{"id":6241,"date":"2018-03-04T14:13:38","date_gmt":"2018-03-04T20:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=6241"},"modified":"2018-03-04T14:13:38","modified_gmt":"2018-03-04T20:13:38","slug":"money-answer-everything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/03\/04\/money-answer-everything\/","title":{"rendered":"Money: The Answer for Everything"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Keith Parker<\/strong>
\nIs money the answer for everything? The average churchgoer in America would say no.\u00a0\u00a0But\u00a0the student of the Bible knows better.\u00a0Listen to what the wise and wealthy author of Ecclesiastes penned:\u00a0 “A feast is made for laughter, and wine\u00a0maketh\u00a0merry: but money\u00a0answereth\u00a0all things” (10:19, KJV).\u00a0The NIV says, “But money is the answer for everything.”\u00a0 One translation says, “Money solves a lot of problems.” Money can’t save your soul or get you a ticket to Heaven, but money solves many problems.\u00a0It’s hard to eat or feed the hungry without money.\u00a0It’s difficult to support missionaries or orphans without money.\u00a0It’s hard to build church buildings or print Bibles without money. Oh, the love of money is a root of\u00a0all evil\u00a0(1\u00a0Timothy 6:10), but you don’t want to try to live without any.\u00a0<\/span>
\nThe greatest book in the world on managing money is Proverbs.\u00a0The wise man wrote words of wisdom about wealth.\u00a0First, we should put God first with our money.\u00a0“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the\u00a0firstfruits\u00a0of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” (3:9-10).\u00a0The greatest thing you can do with your money is to give it to God.\u00a0Trust Heaven with your wealth.\u00a0Didn’t Jesus say in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you”? He did not say, “Give in order to get.” But he did say, “Give and you shall get.” Even our money cries, “In God we trust.” Do we, really?\u00a0<\/span>
\nSecond, don’t be responsible for another person’s debt.\u00a0In other words, don’t co-sign for a friend or family member.\u00a0The wise man wrote, “My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor” (6:1-4).\u00a0People who become responsible for another person’s debt usually do so because they are trying to help.\u00a0They have big and generous hearts.\u00a0But according to Proverbs, they are unwise and misguided.\u00a0<\/span>
\nThird, work hard.\u00a0If you want to be blessed financially, it requires sacrifice and sweat.\u00a0“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (10:4).\u00a0To illustrate the principle,\u00a0look at one of God’s smallest creatures, the ant.\u00a0“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest” (6:6-8).\u00a0The ant is always busy, building, carrying,\u00a0gathering.\u00a0And I’ve never seen a starving ant, have you? I’ve never seen an ant on welfare.\u00a0The apostle Paul put it in these words: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28).\u00a0And, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2\u00a0Thessalonians 3:10).\u00a0<\/span>
\nFourth, realize that there are blessings more valuable than money.\u00a0Want a few examples?\u00a0 Peace of mind.\u00a0Good health.\u00a0A loving family.\u00a0Friends who would die for you and for whom you would die.\u00a0Wisdom and understanding.\u00a0“Choose my instruction instead of silver; knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (8:10-11).\u00a0In other words, wisdom is better than wealth.\u00a0Want another example?\u00a0A good name.\u00a0“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (22:1).\u00a0The next time you feel down in the dumps because of a lack of money, think about the blessings that you have which money cannot buy.\u00a0<\/span>
\nFifth, be honest.\u00a0Always tell the truth in your business dealings.\u00a0The wise man said in Proverbs 13:11, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” In Proverbs 21:6 he said, “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.” God is a God of\u00a0Truth.\u00a0His people are people of\u00a0Truth.\u00a0Tell the truth to your employer.\u00a0Be honest in paying your taxes.\u00a0Don’t fudge on the business miles that you claim.\u00a0Be open with your mate and family as to where you spend money.\u00a0Don’t give someone the right to distrust you.\u00a0<\/span>
\nSixth, be generous.\u00a0Have a heart of compassion, not just toward God, but others.\u00a0The wise man said in Proverbs 11:25, “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”\u00a0 Later he added, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done” (19:17).\u00a0Put gas in someone’s car.\u00a0Take someone to lunch.\u00a0Buy toys for tots.\u00a0Pay a widow’s electric bill.\u00a0Help pay a young minister’s tuition.\u00a0Send some money and a note of encouragement to a missionary.\u00a0Treat people like you want to be treated.\u00a0“A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor” (22:9).\u00a0<\/span>
\nSeventh, do some financial planning.\u00a0“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (21:4).\u00a0Think about your future.\u00a0Where do you want to financially be ten years from now? When do you want to retire? Pray about your finances.\u00a0Get on a budget.\u00a0Invest wisely.\u00a0Borrow little, save some,\u00a0and give a lot.\u00a0<\/span>
\nBe a good steward.\u00a0Manage money wisely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Keith Parker Is money the answer for everything? The average churchgoer in America would say no.\u00a0\u00a0But\u00a0the student of the Bible knows better.\u00a0Listen to what the wise and wealthy author of Ecclesiastes penned:\u00a0 “A feast is made for laughter, and wine\u00a0maketh\u00a0merry: but money\u00a0answereth\u00a0all things” (10:19, KJV).\u00a0The NIV says, “But money is the answer for everything.”\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[59,66],"tags":[1436,956,1383,909,1434],"class_list":["post-6241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-living","category-think-excerpts","tag-debt","tag-from-the-editors","tag-keith-parker","tag-money","tag-october-2013","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nMoney: The Answer for Everything - Focus Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/03\/04\/money-answer-everything\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Money: The Answer for Everything - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Keith Parker Is money the answer for everything? 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