The Truth about Money will Set You Free
ICS Daily Devotions

Mark 10:21-22 (NKJV) Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

People get excited when they hear the word “wealth”, except for the church where money remains a taboo subject. Confusion has arisen in the church’s teachings about money because we have mixed up what men say and what the Word of God says. As a result, the devil has succeeded in keeping the church ineffective in mission, evangelism, and good works by advocating that poverty equates to godliness. He has also hindered the church from sending those who want to become missionaries or attend seminary, all due to the fear of not having enough for themselves and their families. Some people have even been misled to believe that being spiritual means being poor, having barely enough, and not being seen enjoying the pleasure of life.

So, what does the Bible say about money? We need to seriously examine it so we can be liberated from the devil’s lies and start believing what the Bible teaches.

There are typically two extreme ditches we want to avoid regarding this passage. One extreme involves selling everything, separating from worldly possessions, and following Jesus. If we think this way, we ought to live as hermits or monks in the mountains to separate ourselves from the world, but that’s not what God called us to do because we can be in the world but not of the world. The other extreme is seeking the hand of God to enjoy financial prosperity. Therefore, it is essential to maintain balance and rightly divide the Word. One should view oneself as a child of God, a steward of His money, and lead a life that glorifies His name through our success.

There is nothing sadder than seeing people leave their faith because they have sought the hand of God more than the face of God. This indicates that they followed God during good times when they were blessed with good jobs and thriving businesses and when God helped them through financial crises. However, they departed from the Lord when they experienced economic downturns, joblessness or business failures. If anyone were to abandon God for these reasons, it shows how shallow their faith in God and understanding of salvation are! Others have left the Lord after experiencing His blessings of business success and good jobs, and they often don’t return to the Lord until their next crisis in life. These individuals follow God solely for prosperity. Money is temporal, whereas salvation means we get to spend eternal life with Jesus, and enjoy the abundant life and all that He has blessed us with in our lives on earth.

Sermon Series: Money – The truth shall set you free!