The first is that we can do anything for God or anyone else for that matter on our own. All belongs to God, including power, glory, and praise for all things good and right. Often the desire to sell everything comes from a proud heart that seeks glory for itself. This, some may argue cannot be true, for selling belongings was a sign of having the Spirit for those mentioned in Acts. I do not dispute this, but I believe we ought to proceed with caution. Jesus words, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt 7:21) are particularly insightful reminders . Jesus reminds us that some of the signs of God are similar in appearance to those of Satan. So, selling all that one has is not necessarily a sign someone is a true disciple. It is my opinion that false brothers come in appearing as righteous by selling belongings in order to gain favor and deceive others by placing burdens upon them.
The second lie is that money has power. A belief in the power of money is a sure sign of idolatry. Jeremiah prophesied, “Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false and there is no breath in them, They a worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish,” (Jer 12:14-15). Money is worthless apart from God. The power is not in the money, but in God who uses the money as a means to an end. There is no doubt that God has ordained the giving of money to be a means to an end, but it is false to believe the money is what helps people—saves people.
The last thing I would offer up for you to ponder is the means by which God works. Is money the only way for God to provide? Or have we been so engulfed in our own culture that we fail to see that money is not the only way to get food or water (which are the only true necessities). If there is a drought in a land, perhaps we ought to pray for rain and not just for money to be sent. God is not limited. He can work in anyway he chooses and money is just one way.
True happiness and contentment is not found in things, but in Christ. So, we ought not to pity those who have fewer things than us. I leave you with an excerpt from my post about living in Ghana.
Many times, as Americans, we tend to think that the people that live in, what we would call shacks, need more things, that what they have is not good enough. What I have learned is that what they have is more than enough. Our purpose is to live each day to glorify our Lord and they are able to do just that, even living in a small shack. We can hardly imagine life like this, but it is just a matter of fact and not as big of a deal as you might imagine. Thus, now, when I see these kinds of homes, which are not nearly as nice as ones in the states, I do not think, “Oh, poor people. They have to live in such a small house.” They are blessed people, who have a roof over their head and they are, for the most part, perfectly content with it. So why should I be discontent for them? Now, this is not to say that there are not any who need more of whatever it may be, just that many really do not need more things. Rather they need Christ.
My friends, I write all of this because I fear many are burdened as I was. I fear many are bound by a belief that owning things means one is selfish—that enjoying the gifts of God is sinful. Do not be selfish and greedy, but do not be afraid to enjoy. Give generously and enjoy all God has blessed you with. Use what you have to bless others with—use your TV as a means to fellowship with others through movie nights, use your stove to cook for others, use for dishwasher to allow yourself more time with God. Oh, my friends how much trouble I would have been saved if someone explained all this to me sooner! How many nights I cried out to God because Satan had deceived me. I pray that God may protect you from Satan’s lies and enable you to enjoy God as you ought to.