What are some verses that talk about how money isn't what makes you happy, but that you find joy in Christ?

Question

What are some verses that talk about how money isn't what makes you happy, but that you find joy in Christ?

Answer 1

Mammon is filthy lucre, money. It is an idol, a word which often occurs in the Chaldee Targums of Onkelos and later writers, and in the Syriac version, and which signifies 'riches.' Mammon is used in the book of Matthew as a personification of riches.

Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24.

God is my refuge and my strength.   The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom shall I fear; The Lord is the strength of my life for whom shall I be afraid.  The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Answer 2

Sorry about the disrespectful answers you're getting, sis.  Obviously some people aren't very happy.

That's absolutely true about money and Christ, we see it all the time in the world around us.  I'll see if I can find some Bible verses for ya.

edit--

Oh of course, I should've thought of this example right away--Judas chose money over Jesus, as we see in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 12, and the money didn't bring him any happiness.

Some other good passages are:

Luke 12:15

"Then He said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.'"

1 Timothy 6:6-12 and 16-19

"But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. . .

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"--

which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith Grace be with you."

Matthew 6:19-33

"'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth.

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'

For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.'"

Acts 8:18-23

"Now when Simon (not Simon the disciple, a different one) saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.'"