MONEY IS NEVER ENOUGH BUT GOD’S GRACE IS

“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless… How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness” (Ecc 5:10; NIV, NLT).  In Hebrew, the words “love money” describe not just possession of wealth, but an emotional devotion like to a friend. It is a love relationship. The words “never has enough” mean a continuous emptiness that has no end. “Income” means salary, farm produce, harvest or gold. Man’s desire for wealth is so great that it cannot be satisfied. Man is created in the image of God. He is a spiritual being. Material possessions cannot fulfill spiritual needs, cannot bring true contentment or happiness in life. In the cultural context of the Bible, wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing, yet the scriptures consistently warn against placing trust in riches. No matter how much income one accumulates, it will never be enough to satisfy the deeper longings of the heart. Happiness in life, when sought apart from God ends in vanity. In Hebrew, the word “meaningless” means vapor or breath. It doesn’t last. Earthly pursuits are temporary and can’t provide eternal satisfaction, pointing to the need for a deeper, spiritual focus. A love for money leads to endless cycles of desire and disappointment. Placing wealth above God is a form of idolatry, drawing us away from spiritual priorities. See wealth as a tool for stewardship rather than ownership. Shift perspective from accumulation to generosity and service. True satisfaction in life comes from a relationship with God thru Jesus Christ rather than accumulating wealth.

The Bible says that man’s labour is under God’s curse and ends like man in the dust (Gen 3:19). The rich men do not carry their wealth or fame with them in the grave (Ps 49:16,17). “He who leans on and trusts in and is confident in his riches will fall, But the righteous [who trust in God’s provision] will flourish like a green leaf” (PV 11:28; AMP). Those who worship money shall go down into spiritual loss, material poverty, frustration and regret. But those who trust in God shall prosper eternally! Selah!

Why loving money is useless? People over-work to provide the best for their family but it never feels “enough”. They take loans and go into debt to sustain an expensive lifestyle that still does not satisfy. They upgrade their gadgets, cars, and clothes but still do not find enduring joy. They are always anxious when the price of things go higher, and they do not have lasting peace. How can we live in contentment? “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb 13:5). Have faith in God! He will provide all you need, spiritually and materially. You should know that your identity and satisfaction is rooted in Christ. Be grateful for what God has provided for you. Give thanks to God daily! Do not be envious on others. Be generous with your resources: Energy, time, money. Tithe and give sacrificially to God’s work and the needy, breaking money’s grip. Honor the Sabbath Day! Every Sunday rest from making money. Attend your local church and rejoice with your family. Invest in eternal riches: in godly relationships, discipleship, and gospel ministry. Have a heavenly mindset. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2). This points us to the only One who can truly satisfy: our faithful, unfailing Lord, Jesus Christ!

Why is the love of money so dangerous? Because it directly competes with the worship of God in the heart. Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6:24). Wealth can become an idol, a master, demanding our worship. Wealth deceives and chokes God’s Word (Matt 13:22). Jesus also said: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15). In Greek, “life” (zoe) refers to the fullness of life that God intends for us, which is not dependent on wealth, but on an intimate relationship with God, thru Jesus Christ, our Lord! Money is a good servant but a terrible master.

Global studies show that once basic needs are met, additional income yields diminishing returns on life satisfaction.  Then why are we so infatuated with money? Because Money buy food, shelter, power, influence, titles, positions, and pleasures. These things look like success in life. Money can be counted. Not everything can be counted. A king has authority over men, but he cannot “count” his authority. But he can count his money and his gold. That makes him feel happy. Also, money can be stored and used later. The king’s power cannot be stored. He can lose it today, but money can be kept in a bank to be used later. Money gives men peace about tomorrow. “Money answers everything” (Ecc 10:19,b). This sentence is descriptive, not prescriptive. Scripture records what people conclude; it does not commend this attitude as righteous. While money can solve many practical problems, it should not be the ultimate pursuit. We should use our resources wisely and for God’s glory. Understanding the role of money in life requires wisdom. We should seek God’s guidance in financial decisions.

Men tend to depend on wealth. Why? Wealth offers quick fixes. For example, paying a bill removes immediate stress. Paying for a party produces temporary joy. Bribing gets influence and access to power. Because money often “works,” we assume it will always work, building a misplaced confidence. “The rich think of their wealth as a strong defence; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety” (PV 18:11; NLT). This sense of protection is only in his imagination. It is not real. “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath” (PV 11:4). Why is trust in money so deceptive? Because of Visibility: Bank accounts and assets are visible; God’s protection is “a strong tower” but it is spiritual, unseen.  Riches promise self-reliance, tempting us to become proud and independent from God. “then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:17,18). We imagine that Money gives us control over life because Money seems to buy options, leading us to believe we can manage any life crisis ourselves and boast about things we want to do tomorrow. The Bible says that tomorrow is not our property. It belongs to God (Jam 4:13-16). Gives thanks to God!

LOVE CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR SOLD

Read Acts 8:9-24. Simon the magician had already “believed and been baptized” yet his heart was still captivated by the spectacular. He became part of the visible church. Everyone could say that he became saved. “When Simon saw…” What did he see? He “saw” with his own eyes the clear evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work, like the crowd witnessed at Pentecost. Peter said: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Ac 2:32,33). What drew Simon was not the Gospel’s transforming power but the visible signs that followed it. He was like King Herod who was attracted by the miracles of Jesus but did not repent of his sins (Lk 23:8). Simon wanted the harvest but did not want to plant seeds! Selah!

