The Love of Money

When we do not have a relationship with God, we think that money can fulfill all our needs. It is true that money can buy many things, but cannot meet the need of love we have within us. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10 the bible says that they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many

foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. When we focus on money, thinking that will fill the emptiness we have inside, we will do wrong things to get it. In our desperation, we will behave against the will of God bringing curses to our lives and all around us. This does not means it is bad to have money, but to think that we will fulfill our desires and needs the more we have it. In Ephesians 4:10, the bible says that only God can fill our lives, which means there is nothing we can do apart from Him. The only way we will feel whole is having a close relationship with Him.

There are times that God bless their children with earthly possessions, but this always comes with spiritual growth. His first goal is to have us close to Him in order to attain spiritual maturity manifest Jesus through our lives. When He blesses us in that way, His purpose is not to please our flesh but share the blessings with others.

Beloved, I wish above all things that

thou mayest prosper and be in health,

even as thy soul prospereth.

(3 John 1:2 KJV)

The bible says in Proverbs 10:22 that the blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. This means that if God blesses us, we should not be selfish. It also means that this will bring changes to our spiritual life and with those around us. Be blessed not only means to be wealthy but also to have stability in our families, to have a good health among other things. God material blessings do not involve any kind of deceit or illegal things. The bible says in 1 John 1:5 that God is light and there is no darkness in Him, and every work that is against the word of God belongs to the darkness. Therefore, if we get what we call a blessing through situations that are

against the bible, God is not part of it. Judas Iscariot is a clear example of what happens when

we focus on money. He used to be very close to Jesus but he did not appreciate that and preferred to get thirty silver coins in exchange for Jesus life. What Judas did showed his avarice and lack of love for Jesus. Judas love for money was so strong that when Mary anointed Jesus feet with the alabaster perfume, he only thought about the material lost and not the offering given. (John

12:3-5). When we give God a second place to be wealthy, we act like Judas. If we prefer to spend more time making money than having a close relationship with God, we are also acting like Judas.

We should ask ourselves today if we are putting a price to our faith like Judas, who lost his place in heaven for thirty silver coins? Are we trying to have a relationship with God because we really love Him, or because what we can get from Him? In Matthew 6:24 the bible says that no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. God wants to bless us, but His blessings are not focus on worldly things but on the spiritual. His blessings are also, the things that happen in our daily living. The most important thing for Him is that we remain close to Him.