GIF The Bottom Line About Financial Results

“But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth…”
(Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV)

The Bottom Line About Financial Results
by Chuck Bentley

Our pragmatic culture drives us towards a bottom-line results orientation. Many rationalize this attitude like this: “If the returns are good, what does it matter if the source of counsel or the means to get the desired outcome are not godly? Money is neutral.”

The argument is correct that money is neutral; it can be used for good or evil. But we must not let a bottom-line mentality cause us to miss the true bottom line about financial results.

God warned the Israelites that they would be tempted to forget Him when they experienced financial prosperity.

He said, “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God. … Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will grow proud and you will forget the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14 NIV).

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced thiswealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NIV).

The Lord knows that we are easily deceived. We even think that if we keep this misplaced dependency to ourselves (“You may say to yourself ”), that we can hide our pride from Him. This is impossible.

The real bottom line to the issue of money is not how successful you are at making it or managing it, but whether you remember that God provided you with your abilities and apart from Him you can do nothing.

We should always remember that even financial results are from Him.

Daily Scripture Reading:
Exodus 5 – 8