Friday, February 22, 2013

What Do These Financial Truths Mean for Us Today?


Scripture: Nehemiah 5:10-13
"And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. "Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them." Then they said, "We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. I also shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.

Insights: There are four basic “take-aways” from this week’s study.  First, God is pleased when we handle money wisely.  In all reality these thirteen verses we have looked at this week all revolve around this singular subject.  We need to be wise stewards of God’s money.  We are not the owners of those resources and we need to stop living life as if we were.  If we are withholding our tithes, we are robbing God.  If we are not increasing our financial giving to the things God would call us to support because we have reached a pharisaical percentage, then we are sinning against God’s authority.  The point is our money fits into an arena of life that can quickly become sin.  More importantly, however, it also is the area that often reflects the true nature of our heart.  Second, prolonged personal sin takes a heavy toll on God’s work in your life.  There was no mention of the wall being built in this week’s verses because of the sin that had gone on for so long.  The longer we live in sin the harder it is to be delivered from it.  Deliverance is still possible, but the price one pays for his sin is far greater than God ever desired for man.  Third, correct any sin problem by facing it head-on.  There is not gradual breaking of sin.  We must deal with it right now.  God has the power to work miraculously in your life.  Finally, correction is carried out most effectively when we make a public promise.  In other words, get an accountability partner to walk this journey with you.

Questions:
  1. How are you using God’s money?
  2. Are you correcting your sin problems head-on?
Prayer: Father, I am so grateful You are a merciful God.  I also know You are a holy God who takes sin seriously and deals with it judiciously.  Work in my heart an make me pure before You by the blood of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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