Now watch, beloved, then it is a question of attitude, isn't it? What your attitude is toward your money. You know, money is such a powerful thing in our lives we deal with all the time. Do you realize that you never are, you know, in normal circumstances, without money?
It's always a part of your life. How important it is that you have the right attitude toward it. As a kid, you were probably told you needed to work hard in school, so that you could get into a good university, so that you could get a good job, so that you could make a lot of money. The fact is, many people are taught to see money as the end goal, the greatest prize. Of course, as a Christian, you should know that money is important, but it is not your greatest treasure.
So how do you keep money in its proper place? Find out today on Grace to You, as John MacArthur shows you how the Lord wants you to use the resources he gives you. This practical look at finances is part of John MacArthur's study titled, God's Plan for Giving.
And with that, here's today's lesson. Does the Christian have the right to possess money? Let's look first of all at this thought. All money belongs to God. In Haggai 2.8, it says this, the silver and the gold are mine. In Deuteronomy 8.18, the Bible says, but you shall remember the Lord your God, listen, for it is he who is giving you power to make wealth.
Notice two things. All money is God's. Secondly, God grants to men the power to get that which is his in terms of wealth or money. So then we see, first of all, the right to possess money. Second point, the way to regard money. You say, well now that I have it, how do I look at it? Well, money can be a great blessing and the key to it is what you think of it.
That's right. You always hear people say, well if I had a million dollars, I'd... No, you wouldn't. No, no, the question is not what you do with a million, the question is what are you doing with the 10 in your pocket? That's the question. That's the question. You say, well if I had, I would support a missionary. I would do... Oh, five... No, no, no. What are you doing with the 10 in your pocket or the dollar?
No, Ecclesiastes 5, 10 and 11. Listen to this. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money. When good things increase, those who consume them increase. The more you have, the more stores you go to. The more you buy. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look at it?
Isn't that something? One translation says the only advantage in having money is to watch it slip through your fingers. The more you have, the more goes. No, it is not a question of having more and doing more with it. It is just the question of what you're doing with what you have.
Listen, rich people have more problems. Well, how do we regard money? Well, let me tell you the wrong way to regard it, and that is to love it. For the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 6, 10, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And let me tell you something, it doesn't say money's a root of all evil. You hear that all the time. Money's a root of all evil.
No, no, no. It says the love of money and you can have a lot of it and not love it and you can have none of it and love it. It's the love of money, not money. Money is amoral. Now watch, beloved, then it is a question of attitude, isn't it?
It is a question of attitude. What your attitude is toward your money. You know, money is such a powerful thing in our lives we deal with all the time. Do you realize that you never are, in normal circumstances, without money? It's always a part of your life.
Every time you turn around, you're dealing with it. How important it is that you have the right attitude toward it. Look with me for a minute at 1 Timothy chapter 6 and let's just pick up a few thoughts there that are so very important. Verse 6, I think this is basic, talking about attitude, but godliness with contentment is great gain. Godliness and contentment go together. Boy, when you're happy with what you have, that really goes together with being a godly person. 4 in verse 7, you brought nothing into the world and it's certain you're not going to carry anything out. So having food and raiment, you ought to be content. Some people love money.
Hebrews 13, 5 says, be content with such things as you have. Verse 9, now if you love money, you're going to find it's going to bring all kinds of problems. Verse 9 says, they that will be rich, that's tantamount to loving money.
Boy, they're going to get rich one way or another. And I've even heard people say, well, I'm going to make a million so I can give it to the Lord. Don't make a million for the Lord. The Lord's not poor, he doesn't need your million. And don't cloak your own desire to be a rich man and that kind of a guys. Bible says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and then you let the Lord worry about whether he gives you a million.
Set your heart out to be honest and do your best and then if God rewards you with the million, you've done it right. But he says here, but they that will be rich, in other words, the man who pursues riches, fall into temptation and a snare and the many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and loss. Perdition means loss. When a person loves money, he's useless to God. That's right, he is useless to God. Jesus put it simply this way.
