Money is a big issue in our lives. In our culture, and for that matter in most cultures, you simply can’t live without it. Unfortunately, money in our society, plays havoc with people’s ego and pride so much so that our social status in life is mostly dependent upon how much money we have and the number and kind of possessions we own. Is this the “true perspective” of what God wants us to do with His money? I don’t think so.

Unfortunately, Christians often seem to go “to far the other way.” Money is bad, and you should not have too much of it. Money is dirty and the root of all evil. No, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” (Tim. 6:10) Jesus never said it was wrong to have money or wealth. The bible teaches that we are to prosper in every way for the purpose of building up the Kingdom of God. (3 John 1:2 and Deut. 8:18) Possessions are fine as long as they don’t possess us. So how do we know if we are “possessed” with our possessions? The question is answered by asking ourselves the following: what are we thinking about? (how much money we can make?) What are with spending our time with? (things that improve our financial state and social status or are we pursuing the things of God?)

A true perspective is to understand the purpose of money. Deuteronomy 8:18 says that the purpose of money is to build up the Kingdom of God; it does not say “make as much money as you can and spend it on yourself.” It does not say that we can’t be wealthy on our way to meeting God’s commandment of building His Kingdom. In other words, where is our heart? Our hearts need to be on the Lord with the money He has blest us with, constantly asking Him where we should put the money He gave us. The first place of course is to not “give” the tithe (we can’t give something what is not ours) but rather “return” the tithe to Him. Statistics show that less than ten percent of the body of Christ tithes. Some survey groups put the figure at even less than that. How can this poor showing be a true perspective on handling finances for the Kingdom? Further, if Christians did have the right perspective, think of what the church could do if one hundred percent of the body, tithed? Oh my, watch out devil! He would be history. The great commission would be filled and the second coming would happen sooner! So who do we have to blame for the mess the world is in? The Christians. They are not doing their job of preaching the gospel. It takes money to do that, and we would have that money if everyone tithed and stopped trying “to keep up with the Jones” with the owning of possessions. This is not rocket science!

Christians has fallen into the trap of modern day marketing and consumerism. We can’t tithe and we can’t make offerings because we feel we can’t afford it. Yet, few of us live without cars, microwave ovens, T.V.’s, cell phones, and computers. A generation ago these were considered luxuries; today they are deemed necessities, even though in reality, they are not. By filling ourselves with cheaply priced and cheaply made consumer goods and/or expensive luxuries goods before we have meet our financial obligations to the Lord, we are not in His will. Then of course, we pray to God asking for His help with a multitude of personal problems. How God has enough grace and patience for us is beyond me. I wouldn’t have it if I were Him.

The true perspective of giving is additionally put to the test by our own North American definition of “suffering.” We think that “suffering” is to miss our favourite television show to attend a prayer meeting. “Suffering” is when we can’t get an internet connection, or our computer quits. More than half of the world’s population does not have enough to eat on a daily basis and one in five does not have clean pure drinking water. That is suffering. A true perspective is to change the way we think, stop being so self-fish and self-centered and start being a true disciple for Christ. You think you are suffering? Go to Africa . . .

Have a look at the videos on my website. It will humble you.

The bible teaches that we are to be in this world, but not part of it. Our place, our “home” is really in heaven. We are just here for a span of time; or as the book of James says, “even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  (James 4:14) However, we are here in this world and part of an earthly society. Consequently, there are certain rules and responsibilities that we must adhere to. We hear a great deal these days about our, “rights”, but little is mentioned about our responsibilities.

In our society our responsibilities include: voting, paying taxes and following the laws of our land. Every time we have an election I am appalled at the indifference that people have for the election process; one that my grandfather fought for (Vimy Ridge and the Somme.) We live in a country where freedom is taken for granted. Perhaps if people traveled more to other nations they might realize how impoverished other countries are especially those under dictator regimes. It is the duty of every citizen to become aware of election issues and cast their vote!

In Matthew 22:22 Jesus said to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s.” In other words, we need to render our taxes unto the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper. It never ceases to amaze me how it has become a totally acceptable practice is our society to cheat on our income taxes; to the point where if you don’t cheat, you are dumb! After all, “everybody does it!” Well, not everybody does do that! I don’t! I remember when I lived in Banff, it was a commonly held idea that the best job in town was to be a waiter or waitress because of the earning potential of gratuities which did not have to be reported on ones income tax. Excuse me?! Yes, tips do have to be reported; but our society says we are to cheat as much as possible. This has become so entrenched in our society that people honesty do not regard it as fraudulent crime; which is exactly what it is. My, how far we have strayed from God’s law.

