Are you struggling to reconcile your relationship with money and your faith? You're not alone. In today's episode, Erica Fluckus, a life coach, career coach, and coordinator with a nonprofit, as well as a dedicated Christian and seminary graduate, and Catherine Van Der Laan, financial coach and minister-in-training, talk through what it means to navigate money and faith decisions.
Together, we explore the intersection between money and faith, diving into what God says about managing money and how Jesus came to save us from our sinful relationships.
We discuss how money is a reflection of our hearts and a tool of worship, examining the importance of tithing and giving to others in need while keeping our hearts fully devoted to God.
We also consider the connection between money and the Christian heart and the spiritual impact of money trauma. By sharing practical ways to create a healthy relationship with money and faith, we aim to help you navigate this challenging topic and align your financial decisions with God's word.
Join us for this enlightening conversation as we uncover the true meaning of money in the eyes of God and how we can best manage it according to His will.
Through examining over 2,000 verses in the Bible directly related to money (in the podcast, not in this one episode!), we hope to provide valuable insights and guidance to help you on your journey toward a healthier, more faithful relationship with your finances. So tune in, and let's grow together in understanding God's perspective on money and its role in our lives.
Book a free coaching session: https://www.saverstreet.com/free-consultation
saverstreet.com
catherine.vanderlaan@saverstreet.com
FB: @SaverStreet
IG: @saver.street
Are you struggling to reconcile your relationship with money and your faith? You're not alone. In today's episode, Erica Fluckus, a life coach, career coach, and coordinator with a nonprofit, as well as a dedicated Christian and seminary graduate, and Catherine Van Der Laan, financial coach and minister-in-training, talk through what it means to navigate money and faith decisions.
Together, we explore the intersection between money and faith, diving into what God says about managing money and how Jesus came to save us from our sinful relationships.
We discuss how money is a reflection of our hearts and a tool of worship, examining the importance of tithing and giving to others in need while keeping our hearts fully devoted to God.
We also consider the connection between money and the Christian heart and the spiritual impact of money trauma. By sharing practical ways to create a healthy relationship with money and faith, we aim to help you navigate this challenging topic and align your financial decisions with God's word.
Join us for this enlightening conversation as we uncover the true meaning of money in the eyes of God and how we can best manage it according to His will.
Through examining over 2,000 verses in the Bible directly related to money (in the podcast, not in this one episode!), we hope to provide valuable insights and guidance to help you on your journey toward a healthier, more faithful relationship with your finances. So tune in, and let's grow together in understanding God's perspective on money and its role in our lives.
Book a free coaching session: https://www.saverstreet.com/free-consultation
saverstreet.com
catherine.vanderlaan@saverstreet.com
FB: @SaverStreet
IG: @saver.street
Jesus came to save us from our horrible relationships with everything on this earth, everything sinful on this earth. He came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and part of that is what we do with money and how we see money and how we love money, and how we love the power that money gives us and how we love the prestige that money gives us and, ultimately, how we love ourselves more than our fellow man and more than Jesus himself. Welcome to the Money Ministers Podcast. My name is Catherine Vanderlaan And I'm Erica Flukis. We're the Money Ministers And we're here to help you understand what God says about managing money.
Speaker 2:It's a tricky topic, but God says a lot about money in the Bible. Let's dive in.
Speaker 1:All right, welcome back to the Money Ministers everyone. I've been asked multiple times to restart this program, to restart this podcast. So here we are, and you might notice that I said we. Well, if you are looking at the video, then you can see my lovely co-host, erica Flukis, who is here from Georgia. I'm so excited to introduce you all to her. She is, as I said, i think, here from Georgia. And, erica, actually, why don't you just tell us a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 2:Thank you, i appreciate that Well. I do reside in the Atlanta area And I'm a life coach And over the years I've worked with women impacted by incarceration as well as you. Most recently, I've worked with at-risk women and women who are survivors of sex trafficking, really as a life coach, career coach and also the Caribbean, as coordinator with a nonprofit. So I'm very happy to be with you, katharine. I look forward to our conversation.
Speaker 1:I'm so happy you're here And I don't know if you said this, but you are also a seminary graduate. You are a Christian, a dedicated Christian, as you can if you can't tell by what Erica was doing. You love God, you love God's word And that is why we're here together. We are both Christians who love God and love God's word. I am a minister in training and feel very called to ministry. I do ministry all day as a financial and career coach myself, working mostly with Christians.
Speaker 1:And so here we are. It is no longer the money minister, it's the money ministers. So we can get a couple different voices, a couple different perspectives here, and we're two or three are gathered in his name there. So, which I think I just took out of context, which is not the point of this. We're supposed to keep everything in context. So if you're listening and you're curious what the context of that verse is, go Google it. Maybe we'll get to it at some point in this podcast, but that's not today's topic. Today's topic is what God thinks about money. What's a big one? It's a pretty big topic, don't you think, erica?
Speaker 2:Yes, it is, it's very big.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So we're going to hone down a little bit, and I think the reason this came up what God thinks about money is because actually I'm asked all the time what does God think about money? What does God say in the Bible about money? What is his point? Does he care about money? Does he care about us and what we want in life? What does God think about money? Erica, when somebody asks you that, what would you say?
Speaker 2:Well, i believe God wants us to have money. I think the number one principle we have to realize is that everything comes from God. I love Psalm 24-1 that says the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell in it. So that means that everything that we could ever possess, everyone in the world, saved or unsaved, belongs to God. So the same with money. Money is really a tool, tool for us to use for God's glory and to advance his kingdom.
Speaker 1:I agree with that. Money is a tool. Everything on earth belongs to God. All of us belong to God. Everything we own actually does belong to God. That's why Christians say things like we need to steward God's wealth well, exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now, we're going to try not to use too much Christianese in here, but that's something people say a lot And actually God talks a lot about money in the Bible. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that talk directly about money and how we need to handle it. That makes it the second most mentioned topic in the Bible. The first most mentioned topic is God himself, of course, and God says a lot about money because it is important to him. Erica, what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think we need to pay attention to the word of God, simply as that. I mean anything that keeps coming up over and over. well, it must be important to God, And so I think it's up to us to take the time to understand. what does God really think about it? Is money just for us to pay our bills? You know, because we can also look at another scripture. It's not money related necessarily, but Philippians 419 talks about how God shall supply all of our needs according to his riches and glory to Christ Jesus. So if we know that truth, then is money really?
