Financial Discipleship – the Bible on God's PartSample

It’s hard to grasp the extent of God’s ownership at times. We work for the things we get. The house, the car, the clothes, the money. It’s easier to see that a home or car may not be truly ours because many of us take out a loan to buy them. But how about the things we bought with cash? Those are ours… right? It’s always a better decision to buy with cash than to borrow. God wants us free to serve Him, and He does not wish for any of His children to be lorded by anyone or anything (Proverbs 22:7). But He controls it all (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). Not only did our Father create the heavens and the earth­­­—and everything in the earth—but He also created us and the animals, too (Psalm 24:1). If we think about a child two parents had, that’s still considered their child, no matter how old their son or daughter gets. Think about an invention. Thomas Edison patented the light bulb and called the invention his. No matter what happens afterward, it’s still his. That’s how it works with God. He gets the credit for everything. He was the Maker and forever will be the Owner. That goes for our children and our inventions, too. He created us. So, whatever we create is His. “You are the Author, I am the clay. Mold me and make me.” It’s from an old hymn that speaks of the huge role God plays in our lives: the ultimate role. Our gifts, our talents, our achievements, and our money, all come from the Lord. And it’s not by accident. What we receive from God and what we do with it all comes from Him by design. He gives and He takes away (Job 1:21). (excerpt taken from The Bible on Money, Compass-finances God's way, 2022)