Now, let’s look at some guides that will clearly define when God is not in control, for understanding that is just as important as understanding when He is in control.
1. God will never use money in a Christian’s life to worry him. If a Christian is worried, frustrated, and upset about money, God is not in control. God said that wealth without worry is His plan for our lives. “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). If we are operating within His plan, God promises to supply food, clothing, and shelter, the needs of life. Believing that, we can concentrate on other things, using the ability God has given us to accomplish the plan He has for our lives.
2. God will never use money in a Christian’s life to corrupt him. Naturally, God would not use money to corrupt us. But many Christians have fallen into Satan’s trap and are being corrupted. They fail to realize that God cannot be in control when they are becoming corrupted. “For the Lord knows the ways of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6). A Christian whose financial life is characterized by greed, ego, deceit, or any of the many other worldly snares is not God’s ally.
3. God will never use money in a Christian’s life to build his ego. Frequently, Christians are trapped by financial ego. Most people cater to the wealthy in our country (Christians included). Read through the book of James. It makes very clear the admonition not to fawn over the wealthy.
In Christ we are all financially equal. The things of this world will quickly pass away. Death will remove all wealth from us. And, when we as Christians meet again, there are going to be many surprises. Those who will have the crowns of heaven and are placed in charge of the cities of God will not be those using money to build egos. “And let the rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the grass; and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away” (James 1:10-11).
4. God will not allow Christians to hoard money. There is a distinct difference between saving and hoarding. Solomon said (in paraphrase), “Lord, I ask but two things from You: first, help me to never tell a lie; second, give to me neither riches nor poverty because in my poverty, I might steal, and in my riches I might become content without You.” The wealthy have a great responsibility to understand why God gave them money and to avoid hoarding.
I believe that as the economy crumbles, it will not be possible to hoard. Those who have been storing up wealth in contemplation of things unknown, retirement, or the better life, will be greatly disappointed when it is all consumed like so much chaff and fodder.
A Christian cannot be within God’s will and hoard money. “For he sees that even wise men die; the stupid and the senseless alike perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is, that their houses are forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they have called their lands after their own names” (Psalm 49:10-11). That is an important spiritual lesson.
Those who hoard large sums of money to leave to their children or for “security” are fooling themselves. It cannot be done. It is important that Christians understand and believe that. Scripture speaks very strongly about true values; “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see” (Revelation 3:18).
Hoarding can evolve into a trap. It is possible to see others in need and ignore them rather than abandon a hoarding plan. Unfortunately, those trapped by hoarding can rationalize their behavior with arguments that contradict God’s Word.
5. God will not use money to allow us to satisfy our every whim and desire. It is important what we begin to adjust to lifestyles compatible with a Christian commitment. That means something less than lavishness. God does not want us to live in poverty; we have discovered that there is nothing inherently spiritual in poverty. Neither is there any sin in wealth. However, God does not desire for a Christian to live in worldly lavishness while His work needs money and other Christians go without food and clothing. So, while we can live well—and in this country we live very well—it is important that there be a difference in our commitment as compared to that of the nonbeliever.
What kind of commitment is it to be? It must be one for you personally, brought on by a conviction of the Holy Spirit. But you must ask yourself, “Is there a difference between my lifestyle and the nonbeliever’s?” If not, you need to seed God’s direction. First Timothy 6:6-8 says, “But godliness actually is a means for great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these things we shall be content.”
God does not supply money to satisfy our every whim and desire. His promise is to meet our needs and provide an abundance so that we can help other people. It is when we accept this principle that God will multiply our abundance as well.