Speaker 1:Jesus came to save us from our horrible relationships with everything on this earth, everything sinful on this earth. He came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and part of that is what we do with money and how we see money and how we love money, and how we love the power that money gives us and how we love the prestige that money gives us and, ultimately, how we love ourselves more than our fellow man and more than Jesus himself. Welcome to the Money Ministers Podcast. My name is Catherine Vanderlaan And I'm Erica Flukis. We're the Money Ministers And we're here to help you understand what God says about managing money.
Speaker 2:It's a tricky topic, but God says a lot about money in the Bible. Let's dive in.
Speaker 1:All right, welcome back to the Money Ministers everyone. I've been asked multiple times to restart this program, to restart this podcast. So here we are, and you might notice that I said we. Well, if you are looking at the video, then you can see my lovely co-host, erica Flukis, who is here from Georgia. I'm so excited to introduce you all to her. She is, as I said, i think, here from Georgia. And, erica, actually, why don't you just tell us a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 2:Thank you, i appreciate that Well. I do reside in the Atlanta area And I'm a life coach And over the years I've worked with women impacted by incarceration as well as you. Most recently, I've worked with at-risk women and women who are survivors of sex trafficking, really as a life coach, career coach and also the Caribbean, as coordinator with a nonprofit. So I'm very happy to be with you, katharine. I look forward to our conversation.
Speaker 1:I'm so happy you're here And I don't know if you said this, but you are also a seminary graduate. You are a Christian, a dedicated Christian, as you can if you can't tell by what Erica was doing. You love God, you love God's word And that is why we're here together. We are both Christians who love God and love God's word. I am a minister in training and feel very called to ministry. I do ministry all day as a financial and career coach myself, working mostly with Christians.
Speaker 1:And so here we are. It is no longer the money minister, it's the money ministers. So we can get a couple different voices, a couple different perspectives here, and we're two or three are gathered in his name there. So, which I think I just took out of context, which is not the point of this. We're supposed to keep everything in context. So if you're listening and you're curious what the context of that verse is, go Google it. Maybe we'll get to it at some point in this podcast, but that's not today's topic. Today's topic is what God thinks about money. What's a big one? It's a pretty big topic, don't you think, erica?
Speaker 2:Yes, it is, it's very big.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So we're going to hone down a little bit, and I think the reason this came up what God thinks about money is because actually I'm asked all the time what does God think about money? What does God say in the Bible about money? What is his point? Does he care about money? Does he care about us and what we want in life? What does God think about money? Erica, when somebody asks you that, what would you say?
Speaker 2:Well, i believe God wants us to have money. I think the number one principle we have to realize is that everything comes from God. I love Psalm 24-1 that says the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell in it. So that means that everything that we could ever possess, everyone in the world, saved or unsaved, belongs to God. So the same with money. Money is really a tool, tool for us to use for God's glory and to advance his kingdom.
Speaker 1:I agree with that. Money is a tool. Everything on earth belongs to God. All of us belong to God. Everything we own actually does belong to God. That's why Christians say things like we need to steward God's wealth well, exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now, we're going to try not to use too much Christianese in here, but that's something people say a lot And actually God talks a lot about money in the Bible. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that talk directly about money and how we need to handle it. That makes it the second most mentioned topic in the Bible. The first most mentioned topic is God himself, of course, and God says a lot about money because it is important to him. Erica, what are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, i agree. I mean, I think we need to pay attention to the word of God, simply as that. I mean anything that keeps coming up over and over. Well, it must be important to God, and so I think it's up to us to take the time to understand. What does God really think about it? Is money just for us to pay our bills? You know, because we can also look at another scripture It's not money related necessarily, but Philippians 419 talks about how God shall supply all of our needs according to his riches and glory to Christ Jesus.
Speaker 2:So if we know that truth, then is money really our focus? does money think it's for us to sustain ourselves? That's the question we have to ask. What I believe is that, yes, money is used to support ourselves, pay our bills. We got to be responsible. We know that. But at the same time, i believe when we look at that scripture and other scriptures we can find in the Bible, we can understand that God is bigger than the money, than our paycheck that we can receive. In other words, if you're working a minimum wage job or not maybe making the money you would like, then God is your supply house, he is your ultimate source, not the job, not the business, not anything you can do. I think that's another point we have to think about as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i don't know that we're going to get to every point about what God thinks about money today. That would take hours and hours and days and days even. But let's bookmark that Philippians passage because that would be a really great topic to get into for a full podcast episode.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh yeah. Let's do that, because I definitely see how people can come back and really misinterpret that one Exactly. Yeah, i've seen it over and over again. I think the question that I would love to ask in today's podcast is not what does God think about money even though that is the podcast topic, it's why does he care so much? Why does he write about money over and over again? Why does he talk to people and why does he talk to his people about money over and over again? What is his purpose for addressing this? What is he trying to address? And I don't think that God actually cares about money. He owns everything. He can do whatever he wants.
Speaker 2:He doesn't care about money.
Speaker 1:He cares about us. God didn't send his son, jesus, to die on the cross so that he could come back and be a rich man Right.
Speaker 2:Right Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:God didn't send Jesus to earth in a rich man's family. He came as one of the poorest of the poor, rejected by mankind throughout his life for multiple reasons, And then he died on the cross for everyone, rich and poor. And one thing that struck me this week I was reading the Bible and in Luke I was reading the passage where Jesus was dying on the cross And there were the two thieves, the two men on either side of him, on one on one cross and one on another, And one of those men was ridiculing and making fun of Jesus. And the other one said don't you fear God, We are condemned in the same way. We are being hung on a tree.
Speaker 1:That was a huge curse to the Jews. It's written by Moses. It was cursed for anybody to be hung on a tree And that's what crucifixion was Right. It's being nailed to pieces of wood. And this man said don't you fear God, We're under the same condemnation, but we deserve it. And this man has done nothing wrong.
Speaker 1:And then he turns to Jesus, who is currently, at that time, being crucified on a cross, And he asks the most profound thing to anyone who is being hung on a cross He says when you come into your kingdom, remember me. He still had faith that Jesus would come into his kingdom. He still had faith, Looking at a man who had just been beaten, who is currently hanging on a cross saying remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus turns to him and says today you will be with me in paradise. Right, Yes, Jesus came to save us from our horrible relationships with everything on this earth, everything sinful on this earth.
