A Message To The Rich (1)

I want to talk about money. I want to teach how you should manage the resources God has entrusted to you. The reason for this subject includes: the way you spend money affects so many things much more than you care to look at, it reveals who you worship, and it determines how much more God can trust into your hand. Your stewardship of money is important to God. When sudden wealth comes to some people, they lack the ability to manage it very well. Poverty has its problems, so also riches. Because of the grave danger involved in being rich God gave very important instruction about it. Financial blessing is good, but you’ve got to be aware of the serious responsibility that goes with it. Your good stewardship will help you manage and increase it.

1Tim 6:9-19:
⁹ But they who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which plunge men into destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all evils, of which some having lusted after, they were seduced from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to which you are also called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses. ¹³ I charge you before God (who makes all things alive) and in the sight of Christ Jesus (who witnessed the good confession to Pontius Pilate), ¹⁴ that you keep the commandment without spot and without blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ For He in His own time will reveal who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, dwelling in light which cannot be approached, whom no one of men have seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. ¹⁷ Charge the rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, He offering to us richly all things to enjoy, ¹⁸ that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to share, to be generous, ¹⁹ laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Here, the Apostle Paul made very striking comments about money and riches. In his words, if you get a lot of money you could fall into all kinds of problems capable of drowning you into destruction.

INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT

1. Money should be used and not loved. Love people and use money; never use people and love money.
2. Money can be invested to store up heavenly treasure for eternity. When you give money to God, you could actually buy some real estate in eternity.
3. When you invest in eternity by using your money for God’s purpose, you are investing for your life.

How should a rich man not think?

There are certain ways God does not expect us to think. Some of which are:

1. You must not love money. Loving money is a mind thing which turns into lust (insatiable desire). Do not allow your thought to be consumed with money. Ecc 5:10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, and he who loves abundance not with gain. This is also vanity.
2. You must not be high minded; that is, to consider yourself better than other people. Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
3. You must not put your trust in uncertain riches. Money comes and goes. Money is limited in its abilities. Pro 23:4-5 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
4. You must not set your hope on money. Do not build your expectations on what money can do but on the living God. Pro 18:11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own mind.
5. Your security must not rest in your financial portfolio. Separate what you have from who you are.
6. You must not feel guilty because you are rich or have resources; rather enjoy it. 1 Cor 9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

It is one thing to have riches, yet another to enjoy it. The bible declared the enjoyment of riches as a gift from God. Riches is a gift, the ability to enjoy it is another.

Ecc 5:19 Also every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

Ecc 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.

Ecc 2:26 For God gives wisdom, and knowledge, and joy to a man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner He gives labor, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

How do you enjoy riches?

Enjoying money or riches comes with some conditions. To enjoy money and not feel guilty about it you must learn to factor the One that gave you the money first. Don’t forget God when the money comes. Give God His portion (that is, your tithe) so that He can bless the rest.

Exo 23:19-29

¹⁹ The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of Jehovah your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk. ²⁰ Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. ²¹ Be on guard before Him, and obey His voice. Do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions. For My name is in Him. ²² But if you shall indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and a foe to your foes. ²³ For My Angel shall go before you and bring you in to the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I will cut them off. ²⁴ You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them. And you shall not do according to their works. But you shall surely pull them down, and surely you shall smash their images. ²⁵ And you shall serve Jehovah your God, and He shall bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. ²⁶ Nothing shall cast their young, nor be barren in your land. The number of your days I will fulfill. ²⁷ I will send My fear before you, and will destroy all the people to whom you shall come. And I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸ And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you.  ²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become a waste, and the beast of the field multiply against you.

Hag 1:5-6 And now so says Jehovah of Hosts: Set your heart on your ways; you have sown much and bring in little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you dress, but no one is warm; and he who hires out himself hires himself for a bag full of holes.

Conclusion

God will bless you when you are faithful. When you are a good steward of small things, He will give you big things. Make a commitment and dedication to be faithful with the good God has entrusted to you. Tithe your time also. Create and maintain a time of fellowship with God.  The more money you run after the less of other things you care about.