God said this about money (very often misquoted):
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. 1 Tim. 6:10 NKJV
It is the love of money, not money itself, that is the true evil. Why? Because when you love money, you are making an idol out of it (a violation of the first and second of the Ten Commandments).
Money (wealth) itself is not evil; it is a gift from God:
And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth… Dt. 8:18 NKJV
Money is a tool that gives you the means to provide for your family and for others. It is neutral. But when we obsess over it, a plethora of deleterious effects result:
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Pr. 11:28 ESV
That is God, talking through King Solomon – one of the richest men who ever lived. Wisdom to absorb. However, if you keep your wealth in its proper place (acknowledging that it is from God and practice wise stewardship of it to enlarge the kingdom), God takes pleasure in your abundance:
Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Ps. 35:27 NKJV
Therefore, it is up to you whether monetary wealth will be a blessing or a curse:
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mt. 16:26 NKJV
What Jesus is telling us, is that selfish indulgence in this life will only lead to eternal despair. There is a very definite division between worshiping money, or, the Source of it:
“No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve God and money.” Mt. 6:24 ESV
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU.” Heb. 13:5 NASB
God assures us that if we keep our focus on Him, our lives will flourish. If it’s on the money, we will suffer:
“…the worries and the cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mk. 4:19 AMP
“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” Mk. 10:23 ESV
What Jesus is saying, is that those who place their focus upon their wealth, are blinded to the fact that their money has them in its earthly grip – to the detriment of their spiritual advancement:
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. Pr. 11:4 NASB
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Pr. 22:1 ESV
Indeed, Christ points to a better way to position yourself with regards to your wealth:
“So then none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” Lk. 14:33 NASB
“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mt. 19:21 ESV
Jesus is not saying to become ascetic paupers. He is showing us that we need to take our focus off of any material distractions, and place it upon Him – because it is Christ who perfects us. And, He is telling us to practice good stewardship with regards to our blessings. One way to do that, is to honor God with our ‘first fruits,’ to thank Him for His abundance, and to remind ourselves that He is the source of all our wealth:
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now on this,” says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:10 NKJV
Moreover, what is most important (embracing God’s salvation and spreading the kingdom message), does not require money:
“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God].” Is. 55:1 AMP
With regards to the wealthy, they have a godly mandate for their wealth:
As for the rich…charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy…to do good, to be rich in works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Tim. 6:17 – 19. ESV
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday… and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Is. 58:10 ESV
However, you don’t have to be flush with riches in order to share; God asks you to give from the largesse of your heart:
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9:7 ESV
Give, taking solace that God will always take care of you:
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Lk. 6:38 NKJV
After all, everything you do for others, you’re doing for Christ;
“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Mt. 25:40 NKJV
Goodnight and God bless.