You ready for this? You can't serve God and mammon. You know what mammon is? Money. You can't serve God and money. For money, Achan brought defeat on Israel's army and death to himself and his family. For money, Delilah betrayed Samson and ultimately slaughtered thousands. For money, Ananias and Sapphira became the first hypocrites in the church and God executed them as a testimony against their misuse of money and their deceit. For money, Judas sold Jesus. Not very good company for money lovers. What does loving money lead people to? Let me give you some things here.
Just if you want to jot them down, jot them down. Loving money leads people to one, forget God. To forget God. You know, it's an interesting part of the Proverbs. The Proverbs written by Solomon, as you know, but the 30th chapter of Proverbs was written by a man named Agur, A-G-U-R. And Agur watched Solomon and Solomon was loaded. I mean, he was rich beyond belief and he got trapped in this richest thing and he wanted more and more so he kept marrying these foreign wives, you know, to bring in more treasure and more treasure and more treasure and he brought Israel into idolatry and fouled up everything and ruined his life.
And Agur looked at him and he watched him and this is what he said. Proverbs 30 verses 8 and 9, he says, God, give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is my portion. Just a balance.
Why? Lest I be full, in other words, if I'm rich, and deny thee and say, who is the Lord? Agur says, don't give me too much. I'll tend to deny you. I'll become totally self-sufficient. Then he says, don't give me too little or lest I'll be in want and I'll steal and profane your name. Just my portion, that's all. Love of money can lead us to forget God.
Secondly, it can lead us to stop trusting God. You know, one of the great dangers in having money is you begin to trust in it, right? You say, hey, everything's great in my life. I've got my bank account built up. Wait a minute. Oh, I'm not worried about anything happening.
Why? Well, I've got money for a rainy day. Now wait a minute. Now wait a minute.
Is that what it's all about? Trust in the Lord. Money can cause us to stop trusting God.
Job 31, 34, and 38. Listen to this. Listen. If I have put my trust in money, if my happiness depends on wealth, it would mean that I denied the God of heaven. If I depend on my money, then I've denied God. Listen to Proverbs 11, 28.
Trust in your money and you shall fall. One translation says, trust in your money and down you go. The rest of the verse says, trust in the Lord and you'll flourish like a tree. You're in 1st Timothy 6. Look at verse 17. Charge them that are rich in this age that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in whom?
The living God. Charge them that are rich. That's us. Don't be proud. Think your big stuff because you have money. Flaunt your riches. Don't trust in your riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Boy, if you've got it, he gave it to you.
Don't you forget him for it. And incidentally, verse 18, he says that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to share. This is kind of interesting that the more money people have, the less money they're willing to part with. The thing they ought to do is lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may hold on eternal life. They ought to start looking toward eternal values.
Well, a third thing. The love of money can cause us not only to forget God and stop trusting God, but to be deceived. When we love money, Satan really uses that to deceive us. You know, in the parable of the sower and the seed in Mark 4 19, listen to what it says. And this was sown...incidentally the seed was sown among thorns. Remember the word was sown among thorns. It says, in the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word. Boy, Satan can be so deceiving. We think we have money.
We think we have everything. Fourth, the love of money can bring a man or a woman to the place where he actually compromises biblical instruction. Have you ever thought about your price? What is your price? You ever thought about that?
What will you sell out for? It's been said, every man has his price. I pray, God, that isn't so in my life.
I pray it isn't in yours. Somebody said, when money speaks, the truth is silent. Let me give you an illustration. Some people would sell out for position. There are some people on a job who, if they could get a promotion, would lie, and they're Christians. Do you believe that?
Sure. Some people would sell out for popularity. Some people mute the testimony of Jesus so they won't be unpopular. That's selling out. What's your price?
