jesus. May the wealth which is provided, be used as a means to an end for provision to bring many to repentance and to the Knowledge of You - the One True God in Heaven, through Jesus Christ the King of all and Ruler and owner of all, amen and amen and amen.

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