Speaker 1:He came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, And part of that is what we do with money Absolutely Yeah, And how we see money and how we love money and how we love the power that money gives us and how we love the prestige that money gives us and, ultimately, how we love ourselves more than our fellow man, more than Jesus himself. I think God writes so much about money because it is how we express and how we dig ourselves into a sinful life our focus.
Speaker 2:Does money think it's for us to sustain ourselves? That's the question we have to ask. What I believe is that, yes, money is used to support ourselves, pay our bills. We got to be responsible. We know that. But at the same time, i believe when we look at that scripture and other scriptures we can find in the Bible, we can understand that God is bigger than the money, than our paycheck that we can receive. In other words, if you're working a minimum wage job or not, maybe making the money you would like, then God is your supply house. He is your ultimate source, not the job, not the business, not anything you can do. I think that's another point we have to think about as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i don't know that we're going to get to every point about what God thinks about money today. That would take hours and hours and days and days even. But let's bookmark that Philippians passage because that would be a really great topic to get into for a full podcast episode.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh yeah. Let's do that, because I definitely see how people can come back and really misinterpret that one Exactly. Yeah, i've seen it over and over again. I think the question that I would love to ask in today's podcast is not what does God think about money even though that is the podcast topic, it's why does he care so much? Why does he write about money over and over again? Why does he talk to people and why does he talk to his people about money over and over again? What is his purpose for addressing this? What is he trying to address? And I don't think that God actually cares about money. He owns everything. He can do whatever he wants.
Speaker 2:He doesn't care about money.
Speaker 1:He cares about us. God didn't send his son, jesus, to die on the cross so that he could come back and be a rich man Right.
Speaker 2:Right Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:God didn't send Jesus to earth in a rich man's family. He came as one of the poorest of the poor, rejected by mankind throughout his life for multiple reasons, and then he died on the cross for everyone, rich and poor. And one thing that struck me this week I was reading the Bible and in Luke I was reading the passage where Jesus was dying on the cross And there were the two thieves, the two men on either side of him, on one on one cross and one on another, and one of those men was ridiculing and making fun of Jesus. And the other one said don't you fear God, we are condemned in the same way. We are being hung on a tree.
Speaker 1:That was a huge curse to the Jews. It's written by Moses. It was cursed for anybody to be hung on a tree And that's what crucifixion was Right. It's being nailed to pieces of wood. And this man said don't you fear God, we're under the same condemnation, but we deserve it. And this man has done nothing wrong.
Speaker 1:And then he turns to Jesus, who is currently, at that time, being crucified on a cross, and he asks the most profound thing to anyone who is being hung on a cross He says when you come into your kingdom, remember me. He still had faith that Jesus would come into his kingdom. He still had faith, looking at a man who had just been beaten, who is currently hanging on a cross saying remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus turns to him and says today you will be with me in paradise.
Speaker 1:Right, yes, jesus came to save us from our horrible relationships with everything on this earth, everything sinful on this earth. He came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and part of that is what we do with money Absolutely Yeah, and how we see money and how we love money and how we love the power that money gives us and how we love the prestige that money gives us and, ultimately, how we love ourselves more than our fellow man, more than Jesus himself. I think God writes so much about money because it is how we express and how we dig ourselves into a sinful life. Okay, all right, i'm gonna get off my pedestal. We're not pedestals.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna get off my soapbox now.
Speaker 1:No it's good. it's good, Yeah, but it's, you know, it's, it just really hit me. It really hit me that God just wants your heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, well, and I think of the scripture where it talks about where your treasure is, there your heart is. You can tell where a man's true treasure is based on his heart. It's like out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And so I think you're right on. I agree, it's really not about the money, but it's really about your heart. With the money, you know And this could be another episode as well but tithing, that's why tithing and giving is so important, and that can lead us to a whole another podcast, which we'll probably do. Yeah, i think so, but you know, god doesn't really need our 10%, you know. But why does he require it? And there's some debates about oh, that's under. You know, we're no longer under the law and we're under grace now.
Speaker 1:But yeah, anyway, we can debate that later We'll get into that one. That would be a really fun conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but the point I'm making today is the simple fact that money is involved in tithing and giving giving to other people, giving to others a need, not just to the church, the local church but why does God require the tithe? And is it about him needing our money? Well, no, not really. And it goes back to what you said about where is your heart? Where are you truly relying and trusting God? Are you trusting the source of income, the, you know, whoever you're working for, the company or the business, or your skill set, your position, or are you trusting God Because, the truth be told, i mean our jobs and our business, especially in the days we're living in now, could disappear tomorrow, you know. So it really has to be about your heart and not worshiping we'll probably get to this in a minute but not putting money so on a pedestal that becomes your Lord and your God, because God says don't put any other God above me. That's what Jesus tells us. So I think a lot of it is a worship. It's and that goes back to your heart.
Speaker 1:So That's exactly right, and I think that we, as Christians, need to wake. We do, we need to wake up. Jesus is coming back soon.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And if your heart is not fully devoted to Jesus, if you don't know the voice of your Savior, if you are not fully committed to Him and that means that everything you do with your money, with God's money, is directed by God, is in worship of God, is glorifying God. That means that if you have subscriptions that you know are sinful, get rid of them.
Speaker 1:You know that's what God thinks about money. It is a tool that shows your heart, just like you said, erica. So, okay, all right, i want to turn this a little bit to some things that I've heard people say that I think actually are taken out of context. Right, so I work with as a financial coach and I'm sure you do as a life coach, as you work with Christians who might believe things that they've heard from the Bible or maybe heard from in church, and somehow they're taken out of context or maybe they misremember them or something. I'd like to address a few of those, and one of them is something that I heard a few months ago Blessed are the poor. Yeah, that's a knowing laugh.
Speaker 1:Yes, blessed are the poor. Do you want to take this one? It sounds like you want to take this one.
Speaker 2:No, no, i think we're on the same page here. Well, yeah, some people think that it's of God to be poor. It's kind of on the flip side of what we're saying, that money isn't a bad thing. God wants us to have money.
