Money is the root of what???!!

Money is the root of evil...or is it the root of good... or is it the root of a tree...What is money?

     First of all money is paper made from trees. It cannot, in and of itself, be good or bad. It's paper. It's a means of currency for trade. Let's get real here folks...

     I’ve heard far too many people, Christian and Non Christian misquote and misuse and abuse the following verse (and others like it) by saying: Money is the root of all evil, therefore you shouldn’t pursue money or have much of it. In fact if your rich you must have some sort of sin in your life, or it’s filthy lucre, or you had better try to get rid of as much of it as you can. One famous preacher, not knowing that his statement was self defeating, stated that it's not a sin to have money only to have any left when you die. He meant that you should make sure to give it away as much as possable. Of course the bible says that a good man leaves an inheritance for his childrens children... so I guess he doesn't want to read the WHOLE bible. That last part is nearer to the truth than he realizes, but will result in the opposite whathe expects… Let’s take a look at the ACTUAL context of the verse they miss-quote.

Love of Money

1 Timothy 6

³If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,⁴he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

So we see that people searching for money for the sake of money are pierced with all kinds of sorrows. We see that the LOVE of money is evil, but not money it self. We also see that Godliness with contentment is great gain! Contentment doesn’t mean that you have stopped increasing or gaining. It doesn’t mean you have no money, in fact you are most likely NOT content if you have nothing and are living in lack. Contentment means you are grateful for what God HAS done, IS doing, and is GOING to do. Paul also said in another verse in Philippians: “I know how to abase AND abound!”

Philippians 4

 ¹¹Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be ^f]">[f] content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.  ¹²I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.
He went on to say that the secret was:
    ¹³I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who ^g]">[g]infuses inner strength into me; I am ^h]">[h]self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].
Many Christians believe they should attempt to abase but fail to learn how to abound. In fact the abasing they do isn’t accurate either, but they have religion to help them get that false paradigm into their heads.
God’s Devine Purpose for Money

2 Corinthians 9

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written: 
   "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; 
      his righteousness endures forever."^[a]

¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. ¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Here we see what God intention for money is. You should have it. You should have a lot of it. You should have it for a reason. They reason is to be the one to supply to others. Every mature believer should aim to understand this verse. Also take a look at this one:

Luke 6:38 (21st Century King James Version)

 ³⁸Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete, therewith it shall be measured to you again."

I’ve decided that if there are men giving into some ones life because of their giving. I’m  going to be the one giving pressed down, shaken together, and running over!!!! I’m going to be the HOSE God uses to spray someone with Favor! THAT is the real purpose of Money. That is God’s way. Poverty is defined in Deut. 28 as the curse. The curse is a result of disobedience. I refuse to pursue poverty on purpose disobeying God in the act. I hope I’ve challenged you to rethink your mindsets and crushed a few of the religious sacred cows you’ve been holding onto.

 Have a BLESSED day. 

DW