True Riches: Part 2

True Riches

Breaking The Spirit of Mammon

My people perish for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6

The word Mammon derives from the Aramaic word that means RICHES. Mammon was the ancient Syrian god — the god of wealth & riches.

For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10

And my God will supply all of of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:33

Followers of Jesus should have an ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE!

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

When we place our treasure in heaven, that is where our heart and attention will be.

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Views finances through the lens of stewardship, with the belief that God owns EVERYTHING. He owns all material resources and we are responsible for using them to bless others.

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2

Manager = Steward
God is the owner and we are the manager.

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in little will be dishonest in much.

Luke 16:10

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? 1 Corinthians 4:7

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. Matthew 6:24

For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. Revelation 18:23

In the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 Timothy 3:1

The spirit of Mammon wants us to TRUST in money to make us feel comfortable instead of placing our TRUST in God.

A loaf of bread will cost a days wage. Revelation 6:6

I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread. Psalms 37:25

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that precedes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

I am the bread of life. John 6:35

Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion everyday, that I may test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. Exodus16:4

BREAD is a symbol of provision for our needs. BREAD symbolizes nourishment from God.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred threescore and six. Revelation 13:16-18

‘Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own. Luke 12:15

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16:11

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. [ God wants us to be blessed and enjoy life. He is not saying we can’t have anything nice ] Luke 16:11

18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.
– Winston Churchill –

Tithing is a principle established by God for the benefit of believers. Tithing is a principle that breaks the spirit of Mammon.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. Proverbs 3:9

Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies Malachi 3:8-12

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33  The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. Acts 4:32-35

God did not design tithing to keep us in bondage. God designed tithing to free us from the spirit of Mammon, to break Mammon’s control off of our life.

Those who give generously receive more, but those who are stingy with what is appropriate will grow needy. A generous person will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:17

The New Testament sets a higher standard of love, forgiveness, and personal sacrifice, demanding a deeper level of internal commitment.

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them. So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. 17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. Malachi 3:16-18

Breaking the spirit of Mammon brings TRUE ABUNDANCE and a richness in life that goes beyond material possessions.