Understanding what money is

God encouraged the people of Israel to take advantage of money's convenience.  He told them that if their place of worship was too far from their home, they should exchange the tithes of their crops and livestock for silver, then convert it back to the goods of their choice once they arrived.

Many have chosen to love money, comfort and the things of this world more than they love God and others. As a result, they may prosper—but only for a season.

There are philosophies that separate reality into “spiritual” and “material” spheres, but Christianity is not one of them. In the Bible, all of life (including the use of money) is spiritual because God is involved in it. When we take the time to read the Bible carefully, we find that it has much more to say to us than we may have realised, not least of all about our giving.

We judge a person based on how much wealth he can accumulate over a lifetime. It is a wrong standard. Even the world understands that money and possessions bring little satisfaction, yet we continue to pursue that kind of "success" as if that is all that matters. The great Creator never intended materialism to be the basis for abundant living.  An idol can be very expensive to make. But its maker has completely wasted his money. No idol can ever do anything to help its owner.

Wisdom brings health, because wisdom teaches safe actions. A wise person eats good food and takes care of his body. Wisdom brings wealth, because the wise person is careful. The wise person works hard and he does not waste money. Do not think that health and wealth show wisdom. A thief can become wealthy, because he steals. An evil person can take money from other people. Sometimes God gives health and wealth to a person, but not always. ‘Remember God! He makes you able to get wealth.