Dear Church,
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! – Psalm 57:5 & 10
In our look at Psalm 57 yesterday, we saw in David a desire for God to be exalted in all the places he reigns – in heaven and on earth. Jesus also taught us to pray for the fulfillment of God’s kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer: “your will be done, your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
As resurrected people who identify with God the Father through Christ the Son, we also seek God’s kingdom and glory. This changes how we view the resources over which God has made us temporary stewards.
John Wesley, the 18th century English evangelist and theologian, in his sermon The Use of Money views money as a great tool for the advancement of God’s kingdom and gives us the following biblical guidelines for its gain and use:
Earn all you can – within the limits of valuing money appropriately, as a tool, and not elevating it such that we pursue it at risk of harm to ourselves or our neighbor, or through greed or ambition.
Save all you can – be mindful of lifestyle creep and avoid spending on luxury in the service of our pride, gratification of our vanity, or desire to gain the admiration of others. Remember that “all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
Give all you can – do not limit yourself to a proportion. Wealth is not to be stored up, but used for God’s purposes as a holy sacrifice. Use God’s provision to meet the needs of yourself and household, then give to the good of your Christian brothers and sisters. If a surplus still remains, give to the good of all people.
Examining how we view and use money prompts us to identify more with our savior who gave everything for the glory of the Father and for our salvation.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2
Be encouraged,
Brother Dave
P.S. – Attached to this note you’ll find yesterday’s sermon notes from Psalm 57, as well as an abridged version of John Wesley’s sermon The Use of Money in modernized English. For those interested in reading (or listening to) the full sermon in the original language, it is available for download in several formats.
