How God $$peak$

This Sunday our ABF class began a study of the book by Charles Stanley “How to Listen to God”.  I am excited about the next 10 weeks as it appears to be a very good book.  In the first chapter Dr. Stanley has a section on how God speaks to His children today.  It is interesting how God communicates to us differently today than through prophets, dreams and God’s direct voice that was used in Bible times.  

Dr. Stanley lists four ways that God communicates with us today: the Bible, the Holy Spirit, other people and circumstances.  I would like suggest that a fifth category might be added in that God also speaks to us though our money.  I am not saying that our money should replace the Bible, or the Holy Spirit as God’s primary method of communication, but I certainly believe that God communicates with us through our finances.

Here are five ways that God communicates to us thorough our finances.

God shows us that He is faithful:  In Lamentations 3:22-24 Jeremiah says “Great is your faithfulness”.  Did you ever stop to think about how faithful God has been in supplying your needs?  I know that Joyce and I are amazed to look back over the last 37 years of marriage and see how faithful God has been.  Our lives have certainly been a testimony to Philippians 4:19.  How many times have any of us had to skip a meal or went without a place to sleep?  God is faithful.

God communicates His love to us:  One of the ways that God shows His love to us is by giving.  John 3:16 says for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  As I look at all the blessings (some of them financial) that God has entrusted to me, I know that God loves me.  Remember that we in America are in the top 20% of the world’s wealthiest people.  God has shown us His love by blessing us financially.

God reveals sin in our lives: Read Galatians 5:19-21 and as you read the acts of the flesh review how many of those sins become evident in how we handle our money.  Money can become an idol, it can cause strife, jealously, dissension, envy and other deeds of the flesh that are mentioned.  Whether we like it or not many times how we handle our money shows us just how much we need Jesus and sins that exist in our lives. 

God calls us to pray:  When we lose a job or we have unpaid medical bills, what is a Christian’s natural reaction?  Our reaction should be to go to God in prayer.  Luke 12:22-34 Jesus told the disciples not to worry about the needs of this world, but to seek God.  Many times I wonder if God does not simply allow us to lose our jobs or other things of this earth that we hold dear because He simply wants to hear from us.  God’s Word is clear that He wants us to pray (Romans 12:12, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2, Philippians 4:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17).  I believe that God will use money (or the lack of it) to call us to prayer.

God leads us in life decisions:  Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary”.  When we combine this with the promise that that God will supply our needs (Philippians 4:19) we are assured that when God wants us to go forward He will provide the resources for us to accomplish He will.  This is why I feel borrowing is discouraged in God’s Word.  Many times we do an end run around His will and His desire for us to wait for His provision.   Very simply we must wait and trust and watch Him provide. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Dr. Stanley should rewrite His book.  But when he mentions circumstances it defiantly includes our financial situation.  God will use His money to direct, chastise, and draw His Stewards closer to Himself.  Yes God communicates to us through our finances.