John F Avanzini - Money talks : it will tell on you

Money Talks

It Will Tell on You

by

John Avanzini

Money Talks

It Will Tell on You

Have you ever noticed that many people become uncomfortable when the pastor talks about money? Everyone is happy as long as he talks about grace, mercy, faith, or love. However, when the subject turns to money, some become extremely quiet, while others just tune out what he is saying.

I asked the Lord, "Why is it that your children react so negatively when the preacher talks about money?"

The Lord's answer startled me. He said, "John, it's because their money will tell on them."

I asked, "What do you mean, Lord?"

He said, "Everyone at church is supposed to love me. However, you will never know who really loves me until you spend about thirty minutes looking through their checkbooks from the last few years. Only then will you know who they really love the most."

What you just read may surprise you, but the following verse should make it clear.

... where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21

Notice our Lord doesn't say where your heart is, your treasure will be. He says where your treasure is, your heart will be. In other words, your heart (or your interest) will follow your treasure.

If you put your treasure in a motor boat, your heart will follow it to the open sea. If you put it in a motor home, your heart will be on the open road. However, if you regularly put your treasure into the things of God, your heart will always be with Him.

Many years ago, as a little girl at a Baptist youth camp, my wife accepted Christ. I accepted Him several years later.

Over the past several decades, we have faithfully served the Lord. Now here's the question. Do we serve Him because we are such wonderful people, or is it because over the years we have kept our treasure invested in Him and His work?

From day one of our new birth, we each committed to tithe and give generous offerings. How thankful we are that we had the spiritual discernment to trust God's Word and put our finances into His work. We simply believed God's promise that wherever we put our treasure, our hearts would follow.

Misunderstanding About Money

The majority of the Church misunderstands what the Word of God teaches about money. They make the mistake of thinking money is evil. We have all heard people try to argue against the biblical message of abundance by saying, "But the Bible says money is the root of all evil."

The Bible doesn't say money is the root of all evil. It says the love of money is the root of all evil.

For the love of money is the root of all evil....

1 Timothy 6:10

God is not against your having money. He just doesn't want money to have you. God never wants money to rule your life. If you start to love money, it will not be long before it becomes your master, making it impossible for you to properly serve God.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [money].

Matthew 6:24 Money Takes on Your Personality

The truth is that money is neither good nor bad. It simply amplifies what is in the heart of the one who controls it. For example, evil people will spend their money on evil things, while good people will spend their money on good things. There isn't any such thing as good money or bad money. Instead, there are good people with money and evil people with money. Your money never decides how you will spend it. It buys and accomplishes whatever you decide.

If a gambler or a prostitute were to give an offering to the Church, well-meaning people might say, "The church shouldn't receive gambling money," or "God wouldn't be pleased if we received prostitution money." They don't realize that when money comes into the control of a man or woman of God, it stops doing what its previous owner wanted it to do. Once it transfers to an obedient child of God, it starts feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and preaching the gospel. It begins to accomplish God's purpose. A righteous person's money exalts the things of God and destroys the works of the devil.

A number of years ago, a millionaire racetrack owner gave Oral Roberts University a large sum of money. Strange as it may seem, there were a number of good people who decided to stop supporting the university because of that gift. They felt the university had done something contrary to the Word of God by receiving racetrack money.

Now let me ask you a simple question. Do you really think this so called "racetrack money" turned Brother Roberts, the professors, and the members of the student body into gamblers? Do you really believe its influence started dragging them down to the racetrack each weekend? No, of course not!

People don't take on the personality of the money they receive; the money takes on their personality. Knowing Brother Roberts and the good people associated with the university, it is safe to say that every cent of that racetrack money went right into the work of the ministry educating young people and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the earth.

Your Money Is Your Life

Many believers argue against prosperity because they don't really understand what money is. Once you know your money takes on your personality, it is easier to understand an even deeper truth your money is your life.

Here is a simple illustration to prove it. After you work forty hours for your employer, he doesn't pay you out of the goodness of his heart. He pays you in exchange for that forty hours of your life. In other words, the amount of money you receive in your paycheck replaces the amount of your life you gave to your employer.

Think of it this way. You don't purchase an automobile with little slips of paper called "money." No, you actually buy it with your life that is, the amount of your life you spend earning the money to pay for the automobile. The same thing is true with your house, your clothing, and everything else you purchase. It all comes through the exchange of your life for money.

When you fully understand that your money represents your life, offering time will become more significant to you. It will no longer be the collection of little slips of paper called "money." It will be a time when you, as a child of God, lay down your life in the form of money, so the world can know that Jesus is the Christ.

Money is a spiritual subject. Each time you place your tithe and offering into God's work, you are literally giving a portion of your life to God. Your life, in the form of money, has the ability to accomplish more for God than you ever thought possible.

Your Money Can Do More

Scripture tells us that everyone in the Body of Christ has a sacred commission to preach the gospel to every creature on planet earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway , even unto the end

Matthew 28:19 ,20

It would be impossible for you to fulfill this command as an individual. You can't personally go to every country and city of the world. However, if you can turn your life into enough surplus money, you can literally preach the gospel all over the planet. If you have enough money, you can fund a missionary journey to Africa, while you purchase Christian books and tapes for China, all from your hometown. You can fund a meeting in the Philippines, while you fly a missionary home across the Atlantic Ocean. If you have enough money, you can preach Christ through television, radio, and other Christian ministries twenty-four hours a day on every square foot of planet earth.