Money’s Real Root of Evil

Growing up as a kid, long before being saved, my dad would always encourage me with some interesting and common worldly thinking, by saying, “Get the money…you get the money, you get the power!” It’s pretty clear that in our culture and in basically any part of the world, that money is what makes this whole thing turn. Money is indeed, the key to power and influence.

As Christians, we have a unique, albeit sometimes skewed, outlook  on things like money, finances, prosperity and success. We often like to take on a stance that if we have a penny more than needed to meet our bare minimum expenses, that we are sinning or dishonoring God in some way, and somehow that is a quality of being humble. I think it may be a time for a change in thinking concerning the Christian worldview of finances and money, and how we need to change our hearts and minds to a bigger and better use of what God has blessed us with. By leveraging things like Kingdom wealth and divine provision we have the chance to enact some of the true changes we want to see in culture.

I was reading an article today about a bakery in Oregon who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and in the fallout of it, they lost their business, are facing personal bankruptcy, and are looking at up to $150,000 in fines, based on a state law which defines what is considered “discrimination.” If you haven’t figured it out by now, certain political and social lobbies in our country are not about rights or anything related. They are all based on people who are happily willing to be exploited for financial gain. From the campaign funds of judges and politicians, to reaping huge fines to a state treasury, the bigger issue is not the topic or social issue, but the dollars that are doing the talking and driving the movement. By the way, how did this bakery get attacked….”financially”

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The family in question in this article, owned a small, family bakery and because of not wishing to go against their Christian beliefs and values, they were forced ultimately to close, and now face huge fines, threats, accusations and so forth. My first thought was….why is every Christian who agrees with their stance not writing checks to them in droves, and working to put them back where they belong? Why are we not rallying to their cause on such a large scale that the rest of world can’t help but take notice?  We have allowed our false humility concerning money and wealth to stifle our work in advancing the Kingdom, and it’s apparent to me, that we will never disrupt the culture until we change that thinking.

Our gold standard and final say for everything we do, is the words and life of Jesus Christ. His words are the Supreme Court of the universe, and his example is the place in which we always must start. The example I would like to use comes from Matthew 17 stating:

‘When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.7 Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”’

This story really amazes me because of the way Jesus handles the situation. We see something government-related, trying to corner or catch someone doing what they believe is wrong and ultimately punishable by law. How does Jesus handle it? With supernatural provision, straight out of the Kingdom.  He made money appear basically out of nowhere, and it happened to be just enough to cover every expense. Interesting, isn’t it?

Many times, we assume a false humility of poverty because we believe that Jesus was a poor, penniless preacher from the slums, and that being poor is the key to happiness and obedience. Can we finally dispel that myth and take another look at what happened here? Jesus was “penniless” because when you can supernaturally call up money on demand, why carry cash?? When you can have endless droves of people who ask you to come stay at their house and eat with them, why own a home? Jesus wasn’t “penniless” and poor because He was destitute by default. After all, you don’t shoot dice to win a poor man’s dirty old clothes, right? Like everything else, He leaned on Heaven and His authority, to meet all of His needs and call those required things into existence, right on the spot.  That’s a huge difference in mindset!

Matthew 14:18 speaks of the account of feeding 5,000 people with loaves and fish. In this example, Jesus not only demonstrated that it was possible, but also gave the disciples and the people in attendance the steps to take to minister divine provision to happen on the spot. In just these couple chapters in Matthew, Jesus makes a strong statement about what is possible, that I think we have long-fogotten about.

I used to own a business, where I had a dedicated office suite. One of my clients at the time was a fellow Christian, who understood the importance of having wealth as a believer. We were discussing a local billionaire investor, and I said that I just don’t need a billion dollars. I am not that complicated. He quickly replied, “Yes you do!”  Looking up at him puzzled, I asked him to clarify. He says, “…right now, if you had one billion dollars, how many people would you help with it?” Immediately, the point was made, and I started to have a different understanding.

Right now, if I had a billion dollars, this family of bakers mentioned above, would have every fine, every lawyer fee, and every late bill paid in full. They would own their house free and clear, and I would buy them the newest, state of the art bakery with seed money to get back in the game. Just like God does for us, I would do everything in my power to restore them back to a place where they are made whole, and are setup to prosper. THAT is an example of bringing Heaven to earth! There is no poverty in Heaven, and neither should there be here.

If you worry about things in the culture that seem to go against the Bible or God’s expectations, then follow the money trail, as they say and the answer should become clear. The people behind these movements and political actions are not there to better anyone’s life or to ensure rights. They are there because they have learned how to exploit American compassion, for personal financial gain. They have learned exactly which buttons to push, to keep the gravy train rolling. So long as there is opportunity to profit from social causes, there will always be an opportunity to exploit them to the fullest….and don’t doubt for one moment, that it will happen.