Speaker 2:I believe I had a friend in seminary who said, yeah, I just I don't want anything lavish, i just want a mobile home. I don't want a big house. You know he's a single guy, no kids or anything, and you know, if that's what you want, that's fine. But I was like, is that all that you are believing God for? He's like, yeah, i just want to live a modest life. But again, now, for me, how I look at it is and this is my heart, i'm not judging this person, but I really believe in my relationship with this particular person, my student I'm not my student my colleague. I really believe his mind was and a lot of us have this in the body of Christ because I want to have a poverty mindset And so, and there's a balance between that right, because you know, some may say, oh, you're getting into the prosperity gospel. That's a whole other debate as well. I believe prosperity is of God. It is not a prosperity gospel.
Speaker 2:I believe prosperity is a part of the gospel of Jesus, but what I told my friend is, like you know it's believe God for more, because he may want you to be able to house a homeless person, or how will you be able to really practice hospitality and open up your home and share a warm meal with people who otherwise may not have that opportunity, or maybe even just your family? I don't have to be someone who is less than you or you know suffering necessarily, but think about how you can use a home bigger than a mobile And there's nothing wrong. I'm not coming against anybody who is living in a mobile home or at a mobile park. That's your choice. Then that's your choice. However, i believe in this particular situation he even stayed. I want to live a modest life. I just want a small, you know, one bedroom, one bath, mobile home And it's like well, how can you really serve others and be used of God? You know it's like you're only thinking about yourself. That's my perspective.
Speaker 1:Well, i think there are two ways that that could be interpreted right. And first I want to say it's really great to be content in all life circumstances. That is part of the Bible. Paul describes that you should be content with you, know in every place that you are or at least he says he's content everywhere, that he is Every circumstance, even when he was beaten, thrown in prison and had absolutely nothing. Be content. But then there's also, and I think you said believe God for more, and I believe that you should only believe the promises God has given you. Okay, all right, i'm gonna get off my pedestal. We're not pedestals.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna get off my soapbox now.
Speaker 1:No it's good. it's good, Yeah, but it's, you know, it's, it just really hit me. It really hit me that God just wants your heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, well, and I think of the scripture where it talks about where your treasure is, there your heart is. You can tell where a man's true treasure is based on his heart. It's like out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And so I think you're right on. I agree, it's really not about the money, but it's really about your heart. With the money, you know And this could be another episode as well but tithing, that's why tithing and giving is so important, and that can lead us to a whole another podcast, which we'll probably do. Yeah, i think so, but you know, god doesn't really need our 10%, you know. But why does he require it? And there's some debates about oh, that's under. You know, we're no longer under the law and we're under grace now.
Speaker 1:But yeah, anyway, we can debate that later We'll get into that one. That would be a really fun conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but the point I'm making today is the simple fact that money is involved in tithing and giving giving to other people, giving to others a need, not just to the church, the local church but why does God require the tithe? And is it about him needing our money? Well, no, not really. And it goes back to what you said about where is your heart? Where are you truly relying and trusting God? Are you trusting the source of income, the, you know, whoever you're working for, the company or the business, or your skill set, your position, or are you trusting God Because, the truth be told, i mean our jobs and our business, especially in the days we're living in now, could disappear tomorrow, you know. So it really has to be about your heart and not worshiping we'll probably get to this in a minute but not putting money so on a pedestal that becomes your Lord and your God, because God says don't put any other God above me. That's what Jesus tells us. So I think a lot of it is a worship. It's and that goes back to your heart.
Speaker 1:So That's exactly right, and I think that we, as Christians, need to wake. We do, we need to wake up. Jesus is coming back soon.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And if your heart is not fully devoted to Jesus, if you don't know the voice of your Savior, if you are not fully committed to Him and that means that everything you do with your money, with God's money, is directed by God, is in worship of God, is glorifying God. That means that if you have subscriptions that you know are sinful, get rid of them.
Speaker 1:You know that's what God thinks about money. It is a tool that shows your heart, just like you said, erica. So, okay, all right, i want to turn this a little bit to some things that I've heard people say that I think actually are taken out of context. Right, so I work with as a financial coach and I'm sure you do as a life coach, as you work with Christians who might believe things that they've heard from the Bible or maybe heard from in church, and somehow they're taken out of context or maybe they misremember them or something. I'd like to address a few of those, and one of them is something that I heard a few months ago Blessed are the poor. Yeah, that's a knowing laugh.
Speaker 1:Yes, blessed are the poor. Do you want to take this one? It sounds like you want to take this one.
Speaker 2:No, no, i think we're on the same page here. Well, yeah, some people think that it's of God to be poor. It's kind of on the flip side of what we're saying, that money isn't a bad thing. God wants us to have money.
Speaker 2:I believe I had a friend in seminary who said, yeah, I just I don't want anything lavish, i just want a mobile home. I don't want a big house. You know he's a single guy, no kids or anything, and you know, if that's what you want, that's fine. But I was like, is that all that you are believing God for? He's like, yeah, i just want to live a modest life. But again, now, for me, how I look at it is and this is my heart, i'm not judging this person, but I really believe in my relationship with this particular person, my student I'm not my student my colleague. I really believe his mind was and a lot of us have this in the body of Christ because I want to have a poverty mindset And so, and there's a balance between that right, because you know, some may say, oh, you're getting into the prosperity gospel. That's a whole other debate as well. I believe prosperity is of God. It is not a prosperity gospel.
Speaker 2:I believe prosperity is a part of the gospel of Jesus, but what I told my friend is, like you know it's believe God for more, because he may want you to be able to house a homeless person, or how will you be able to really practice hospitality and open up your home and share a warm meal with people who otherwise may not have that opportunity, or maybe even just your family? I don't have to be someone who is less than you or you know suffering necessarily, but think about how you can use a home bigger than a mobile And there's nothing wrong. I'm not coming against anybody who is living in a mobile home or at a mobile park. That's your choice. Then that's your choice. However, i believe in this particular situation he even stayed. I want to live a modest life. I just want a small, you know, one bedroom, one bath, mobile home And it's like well, how can you really serve others and be used of God? You know it's like you're only thinking about yourself. That's my perspective.
Speaker 1:Well, i think there are two ways that that could be interpreted right. And first I want to say it's really great to be content in all life circumstances. That is part of the Bible. Paul describes that you should be content with you, know in every place that you are or at least he says he's content everywhere, that he is Every circumstance, even when he was beaten, thrown in prison and had absolutely nothing. Be content. But then there's also, and I think you said believe God for more. And I believe that you should only believe the promises God has given you and not words in God's mouth. But God speaks to us and can be specific.
