Money, Business, and the Bible预览

You are Called to Financial Integrity

Financial integrity is essential in our personal life as well as in God’s Church. Today’s reading shows how seriously God takes how we handle money. The Early Church was growing exponentially. There was a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit. Ananias and his wife wanted to be seen and recognized more than they wanted to truly give and serve. God made an example of them, and this truly got everyone’s attention.

Personally, God calls us to handle our money and business with financial integrity today. There are consequences when we lie on our taxes or other governmental reporting documents, but there are also spiritual consequences. We must be above reproach when it comes to how we handle the money God has entrusted to us. There are many churches and nonprofit organizations that find themselves in trouble every year with the IRS or with donors because of not handling their finances properly. This has led to many churches and nonprofits closing as well as giving the work of the Kingdom a bad name.

At the heart of the matter is not trusting God. If we truly trust that God will provide for us, then we will not have to lie. If we do things God’s way, instead of looking out for our own image, then we know God will provide for us. This means trusting God in our giving and investing. This means running our personal and professional lives with character and integrity. God may not take us home immediately when we do something dishonest, but we will all stand before Him one day and have to give an account of our financial lives.

The fact is, we can only do so much on our own. When we put God first personally and professionally, then “He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20-21. God will provide for you. The only time where God says “test me” is in the area of money (remember Malachi 3:8-10). Trust Him in your finances and see if “He does not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you can’t help but contain it.” This is not just prosperity gospel, but Truth. God will take care of His children if we will just trust Him and do things His way. This doesn’t mean we will get everything we want, but it does mean we will get everything we need. Ananias and Sapphira did not trust God, but so many in the Early Church did (like Barnabas in Acts 4:36) and so can you.