It is estimated that out of 350 million American citizens, that at least 50% believe in Jesus Christ as their guy. Regardless of where our doctrine and theology takes us after the Resurrection account, one thing is clear. We truly do need to bear each others burdens, and rally to each others’ sides when things like this arise, no matter our theology, doctrine or denomination.

Consider this…if 50% of all US Citizens who claim to believe in Jesus would send $0.01 to this bakery, that’s $1.75 million dollars that could be used to counter this attack, and restore a family’s life that was destroyed. Think about the power in unity and in using Kingdom resources collectively to fight for what we believe in. I don’t think there is one Christian family, who can’t afford a penny, to advance God’s Kingdom.

If you see something in the culture that you disagree with, such as abortion, gay rights, or any other culture war we unsuccessfully wage, then take a pause for a minute, to realize that the answer is not in the doctrine, it’s in the dollar signs.  Where we fall short, is in our mindset about money, and about who and what we are.

The first issue to address, is our own hearts. The condition of the heart is the key factor to every aspect of operating in the Kingdom realm. They say that if you want to see a person’s true heart, give them total freedom and watch what they do. If a Christian were to come into a large sum of money, or a large financial windfall, the next few minutes would clearly show you the heart of the person. I think the first thing we need to renew our minds to, is that God doesn’t care if you have stuff, so long as YOU DON’T CARE, that you have stuff.

Part of God’s blessing for us, is to have decent things, food provision and to have your needs met. Hebrews 13:5 states: Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Note is says to keep your life free from the LOVE of Money, not from the money itself. Secondly, it says to be content with that you have. This is also a key. If you can be content with having needs met, and not going overboard and into excess, then there would be plenty of resources left over, to give to advancing the Kingdom and to other Christians who are under attack. Getting your mind renewed to this must be the background for everything going forward.

Second, fear has paralyzed the church from top to bottom, in every aspect. The Spirit of Fear whispers to us, that we have bills to pay and expenses to cover, and that by giving or donating, that we may not have enough to meet our needs. Part of it, is fear. Part of it, is not trusting God, and part of it, is a selfcenteredness that all of us Americans have ingrained in our thinking.

Sowing and reaping, is a huge Kingdom principle. But it does require action, in the way of sowing. You have to give with the unwavering Knowledge that God will make sure it works. It’s His promise to you. I am not suggesting that you get crazy stupid with your money, or fail in the area of stewardship. I am suggesting that you begin taking steps to trust God in this area, and stop being afraid to co-labor with him using your finances. Give Him the chance to show you how amazing He can be when you trust Him.

Finally, we need to make better choices. We need to settle once and for all, what is important to us. Once we have that, we must focus on it once and for all. Every pastor in the world is going to hate me for this, but I suggest you start taking a serious look at your tithing and/or church giving.  Is your giving supporting a multi-million dollar mortgage on a building that gets used two times per week? Are you donating to a fund, that pays lawyer fees when a clergy member gets in trouble? Is your money being used in a way that is keeping the status quo, as opposed to advancing the Kingdom? I can’t answer this for you…Only you can.

It’s time to really take a realistic look at what you budget for every month, and decide what is excess. I am not suggesting to live like a pauper in any way. I am suggesting to see what your heart is pointed at, and if its pointed in the right direction. Again, I can’t answer that for you. Only you can.

It’s time to make a change. It’s time to use our money and treasure to help our brothers and sisters around the world, who need the cash more than the local cable company or mega-church does. If you want to win the culture wars we wage, outspend the opposing side into oblivion, and remove the value that they find in it. Don’t forget that the side you are on, has an endless supply of provision that can sustain beyond what the world can. The world can only keep up that fight for so long before they surrender.

Imagine a scenario where political movements we disagree with could be stopped because there is no profit in it, or if we held all of the funds. How would the motion picture, media or music industry change if Christian Billionaires would buy them all up. What if Christian believers controlled the banks and the sources of funding? It’s not who we elect or who we vote for. (I am thoroughly convinced that voting has become useless). People who run for office with promises, usually end up becoming part of the machine. Why? Because there is money and profit to be made by doing so!

I am not against corporations or capitalism or anything business-related. I am against the wrong heart steering the ship. I am not opposed to billion-dollar companies. I am opposed to people running them, who won’t give God the time of day, and simply appease people, who currently hold the money and influence. There’s profit to be made, in every area we disagree with as believers. This is why Christians in society are getting marginalized and discriminated against. It’s not because they hate what we believe. It’s because what we believe threatens their bottom line, and when you threaten someone’s payday, you clearly see the fallout of it.

I truly believe that as a body of believers, if we were to stop listening to the world’s way of doing things, and re-focus our energy on fighting these wars with the proper weapons, we would see the changes we want. I would love to see a world where Christians get themselves out of debt, and use that money to help other Christians get out of debt; out of debt once and for all. As more funds become available, I would love to see Christians start buying up businesses and companies that go against beliefs of our faith, and fundamentally change them from the inside out. I would love to see a place where TV stations, radio outlets, movie studios, newspapers and websites start being bought out by Christian investor groups and entrepreneurs, who could change the direction of the culture with paychecks.