Speaker 1:But at the same time it sounds like this gentleman was saying I don't want more, i don't want to ask God for more, i'd rather keep myself here so I can feel pious. And that's a different mentality, that's scarcity, that is limiting yourself on purpose so you're not tempted to do something else. And maybe he knew more about himself than he revealed And that it can be a tactic to keep yourself poor so that you can stay focused on God. But at the same time, we are called as Christians to grow. We are called as Christians to get deep into the Word. We are called as Christians, to seek God's voice and to listen to him And to ask for more and to do more with what we're given And that's not necessarily all physical stuff, that's not necessarily talking about money, but some of it is.
Speaker 1:And if you are limiting yourself in one piece of your life and saying blessed are the poor, that's not what the Bible says. Blessed are the poor in spirit, which basically means people who are sad. Right, blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. That's sad people, okay, and that was directly contrary to what the society at the time was saying, which is blessed are those who are, like, really happy all the time. You know, obviously they're so blessed, and actually that's what we say in our society. Now, right, you know, blessed are those who are positive all the time, always think positively, and that's called toxic positivity. And Jesus was saying blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who are real, who feel their feelings and don't mask it, right, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who know their hearts and who seek God with all of their hearts, like let's really see what he's saying here. So so, coming back to that heart right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love what you said Yeah, blessed are the poor in spirit. A lot of times we miss the context of the of what the Bible is saying because we don't take time to fully read even the full sentence or the verse and the chapter, and we can read too fast. I've done that, you know, and so I think that's why we have to meditate and be prayerful before we read the word And really truly understand because, like you said, you know, we can take it out of context to mean basically, okay, i'm, i'm a more blessed. Basically, jesus will love me more or I'll be more blessed if I stay modest and, you know, just remain poor.
Speaker 2:But in Genesis it tells us from the very beginning, god has commanded us It's really a command We are to be fruitful and multiply. And so, getting back to your point, it's we should be growing and expanding for the kingdom's sake, and it's not for our own good, but it's to advance God's kingdom and to serve in the earth and to represent, i believe, to represent him, to be the ambassadors that we're called to be.
Speaker 1:That's right, that's right. So maybe we can get through one or two more of these things that people keep saying. And we kind of alluded to the next one. I hear this one a lot Money is too tempting. Money is too tempting for me to have, so I'd rather not have money. We kind of talked about that. What do you think about this one?
Speaker 2:Well, that's, that's interesting. I think I'm first thing when I think about that. In that point, I immediately think about credit cards.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And, given your background, you can probably relate to this but and I know that's credit, so it's not exactly money necessarily, but it is a part of money. I believe it's a part of money, the money system right, it's a big part of it. And so I kind of feel like that relates to oh, i don't want to get a credit card because I don't trust myself. I don't trust myself with money. I haven't heard that a lot, but but I have heard people say that about credit cards.
Speaker 2:For me, i feel like it could be wisdom when you say that. It just goes back to the heart, like, where is that coming from? Because maybe if you're somebody, for instance, who gets a credit card and you'll run it up to the maximum and you won't be able to get it And you won't be able to pay it off, and yeah, maybe you shouldn't get a credit card, but and then, yeah, maybe there was a season or maybe currently you can't really trust yourself with money, and that's a good place to, i guess, realize if that's your truth. You need to know what you are not capable with managing. However, you know, the scripture tells us I think it's in James that if we, if we lack wisdom in an area we should pray for. Ask for the wisdom. That's right.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:We can't live in fear and worry and anxiety and all that. So I believe and that's part of the growth that we just talked about, right, and expanding and enlarging our mindset, like you said, prosperity is not just about things, but it's our heart, it's our mindset, and so I believe, you know, for a good reason, it may be good for you to say, okay, yeah, i don't trust myself. However, i'm going to trust God and ask him to give me the wisdom. I'm going to ask God to give me the strategies to help me manage my money. You know, i don't think we should fear money.
Speaker 1:Could you imagine? okay, so you have that, that parable of the three men who are given a talent, each right, or or, depending on the translation that you read, and they're. They're given the this money, each of them the same amount, by a ruler who's going away And he says I'm going to come back, but you don't know when I, and I'm not going to send anybody to tell you So. So all three of these guys have the same amount of money And he says, hey, go invest it, make more. One of them goes, he invests it in something that is really insanely profitable And he makes 10 more. So at the end of the day he has 11, or end of the year or however long it was.
Speaker 1:The second guy goes in and he invests it and he makes five more. So at the end he has six right, so he makes five more. And the third guy says this is too tempting for me, this is too much for me to handle. I'm going to fold it up in a little handkerchief and then bury it And under it goes. So then, when that ruler, when that king, comes back, he says, hey, what did you do? And the first guy says, hey, i, i invested it, and here's all 11. And he goes wow, great job, man. And the second guy comes and says I invested it too And I got five more. So here's all six. And he says good job, all right. And the third guy says I was afraid of you and I was afraid of it, i was afraid to do anything, and so I folded it up in this handkerchief and buried it. And here's your money book service. And I buried it. And here's your money book, sir.
Speaker 1:And not words in God's mouth. But God speaks to us and can be specific. But at the same time, it sounds like this gentleman was saying I don't want more, i don't want to ask God for more, i'd rather keep myself here so I can feel pious. And that's a different mentality, that's scarcity, that is limiting yourself on purpose so you're not tempted to do something else. And maybe he knew more about himself than he revealed, and that it can be a tactic to keep yourself poor so that you can stay focused on God. But at the same time, we are called as Christians to grow. We are called as Christians to get deep into the Word. We are called as Christians to seek God's voice and to listen to him And to ask for more and to do more with what we're given, and that's not necessarily all physical stuff, that's not necessarily talking about money, but some of it is.