Have you ever analyzed it? Because, listen, beloved, whatever your price is, be sure Satan's going to get there, and he's going to make you an offer at that price. So be ready. Some people would sell out for intellectualism. Some people would sell out for the body beautiful.
Some people would sell out for golf or hunting for a new car. What's your price? I hope you don't have a price. I hope you don't compromise biblical principles to make a sale.
That's sin. I hope you can't be bought. I hope you don't compromise the testimony of Jesus Christ to gain a promotion. You're selling out for the love of money. I hope you don't have a price. I hope you are priceless. You say, well, John, what is the point at which I sell out?
It's this. It's when Matthew 633 stops operating. You say, what's 633 say? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added. When you start seeking something besides the kingdom and the righteousness of God, you have sold out. Be honest.
Honest as honest can be in every single way possible. Let me give you another thought. Loving money can lead you not only to forget God, stop trusting God, be deceived and sell out, but it can lead you to rest on unstable foundations. You start trusting money, boy, and you are trusting something that just passes fast. Some people have had that experience lately, a loss of money. Proverbs 23, 4 and 5, listen to this, do not weary yourself to gain riches, leave from consideration of that. Listen, when you set your eyes on it, it's gone for wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heaven. Boy, don't put your stock in money.
Don't put all of your foundations in the passing. Well, loving money can do other things. It can make us ungrateful.
It can. Deuteronomy 18, he says, hey, hey, God says, I made you rich. Have you forgotten me? Deuteronomy 18, 12 to 14, you forgot me.
I'm the one. Love of money can make you proud. Listen to Proverbs 28, 11, rich men are conceited.
That's to the point, can make you proud. Something else, love of money can cause you to rob God. It can cause you to rob God.
You know, when you love the money and you want it for yourself, you know what you do? You steal from God. Malachi 3, 8 says this, will a man rob God?
Well, he said, I'd never do that. Oh, I'd never steal anything from God. How would I ever get into his treasure house?
Want to know something? Look in your pocket. That's his treasure house. If you're a Christian, will a man rob God? You've robbed me. How do we rob you, God? In ties and offerings.
You kept back what was mine. Yeah, when you love money, you rob God. You know something else? When you love money, you usually rob others, too. You say, what do you mean by that? 1 John 3 17, whosoever hath this world's goods and sees his brother have need and shuts up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
You rob your brother. So you see, the whole issue with money is attitude. And the wrong attitude is to love it. The right attitude is this. It is God's.
All of it. And I am a steward of every penny. And every dime should go for his glory.
I'm going to close with the third point, the way to use money. First of all, recognize it's a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 4 2.
Moreover, brethren, it is required of stewards that a man be found trustworthy. Stop to think about it. During your lifetime, God entrusts an awful lot of money to you.
If you started earning about $15,000 and you were 20 and earned it till you were 60, you've earned a lot of money. What's that, over half a million dollars? I wonder if you could look back on your half a million dollars and say, you know, all half a million dollars was used purposefully.
Oh, not all directly for the Lord's work, but purposefully to meet my needs, to be available to the Spirit. Wouldn't that be great? I wish I could recover some money, don't you?
Boy, I wish I could. There's a principle behind that. It's this principle. 2 Corinthians 8 5. Paul said, regarding those Christians in Macedonia, listen to what he said. They first gave their own selves to the Lord.
That's where it all begins. You give yourself to the Lord, he'll take care of the rest. Now, of course, the Lord does want you to give to those in need, to your brother and sister in need. He wants you to give to the work of Jesus Christ and you ought to invest your dollars for God where God's going to get the best return and you ought to be careful where you put it. But let me add this thought. Listen, giving is not God's way of raising money.
You ready for this one? Giving is God's way of raising children. God doesn't need your money, but every time you give sacrificially, you give a little of your selfishness away and that's good.