The Holy Spirit is God’s gift given in the name of Jesus. It is not an entitlement. Peter declares, “Repent…and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Ac 2:38). Simon focuses on the gift but ignores the command to repent. The Spirit’s coming to a sinner who repents marks genuine conversion. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Rom 8:9). Simon offers money to Peter, thinking that divine power is a product sold in the market. This reveals a heart still bound by sin, like Gehazi’s greed for Naaman’s silver (2 Kg 5:20-27). Simon’s offer exposes a transactional mindset: power for payment, grace for gold. It is utterly opposed to salvation, which is not cheap, but free, because Christ paid for it with His blood. Eternal Life is “without money and without cost” (Is 55:1). To give all the glory to God, Peter refused to use money for the healing of the crippled beggar (Ac 3:6). Scripture warns that the love of money corrupts faith and brings sorrow. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1Tim 6:10). Jesus said that you cannot serve both God and wealth (Matt 6:24).

The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, not a commodity to be bought or sold. Spiritual gifts and blessings are given according to God’s will and cannot be obtained through human means. It is the same with True Love. It cannot be bought or sold. Simon’s attempt to buy the Holy Spirit’s power serves as a warning against the influence of materialism in our lives. We must guard our hearts against valuing money or power over genuine love, faith and obedience. Our motives in seeking spiritual gifts or positions should be pure. The desire for promotion should not be rooted in pride or selfish ambition, but in a desire to serve God and others. The apostles’ role in imparting the Holy Spirit shows the importance of spiritual authority and leadership in the church. We must respect and submit to God-ordained leadership. 

“Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” (Ac 8:20). Peter’s words expose the impossibility of bargaining with God. God’s gifts, particularly the Holy Spirit, are given freely and cannot be purchased. Salvation is by Grace alone! We cannot earn or buy God’s favour! Real repentance abandons all attempts to earn favour. Peter’s rebuking Simon shows the importance of repentance and correction in the Christian community. When we go astray, we must be open to correction and willing to repent. Simon’s eyes were on the spectacular revealing superficial faith that had not yet surrendered selfishness. Peter demanded more than regret over consequences; he demanded a changed heart. Godly sorrow leads to repentance and to salvation. Simon told Peter: “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me” (Ac 8:24). It shows his fear of loss rather than love for God: He wanted to avoid judgment, yet we never read of a changed life. King Saul said: “I have sinned” but still lusted after honour before the people (1Sam 15:24-30). Judas returned the silver yet never turned his heart (Matt 27:3–5). The Holy Spirit remains sovereign, bestowed by God alone. The episode warns that external amazement can hide an unconverted heart. Search your heart! We must value the Giver above the gifts, guarding against treating God’s work as a market. The Holy Spirit is central to our lives, empowering and guiding us. We must seek to be filled with the Spirit through prayer and obedience, not through worldly means. Selah!

LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH

“Put me like a seal on your heart, Like a seal on your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead). Its flashes are flashes of fire, [A most vehement flame] the very flame of the Lord! Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can rivers drown it. If a man would offer all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly scorned and despised” (SS 8:6,7;AMP). “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer31:3). “Love never fails” (1Cor 13:8).

There is saying in the world: “Every man has a price” (Sir Robert Walpoe, 1734). It means that every man is weak and has a breaking point in temptation. Every man can be bribed, or corrupted to act against his conscience to betray his friend, for a certain price. This price can be money, positions or power. This worldly saying does not know God’s Grace and His Agape Love! We see the power and nature of true Love. Nothing destroys it. Water is a form of destruction. The flood destroyed humanity except for Noah and his family. The Red Sea drowned the Egyptians. These waters and rivers are symbols of chaos and trials in life. All these attacks cannot quench Love. Love endures formidable forces. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God (Rom 8:38,39). Overwhelming crises, accumulated pressures, and floods of adversity cannot drown Love. Love is a fire that cannot be quenched. In Hebrew, the verb “quench” shows a man trying to put out a blazing fire with buckets of water. This is impossible when the flame is God-kindled. God’s Love is like a Fire that quenches all other lesser fires. Glory!

Love is priceless. It can’t be bribed. Love cannot be found in a market or in the Bank. Where Love stands, money hides. Love rejects any offer to be sold or bought. True love is selfless and sacrificial, not transactional. Attempting to purchase love diminishes its true value and essence. The scorn for attempting to buy love can be paralleled with the story of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:18-20, who tried to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit and was rebuked by Peter. Spiritual and relational truths cannot be acquired through material means. True love is a powerful force that cannot be extinguished by external challenges or circumstances. It endures forever and it is steadfast to the end. The agape love reflects God’s love for humanity, which is unwavering and cannot be diminished by any force. The Floods of judgment against sin on the cross could not extinguish Christ’s love and commitment to His Bride. Jesus, “having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). In Aramaic, the words Jesus spoke on the Cross: “It is finished” (Kalah) also mean “Bride”. When Jesus died on the Cross, and paid with His Blood for our sins, He said: “This is for You, My Bride!” What a Love! Worship the Lord!