Foreword

MANY YEARS AGO, THE MOTHER of a little Jewish boy was a strong believer in God and His miracle power.

One day when her little son, Robert, was seriously ill, she placed his hand on the television set as I stretched out my hands to pray a healing prayer for the sick. Robert was healed and we were contacted.

Robert grew up and in his early twenties accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and Lord. Later he became a Certified Public Accountant with the belief that the Lord is the only One who knows all about money. So his study was double: learning how to become a Certified Public Accountant and combining it with the Word of God which he studied with equal time.

To his amazement he discovered all money is Bible based and its use, when directed by the Lord, brings happiness and lasting accomplishment. With His guidance, financial success is not only attainable, but brings two things indispensable to our present and eternal welfare: constant gain and lasting contentment of mind and heart.

Robert Katz has been the CPA for some of my closest personal friends, including many successful pastors. His skillful and anointed weaving of the getting of money and the biblical use of it is enhanced by a wonderful way of writing stories from God’s Word and his experiences with people just like you and me.

I wish I had had this book when I began my healing ministry 53 years ago as a young, unknown preacher with little money and even less knowledge of how to fulfill Paul’s statement:

"The workman is worthy of his his hire." (I Timothy 5:18)

I also wish that when my ministry began meeting the needs of great numbers of people, and I had to make proper use of the income for expenses and continual expansion of my ministry, that I could have had a book like Robert Katz has finally written. Only God knows how much better I would have handled those financial affairs, as well as provided for my wife Evelyn and myself for our golden years.

Humbly, but enthusiastically, I urge you: READ THIS BOOK, STUDY IT, AND CHECK THE SCRIPTURES USED ALONGSIDE THE CPA FACTS. I say you will advance your finances with skill and integrity and also your life with lasting peace and contentment.

Founder / Chancellor

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, Oklahoma

1

Money Talks

MONEY CAME BY THE HOUSE the other day. As soon as I opened the door to let him in I sensed that something was wrong. He walked aimlessly into the living

room and plopped himself into my favorite chair.

"Okay, if I sit here?"

"Sure, Money, can I get you something to drink?"

Money sometimes drops by to discuss his problems, so I wasn’t totally surprised to see him looking so discouraged.

"Got any diet drinks?"

He waited to catch my eye and then added, "I’ve put on a few pounds lately."

I just shook my head. Money was the master of the bad pun. I handed him his drink and then we got down to business.

"Money, if you don’t mind me saying so you look horrible. You haven’t been fighting with Greed again have you?"

"No, it’s just that I’m depressed." He looked at me with those sad green eyes and continued on.

"I get blamed for everything. Everything! A man gets himself deep into debt. Does he face up to his problem? No, he whines, ‘I just don’t have enough Money.’ A woman gets into a terrible fight with her husband.

Do they try to understand what they are really fighting over? No, it’s always, ‘We are fighting over Money.’ I’m hoarded, I’m stolen, I’m wasted and I’m misunderstood.

"Just yesterday, I was walking down the street and someone stopped me and said, ‘Aren’t you Security?’ Before I could answer they blurted out, ‘No, no, you’re not Security, you’re Glamour. No? Well, you sure look like Glamour to me.’"

Money looked over at me and I thought he was going to burst into tears. "You know I am not God," his sad voice trailed off and he sank back into my easy chair.

Just then my wife walked into the living room, "Hey, honey, look — it’s Money."

My sweet wife, Jamie, unaware of what was being discussed, blurted out, "Money, are you feeling okay? You don’t look well." And he was off again.

"I’m fine, I’m fine, it’s people that make me crazy!" Jamie looked over at me and I just rolled my eyes and motioned for her to sit down.

"I’m a complex creation. Did you know that there are over two thousand verses in the Bible that talk about me? Did you know that over half the parables mention me?"

Before we could say anything Money answered his own questions. "No, of course not.

"God writes a book that completely explains me, but does anyone take the time to read it? No, they just grab at me, and pull on me and throw me around like dogs fighting over an old bone.

"Nobody treats Charity like that. Everyone loves Charity, but if it wasn’t for me Charity would be a nobody." Jamie and I just listened. Sometimes when Money was having troubles the best thing to do was just be attentive.

"Do the two of you remember Solomon? I gave that boy everything. But, he respected me. I can remember like it was yesterday that time we had lunch and he told me, ‘ You know, Money, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income."

"Now that was a smart kid who really understood me. He appreciated my finer qualities."

Money eased back into my chair and for the first time that day I saw him smile. Thinking about the good old days with Solomon appeared to have a calming effect.

"Jamie, Bob — you know what I am?"

Jamie and I looked at each other not quite sure how to respond.

"Well, I’ll tell you. In the end I am simply a magnifying glass for a man’s heart. I really never give or take, I just magnify what is already in a man’s heart. People with anger in their hearts become angrier and use me to dominate others. People with fear in their hearts use me to build a bigger fortress to hide behind. Lust with Money turns into addictions of every kind. And with enough Money and Pride you become your own god.

"On the other hand, a content heart uses Money for great service. Hope with Money gives birth to actions of help and comfort. Humility and Money fills the world with secret acts of kindness. And a heart full of love uses me to create more love, like ripples on a pond."

Money got up and walked to my front door.

"Money, you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess it’s not such a bad job after all. It just gets to me every once in a while."

"I understand."

We hugged and as he walked out the door he turned, gave me a little smile and said, "I guess I was just feeling a little spent."