Speaker 1:And if you are limiting yourself in one piece of your life and saying, blessed are the poor, that's not what the Bible says. Blessed are the poor in spirit, which basically means people who are sad. Right, blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. That's sad people, okay, and that was directly contrary to what the society at the time was saying. Which is blessed are those who are, like, really happy all the time. You know, obviously they're so blessed And actually that's what we say in our society. Now, right, you know, blessed are those who are positive all the time, always think positively, and that's called toxic positivity. And Jesus was saying blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who are real, who feel their feelings and don't mask it. Right, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who know their hearts and who seek God with all of their hearts, like let's really see what he's saying here. So so, coming back to that heart, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love what you said Yeah, blessed are the poor in spirit. A lot of times we miss the context of the of what the Bible is saying because we don't take time to fully read even the full sentence or the verse and the chapter, and we can read too fast. I've done that, you know, and so I think that's why we have to meditate and be prayerful before we read the word And really truly understand because, like you said, you know, we can take it out of context to mean basically, okay, i'm, i'm a more blessed. Basically, jesus will love me more or I'll be more blessed if I stay modest and, you know, just remain poor.
Speaker 2:But in Genesis it tells us from the very beginning, god has commanded us It's really a command We are to be fruitful and multiply. And so, getting back to your point, it's we should be growing and expanding for the kingdom's sake, and it's not for our own good, but it's to advance God's kingdom and to serve in the earth and to represent, i believe, to represent him, to be the ambassadors that we're called to be.
Speaker 1:That's right, that's right. So maybe we can get through one or two more of these things that people keep saying. And we kind of alluded to the next one. I hear this one a lot Money is too tempting. Money is too tempting for me to have, so I'd rather not have money. We kind of talked about that. What do you think about this one?
Speaker 2:Well, that's, that's interesting. I think I'm first thing when I think about that. In that point, I immediately think about credit cards.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And, given your background, you can probably relate to this but and I know that's credit, so it's not exactly money necessarily, but it is a part of money. I believe it's a part of money, the money system right, it's a big part of it. And so I kind of feel like that relates to oh, i don't want to get a credit card because I don't trust myself. I don't trust myself with money. I haven't heard that a lot, but but I have heard people say that about credit cards.
Speaker 2:For me, i feel like it could be wisdom when you say that. It just goes back to the heart, like, where is that coming from? Because maybe if you're somebody, for instance, who gets a credit card and you'll run it up to the maximum and you won't be able to get it And you won't be able to pay it off, and yeah, maybe you shouldn't get a credit card, but and then, yeah, maybe there was a season or maybe currently you can't really trust yourself with money, and that's a good place to, i guess, realize if that's your truth. You need to know what you are not capable with managing. However, you know, the scripture tells us I think it's in James that if we, if we lack wisdom in an area we should pray for. Ask for the wisdom. That's right.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:We can't live in fear and worry and anxiety and all that. So I believe and that's part of the growth that we just talked about, right, and expanding and enlarging our mindset, like you said, prosperity is not just about things, but it's our heart, it's our mindset, and so I believe, you know, for a good reason, it may be good for you to say, okay, yeah, i don't trust myself. However, i'm going to trust God and ask him to give me the wisdom. I'm going to ask God to give me the strategies to help me manage my money. You know, i don't think we should fear money.
Speaker 1:Could you imagine? okay, so you have that, that parable of the three men who are given a talent, each right, or or, depending on the translation that you read, and they're. They're given the this money, each of them the same amount, by a ruler who's going away And he says I'm going to come back, but you don't know when I, and I'm not going to send anybody to tell you So. So all three of these guys have the same amount of money And he says, hey, go invest it, make more. One of them goes, he invests it in something that is really insanely profitable And he makes 10 more. So at the end of the day he has 11, or end of the year or however long it was. The second guy goes in and he invests it and he makes five more. So at the end he has six right, so he makes five more. And the third guy says this is too tempting for me, this is too much for me to handle. I'm going to fold it up in a little handkerchief and then bury it And under it goes. So then, when that ruler, when that king, comes back, he says, hey, what did you do? And the first guy says, hey, i, i invested it, and here's all 11. And he goes wow, great job, man. And the second guy comes and says I invested it too And I got five more. So here's all six. And he says good job, all right. And the third guy says I was afraid of you and I was afraid of it, i was afraid to do anything, and so I folded it up in this handkerchief and buried it. And here's your money book service. And I buried it. And here's your money book, sir.
Speaker 1:And can you imagine? Well, it says in the parable the ruler was just furious and he had the guy throw. Now He said you didn't even put it in the bank to earn interest. And we think we're so sophisticated now with all these banks and this interest they had about 2,000 years ago. And he says you can do that and give it to the one who earned the 10. Clearly he knows what to do with money. And the people around say why would you give it to him? He has the most. That's not fair. And then he comes back and says why wouldn't I give it to him? He does the most. So you know, so it's.
Speaker 1:and you guys can look and just Google it. I don't know any of the addresses or verses where any of the stuff is. But it's all over. So Google it. You see what happened to that man who said that. Basically, he said money is too tempting for me, i'm going to blow it. I don't know what to do with it. I can't trust myself with money.
Speaker 1:Could you imagine if he had a coach? Could you imagine if he was surrounded by godly people, people who actually, we say, feared, who respected this ruler, and said look, man, we know this ruler And if you want to change how you're viewing money now and what you're doing with money, stick with us. We're going to help you. We're going to train you. We're going to get through that fear. We're going to get through that anxiety. We are going to help you grow who you are and turn your heart toward God so that you can do more with what you have And you would. And then, because your heart is fully devoted to Jesus Christ, because you've accepted him as Savior, because you've made him Lord of your life, instead of throwing you out, he's going to say good job, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's good. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think, for those who are listening or viewing this, you should definitely look up that passage, because it does give a very good example of the different ways in people manage money. And it was because of the fear, right, but no, god wants us to using our money wisely, being wise and multiplying, making sure. I mean God. I believe God wants us to invest And he wants us to be debt free right, but he wants us to use our money wisely. So that's part of it is investing and not being so fearful of what could happen, because then, because again, you're operating in fear and not trusting God, and so that's where the prayer has to come in and the seeking God for wisdom, so that we aren't in fear and we're OK with releasing our money in however God directs us. So that's, i love that, that. Thank you for bringing that passage up. That's, i think, one of a very key scripture to money management.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Absolutely. Hey Erica, what do you? I heard the other day, Money is evil. Money is horribly evil And we should stop talking about it. And how dare any pastor talk about it from the pulpit? Money is so evil. We should just stop thinking about it.