That's good. And when you give, others are blessed. God is praised and you get prayed for. That's all in 2 Corinthians 9. Say, John, where should I give it? The part that I'm going to give, other than my needs and the margin I keep and the things that I have in this world that God provides for me, where do I give it? Well, the Bible talks about giving to the church. You know, in Acts chapter 4, the Bible says that they came and they laid their money at the apostles' feet and the apostles then gave it to those in need. Ever since the formation of the church, the money of the believers was designed to come into the church and the church leaders would then in turn invest it in eternity as they saw the need best. Now that doesn't mean you're not to supply another's need without going to the church.
Of course you are. You're to supply the need when it arises, but also and seemingly the dominant thing in the early church was to bring it to the church and they would give it. And I think that's basic. We should really be sensitive to what God is doing in our local church, in the mission field. You may want to give your money directly to missions, that's great. Wherever, determine where God is going to get the best return and give it, but one of the areas is in the church and this is important. In Acts 11 27 it says, In these days came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch. There stood up one of them, Agabus, signified by the Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief under the brethren who dwelt in Judea, which they did. Now here was sensitivity to need. They heard about a need and they had a margin and they said, Here, we'll all give according to our own ability.
Sensitive to needs. From time to time you'll hear of a need, a missionary. You'll hear of a need, a brother who's having need in his own life and you want to go and supply his need. Maybe you see a neighbor who has a need, supply his need.
Whatever. Giving should be in response to need. It should also be in response to God's command, which is not specifically directed at need, but at systematic purposeful giving. For example, it says in 2 Corinthians 9 7, Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give. In other words, between you and God, you need to determine that you're going to give.
You say, Well, how do I do it? 1 Corinthians 16 2, On the first day of the week, lay by in store as the Lord has prospered. In other words, bring it and give it to those in responsibility in the church and they will invest it for eternity. And so your giving is to be, yes, in response to need.
Yes, also systematically, purposefully, weekly in giving it to the church to be spent as they under the Spirit's direction see fit. And let me add this, your giving should be sacrificial. People always say, John, how much should I give? I don't know how much you should give. That's between you and God.
I'll give you a hint. Zacchaeus, when he was saved, gave 50% for a starter. Hmm.
I don't think that's the norm. But I'll tell you one thing, it sure shoots the 10% theory. I do not believe you'll find tithing taught in the New Testament. Every time the New Testament has an opportunity where it could interject the 10%, it makes sure it never does because this isn't law, this is what?
Grace, besides if you check the Old Testament tithing carefully, it's at least 23% a year and up, not 10. Now when you give, then it should be in response to need but it should also be purposefully and systematically. Both of those are important.
Both are very important. And it should be sacrificial. David said, and I just love this, and this goes through my mind all the time, I will not give the Lord that which costs me nothing. I will not give the Lord that which costs me nothing. Then your giving should also be secret and humble.
Matthew 6, all the Pharisees, they like to go down and say, I'm giving this much, you know, and put their big figure up on a board. He says, just be quiet and subdued and humble and let it be between you and God. That's the Spirit. That's the way to give. Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen by them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
If you give for the sake of men, then that's it. Well, you get their praise and not God's. When you do your alms, don't sound a trumpet. Can you imagine that, ta-da, here he comes. I'm giving, see.
As the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory from men. But when you do your alms, don't even let your left hand know what your right hand's doing. In other words, make it a secret.
And he illustrates it by a hyperbole. Don't even let one hand know what the other's doing. That's how secret it ought to be. Then your alms will be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. I like that.
I like that. Let me close with this. I'm going to say something that I think is important.
Proper handling of your finances is the key to, watch it, fruit spiritually in your life. Are you ready for this? Luke 16, 10.
Look at it with me. And this is a closing. Luke 16, 10.
Oh, this is really powerful. Luke 16, 10. And this is Jesus. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in the much. Listen, if you don't handle your ten right, you wouldn't handle a million right.
Is that right? Now listen to the next verse. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous money... Listen, if you haven't handled your money right, who will commit to your trust true riches?
