$$$$$$$

Money. Can we live well enough without it? We can't necessarily live well with it. Money can corrupt, and yet we have to have it! So...this is a conundrum! A new word for you? Me too. My husband used this word in a message a few months ago, and I thought that it would get your attention like it did mine. It means a puzzle, a riddle, a confusing question. I read on aol news the other day that the beautiful actress, Catherine Zeta Jones, has admitted herself to a rehab. They said it was because of the stress caused by her family problems that she had been through lately. Obviously, money doesn't prevent stress. Sometimes it helps with certain types of problems.
But, many times it causes stress. The Bible mentions over and over that God wants to bless His children financially. King Solomon was the richest man that ever lived. Abraham was very rich (Gen. 13:2>gloriously rich and honorable). The covenant that God made with Israel includes wealth and blessing in every area of life. Prov. 10:22 says, "The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and He addeth no sorrow to it." The word "blessing" in the Hebrew actually means "prosperity". That word "rich" in Hebrew means "to accumulate, to wax rich". It's not money that is the root of all evil, but the love of money (1 Tim. 6:10). Therefore, we can't love money. When I see non-Christian people "rolling in the dough", something rises up inside of me and it borders on anger with the Lord. I see many Christians working so hard for the Lord, and they're blessed in so many ways, but lack in finances. I was wrong and the Holy Spirit corrected me. I thought of Prov. 23:17-18, "Let not your heart envy snners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is a latter end (a future and a reward), and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off." God is faithful. He will bless us.


We must do things His way. We must have faith, hope, and expectation. Then, we will be rewarded! Eccl. 5:19-20 K. Solomon said, "...every man to whom God has given riches and possessions, and the power to enjoy them and to accept his appointed lot, and to rejoice in his toil, this is the gift of God. For he shall not remember seriously the days of his life, because God (Himself) answers and corresponds to the joy of his heart (the tranquility of God is mirrored in him)." This is the answer to the conundrum. First, we must be thankful and grateful for our life, our work, and rejoice in the Lord for it. God then responds to the joy in our heart and will bless us financially and with tranquility. Let's hope, have expectation, and faith for more money. Let's love God more than anything and be faithful. Let's be grateful for what we have and where we are. And look out! The blessings of the Lord will overtake us (Malachi 3:10). Are you on board? Your success in life, through Christ, will be a testimony and will glorify the Lord. My prayer, "Help us to recieve your blessings so that we can be a blessing." (For depth on this subject, do a study on "blessing")