If money were no consideration, how many missionaries or overseas churches would you support? How many bibles would we pay for to have printed in other languages? How many pastors could we help who run themselves into the ground by having to work a full-time job to support a church or ministry? These are all considerations that we must get a hold of. We have to stop worrying about running out of money ourselves, because God promised He would supply our needs. We have to stop thinking that this is so far and distant from us, because Jesus demonstrated what to do, to meet the need. Something needs to change!

This is far-fetched in many ways, but I don’t think its impossible. I want to illustrate that we have God’s permission, the resources and the means by which to change the culture. The problem is, it’s not in the way we think it is. I am saying to still preach the gospel and do the Great Commission, and spread the good news. What I am more so saying is, to equip the army properly to fight the battle with the proper weapons and supplies. Take the fight to the opposing side, using their own weapons against them.

Envision a case, where Christians fall under financial attack from the Enemy or the culture, and no matter what, they keep getting supplied with the means to address it, and to constantly keep receiving favor in the process. What would that do to the morale of the Enemy, that no matter what he throws at God’s people, they can’t be stopped. We are meant to go from Glory to Glory and not just pop our heads up out of the hole every once in a while. We are more than conquerors, but we are still conquerors just the same. Wars can be won, without having to fire a shot, without having to be violent or disagreeable. Many wars can be won, by getting the opponent to defeat themselves. But more often than not, many times wars are won by cutting off supply lines and allowing the attrition to take its toll.

What I am ultimately saying here?

1. STOP BEING AFRAID OF HAVING MONEY AND RESOURCES!!!
God is giving you financial blessings and favor to advance your part or the Kingdom. If every Christian in the US would just advance their small circle, it would only be a matter of time, before the circles overlap and overrun anything in its way.

2. STOP HAVING A POVERTY MINDSET?
You are no more blessed by being poor than you are by being wealthy. You were never directed to live hand to mouth. You were directed to make it on Earth as it is in Heaven. In Heaven there is no poor. There is endless resources and abundance.

3. DON’T FIGHT WITH WORDS, MOVEMENTS, CULTURE WARS OR VOTES. BECOME THE MONEY TRAIL!
You get the money, you get the power, right? Use the resources of Heaven to assert the influence, and I guarantee the culture will change. Infuse the culture with the love and supernatural power of God and the truth of Jesus Christ, and that final coming that everyone wants gets one step closer.

4. WE HAVE TO STOP FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER
Yes, we all believe differently, and can pick fights with each other any time we want. Yes, there are people who believe wildly incorrect doctrine. But if we can lay some of that aside, and if we would use that energy to grow our businesses, advance our careers, invest our money and focus on the real enemy, we would make so much better progress. As I stated earlier, you win wars by getting the opponent to defeat themselves. Satan has engineered a plan which causes us to fight against each other so much, that we get trampled on and marginalized by society, who think we are all crazy. The godless folk who control the money supply, run roughshod over us, and we sit back and helpless ask, what we can we do. Worse than that, we beg God to come back and rescue us.

5. STOP BEING AFRAID OF EVERYTHING ELSE
One of the reasons we have grace, is that it allows us to grow, especially when we make mistakes. Are we flawless in our decisions? Of course not. But we need to at least be willing to get into the game. Grace covers mistakes and allows you a method by which to learn from it. Stop being afraid to step out, and ultimately fail. Faith is what pleases God, and you have a Holy Spirit who is there to teach you and guide you. We live under a covenant of forgiveness and reconciliation. If you step out in faith and fail, God will not be angry with you. You learn, regroup and get back in the game.

Resources that go without use, become “useless” resources. You have unlimited resources and blessings, that Jesus paid for. He is always there to make sure you receive your proper inheritance as a Son of God. The reason you have resources, is to use them and to advance the Kingdom. Jesus said you will do greater works. If He could make money appear out of nowhere to pay a tax, how much greater could you do? If government and culture feared one guy named Jesus, how much more would our government and culture fear millions of “little Christs” aka Christians?

This article could go on forever with examples and scenarios. But I encourage you with this. Yes, money is indeed power. How would the world look if Christians, walking in the truth of who Christ is, were at all of the seats of power and supply? What could be accomplished, and what could we achieve in this role? It’s not because we are not allowed to, or because we can’t. It’s because as we are equipping ourselves for battle, we manage to shoot ourselves in the foot, with rules of engagement that we were never meant to follow.

Money’s true root of evil, is that the people who are authorized to use it, fail to accept the responsibility of what it is and what it’s meant for. We get a hold of this, and things will change once and for all.