Wisdom for Money

By Boyd Bailey

"The use of money is an indicator of our heart. If money serves as a slave for our Savior's desires, then our heart aligns with His. However, if money masters our motivations, then our heart is out of sync with God's big picture of benevolence. Yes, our resources are an opportunity to illustrate the good news of Jesus Christ by how we invest in others. Perhaps we take a couple to dinner and encourage them in their engagement, or we buy Bibles for those who have not read God's Word. So we budget for giving to others, and we spend less on ourselves. Make cash a servant of God." — Boyd Bailey

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boyd Bailey
• Release date: May 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311046789

Boyd Bailey

Boyd Bailey, the author of Wisdom Hunters devotionals, is the founder of Wisdom Hunters, Inc., an Atlanta-based ministry created to encourage Christians (a.k.a wisdom hunters) to apply God's unchanging Truth in a changing world. By God's grace, Boyd has impacted wisdom hunters in over 86 countries across the globe through the Wisdom Hunters daily devotion, wisdomhunters.com devotional blog and devotional books. For over 30 years Boyd Bailey has passionately pursued wisdom through his career in fulltime ministry, executive coaching, and mentoring. Since becoming a Christian at the age of 19, Boyd begins each day as a wisdom hunter, diligently searching for Truth in scripture, and through God's grace, applying it to his life. These raw, 'real time' reflections from his personal time with the Lord, are now impacting over 70,000 people through the Wisdom Hunters Daily Devotion email. In addition to the daily devotion, Boyd has authored three devotional books: Infusion, a 90-day devotional, Seeking Daily the Heart of God, a 365-day devotional and Seeking God in the Psalms, a 90-day devotional along with several 30-day devotional e-Books on topics such as Wisdom for Fathers, Wisdom for Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, and Wisdom for Marriage. In addition to Wisdom Hunters, Boyd is the co-founder and CEO of Ministry Ventures, a faith based non-profit, where he has trained and coached over 1000 ministries in the best practices of prayer, board, ministry models, administration and fundraising. Prior to Ministry Ventures, Boyd was the National Director for Crown Financial Ministries and an Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Atlanta. Boyd serves on numerous boards including Ministry Ventures, Wisdom Hunters, Atlanta Mission, Souly Business and Blue Print for Life. Boyd received his Bachelor of Arts from Jacksonville State University and his Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Seminary. He and Rita, his wife of 30 plus years, live in Roswell, Georgia and are blessed with four daughters, three sons-in-law who love Jesus, and a granddaughter and grandson. Boyd and Rita enjoy missions and investing in young couples, as well as hiking, reading, traveling, working through their bucket list, watching college football, and hanging out with their kids and grand kids when ever possible.

Book preview

Contents

WISDOM FOR MONEY

by

Boyd Bailey

Copyright Wisdom Hunters, LLC. 2014

Published by Wisdom Hunters at Smashwords

Introduction

God has a way of getting my attention with money: the lack of it or its abundance. These are fiscal reminders that Christ is in control of my need for cash. He is also my best resource to learn how to wisely steward His resources. My heavenly Father understands that earthly manna is the number one competitor to the heavenly manna He desires to dispense to His children. Yes, the Lord’s goal is for gold to get me closer to Him, not compete with Him. Money is meant to move me toward my Master Jesus Christ. My open hand with money protects me from its addiction.

In seasons of extensive expenses, I feel as if we are always behind in balancing our personal budget. Clothing, feeding, educating, and loving four children create financial tension at best and ongoing debt at worse. Healthcare costs money. Rent or a mortgage requires monthly payments. Tuition fees show up every semester and must be paid for the privilege of continued education. Grocery stores are for-profit; so they insist on cash, credit, debit, or a check to check out. Shoes, pants, and shirts solicit the purchase of a new fashion in the fall and spring. Life costs money.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much (Luke 16:10).

Thus, wisdom keeps a biblical perspective on money and resists culture’s unsustainable expectations. Good money management is a daily discipline that asks questions like the following: Who needs my generosity today? Have I prayed enough about this potential expenditure? Have I really collaborated with my spouse on how we need to save, spend, and share God’s stuff? How can I best steward the resources the Lord has entrusted to me? Each day we have the privilege and responsibility to represent the kingdom of heaven well as we wisely manage money on earth.

The use of money is an indicator of our heart. If money serves as a slave for our Savior’s desires, then our heart aligns with His. However, if money masters our motivations, then our heart is out of sync with God’s big picture of benevolence. Yes, our resources are an opportunity to illustrate the good news of Jesus Christ by how we invest in others. Perhaps we take a couple to dinner and encourage them in their engagement, or we buy Bibles for those who have not read God’s Word. So we budget for giving to others, and we spend less on ourselves. Make cash a servant of God.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34).

Therefore, we are wise when we preempt love for money with love for our heavenly Father. Since the two contrasting affections cannot coexist, finances are flushed out as a controlling influence over our life. Only Jesus deserves one hundred percent of our focused fidelity. Our intentional intimacy with Christ, powered by the Holy Spirit, keeps money in its place of serving others and glorifying God (the giver of all good). So we love the Lord for His daily bread and any extra He entrusts to us. Almighty God is our only master, and money is meant to serve His purposes!

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Luke 16:13).

Money Motivated

Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. Mark 11:15-16

Money motivation is not the best motivation; in fact, it can make you downright miserable. It frustrates you and those around you because money-motivated people are never content. They have an insatiable desire for the next deal or the next opportunity to make more. An all-consuming desire for money leads you to compromise common sense and character. Ironically, your family suffers the most even when your desire is for them to enjoy the benefits money may produce. Moreover, money-motivated individuals stoop as low as using the Lord to line their pockets. Religion and church become means for cash creation. This angers God because He is moved by righteous indignation when His bride is prostituted for worldly purposes. The church is a conduit for Christ, not a clearinghouse for economic gain. It is a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7).

He is greatly grieved when money becomes the driving force of any institution or individual. A church bound up in debt is destined for ineffectiveness. If the bride of Christ is preoccupied with paying the bills, then the mission