“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

If you’ve ever worshiped with us at the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace, you know that before we receive the offering one of the pastors will always say something like, “If all you are going to give is money, please keep your money. God is not interested in your money, so neither are we.”

If you don’t believe me, come and see for yourself!

There is nothing wrong with money. We can’t live in this world without money. It’s an absolute necessity. Money is and can be a fantastic tool to accomplish amazing things.

The problem is not money. The problem is the love of money. When we end up loving something that is supposed to be a tool and an instrument for living God-honoring lives, money ends up using us. You see, money is to be used for God’s glory. But when we love money, money ends up using us.

There are two ways of looking at money:

• Secular view of money – I am entitled to my money because I’ve worked hard for my money
• Christian view of money – I am entrusted with everything I have to use for God’s glory

Those are two very different ways of looking at money. Unless disciples get this straight, they will forever be stalled in their maturity and growth. You cannot grow up and mature as a disciple of Christ until you have transformed your understanding of money and possessions.

When you do transform your understanding of money and possessions you will experience a freedom regarding money and possessions that you’ve never imagined.

God isn’t interested in money. God is interested in your hearts.

Money is one of the clearest visible signs who rules your heart.

Use money for God’s glory.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).

R. J. Vavarrete writes:
Don’t tell me that the Lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers…tell me that the Lord is with me in the battle.
It is he that makes the difference, not me.

It doesn’t matter how strong you are, how weak you are. The battle is not yours alone to fight. In fact, the outcome won’t depend on how strong you are, how smart you are. It won’t matter how weak you think you are.

The battle isn’t yours alone to fight.

Christ, and Christ alone is the difference.

Whatever you are facing today, know you are not alone. The battle is not yours alone to fight.

Christ is with you, and he is all that you need.

“I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

Don’t worry. Be happy.

That’s the mantra of our generation. Unfortunately, this philosophy has infiltrated the minds of disciples. The way most modern day disciples live, one would think that the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship is to discover and live into one’s happiness.

But there’s not a single passage in all of scripture that says, “Be happy.” There’s nothing in all of scripture to suggest that happiness is the goal of Christian discipleship.

But there are lots of references to calling disciples to be holy. You can find that in both the Old Testament and the New. You can find it in the gospels and in the epistles. It’s all over scripture.

Be holy because God is holy.

This doesn’t mean that God isn’t interested in his followers being happy. God delights in delighting his children. What parent doesn’t? But happiness is the byproduct of being holy. Happiness is what disciples experience when they pursue the life Christ calls to live. It’s in obedience and holiness that disciples experience happiness. Happiness is a byproduct of disciple’s holiness.

Pursue holiness and you get happiness. Pursue happiness and you lose your way and will never experience it.

Leonard Ravenhill, a reformed theologian, writes: “The tragedy today is that the church is pursuing happiness not holiness.”

I think Mr Ravenhill is onto something.

Be holy and you will be happy.

That’s the way it works.