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By Pastor Carey Clow
Generosity of attitude, of self, of resource, of money - each are keys to how people will treat you.
Poverty versus wealth
Both can be bondages, both must be set free, both must be given justice, neither should be given favouritism.
- To be delivered of poverty (not all poor people are under poverty)
- requires gaining money and...
- developing right resource producing attitudes like...
- don't gamble and don't waste time - work very hard.
- To be delivered of wealth (not all rich people are under greed)
- requires giving money away and...
- developing right resource usage attitudes like...
- treating all people with equal dignity and the value of shared community.
Treasures in Heaven
- "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. - Matthew 6:19-24 NIV
[Listen to this message via MP3. 37min, 4.2MB]
A Generous People - Unlocking growth by removing inadequacies
Mammon
Money has a spirit associated with it - a demon - a principality - called Mammon.
- It is one of only two demons named by Jesus. They being Mammon & Satan.
- It is important we are aware of the power of this "master", this principality.
- It is powerful!
Money - is not evil in itself. However the spirit which uses money, Mammon, is both evil and powerful. This spirit is a principality who's strength and goal is the domination and subjugation of every person and family and country and ultimately the whole world - through the tool of money.
Mammon's characteristics: Withholding, tight-fisted, controlling, demanding, manipulative, profiting off other peoples loss or bondage, limiting, self-centred, false security, poverty minded, competitive, false identity, prideful, envious.
Jesus & Money
Jesus warned more about the ‘love of money' & the related spirit of Mammon than many other things.
Jesus would have used large amounts of money over the roughly three years he ministered with others.
I tell you, use worldly wealth[Mammon] to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth[Mammon], who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money[Mammon]." - Luke 16:9-13 NIV
However - Jesus does NOT say to avoid money. The above scripture hits us firmly between the eyes with the following:
- USE money (worldly wealth) for the Kingdom
- Be TRUSTWORTHY with money (in respects to a kingdom view)
- AND do NOT be mastered by it.
This is very different from both extremes of the Prosperity doctrine divide.
- One says stay away from accumulating money and only deal with it because you must.
- The other says God wants you to be rich without an understanding of kingdom purpose.
Jesus upheld as an example of Mammon's power and broken power - the example of the Pharisee versus the widow. Money was not the issue.
Our authority over Mammon
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above [money included], coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. - James 1:13-17 NIV
Jesus NEVER delivered people of the spirit of Mammon. What did he do? Told them to break it's power over their lives through giving it away! Selling possessions.
The bondage and power of the spirit of Mammon is broken by:
- thankfulness (for the poor and rich)
- generosity (for the rich and poor)
Get this - Mammon therefore - is not even as powerful as the human will.
Generosity
Value is the ONLY tool for generosity! And Money speaks loudest. The relinquishment of resource.
You can't be generous unless the act in question has value. Otherwise it's called something else!
Generosity's characteristics: Liberal, forgiving, releasing, renewing, building, redeeming, breaks slavery, it provides hope for others
Generosity is measured proportional to BOTH the recipient and to the giver.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. - Psalm 112:5 NIV
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. - Proverbs 22:9 NIV
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. - 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV
Kingdom Purpose
Money is an extremely valuable tool in the kingdom of God.
A direct corollary of money being so powerful at binding people up into a self absorbent life is that it is even more powerful at liberating people to be able to serve the kingdom fully!
Given how the spirit of mammon would choose to work with money - how do you think God would want to deal with money? Just as powerfully but in the opposite spirit.
Living
Money is an extremely valuable tool for living!
Growth is a key indicator for life and living. Growth in physical wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, mental wellbeing, financial wellbeing.
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