Did you hear that? Some people say, I don't know why I don't have a ministry. I don't know why I don't see so much fruit in my life. Listen, if you aren't faithful with money, Jesus said, do you think I'm going to commit to you souls? Look at verse 12. If you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, if you haven't been faithful with God's money as a steward, who is going to give you that which is your own? You think if you haven't been faithful to minister God's, that God's going to give you your own ministry? Do you know that there are an awful lot of men out of the pastorate today and out of the ministry for the simple and only reason they couldn't handle money and God would never commit souls unto them? That's right. If you don't handle finances correctly, God will never commit unto you a ministry.
He won't trust you with it. This is Grace To You with John MacArthur. Thanks for tuning in today. John has been Grace To You's featured speaker since 1969. He's also chancellor of the Master's University and Seminary in the Los Angeles area, and his current study is showing you God's plan for giving.
John, today you talked about the struggle that we all face to be content with what we have. And of course, when money is tied and the bills pile up, or when an unexpected illness or an accident turns family finances upside down, knowing how to trust Christ and find peace is not easy, even for mature believers. I mean, life is full of trouble, and trouble distorts our spiritual view, particularly if we're not sound in doctrine, particularly if we're not strong in faith. Yeah, if you're strong in faith, you say, wow, this is a trial, this is an issue, but the Lord will sustain me. If you're a faithful believer and your faith is strong in him, you're going to be okay. If you're mature, you're going to find peace in the middle of the storm, and you're going to know the Lord's going to provide a way out, and you're going to do everything you can to be faithful to him.
But I mean, that's the sort of top of the food chain, right? The people who are strong in faith and find peace even in the midst of trials, those are the mature ones. But for all the rest of us who are saying, wow, I struggle with issues in life, and I find it hard to get through some of these financial issues that I face, I want to help you. There's a book that I want to provide for you called Found God's Peace. That's right, Found God's Peace.
We'll send it free to anyone who asks, okay? It addresses the issue of anxiety, how you can be overwhelmed with issues and become anxious, and how you can set that anxiousness aside and replace it with faith and hope and trust. It's a little book, 90 pages. It helps you not get trapped in despair and fear. It's a quick read, but believe me, like everything else this ministry provides, it's loaded with biblical principles, biblical truth that God has designed to help you overcome uncertainty, defeat, worry, fear, and literally in the midst of a trial, experience freedom from anxiety and worry. Some of the chapters are avoiding anxiety through prayer, casting your care on God, having peace in every circumstance. And there's a wonderful section on Psalms for the anxious. So if you or someone you know is struggling with worry and anxiety, you'll want to get a copy of this little book, densely packed with biblical truth. Again, the title, Found God's Peace. It's loaded with Psalms for the anxious. We'll send you a copy of Found God's Peace free of charge. All you have to do is get in touch with us, let us know you want a copy, call, email, go to our website, or write today.
Yes, and this is a great reference tool that you can turn to whenever you're tempted to worry about money or anything else. For your free copy of Found God's Peace, get in touch today. Go to our website, gty.org, or call us toll-free, 855-GRACE. Found God's Peace unpacks some of the most powerful verses in the Bible on defeating anxiety. If you're worried about the future of our country or the latest health crisis, or you feel burned out for any number of reasons, get a copy of this little book and see how God's truth can crush your fears.
Again, Found God's Peace is our gift to you. Go to our website, gty.org, or call 800-55-GRACE. And friend, while you're online, dig into the spiritual tools available at gty.org. One suggestion, the four daily devotionals written by John. They give you an easy schedule to follow for daily Bible reading, and they explain many helpful and challenging passages. You can also listen to John's latest messages from his home church. Those Bible study resources and many others are available at gty.org. Now for John MacArthur and the entire Grace To You staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for spending some time with us today and be here tomorrow for John's continuing study on God's plan for giving. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth, one verse at a time, on Grace To You.
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