[Pastor Ralph]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

[Elwood C O'Dell]

I really appreciate what Dr. Wilson had to say in this area. The best things we can do are to “put our hope in God, Do good, Be rich in deeds, be generous, and be willing to share.” This will help us keep a strong, healthy priority in the area of money. A good question to ask is simply, “How can I use what God allows me to have in order to further the work of the Kingdom and help others?”

How to do this in a healthy manner so as not to go overboard and hurt our families requires seeking the will of God and maintaining an open dialog with other family members. Many times God can use a faithful spouse or other family member to help keep things in balance as we talk through a situation with them.

[iam4-1god]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

For me, the answer lies in the prompting of The Holy Spirit. I have found that If I pray and ask God to show me how to give, or where, or who, then I will be lead in the right direction. Through job and money losses, my husband and I are not financially well off anymore, and that is ok, because Jesus can take a little bit and make mountains out of it. Remember the feeding of the five thousand? Ya godda let go and let God! He is in the miracle business! He wants to bless us, and He will, if we will just trust Him!

[charisbarak]

Be generous, giving, sharing what you have.

Ask for God's wisdom when seeking to share what you have. Think about how you may be hurting/rather than helping someone. Pray before you give. Are you laying up for yourselves treasure in heaven?

[masika]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?
Having riches carries great responsibility. Those who have money must be generous, but they must not be arrogant just because they have a lot to give. They must be careful not to put their hope in money instead of in the living God for their security. Even if we don’t have material wealth, we can be rich in good deeds. No matter how poor we are, we have something to share with someone.
The idea is, that we should not value ourselves on account of our wealth, or look down with pride and arrogance on our inferiors. We should not suppose that we are any better men, or any nearer heaven, because we are wealthy. Property really makes no distinction in the great things that pertain to character and salvation. It does not necessarily make one wise, or learned, or great, or good. In all these things the man who has not wealth may be vastly the superior of him who has; and for so slight and unimportant a distinction as gold can confer, no man should be proud. Besides, let such a man reflect that his property is the gift of God; that he is made rich because God has chosen to arrange things so that he should be; that it is not primarily owing to any skill or wisdom which he has; that his property only increases his responsibility, and that it must all soon be left, and he be as poor as the "beggar that lies at his gate;" and he will see ample reason why he should not be proud.

[hanks]

Q4. (1Timothy 6:17-19)
What kinds of actions is the best antidote for the love of money?
I think we should be aware of the dangers of the love of money. Instead of trusting our riches we should rather put our trust in our Lord and Saviour. Money has a way of sprouting wings and flying away. Great resources give the appearance of providing security; the fact is that the only sure thing in this world is the word of God. Many of us are experiencing this truth in our present economic crisis.
How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?
We are to be generous and ready to share. We can be rich in good deeds which will not harm our families financially. This will act as evidence of our overflowing gratitude to God for His gift of eternal life. We can be generous in giving our time and labour to help others. Not only by our words, but also by our lives, we should show that we are children of God. John Wesley has been said to say: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

[JustJeff]

The best way not to love money is to be poor. That is to live humbly which is to be focused on and depending upon God for everything. It is truly amazing how little one spends when we call upon our Heavenly Father for our needs.
Generosity is giving what you can without hurting yourself. Donate with your head, not over it.

[JanMary]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money?
Since it is God who heals our brokeness and cleanses our sin, prayer is the first thing...confess it and ask for forgiveness and cleansing to be rid of the love of money..for the idolatry of making it "god".

I've not stuggled with the love of money, but at times the fear of not having enough....the antidote for me was to give to someone who had less. One time I only had 3.00 with no more in sight and I was holding onto it for dear life.....the Lord spoke to me to give it to a woman who didn't even have 3.00. The next day, His flow started to come to me again. But I think the same thing applies to the love of money...give, give, give to the less fortunate. The blessing which comes in doing that, will replace the love of having, hoarding, grasping after money and wealth.

Paul told Timothy in V. 18 "charge them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal and generous of heart, ready to share with others"....that says it all....put the focus on God, and His desires for how we spend our time, talents, and treasure for the Kingdom.


How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

In the book of James, we're told to ask for wisdom....that God wants to give it more than we want to receive it. Wisdom applies to every area of life and certainly in our giving. A surrendered life is one which relies on Him for guidance in all things. How can we give to the degree that we hurt our families if He is the one leading?

[kenny]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

We all need to understand that all the money in the world cannot buy us salvation and we cannot take it with us one day when we die.This been said we should strive to share our wealth with others in need remembering that wealth in Gods eyes encompasses more than just money.

We can share in our understanding and experiences we have with the Lord as well as any other blessings that the Lord may have bestowed on us.Sharing from the heart without begrudging is the healthy way to cultivate ones generosity.Sometimes what seems to be the least is sometimes the most when it comes to giving.

Look after the spiritual wealth and build up your treasures in Heaven where they will not decay or be stolen.

[Greta]

The best antidote for the love of money is to become a 'giving person'. Share what you have with others and always be ready to help your neighbour both physically and financially.


We can cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy by listening to the 'still small voice of God'. Let Him show us the people we are to give to. Remember that God loves all people, including our families, so He won't suggest that we give to others what He wants us to give to our families.

I think Jesus repremanded the Pharisese when they refused to help their aging parents by saying that they were giving that money to another Godly cause.

[Stan]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

The kind that come from a pure heart, being willing to go the extra mile for some one wheather it is just lending a helping hand or giving to the poor. We we reach out to other we are truly living the life of Christ and doing the work He left for us bring others to Him. We cultivate it by doing as the Spirit lead and not just to impress other, when we give from our heart Jesus blesses it by growing it for others and He also blesses us by being there when we might be in need.

