Love God – Not Money

God knows the heart. 

Some people try to manipulate God for great gain. Take Simon, a professed convert to Christianity. In the Book of Acts, Simon watched Peter and John place their hands on a group of new believers, who then received the Holy Spirit. Simon offered the men money saying, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter rebuked him immediately: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” (Acts 8:19-20)

Today people seek to claim God’s power for themselves. They take what He entrusts to them for their own purposes. Money and possessions that should have been dedicated to God’s Kingdom are dedicated to the pursuit of self-gratification. Paul warned Timothy not to go near people with wrong attitudes about money. Greed and coveting are destructive. It leads people to misuse what God freely gives them. It leads them to believe that what others have should be theirs. Taken to an extreme, greed leads to a lack of self-control that harms them and many others.

God warned us not to let the love of money fill up our hearts. Don’t associate with those who think money is greater than God. Instead, be mindful of Christ’s return. An eternal perspective will keep God, not money, first in your heart. Contentment will protect you from bad choices. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) It’s the first and greatest commandment.

Has greed created credit card debt in your life? Contact Christian Credit Counselors. They’ll create a debt management plan specifically for you. For more information call the Crown Helpline: 800-722-1976 or visit online at crown.org/ccc