Summit Church Pastor J.D. Greear says the subject of money is a touchy one for many individuals. Even though a person might profess to be generous, his or her habits will always reveal the true story.
In order to determine if a person is truly generous or greedy, or if God or money is more important in their lives, Greear suggests that people reflect on these three questions first:
1. What Does God Want You to Do?
This question should guide every decision that Christians make, says Greear, since Christians should seek God not only in terms of family and career, but also when it concerns money. "Always prioritize the Kingdom of God, and God will supply all that you need," writes Greear.
He shared the Bible verse Matthew 6:33 to state his case: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
2. Does God Get Your First and Best?
Is God the priority of people, or do they fulfill certain obligations first before Him? Greear told people to think back whether they pay their "important" bills first such as mortgage, utilities, and many others before paying their tithes.
"Whatever you give your first and your bestto reveals what is truly God in your life," says Greear. "We all give our first and best to something. It's that part of our life that gets top priority. And that shows what we treasure most."
"When we look to money as our significance or our trust,something's gone wrong," the pastor adds. "The problem isn't money itself; it's that money has kicked God off the throne as first and best."
3. Are You a Channel or a Reservoir of God's Blessings?
Greear says that when God blesses people financially, it is not to improve their standard of living, but to increase their standard of giving. God wants His believers to channel His blessings, just like a non-profit charity does.
He says that people will be enraged if the donations would go to the organisation's CEO instead of its intended recipients. "We are that CEO," says Greear. "Each person in the church is a 'nonprofit organization,' and God has made donations to us because he wants us to use them for his mission. If we sit on those donations or use them for our own luxury, we're taking what doesn't belong to us," he says.
