I recently hosted a LIVE Q&A on the topic of financial stewardship on my social accounts. The synergy and curiosity on the subject of wealth specifically prompted me to share this blog post originally written on March 9, 2016. I hope this blog encourages and inspires you!
Have you ever found yourself staring at your financial situation, yearning for a change? You crave a different reality but feel ensnared by a repeating pattern. You may even have the tools and knowledge to improve your finances, yet you find yourself stuck in a relentless cycle.
I'm not here to discuss uncontrollable financial crises or the devastation caused by others' mistakes. I've weathered those storms myself. What I'm here to explore is a transformation of your mindset—a journey to cultivate a wealth mentality, a new belief system that will reshape the way you approach your life and finances.
I grew up American poor (not African poor), so I understand how poor people think. Our people despised wealthy folks; we voted democrat, railed against big business, and blamed Uncle Sam for our condition.
We were little, powerless people, lost in the sea of humanity; paddling hard, but getting nowhere. The winds of financial adversity pounded our tiny boat. If that wasn’t bad enough, cruise ships passed us in haste, leaving us to contend with their wake, further reminding us of the inconsiderate ways of the wealthy.
ROYAL FAMILY
I got saved at 18 and became a part of a glorious church. I was a prince in a royal family – at least that’s what I thought we were. I was even taught that the Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men could become sons of God!
Yet I so on discovered that God’s noble people also despised wealth. Despite the fact that we all yearned for a heavenly kingdom with gold streets and pearl gates, and we knew our Heavenly Father was rich beyond comprehension, still we gravitated towards poverty like a tick on a dogs be-hind!
We created doctrines to enshrine poverty as if it were the pinnacle of spiritual enlightenment, the Mount Rushmore of Christianity. We made Jesus poor , forgetting that He was the architect of heaven and Creator of the earth. He isn’t just wealthy, He is all powerful! He demonstrated control over the weather, the sea, and over all creation. Fish, trees, and angels obey Him. Demons fear Him, and kings can’t control Him.
MORE THAN ENOUGH
That’s right – Jesus is/was neither poor nor powerless. If He needs money, fish bring it to Him, and if He needs a room to have dinner with His guys, it is prepared for Him supernaturally. If He needs to feed thousands of people at a moment’s notice, He simply multiplies a boy’s lunch – and He always makes more than enough, not because He is wasteful, but because He is extravagant! He is also famous for His wine making. If fact He only needs water to instantly distill the most expensive wine on the planet.
Question: How did Mary know that Jesus could make wine unles s they were enjoying it at home?
Man, I’ve heard so many sermons about money being THE root of ALL evil. It seems funny now, but it took me thirty years to actually read what the verse really said: “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
Wow! The “LOVE” of money is actually “A” root, not “THE” root, of “ALL SORTS,” not “EVERY” sort of evil.
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS
So you may ask, “What did God instruct these rich people to do?” Good question. What do you think? Sell everything you have and give it to the poor? No! Give all your money away and live in poverty? No! Don’t have any extra money in savings or else you are not trusting God? No!
Are you ready? Here it is: “Instruct t hose who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Did you get that? God supplies us with things not just so we will survive, but to “e njoy.”
4 THINGS PAUL TEACHES RICH PEOPLE
Here are 4 things Paul teaches rich people:
“Wealth is not a sign of your relationship with God!” you shout insistently. Well t hat’s true…unless it isn’t! Wait – think about it, God made Abraham rich, so his wealth was definitely a sign of his friendship with God. Oh, there was also Isaac, Jacob, David, Esther, and especially Solomon (and many more).
- Rich people must not trust their money, but trust in God.
- They mustn’t think they are better than everyone else because they are wealthy.
- They have to be generous and share.
- They are to store up treasure in heaven, which is where true wealth flows from.
“Wealth is not a sign of your relationship with God!” you shout insistently. Well t hat’s true…unless it isn’t! Wait – think about it, God made Abraham rich, so his wealth was definitely a sign of his friendship with God. Oh, there was also Isaac, Jacob, David, Esther, and especially Solomon (and many more).
Yeah, but it gets even better. Moses wrote; “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it i s He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 8:18
CONFIRMING THE COVENANT
God said He was giving His people “power to make wealth” for the purpose of “confirming His covenant” with them!
Therefore, it is true that sometimes God makes people wealthy to confirm His relationship with them. So not all wealthy people know God, but the ones He made wealthy know Him. Of course, being broke doesn’t get you a place in heaven either. But being poor usually means that many are working for someone who probably doesn’t think like them, borrowing from some institution that has money (to which they become their slave), and/or praying for God to have some rich person help them (who they have a case against)!
Personally, I have 4 kids and 10 grandkids, so I am praying the Deuteronomy 8 prayer over my family! You can join me in praying this over your family too: " God bless my family with the power to make the kind of wealth that adds no sorrow to it, and confirms Your covenant with us! Amen."