Another fraudulent crime in today’s business world is for the small businessman to charge personal expenses to their business. This is very very common; it fact it is “the norm.” Again, “everybody is doing it;” and why wouldn’t you? It is one of the “perks” of owning your own business; so they say. I do not agree. When I lived in Banff I would often go to our local building supply store for various purchases either for myself or for my business. I had two accounts; one personal and one for the business. I will never forget the reaction of the owner when I told him I wanted to establish a personal account. He asked me why I didn’t want to charge my purchases to my business. I told him why; I think he probably thought I had a screw loose somewhere, but I knew I was doing the right thing. I believe to this day, I established a witness and perhaps some respect in the eyes of that business owner.

More appalling to me that people cheat on their taxes and/or charge personal expenses to their business is the fact that Christians do this! How do they expect to be blessed by God when they are guilty of fraud? Not only are we not to cheat the government, but we are to pray for it and the people in power. (1 Tim. 2:2) It does not matter who is in power and whether we agree with how the government spends our money. We are simply to be honest, above reproach, and pay our taxes. I am however, a firm believer in legally avoiding taxes wherever possible. An R.R.S.P. (K401 in the U.S.A.) is a good example; but once taxes are due, they are to be paid, on time, and in full. Scripture teaches us to be free of debts, that includes our financial debts to our governments, which is essentially ourselves, for we are the government!

Got any stolen goods in your house? (plastic milk crates? A & W mugs?) Were you given too much change by the cashier and decided to keep it? Did you find something that belongs to someone else and not return it? Did you jump that yellow light? Jaywalk? Not put money in the parking meter? Not put the shopping cart away? Stand in the 8 items or less express line knowing full well that you have 15 items? Going to court to “fight” that speeding ticket when you were in fact speeding and broke the law?

Hitting to close to home?

The problem with the North American culture is that we have too much money. Or more accurately worded, we are financially blest by God perhaps more than any other culture, but our money controls us. Historically, Africa and Asia were regarded a “the mission field”. Now it seems, the Africans and Asians are regarding us as the mission field! Why? Our money has kept us from God!

It is difficult to preach the gospel in Canada and the U.S. because people regard themselves so financially secure that “who needs God” is the prevailing attitude. I find it interesting that when an evangelist like Rienhardt Bonke holds a crusade in Africa, the salvation response is much higher than the response would be in North America. Africans do not have the material wealth to block their views about God. Here in our culture, we often don’t cry out to God until we are in a mess; whether it be financial or otherwise. Jesus said it was easier for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle that to enter the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18:18) That does not mean that rich people cannot enter the Kingdom. Jesus used this Jewish parable to make a point. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) What things? The previous three verses refer to our concern about being fed and clothed. Jesus is simply saying, don’t worry about material things, God will provide. Seek the Kingdom first.

I have noticed over the years that churches generally have certain financial demographics to their congregations. Today’s church consists of the middle to lower income segment of society. Why? Several reasons:

1. A rich man doesn’t need God; or at least he thinks so. When a person has the standard, “house with a white picket fence, 2.4 kids and a condo in Hawaii,” they don’t need God. His own self-sufficiency is blinding to him.
2. He finds the church to be boring, uneventful, not needed and, only after his money. I agree that is the case with many churches! However, obviously the rich man is wrong, but what does that say about how we hold a church service?
3. Many rich people are what society considers to be “successful.” They look at the church and say, “what’s in it for me?” – and they don’t see it. This is where we Christians have “dropped the ball.” We are to be blest in every way. If we were, the heathens would look at us and say, “what have they got that we don’t have? (God) However, when Christians are demographically the middle to lower end of the wealth scale, (the opposite of where they are supposed to be) and their divorce rate is the same as the secular world, and when their kids are taking illegal drugs, and they don’t get healed and die of cancer, then the heathens say, “I would be no better off being a Christian”. So, the gospel is not reachable to a segment of society because the Christians have set a poor example in their witness and testimony.

It is for the above reason that I find the church to be so unsuccessful in their goal of preaching the gospel and fulfilling the great commission of making disciples of all men. We set a poor example then wonder why the self-sufficient heathens are blinded and why we can’t reach them! Jesus said that eyes of the world are blind, yes they are but it is our job to help them to see. Their self-sufficiency blinds them and even a scripture like “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but looses his own soul” is unable to reach the hearts of the blind self-sufficient non-Christian.

How has the North American money culture changed you from what the bible says?