Prayer is important and is referenced over 600 times in the 66 books of the Bible. Money is referenced over 2000 times in the Bible for a simple reason, IMO.

Your Life comes down to how you deal with money!!!

It has really, really bothered me over the last few years…….not just about others and their love of money.

But my love for money……….things, status, respect and all the so called benefits that come with wealth.

And not that I am incredibly insightful………although it appears more and more obvious to me every year!!!

And I am honestly surprised that it doesn’t affect many of my friends and others I know.

They really do not think about it. WHY NOT?

Maybe because we are so sheltered in this country and surrounded by wealth and wealthy people….Millionaires on every corner!

Many………uneducated, who have never made more then $50k/yr………..but they got money from…..

Wealthy parents or lucky real estate transactions!

I have been blessed, I guess you would call it blessed, with knowing many different types of humans from………….

Yangon to NYC to Lagos to Leige to Bangkok to Luverne to Shanghai to Sacramento to Monterrey to Quelph to Nashville to Houston to Savannah

I have worked with them, eaten with them, celebrated and mourned with them, danced with them and worshipped with them.

Net worth ranging from the clothes on their back to more than $50 Million…………

From Swiss accounts that their wives know nothing about! Especially……….their wives!

To wandering the streets looking for their next job and meal.

Loving money so much that you stay in a marriage because you don’t want to give your spouse half………….

The same spouse that bore your children and raised your children and helped make you this fortune!!!

Commenting to me……….”Would you want to sleep with a 300 lb woman?”

But I love my money more than the mother of my children and perhaps she will have a heart attack so I don’t have to divorce her.

I can’t make this stuff up! I promise!

OH……and by the way, this guy is a Bible believing and professing Christian!

I think of Jesus who identified real value when he said…………..

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6: 19-20

WOW! I know a lot of people whose hearts are on Wall Street or in their Fidelity or Vanguard 401K.

These “big mouth”, spiritual talking Christians don’t give 30%, 20%, or 5%…….many give nothing!

Don’t get me wrong, they will give their time, but they will never take 10% out of that $1 Million retirement account to start an orphanage in Myanmar!

That’s crazy……….they would never, ever consider to give $10k from a $300k inheritance……free money they never worked for or really deserved…

I just can’t see the justification for this greediness except for the flesh…..

Well………………the same flesh we all deal with………I DO NOT want to deny myself…..especially if I work hard for it.

I DO NOT want to do what Jesus said!!!

“……….If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever will save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?”
Matthew 16: 24-26

Americans DO NOT like to hear this!!!

I have been writing about the love of money for the last several years and no one is responding.

And I normally get some feedback at least once per month from this blog, but not on this subject………….this feels too judgmental……..too harsh……..too radical.

Too close to home!

And if the shoe fits………….

There are many addictions on this planet……and I have seen or experienced many of them…………

But the addiction to money is damn near uncontrollable!!!

Paul saw it in I Timothy 6:10 when he said:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

I have seen it with Pastors, NO……not just Televangelists with Big Hair and Big Smiles, but educated, bible-based Pastors

NOT taking risks, playing their cards close………….waiting on retirement in a wealthy church club!

But isn’t living for Jesus full of risks?

Stephen, Paul, Rahab, Peter, Job, the Macedonians…….

These folks took risks………..often…….life threatening and ultimately losing their lives.

But if you love your life and your money more, you will not take risks!

And of course, I have seen the addiction of money with CEOs, Vice Presidents wanting to be CEOs, aspiring Plant Managers……who I have worked for and with.

Working 60 to 70 hours a week to get noticed and to get bonuses……the power is an extra benefit.

Politics…….its all about ME and don’t stand in my way of a promotion.

I get from you what I need now and then you are “Dead to Me”.

About a year ago, an associate who I got a job for said, “That’s just business.”

No…..that’s just a lack of integrity, honesty and loyalty………..American business at its finest!!

So what did Jesus mean when he said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

You find out quickly what people value the most, especially Christians.

A long term friend of mine who does tax returns for a living sees hearts on Form 1040s every year.

She tells me many wealthy Bible believing, professing Christians give nothing or less than 1%.

They talk spirituality but they do not practice it with their giving………their treasure is on this earth, not in heaven!!

As my Dad would say, “That separates the men from the boys.”

You can run your mouth all you want but Doing is proof. Giving is proof! Action is proof!!! It separates the Doers from the Talkers!

I just turned to Bob Goff’s book “Love Does”. Chapter 9 has a short quote from Bob…………….

I used to think you had to be special for God to use you,

But now I know you simply need to say yes.

Am I angry and frustrated with some Rich American Christians????? Now…….that’s fairly obvious.

And why? Many, not all, but many, seldom say YES! Especially yes to GIVING money.

They are comfortable, they are satisfied and they are Losers in the Kingdom!!!

And How DARE you call them on it.

Why???????????

Because they are moral, don’t watch porn, been teaching Sunday School for 34 years, always pay their taxes on time, vote conservative…

But their hearts are full of fear and greed……..fear of dying poor, not having security.

The craving that Paul mentions in 1Timothy is their real love but they will never admit it.

I know a lot of professing Christians, but I only know a handful of sacrificial givers and a lot of liars!

Its time for you and me to stop this nonsense………IF………..

And only if, we believe Jesus.

If we don’t, then lets call him a Liar and move on………

We both have a choice.

Choose!