Money and Spirituality

One of the first things I learned as a disciple of Jesus was about money.  Why would the Lord put that lesson near the top of my things to be learned?  I'm not totally sure but one thing I know, money was important to me.  As a matter of fact, a large part of my resistance to His call to ministry was because most preachers I knew didn't have any money.  Then those who did have money seemed to me to be unscrupulous in their dealing with the topic of money and wealth.  Unfortunately, I still see lot of that.
The way that the Lord dealt with me was in His Word.  He drilled me in Matthew chapter 6.  That chapter talks about our material needs and then Jesus tells us that we aren't to worry about them or even let them be a priority.  That was a tough one.  However, as a part of the Lordship of Christ, placing Jesus on the throne of our life above material possessions is a basic requirement.  It is not that God isn't aware of our needs.  As a matter of fact that is exactly what Matthew 6 is all about.  Our loving Heavenly Father knows us so intimately and loves us so deeply that He knows and provides those needs without worry or fretting.  The key is that this heavenly provision comes as we seek first the Kingdom of God.  The moment that we begin to struggle with our daily provision we weaken God's ability to get the provision to us.  God's ability?  Really? Yes.  The Scripture tells us that Jesus went back to his own home town and while he was working miracles everywhere He went, "He could do no mighty works there"!  Amazingly it says "he could do no mighty works there!"  Familiarity bred contempt.  Contempt is defined as, "the feeling that a person or things is beneath consideration." We can do that with God.  Jesus has declared to us that from his heart we are his "friends".  Yet, we need to be careful that that friendship/familiarity doesn't devalue his ability to work the supernatural in our lives.   We need to maintain the awe for God that says that at any moment He can break through the natural with the supernatural.  

You probably are in a place that you could use more money!  That's not a problem. The problem is our focus and allegiance.  Let's make sure that we are still committed to the Lordship of Jesus and His Kingdom above all other things.