Speaker 2:I don't think it's evil. I think that money I mean I think the scripture that people are referring to and get word set but it's the love of money that is evil, not money itself. But I think the people, the people who say that money is evil, they were probably traumatized by a negative event, something that happened to them, maybe in childhood. maybe they experienced a bankruptcy or maybe a terrible. maybe money divided their family, maybe it caused a divorce, you know, because they do say I've never been married yet, but they, they do say that money is a major cause of divorce And you just never know what?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the number two cause of divorce, the first one being infidelity.
Speaker 2:OK, ok, yeah, So so I think when people make that comment, it's I don't it's. I think partly could be of ignorance, but I think for a lot of people, yes, ignorance is the lack of them not knowing in their own trauma around money, because a lot of people, unfortunately, have had negative experiences with money.
Speaker 1:I agree, and I know I approach that kind of with light, heartedly, but but you're right. You're right. When people do come, they say that money is evil. It's probably a result of a trauma, and they're they're placing money as more of a tool in their life, or more than a tool, right, they're. They're placing the blame of something that happened around them or to them on money instead of the love of money, right, so yeah, and they're. They're coming back and saying you know, i want nothing to do with money. I think money is evil because it cost all of these problems in my life. Do you see what happened to me because of money?
Speaker 1:And and really it's. Yeah, it wasn't because of money, it was because of sin.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it could be manipulation. maybe in the church that has happened to some people, or maybe they were done wrong by someone with money who was rich. So now it's like, ok, yeah, that's really important, but that's why it takes.
Speaker 1:And can you imagine? Well, it says in the parable the ruler was just furious and he had the guy throw. Now He said you didn't even put it in the bank to earn interest. And we think we're so sophisticated now with all these banks and this interest they had about 2,000 years ago. And he says you can do that and give it to the one who earned the 10. Clearly he knows what to do with money. And the people around say why would you give it to him? He has the most. That's not fair. And then he comes back and says why wouldn't I give it to him? He does the most. So you know, so it's. And you guys can look and just Google it. I don't know any of the addresses or verses, where any of the stuff is, but it's all over. So Google it.
Speaker 1:You see what happened to that man who said that. Basically he said money is too tempting for me. I'm going to blow it. I don't know what to do with it. I can't trust myself with money. Could you imagine if he had a coach? Could you imagine if he was surrounded by godly people, people who actually, we say, feared, who respected this ruler, and said look man, we know this ruler, and if you want to change how you're viewing money now and what you're doing with money, stick with us. We're going to help you. We're going to train you. We're going to get through that fear, we're going to get through that anxiety. We are going to help you grow who you are and turn your heart toward God so that you can do more with what you have And you would. And then, because your heart is fully devoted to Jesus Christ, because you've accepted him as Savior, because you've made him Lord of your life, instead of throwing you out, he's going to say good job, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's good. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think, for those who are listening or viewing this, you should definitely look up that passage, because it does give a very good example of the different ways in people manage money. And it was because of the fear, right, but no, god wants us to using our money wisely, being wise and multiplying, making sure. I mean God. I believe God wants us to invest And he wants us to be debt free right, but he wants us to use our money wisely. So that's part of it is investing and not being so fearful of what could happen, because then, because again, you're operating in fear and not trusting God, and so that's where the prayer has to come in and the seeking God for wisdom, so that we aren't in fear and we're OK with releasing our money in however God directs us. So that's, i love that, that. Thank you for bringing that passage up. That's, i think, one of a very key scripture to money management.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Absolutely. Hey Erica, what do you? I heard the other day, Money is evil. Money is horribly evil And we should stop talking about it. And how dare any pastor talk about it from the pulpit? Money is so evil. We should just stop thinking about it.
Speaker 2:I don't think it's evil. I think that money I mean I think the scripture that people are referring to and get word set but it's the love of money that is evil, not money itself. But I think the people, the people who say that money is evil, they were probably traumatized by a negative event, something that happened to them, maybe in childhood. maybe they experienced a bankruptcy or maybe a terrible. maybe money divided their family, maybe it caused a divorce, you know, because they do say I've never been married yet, but they, they do say that money is a major cause of divorce And you just never know what?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the number two cause of divorce, the first one being infidelity.
Speaker 2:OK, ok, yeah, So so I think when people make that comment, it's I don't it's. I think partly could be of ignorance, but I think for a lot of people, yes, ignorance is the lack of them not knowing in their own trauma around money, because a lot of people, unfortunately, have had negative experiences with money.
Speaker 1:I agree, and I know I approach that kind of with light, heartedly, but but you're right. You're right. When people do come, they say that money is evil. It's probably a result of a trauma, and they're they're placing money as more of a tool in their life, or more than a tool, right, they're. They're placing the blame of something that happened around them or to them on money instead of the love of money, right, so yeah, and they're. They're coming back and saying you know, i want nothing to do with money. I think money is evil because it cost all of these problems in my life. Do you see what happened to me because of money?
Speaker 1:And and really it's. Yeah, it wasn't because of money, it was because of sin.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it could be manipulation. Maybe in the church that has happened to some people, or maybe they were done wrong by someone with money who was rich. So now it's like, OK, yeah, that's really important, But that's why it takes. It takes time to. What's the word I'm trying to use?
Speaker 2:Digest it, to heal from it, to understand the real cause to intros, renew our minds, that's the word That's it Like it's from the scripture, but that's why I believe it's important, as the scripture said in Romans, that we have to be constantly renewed in the spirit of our mind, having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude. right, because and I think all of us at some level, and it's for all of us, not just people who have had traumas on money, right.
Speaker 2:But it's just what kind of conditioning have we had in our mind? whatever that was, that wasn't of God and of the world and from, you know, demonic spirits even. we need to renew our mind from that And then understand what does God say about money or whatever? it is that we need to renew our mind from.
Speaker 1:Right, right, and that is a huge point. And I do think that, as I said before, as Christians we need to get deeper and deeper into the word. We need to get deeper and deeper into the truth. We need to seek Jesus and his voice. We need to not stop praying until we hear the Holy Spirit, because when you ask God, he answers and he will talk to you. If you seek him with all of your heart, you will find him. You will hear from him. He will turn your heart. If you want your heart to be turned, that you have to want it. And so when people do come up and they say money is evil, they're really reacting to that sin and they're placing that sin onto money and they're trying to avoid the sin of the love of money or avoid the sin that they saw, or at least rationalize it somehow, and it really takes a lot to get over that. So if that is you, if you're listening to this and that is you, please talk to somebody you trust, talk to a Christian counselor, talk to somebody who can help you And that could be me. But if it's deeper than what a coach can handle, i will suggest you go to a Christian counselor to root out this issue Because it is stopping you, it is a roadblock in your path to serve God. So let's work on that. So let's wrap up this episode.
