The Wealth of the Godly

I desire to examine some scriptural facts on the subject of money and leaders. An open heart will allow new truth to enter and the mind will be renewed. Truth is veiled to the proud man who has a mindset that he already knows. But, hopefully, we are people who desire to follow wisdom, so we can better understand and prosper as God intends.

There is much to learn by study of the financial matters of great saints.

JOB 41:13,15
And the Lord blessed Job when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. And in all the land there were no women as fair as Job's daughters, and their Father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

This was spoken over Job after he had come through his season of testing by the Lord. As we consider the abundant restoration Job received, we see proof of the Lord's heart. We notice that those whom God has approved are prosperous people who are able to keep God's covenant and be a blessing to all they are given authority over. We can see that Job did not need to rely on lenders to maintain his household; he was financially secure, blessed with wealth and abundance, and passed it on to others, as the Lord requires. He was able to take care of the financial needs of family, giving an inheritance to his children. As it is revealed in Job's restoration account, he had twice what he lost restored. Many thousands of sheep and camels and she asses would seem as a greedy gain to the mind conditioned to believe that poverty and lack are pleasing to the Lord. Many would say "Doesn't that seem excessive for a preacher?

The rumor is that people of God who have good houses, much property, and abundant finances are deceivers who rob poor widows and get their gain from evil; they are often labeled as false prophets who lie and cheat God's people. It would be serious error to buy into that lie. The truth is that only the very prosperous are able to bring glory to God. Great wealth is necessary to advance the kingdom of God in this time. Orphanges, hospitals, TV networks, large internet and media ministries, churches requiring large buildings and staff, all need abundant finances to meet expenses. We would be wise to seek the opinion of the Lord himself before agreeing with these kinds of criticisms. While it is surely true that the Love of money is the root of all evil, it is also true that the presence of money does not prove the love of it. The proof of the genuineness of the man of God is in the fruit of his love of the Lord Jesus Christ and his holy lifestyle. Poverty is not a requirement of holiness, although good stewardship of what we are blessed with is a requirement. Although some saints of God in scripture lived often in tents, it is also true that some lived in what was called castles, as King David, and all of Israel's kings.

King Solomon was blessed with great abundance; the Lord himself saying "I will give you great wealth you have not asked for", having been pleased with what Solomon had asked for himself, which was wisdom.

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

There will be some who might argue that Solomon later turned to idols and the kingdom was taken from him because of his wealth. But a thorough study of scripture and prayer will shed some light on that thought. God's dealings with Solomon later in his life seemed to be for his independence of God when he took to himself a wife of idolatry without the permission of the Lord. He began to turn his heart away from his earlier consecration to God's ways.The word of God which said there would be no king after him as rich was spoken because Solomon was the last King to rule over ALL the nation of Israel, After his reign, the kingdom was split up into two separate kingdoms, Judah and Israel.

In 1 Timothy, Scripture makes it very plain that some will be rich in finances, and that this does not disqualify them from eternal life.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Our lives can be greatly enhanced if we would seek the Lord's wisdom when we evaluate people of God. We will receive blessing in return; He blesses those who bless his people,

Everything in it's appointed time

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me

For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun. A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting; A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up; A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing; A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing; A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away; A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk; A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace. 9 What profit has the worker in the work which he does? I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man. He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.