Money and I have an interesting ‘relationship’. Although I am aware that money is needed to get certain things done, I am more aware of the fact that GOD can get things done that money cannot! I also know that GOD can do those things that money can do without Him using money...I hope that did not confuse you.
I live a very simple life. In fact, I do not have as much money as I used to have but I am more peaceful, more relaxed and happier than I used to be. You see, I have learned and I am still learning to trust GOD with everything in me. I have learned to wait on Him for what I think I need but also for what I want. I have learned to tell Him that, ‘I know you can give me the money for that but I also know that you can choose to give it to me or do it without the money, so, choose which way you shall do it or give it to me...’
“No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24).
Many people see that as ‘simplistic’ but that is okay. You see, I know that my GOD is bigger than all the money in the world and I have learned to be careful not to serve money but GOD. Yes, I often write about money, refer to it in my articles and in my books but also preach about it. This is because I promised GOD that I would talk to people about Spiritual financial maturity. Secondly, I do not want money to take the place of GOD – I want to serve GOD not serve money. One of the ways in which we serve money instead of serving GOD is putting it in the place of GOD...when instead of asking GOD to solve our problems, we think of money first as the solution to everything.
It is very easy for us to look at the money we have in the Bank and replace it with GOD. How do we do this? We do this by simply looking to money, as the first and only resort, to fixing our problems. The moment a problem occurs, we ask, ‘how much will it cost to have it fixed?’ instead of going to GOD for a solution. In the same way, our thinking has been so defiled that in case we need something, we immediately think of ‘getting it on credit’, or acquiring a loan or a mortgage from the Bank of our fancy. We must get into the habit of going to GOD concerning every single detail of our lives regardless of how much money is our pockets.
Let me tell you about a financial manager that I had the opportunity of talking to one time. As I heard him talk, it was evident that money was the basis of his operations and, of course, I cannot hold this against him given his training and occupation. Well, as we chatted I gently introduced GOD into the equation but did not get much support from him. You see, he looked at and referred to GOD’S ways, even financial methods, as ‘the whims of GOD’. He said that we cannot depend on the whims of GOD to run the economy or to run our lives...I smiled.
So many times, I come across people who think this way. They push all their weight and finances behind the obstacles they find in life. Sometimes, it is to do with education (passing a certain paper or examination) or with a financial project, a health issue...the list is endless.
When I gently introduce the ‘GOD idea’ to people in response to a certain problem they are facing at the time, they ‘shut me out’ – they switch off and, again, I smile to myself! You see, I think I was once like them. Once upon a time, long ago in my life, I used to put so much confidence in money, good looks, worldly wisdom, doctors or medical reports among other things. I never used to ask GOD about projects I was thinking of taking on or about spending on certain things...I would not even ask Him what I should spend my money on. However, GOD changed my mentality when He started on me. He made me realize that HE IS. GOD made me realize that He is bigger and more able to handle our life and our problems more than all those ‘things’ we put our confidence in.
Having no money as opposed to my former life of being able to get through the next month comfortably until my next paycheck has been and still is part of my training. It is a lesson in humility but also in trusting Jehovah Jireh, my Provider. When the money stopped ‘flowing in’, GOD began to transform my thinking from money to His ability to provide. He made me realize that His kingdom is more important than any need that I may have.
GOD changed me so much that one day, I was surprised to realize that my first option when I received money was ministry instead of my personal needs. You see, even if I do want my basic needs to be met my first priority is kingdom business – I became selfless. Ministry became the more urgent need than all those other things I once considered important and urgent. In fact, my thinking changed so much that I began prioritizing. I automatically started giving ministry first priority than a new pair of shoes or a new handbag. I matured in terms of my outlook concerning finances. Sometimes, I think that GOD waits a while before He puts money in our hands. He waits so that He can be certain that He can trust us to use the money He puts into our hands for more important business like winning souls for His kingdom than investing it in the next moneymaking venture.
My financial life changed so much that, there were times, when GOD would enable me to carry out a certain financial project with a laughable amount of financial capital. GOD showed me that He is the GOD who will look after His purposes to accomplish them with little or no financial capital. In fact, one time GOD started a business for a woman I was acquainted with at the time by bringing someone into her life who gave her all the pharmaceutical products she needed to start her off in a business of supplying medicine to hospitals and pharmacies. She who did not have the financial capital was suddenly a business owner of worth much more money than she could have been able to use as capital!
Consequently, my aim today is to encourage you to involve GOD in everything. I want you to make Him your ‘first call’ when a need arises. I encourage you not to think of all the money on your bank account but about GOD’S ability to provide. You need not rush into investing in a project because you have the money but only because GOD said so. You should also be in a position to ask GOD, ‘should l do this?’ instead of going ahead with something because you see it as an opportunity to be exalted financially or otherwise.
In reference to all the above, I do not know what puzzle you are trying to solve but I want you to know is that GOD is able to carry you from one place to the next without any money just as He is able to meet your needs without money. GOD is also able to heal you using medicine but He is also able to heal you if you do not have the money you need to buy that medicine! GOD is able to get you that car or house without you getting a loan or taking out a mortgage. HE IS GOD.
I also want you to know that GOD can give you all the money that you need and even give you more than you need but you must trust Him enough to hand over all the aspects of your life to Him.
Of course, this is not only about money but also about GOD’S ability to take care of any concern. For instance, GOD is the Jehovah Rophe – He is our healer. He is able to heal all kinds of ailments from a slight headache to HIV or the most dangerous cancer or condition. Yes, sometimes, people who believe GOD to heal them end up dying but that does not make GOD any less of a Healer...try Him.
I cannot promise you that it will be easy but I can promise you that if you practice it every day, it will become easier for you to do it without restraint. Involve GOD in every little detail of your life, by praying about everything or by simply asking Him what He thinks about ‘it’. It will become so much a part of your life that when others refer to it as ‘relying on the whims of GOD’, you will smile to yourself and pity them for not enjoying GOD being GOD in their lives.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that there are certain areas of my life that I have excluded you from unknowingly. Please forgive me. I now ask you to take charge of all areas of my life. I ask you to give me the grace to make you my ‘first call’ in everything. I ask you to take my eyes off my finances, my wisdom, and ability to ‘take care of business’ and fix them on your strength and ability to handle any situation. I pray that I will be so focused on you that when someone refers to this as ‘relying on the whims of GOD’, I can settle back into your arms and smile to myself. In JESUS’ name, I have prayed, amen.
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