God Tests Our Hearts with Money

In a previous message I established from the Scriptures that God tests our hearts. In this article I want to show that one of the principal ways God tests out hearts is with MONEY.

What is money? Money is many things. It is something people are willing to accept in exchange for goods and services. It is the power to have things and to get things done in this world.

Almost everybody likes to have money, because even if you don't like it, you can give it away to someone else who needs it, and therefore be a blessing to them.

God warns us against against the love of money. The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and the same verse teaches that some have wandered from the faith in their pursuit of money.

God warns us against TRUSTING in uncertain riches. Who or what will provide for us? Will it be GOD, or will it be the wealth and money we have accumulated at some point? God takes this issue very seriously.

It is amazing how many great works for God were started by people who basically had no money,

It is also amazing how many people there are in the Christian world who tell you how they are GOING to make lots of money so that they can SERVE GOD. I always find these kind of statements a little troubling. You can serve God without money in the bank. What you need is the FAVOR of God so that whenever you need provision, God gives it to you.

In his earthly ministry, Jesus at times had no money. That's why he told Peter to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth to pay the temple tax. At other times, Jesus had money – actually Judas was looking after it. This is because they were always giving to the poor and Judas had the job of taking care of the money that was donated at times for this purpose.

At no time did Jesus lack the money He needed to do the will of God. As the saying goes, "If its His will, its His bill."

Before we can really be trusted with a seriously important ministry, God WILL test us concerning money, and our attitude towards it.

Luke 16:11  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

If we do not handle money correctly for the purposes it was entrusted to us – at least at first – then God will NOT give us a powerful spiritual ministry. Please note that people have to face this test MORE THAN ONCE IN THEIR LIVES. That is to say, you might receive some spiritual riches because of previous faithfulness – but if you stop being faithful with money – you will not be given increased spiritual riches!

Are you longing for the moving of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you desire the spiritual gifts to operate? Make sure that you learn to do God's will with money. If not, you may never get the breakthrough you desire.

This is a big subject and I see I am not going to get through it with just one or two articles.