DEUTERONOMY 8: 14-18 What is money? The dictionary defines money as a medium of exchange. Of course, that is true to an extent; but that only describes the use of money. Let’s examine the subject a little closer.
     If you have a job and work for fifteen dollars an hour and work forty hours a week you earn six hundred dollars a week. That money represents forty hour of work and the talent God has given you so you can earn that six hundred dollars. In essence, money represents time and talent. If you go into a store and see an item that sells for thirty dollars and you pay the clerk thirty dollars for the item you have given the store thirty dollars, which represents two hours of your time and the talent used during that time. Both the time and the talent are a gift from God. What then is our obligation to God concerning what we do with our time and money?
     Let’s look at time first. I hear people say, "I don’t have time to read the Bible and pray." We all have the same amount of time daily, weekly, monthly and annually. What we do with that time reflects our values. Take a few minutes and reflect on how you spend your time. When we fail to have fellowship with God and do not read His word, we cheat ourselves. In the Bible is all the wisdom we need to make life a joy and give us the wisdom we need to expand our earning capacity. The Bible and fellowship with God are given to enrich our lives. The devil steals our time and distorts the blessings of God's Word.
     Would you like God's formula for growing wealth? First, acknowledge God as the One who gives us the power to get wealth. In our scripture God was reminding the Israelites of what He had done for them in bringing them out of Egypt to freedom. If you are a Christian, God has brought you out of slavery to sin. Sin drains us spiritually and robs us of our talent and money. What we do with our money reflects how we value our relationship with God. A tithe is God's standard; but to go beyond the ten percent (tithe) is the area of blessing. I have learned that it is not an obligation; but a PRIVILEGE to give of the bounty of God's blessing. Although I do not have great wealth I do have great contentment and joy. My God NEVER forsakes my family.

PRAYER: Lord, I have failed in so many ways to allow your blessings to enrich my life. I pray your forgiveness and pledge my effort to fellowship with You. Give me the faith to tithe and go beyond into the area of Your blessing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.