Money Is A Curse Unless God Intervenes

Mark 4:18,19

Money often doesn't materialize into the blessing one hoped for; without God being invited in to help you manage money, it can destroy the lives of those anywhere near it.

Soul Food

Mark 4:18,19

“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Soul Search

• Do you control money or does money control you?

• If you believe you control the money you have, why?
  What decisions do you make and what actions do you take that have you convinced you control it?

• If you’re brave enough to admit it, do you believe money controls you?
  What decisions do you make and what actions do you take that cause you to believe that money might actually be controlling you?

• How much of your time do you think about money and spend time handling money matters?
  Do you invest as much time with God and developing your spiritual life?

Soul Moves

• Ask God, by His Holy Spirit, to show you the truth about whether or not money controls you.
  Maybe more importantly, ask God to help you see and acknowledge the truth if money has more control over you than you’d like to think.

• Take a close look at how much time you spend thinking about money (or how to get it) or handling money matters.
  Take some steps to balance that time out with spending more time with God in prayer and in Bible study.

• God knows we need money to live and to provide for our families.
  He says in the Bible that if we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) that He will take care of the things we tend to worry about like what we will eat and what we will wear.
  Test God in this to see if He will bless you and provide for you in His way if you put Him first.

• One important way to master money and make sure you control it is to give it away.
  Live with your hands open to give.
  The only way you can live with your hands open is if your heart is open.
  Ask God to do the open heart surgery in you that will open your hands to give money away to those who need it.