- Fri, Apr 26, 2013
- Money and Giving
Surviving the Dangers of Prosperity
Dwight L. Moody once said, “We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity. For in prosperity, we forget God.”
Dwight L. Moody once said, “We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity. For in prosperity, we forget God.”
The book of Ecclesiastes is the most powerful exposé of materialism ever written. Solomon recounts his attempts to find meaning in pleasure, laughter, alcohol, folly, building projects, and the pursuit of personal interests, as well as in amassing slaves, gold and silver, singers, and a huge harem to fulfill his sexual desires (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11). The more Solomon had, the more he was tempted to indulge. His indulgence led to sin, and his sin brought misery.
A sad news story that powerfully illustrates “you can’t take it with you.” Think of how the treasure could have been used to make a short-term and long-term difference in people’s lives.
A couple months ago, I read a review written by David Wills about my book Managing God’s Money. David is a great brother, and the president of the National Christian Foundation, the largest Christian grant-making foundation in the world.
When the following was posted last month on the Desiring God blog, written by Michael Oh, I was very touched by it. Read it, ponder it, pray over it. In case God speaks to your heart about giving, I’ve included a few ministries you may wish to invest in, an investment which will pay off for eternity.
Earlier this year I spoke at the Clarus Conference in New Mexico, along with Wayne Grudem. At one of the sessions we talked about the topic of giving and generosity, especially related to the younger generations.
This year nine million children younger than five will die needlessly, more than half from hunger-related causes. 25,000 per day. Over 1,000 each hour. These children are as precious as our own children and grandchildren. What would we want others to do for them if they were in this dire situation?
Recently I was working on a book project that involved my reading through messages Charles Spurgeon preached on Heaven. I was delighted to come across a passage in which he affirms some of the same teachings I lay out in my books The Treasure Principle and Money, Possessions and Eternity. While writing those books years ago, had I been aware that Spurgeon had said what follows, I certainly would have quoted from him!
Regarding choosing a financial lifestyle that is honoring to God, I received a blog comment from a reader, asking:
Do you believe that everyone should live modestly? (Would that be $30,000 per year, or $50,000, or $100,000, or...?)
How do you measure this? Should everyone have the same amount, or are some called to wealth and others not?
When it comes to our attitude toward wealth, Jesus gave commands. When it comes to our specific possessions and lifestyle, he gave us principles. Jesus did not hand us a precise checklist of what we can and cannot own ...
Does the Old Testament model of tithing still apply to Christians today, since it was part of the old covenant?