[spazzo47]

I think that doing service, actually getting out and volunteering, is a good way to keep focused on the important things. LOast summer there was a need in my church to fix a roof. We had a couple guys who knew what they were doing and they needed some people that htye could just order around for the day. For me that was a implimntation of the command to help the widows and orphans (I didn't know it at the time, but the people we were helping was a lady who lost her fiance who died in the line of duty and her kids). I personally enjoy doing the practical things that don't involve money, mostly because God hasn't gifted me with a lot.

I think another thing you can do is live within or below your means. Staying out of debt is a good idea for a lot of reasons, but I think when you allow yourself to put something on the credit card, you're opening yoursefl up to always wanting the bigger and better, and in the end I think that's what Paul is mostly warning against, starting this cycle of wanting more and more. If you're living within what you can afford, I think you curb some of the cravings you have.

I think giving money is something that you need to talk to your spouse about before doing it. Hopefully at least one of you knows what you can afford. I think in bigger investments, you can also use good Christian counsel as well as wisdom. I had a pastor who bought a few houses that he was going to rent out. He bought the houses from a guy he trusted at the church. Several of the pastors in our conference told him it might not be a wise investment, but he was determined. The pastors were right, and now he's stuck paying mortgages for a couple houses that are basically abandoned. Don't forget that teh Holy Spirit does talk through other brothers and sisters in the faith.

[Patriciaa]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

A good antidote for the love of money is to be willing and generous in sharing with those in need. In sharing, we need to remember that all we have is from God and can be taken away at any time. If our trust is in God rather than in money, we can more easily accept changes in financial situations. In being generous, we need to share with those in need. It is not helpful to be wasteful in sharing as this often leads the receiver not to be grateful. We need to be careful that we are not sharing to buy friendship or love but rather are selflessly sharing with those who truly need our help. We need to share as Jesus would have shared with those who truly don't have sufficient food, shelter, clothing, medical care, etc.

[Snaps]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

We are to see money as a resource by which every man should be adequately cared for, not just our own family or self, but especially the family of faith. We need to share so that there is no lack, and those unable to earn money, including our own senior family members, are taken good care of and have all they need. Therefore, when we see a need we devise ways to meet that need.

This doesn't mean we always jump when anybody asks, as some like to play on our compassion and become demanding, which is wrong. Also a man who won't (not can't) work is a man who doesn't eat. Wisdom is needed, but we are to be quickly responsive to real need with practical help (not just a prayer!) especially to those of the family of faith.

We are to attend the need of our families first. We are also to teach them the principles of compassion and response to the need of others. Those who do not care for their families (including the seniors) are lower than scum to our Father (white-washed sepulchres) and successful care of family is a pre-requisite for elders of the church, so the principles are very clearly set out for us. I think families are to work and pray together to find a right response to need, and a right level of sacrifice to meet that need. The motivation needs to be love and compassion for brothers and sisters, not personal reward, paternalism, advertisement, or anything else.

Tithing is intended to provide "food in My House", ie to meet the needs of everybody. Some churches are busy using the tithes to build bigger and better churches, but this is not following the principles of scripture. Special gifts were used to build the House of God. The tithe took care of priests and provided "food in My House" (Malachi 3:10). I think we have lost sight of this lately.



I had rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of unrighteousness.

I love Spazzo's caution to the wisdom of others. This is an urgent need in Western churches today. We have lost the sense of community, and need desperately to find our way back to it. The individualist society has had its day. The lone deer becomes prey to the lion!

[Delivered]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions is the best antidote for the love of money?
The best antidote for the love of money is OUR LOVE FOR GOD, for our hope is in Him. Fruit is seen as a result, with love for others as being one of the actions.

How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?
I like the word “cultivate,” generosity is something that has to be “developed” in our lives; as we walk in this newness of life, we should be developing a healthy generosity in the heart, replacing unselfishness, self centeredness that once ruled.
I think prayer, obedience, studying God’s word, and putting to practice this wisdom God has given to us, will help put financial desires in its proper place.

[McCollum]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

Seeking God and all His righteousness first, and placing Him as head of our lives. The material blessing of God are to be enjoyed and for the advancement of His Kingdom, not for self-centered living. A believers daily obedience to God builds a good foundation for the time to come, a believers works will be evaluated to see what his or her life in Christ Jesus has produced.

[servant for Christ]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

Pastor Ralph said it best, we are to hope in God, do good, be rich in god deeds, be generous, and be willing to share. The very things that God has told us to do. We can cultivate our generosity by storing up our heavenly riches, not earthly. Serve God out of love, not for rewards. We have to realize that Christ came to give us abundant life, and we are rich indeed.

[sahala p.s.]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?

The actions that the best antidote for the love of money are firmly fixing our hope in God, doing the goods we can do, and being generous

In order that it remains healthy and do not go overboard and hurt our family we cultivate generosity in a way that we and our family study deeply about generosity from the Bible, ask God for his guidance and then we and our family do the action of generosity together

[smurf1948]

Q4. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) What kinds of actions are the best antidote for the love of money? How can we cultivate generosity so that it remains healthy, rather than let it go overboard and hurt our families?


Generosity,doing good deeds,sharing and hope in God. Knowing what we have in heaven.

Listen to God's word and seek him through prayer.

[linda bass]

One of the best antidote for the love of money is to give for the benefit of others and to advance the kingdom of God.
We can cultivate genorosity in a way that allows us to give toward the needs of others yet at the same time doesn't make us neglect the needs of our own families.