^"Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?  Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?  And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" - Matthew 6:25-34 ASV

GOD USES MONEY IN 3 WAYS:  A TOOL, A TEST, AND A TESTIMONY

1. Money as a Tool:

The way we handle our finances is an indicator of what's inside our hearts. Show me your bank statement and I will tell you what kind of person you are. The way you spend money and the way you handle it tells much about who you are as a person.

We need to understand that money is just a tool. What is the purpose of a tool? It is to make our lives easier and better. But we shouldn't allow our lives to revolve on money alone.....How would you know if you are using your money the right way? Answer: If your money is making your life easier and better, it means that you are using the money the right way. But if your money is making your life harder and difficult, it means that you are using the money the wrong way.

1. Money as a Test:

Most people fail to realise that money is both a test and trust from God. God uses money to teach us to trust Him. For many people, money is the greatest test of all. God watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are. God also tests us in times of need and in times of abundance.

When we are in financial need, we are tested. Do we panic and easily give in to worry? Do we tend to focus on the problem or the solution? Do we tend to complain and grumble rather than believe that God will help us and make a way even if it's impossible?

When we are in financial abundance, we are tested. Have you ever met people who used to be humble and soft-spoken, but once money and success start coming in, their attitudes and behaviour start to change? They become proud, arrogant, and oftentimes insensitive. Money and success did not actually change the person but only exposed what's inside the heart and the true nature of the person's character. Or will we remain humble and remind ourselves the reason we are successful now is because God has given us the ability to produce wealth? Apart from God, we can do nothing!

    1. Money as a Testimony:

"It's God's will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. It's God's will for you to pay your bills and not be in debt." - Joel Osteen.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This has been taken from the book, "Till Debt do us Part" by Chinkee Tan. (2012)

Girlie Mae Andrada writes, “As SmartStewards, we have been on this journey with God. We, too, have been foolish with the resources that God has entrusted to us. We found ourselves in debt and in deep financial difficulties. But God, in His great mercy and grace, like a loving Shepherd led us back into the right path. We are now debt-free and relishing God's blessings as it comes, being so careful not to fall into a debt infested trap again. God says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." Psalms 50:15 NKJV.

My addition goes like this. I can see that money has been a tool, a test and a testimony for Girlie Mae Andrada and her family. To see the change in what God has done for the family is easy, and the only one to ‘blame’ for the change is God.

God truly is good.

Music today is "You Made a Way", sung by Travis Greene.  Click on the picture to listen.