9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Jesus begins His interpretation of this parable by telling us to use money (the unrighteous mammon) to make to ourselves friends that would receive us into ‘everlasting’ habitations. Every bit of money you spend on perishable things you lose. Every bit of money you spend on spiritual eternal things never leaves your life, it just enters into your future. You store it as treasure in heaven. When we use money to touch other people’s lives through the gospel then when we die they will receive us into everlasting habitations.
This is talking about the fact that when we die we shall be received in heaven by the people that were touched and saved through our giving to ministries and missionaries that preach the gospel and minister to people. This is the primary use of money. It is the major purpose of wealth. To be a blessing to others.
“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” Deut8:18
The reason God prospers us is so that we can be covenant keepers. It is so that we can be a blessing. The goal is to establish His covenant and to establish His Kingdom and purpose upon the earth. God blesses us and gives us material possessions so that we can faithfully steward His resources and ensure that His purpose is fulfilled in the earth. He gives us wealth to establish His covenant on this earth. Wealth is not for us to consume on our lusts. When we consume all that God has given us on earthly things, then we are unjust stewards.
If you were to get one thousand times more finances than you have now what would you do? Most likely you would upgrade your lifestyle. You would get a bigger better house, you would get newer better clothes and shoes and bags, you would buy the latest phone, you would get the latest TV or whatever. Basically you would try and get the best of everything regardless of whether what you have right now is really nice and there’s nothing wrong with it. You would want nicer, newer, latest everything wouldn’t you?
In other words you would make sure you spend all that money until you have used it all up. And eventually you would end up in the same financial situation as before. In lack and not having enough. Why is this? It is because most of us are not content with God. Our contentment is based on things. That is why we are never content with what we have. Things can never satisfy. How much do you need to be satisfied? How many clothes, bags, shoes, phones, cars, houses do you need to be satisfied? How big must your house be for you to be satisfied? Get to where God is enough for you and you are satisfied where you are and you spend your money on more important things.
Jesus is instructing us to use our money, talents and abilities to further His kingdom and be a blessing to others so that we will have eternal rewards. When we get to heaven the people who have been saved and blessed by our investments in the kingdom of God will literally receive us into our everlasting home. We will have thousands or millions of people who will welcome us and love us even when we have never met them.
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Jesus now introduces one of the most radical concepts that most of Christianity struggles with today. He refers to money as ‘that which is least’. He is saying that money is the least place of faithfulness and trusting God. If you can’t trust God with your money then you can’t trust Him with anything else.
If you claim that you are trusting God and yet you are not trusting Him with your money you are deceiving yourself. Money is the least place of faithfulness and trusting God.
Furthermore, money is not true wealth. There is greater wealth than money. But money is where we start. It is the first treasure that God entrusts to us to learn faithfulness and stewardship. When we are faithful with money then God entrusts to us true riches. When we are not faithful stewards of the money that God gives us, then He will not entrust to us the greater riches of the kingdom.
Our material stewardship is a reflection of our spiritual stewardship and determines what the Lord will entrust to us. The way you handle your finances is a reflection of the way you will handle other treasures that God entrusts to you.
There are much more precious things that we will abuse if we don’t become good stewards of money. These include people, influence, leadership, favor and several others. Money is a test. How we handle it determines whether we are ready for promotion and for greater stewardship. Prosperity isn’t measured by what you keep but by what you give.
“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Eph4:28
This is another radical scripture. It tells us why we should work. The major purpose of work and prosperity is to be able to give and be a blessing to other people. We don’t work to take care of our own needs. We work to take care of other people and to be a blessing. The reason you work is so that you can have what to give to him that needs. Your philosophy to work, your attitude to work should be so that you can earn to give.
You work to give. You give to live. You live to give. Getting your needs met should be a byproduct of your prosperity and not the goal of your prosperity.
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