In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus spoke extensively about the believer’s right attitude toward money. In Jesus’ time, like today, many religious people were wildly covetous, inwardly, while appearing to be totally pious outwardly. This resulted in the systemic failure of the nation Israel to be blessed and a blessing.
But, Jesus sought to arrest the problem and gave a remarkable, and most extraordinary promise relating to finances by today’s standards. He guaranteed total financial provision and abundance but effortlessly, with absolutely no need to worry at all or fret whatsoever. He was advocating fret free finances. He urged his listeners that they can live completely worry free, giving many reasons not to fret, as it is completely powerless to add an hour to our lives.
But, this promise of fret free finances was not given in a vacuum, it is only possible as we live in total faith and obedience to Jesus’ teaching.
10 things from Jesus’ teaching to position you for fret free finances from Matthew chapter 6:
1. Jesus said, we can’t fix our money problems by hoarding. On the contrary he said,
‘Give and it will be given to you.’ He said, ‘When you give, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Do not give to be seen by men.’
In other words, we are to give to others, to be generous, in alignment with God’s will. This means all giving is unto God and in his representation. He is a good Father. So, we must make Jesus the Lord of our finances.
Spirit led stewardship and giving to God-directed persons or causes is the key to a worry-free life.
It’s a joy to give to people and places marked by God, who receive it as an answer to prayer.
2. We must accept that storing up earthly treasures is unwise, as moth can destroy
assets and rust can erode valuable earthly treasures. The point is that there is no security in earthly wealth, but treasure is heaven is completely secure.
In other words, when we know God is our source and can replenish, we need not fret.
Abram in Genesis chapter 13, was secure in God, not fretting over which land Lot would choose.
3. We must stop giving purely to gain some kind of advantage. In other words, I will
give and celebrate someone’s birthday in the hope they celebrate my birthday.
Instead, we must be open to giving to people or things that may not seem advantageous, giving unto the Lord, not seen by men.
4. We must learn not to run after things. Jesus cautioned, the pagans or unbelievers
say, ‘what am I going to eat, drink or wear, they run after these things.’
It’s easy to think that working endless hours, toiling till late, can help us get wealthy. It might appear to work, but will it be fret-free living? Psalm chapter 127, says of course not, when our hearts are wrapped up and tied to materialism, our vision of God is blinded because our trust is in an idol.
We become like our idols. A church or person fixated on money tends to be cold in relations, like the money coins they value. Cold churches make newcomers feel unwelcome and alienated. A loving church is where people love God and treasure his presence in their hearts.
Jesus said, where your heart is, there your treasure will be.
Be encouraged, learn to run God’s kingdom, the blessings will literally run after you! Things just happen without tampering. The cup bearer remembered Joseph in God’s time, outside Joseph’s control.
5. So why aren’t we seeing God’s remarkable promise more tangibly in practice?
Jesus said, we must live like the birds, not sowing or reaping or storing in barns.
I think this kind of living is missional. It speaks of living in vigorous faith. Abraham lived in faith and is the father of faith. For example, he left his family and country for God. He rescued his nephew despite the risk. He gave to Melchizedek because he knew his supernatural victory was from God.
How are you living in faith? How is this week or this month about living in God’s plan and making decisions to remain in it? How is it about living for the ministry of reconciliation Paul speaks about in 2 Corinthians chapter 5? What are you seeking God about now?
6. Our values need to change. Jesus said, isn’t life more valuable than food?
We must learn that God’s eternal salvation is our greatest need and priority, finding it, experiencing it and passing it on to others!
7. How can our values change? We need to pray so we walk with God in power; praise and thanks will abound. This is central to chapter 6 of Matthew and overcoming covetousness. Prayer helps us know we serve a living God who knows what we need.
8. How do we pray? We must learn to seek God about everything and find out his call on our life and its realisation. Jesus said, seek first his kingdom.
9. But, not just his kingdom, but also his righteousness. We must understand God’s righteous will for our lives and adjust, and seek to bring his righteousness into our broken, hurting world. God’s throne involves righteousness and justice.
10. I believe as we truly pray and see God at work and continue to think with the mind of Christ, we will learn to hate money as master and love our father in heaven.
The good news is that Jesus removed the curse of the law. The curse made the soil unfruitful in Adam’s day and made him sweat to gain produce.
This foreshadowed Jesus who sweated for us, even with blood in another garden, Gethsemane, and died with a crown of thorns so we can experience fret free living.
I praise God I have been seeing extraordinary provision of late and I felt to share what the spirit of God has been reminding me. Let us enter his rest.