The Love of Money - Part 3 — Zac Poonen

The Cost of Loving Money

I had listened to the Lord. I have so much regret as I live in heaven today that I wasted my life as a businessman when I could have been an apostle. Do you know there are going to be a lot of people like that in heaven?

And many others in hell. Because of one thing, their love for money. In Jesus' own case, when he was speaking to his disciples one of the greatest truths that he wanted to emphasize to them was how he lived his own life.

Jesus' Teaching on Trusting the Father

He lived in constant trust and in touch with the Father in heaven. And he tried to bring that faith into his disciples. He said, any of you who are a father, wouldn't you feed your children? Don't you care for your children's earthly needs like food, bread, fish?

They want an egg, you give them an egg. Your heavenly Father cares for you much more than that. A number of times he said that. And we all know that well-known verse, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the other things will be added to you.

That is the way in which God wants every one of us to live. At the end of our life, whether you live to 80 or 90 or 100, you should be able to say, if you've been a Christian for a major part of that life, this should be your testimony, from the time I was born again, well before I was born again I lived for the world and wasted my life, but from the time I was born again, I decided to seek God's kingdom first and his holiness in every area of my life.

God's Faithfulness in Providing for His Children

And I want to testify today at the end of 50 years, after I'm saved and I'm about to die now, this should be your testimony, I have never lacked anything. God has provided all my needs. He has been a loving Father who has taken care of every need of mine.

And that should be your testimony. I was born again when I was 19, and I'm past 67 now. And I can say that. My conversion was total. I turned around 180 degrees towards the Lord. And I can say that from that time, by the grace of God, I've sought God's kingdom.

With occasional slip-ups, none of us were perfect, but generally, the general direction of my life was to seek God's kingdom. And I've been through times of poverty. But I can say one thing. I've never lacked.

No. All these years, that word has been true. Seek the kingdom of God first and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. That's how Jesus lived. He didn't live for money. Here's an example that God gave.

Choosing the Creator Over His Creation

The happiest human being that ever lived on earth, when God came to earth as a man, and lived just like one of us, he demonstrated to us the way God wanted Adam to live. Not living for earthly things.

Not making the choice that Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden. You know, the choice that faced Eve in that garden was, will you choose God, or will you choose what he has created? This beautiful tree, which makes your mouth water, which makes your whole being long to have it.

Instead of that tree of knowledge of good and evil, put money there. And that's the choice that faces you and me. Will you choose God, or will you choose what he has created? Gold and silver and all the other attractive things that money can buy.

This is the choice that we face in every temptation. God, the creator, or what he has created. And without knowing it sometimes, we are unconsciously choosing what he has created above the creator. We need to make a conscious decision.

Lord, I'm going to use every creative thing, but I'm never going to choose that above you. As long as you are first in my life, I can use creative things. That's the way God wants us to live. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and these other earthly things that you need will be added to you.

My pursuit of earning as much as I can must never be at the cost of seeking God's kingdom first. I must not be pursuing after money. I must be seeking God's kingdom first. And these blessings come as a result of that.

Righteousness and God's Care for Future Generations

Will God take care of our children then? David says in Psalm 37, Psalm 37 and verse 25. He says, I'm an old man today, and I'll tell you something that I've seen for 70 years of my life. I have never in my life seen a righteous man forsaken.

I've never seen his children having to beg for bread. That's an amazing verse, Psalm 37 and verse 25. If you want God to take care of your children, and your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren, that they'll never be in need, I'll tell you what you should do.

Be righteous. Seek God's kingdom first. And put his righteousness as number one in your life. I guarantee you'll have the best retirement benefits. You'll have no problem whatever your age is. God will take care of you.

This is God's way, and God wants you to have that testimony at the end of your life. I spent my life seeking God's kingdom and his righteousness, and that's why it's gone well with me. The second thing I want to share with you is concerning what Jesus taught about saving money.

Saving for the Future Through Wisdom

In the Old Testament, which Jesus knew very well, and which we believe he followed. He followed every bit of the teaching of the Old Testament law. In Proverbs chapter 6, we read what God said through the Holy Spirit in the book of Proverbs, which is one of the finest books in the Old Testament concerning how to be a wise, godly person.

Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 6. It says, Go to the ant, you lazy man. Observe her ways and be wise. That ant has got no chief, no officer, no ruler, and yet prepares her food in summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.

We see there, you know the size of an ant. It's one of the smallest things that you see. And can you think of the size of the brain of that ant? Inside that brain, that ant is thinking what clever people don't think about, and that is saving for the future.

Imagine that ant says to itself, Hey, there's plenty of food right now, but it's summer time, and I know there won't be enough in winter time, so I better not gobble up everything I have right now. Even though I feel like it, I'd better deny myself and save a little for the future.

I wish human beings would have that sense. That I've got plenty now, but that's not meant for me to just splurge and splash and go and enjoy myself. No, let me just think of the future. There may be a time may come in the future when I don't have enough.

I need to save something. And here is Almighty God through the Holy Spirit saying to you, Go to the ant, you lazy man, you thoughtless man, you don't think about the future. Look at her and learn some wisdom.

Who prepares, she doesn't have, she doesn't go for conferences or seminars on finances or any such thing, but she knows how to save. She doesn't attend meetings or services or any such thing, but she knows there may be a time of need in my life and I need to save.

And I would recommend that you do that, dear brother or sister. How did Jesus spend his money? In John chapter 13 and verse 29 we read when Judas was asked to go and do what he was supposed to do, the disciples did not know what Jesus meant.

So they thought that he had told Judas to do what he always told him to do, that is, and from that little sentence you know what Jesus always did with money. It's a little sentence, but there in John 13, 29, buy what you need and give to the poor.

That's it. Buy what you need and give to the poor. So, don't buy what you don't need. If you want to save, you can't buy what you don't need. If you buy what you don't need,.