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HOW TO DEAL WITH THE ATTITUDE OF FINANCE

In this modern era, many spiritual leaders have fallen to material and monetary temptations. Some spiritual giants have been imprisoned for financial fraud. So many congregations have also gone broke after giving their hard earned money to the ‘man of God’.

Paul exhorts Timothy to have a healthy balance in attitude towards money. Paul was encouraging Timothy to flee from temptation of the love for money. Money is not evil. Money is neutral. It is the hands that deal with money, that makes it good or bad. Like black money is money in the hands of the unscrupulous, they use it for bad purposes.

Timothy was told to teach his congregation on financial stewardship. Paul was mentoring Timothy about contentment in life. It is part of being godly at all times. Surely, it is a gain in life (1 Timothy 6:6). We came empty handed and we will exit this world empty handed (verse 7). So why waste our time on wanting to get rich through ungodly ways. It will only ruin us. People who are greedy for money will naturally wander from the faith. Being content with the basic needs for life -- food, cloth and shelter. (verse 8) is the key.

In the Bible there are many people who have become grief stricken due to their worldliness and violation of God's standards (verse 10).

Timothy was to warn the rich people neither to be arrogant nor to trust their riches. They are to put their hope and trust in God who gives everything for our enjoyment. The rich must be rich in good deeds, (verses 17-18). The only way we can lay a firm foundation for the coming age is by being generous in sharing (verse 19).

Timothy must pursue righteousness, godliness, love, endurance and gentleness (verses 11-12), take hold of the eternal life to which he was called and prove his good confession as witness in his generation (verse 13).

Whatever we do on earth should be done with eternity in mind, knowing that Jesus is coming back and that we are accountable to God.

Paul asks Timothy to guard what God has entrusted him with and to avoid fake news, like godless social media chats, to avoid wandering away from the truth.

Remember that Paul's mentoring is relevant today in terms of Fear, Faith and Finance.