According to Crown Financial Ministries the number one factor in the breakup of most marriages is financial discord. 85% of marriages that fail do so because of financial problems. And this kind of financial turmoil is no less of a problem in many Christian marriages. Yet in the Bible we have a divinely-inspired and inexhaustible resource on money matters. The Bible mentions money matters some 2,350 times! That's more passages than on heaven and hell combined. So since we have such an amazing divine resource, what lessons can we learn so that money matters will not wipe out our marriages? Let's look at seven divinely ordered truths about money matters:
• Truth #1: God alone is the Owner of everything: He alone is the Possessor of heaven and earth.
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it (Deut. 10:14).
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Ps. 24:1).
Therefore, the so-called bottom line is this: In the ultimate sense, God owns everything! We own nothing! To assume ownership of anything is to commit the sin of idolatry. We are not owners of anything. We are stewards of everything.
• Truth #2: Since God is the ultimate Owner of everything, He is more than willing and able to meet all of our financial needs.
And my God will fully supply your needs according to His abundant wealth so glorious in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).
For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains (Ps. 50:10-11).
God is the ultimate land Owner of the whole earth and His butcher shop is always open for those of us who are hungry and needy. We just need to ask and He will supply. And it's free for the asking!
• Truth #3: Therefore, it makes good sense to commit our financial matters to Him and to trust Him to guide our financial decisions as well as to meet all of our basic needs (i.e., food, clothing, and shelter).
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf (Prov. 11:28).
The greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper (Prov. 28:25).