Speaker 1:We've talked a lot about what God thinks about money.
Speaker 1:We've hit a lot of points kind of surface level here And in some of the other podcast episodes we're gonna get deeper and deeper and deeper into what scripture says about money, maybe what God well, definitely what God says about money in very specific ways. But, bottom line here, i think God sees money as a tool. Money is a tool that can be used for good or evil, and how you use it is an expression of your heart. So if you are with your stingy with money, if you are holding onto it really tightly and you are not doing God's work with your body, with your actions, with your money, with your heart, then you need to seek God. If you are listening to Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit, seeking God, and you are giving God your whole life and you're being wise with your spending, you are full of integrity and your heart and your mind and your body are aligned to what God wants for you And you're not gonna be holding onto money really tight, because it's not a God for you.
Speaker 2:That doesn't mean you won't be saving.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you'll still be saving. Yeah, but you won't be holding onto it so tightly that you can't see anything else.
Speaker 2:Yes, i like the word you hoarding. You won't be hoarding it Like oh, i gotta hold onto it forever. It's like no, you gotta make it work. For you utilize. It.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly So, Erica. what should people take away from today?
Speaker 2:That's a great question. I wanna just reinforce what you've already said, that basically I see money as a gift from God. It all belongs to God. We covered that really at the beginning And at the end of the day, money is all about your heart, Not about how much you make or how little you make, but it's really about your heart And that's what God cares about. What does God think about money? He doesn't really have much to say about the physical coins or dollars, but he cares about your heart towards money.
Speaker 1:That's right. That's right, okay. Well, this is the very first episode of the Money Ministers. I cannot wait to see you all. Well, to see you, erica, and then also to be in front of our listeners, our viewers, for the next episode. Thank you all for joining us today. Leave us any feedback that you want, and I read everything. Don't be nice, and we'll see you next time. Take care. All right bye. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Money Minister podcast. I'm glad you're here. If you enjoyed this episode, please write our podcast on iTunes or whatever you're using to listen. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at saverstreet, and if you need help with your personal finances, feel free to book a complimentary consultation at savherstreetcom. We'll help you find what you need in your journey to financial independence. I'll see you in the next episode. Idé조adda.
Speaker 2:It takes time to what's the word I'm trying to use. Digest it, to heal from it, to understand the real cause to intros, renew our minds, that's the word That's it Like it's from the scripture, but that's why I believe it's important, as the scripture said in Romans, that we have to be constantly renewed in the spirit of our mind, having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude. right, because and I think all of us at some level, and it's for all of us, not just people who have had traumas on money, right.
Speaker 2:But it's just what kind of conditioning have we had in our mind? whatever that was, that wasn't of God and of the world and from, you know, demonic spirits even. we need to renew our mind from that And then understand what does God say about money or whatever? it is that we need to renew our mind from.
Speaker 1:Right, right, and that is a huge point. And I do think that, as I said before, as Christians we need to get deeper and deeper into the word. We need to get deeper and deeper into the truth. We need to seek Jesus and his voice. We need to not stop praying until we hear the Holy Spirit, because when you ask God, he answers and he will talk to you. If you seek him with all of your heart, you will find him. You will hear from him. He will turn your heart. If you want your heart to be turned, that you have to want it. And so when people do come up and they say money is evil, they're really reacting to that sin and they're placing that sin onto money and they're trying to avoid the sin of the love of money or avoid the sin that they saw, or at least rationalize it somehow, and it really takes a lot to get over that. So if that is you, if you're listening to this and that is you, please talk to somebody you trust, talk to a Christian counselor, talk to somebody who can help you And that could be me. But if it's deeper than what a coach can handle, i will suggest you go to a Christian counselor to root out this issue Because it is stopping you, it is a roadblock in your path to serve God. So let's work on that. So let's wrap up this episode.
Speaker 1:We've talked a lot about what God thinks about money.
Speaker 1:We've hit a lot of points kind of surface level here And in some of the other podcast episodes we're gonna get deeper and deeper and deeper into what scripture says about money, maybe what God well, definitely what God says about money in very specific ways. But, bottom line here, i think God sees money as a tool. Money is a tool that can be used for good or evil, and how you use it is an expression of your heart. So if you are with your stingy with money, if you are holding onto it really tightly and you are not doing God's work with your body, with your actions, with your money, with your heart, then you need to seek God. If you are listening to Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit, seeking God, and you are giving God your whole life and you're being wise with your spending, you are full of integrity and your heart and your mind and your body are aligned to what God wants for you And you're not gonna be holding onto money really tight, because it's not a God for you.
Speaker 2:That doesn't mean you won't be saving.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you'll still be saving. Yeah, but you won't be holding onto it so tightly that you can't see anything else.
Speaker 2:Yes, i like the word you hoarding. You won't be hoarding it Like oh, i gotta hold onto it forever. It's like no, you gotta make it work. For you utilize. It.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly So, Erica. what should people take away from today?
Speaker 2:That's a great question. I wanna just reinforce what you've already said, that basically I see money as a gift from God. It all belongs to God. We covered that really at the beginning And at the end of the day, money is all about your heart, Not about how much you make or how little you make, but it's really about your heart And that's what God cares about. What does God think about money? He doesn't really have much to say about the physical coins or dollars, but he cares about your heart towards money.
Speaker 1:That's right. That's right, okay. Well, this is the very first episode of the Money Ministers. I cannot wait to see you all. Well, to see you, erica, and then also to be in front of our listeners, our viewers, for the next episode. Thank you all for joining us today. Leave us any feedback that you want, and I read everything. Don't be nice, and we'll see you next time. Take care. All right bye. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Money Minister podcast. I'm glad you're here. If you enjoyed this episode, please write our podcast on iTunes or whatever you're using to listen. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at saverstreet, and if you need help with your personal finances, feel free to book a complimentary consultation at savherstreetcom. We'll help you find what you need in your journey to financial independence. I'll see you in the next episode. Music.