Dr. D's Devotional
Title: Finances 5
by Dennis Reschke
Finances 5
Gen 39:1-3 "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar,
an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from
the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down there. And the
LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house
of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him,
and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand". When the
Lord is with you, you prosper.
Deut 28:12 "The LORD shall open unto you His good treasure, ... and you
shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow". It says here borrowing
is not a blessing, but lending is. Borrowing is not a sin. If it was God
would be causing the Israelites to sin by lending money. The bad part about
borrowing is the interest paid over and above the principle, and the fact
that the lender (the bank) has great power over you: "the borrower is servant
to the lender" (Pr 22:7). If someone asks to borrow money from you, ask
God what He wants you to do with that request. There are Scriptures that
suggest a variety of response: Lk 6:30 "Give to every man that asks of you;
and of him that takes away your goods ask them not back"; Ex 22:25 "If you
lend money to any of my people that is poor by you, you shall not be to
him as an usurer, neither shall you lay upon him interest"; Deut 23:20 "To
a stranger you may lend with interest; but to your brother you shall not
lend with interest". There are many others. Generally, the sentiment seems
to be not to lend with interest to family (spiritual or filial). The bottom
line is, what is God speaking to your heart to do (Rom 8:14). The Scriptures
provide limits and scaffolding, the Holy Spirit fills in the so-called "grey
areas". God is not the author of confusion (1Cor 14:33); not knowing is
confusing. Ask Him what to do and He'll let you know.
Jesus prospered financially. Why else would there be a need for a treasurer
(Judas)? And why, at the Last Supper when Jesus told Judas to do what he
needed to do, why did the others think He was just telling him to go give
some money to the poor (if He didn't have any)? Man, Jesus had to be some
kind of giving Dude for them to think that at even at night time, He was
giving to the poor. When have you (or I) gone out at night specifically
to give to the poor? Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good ... " - this included
helping people financially - "... and healing all that were oppressed of
the devil; for God was with him". There is an anointing available to do
good things. When God is with you, you prosper. God says He is with and
in us, never leaving us or forsaking us, and He confirms the Word with signs
following (Jer 1:12; Ps 103:20; Mk 16:20).
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