A friend of mine was asking whether she should invest in gold as many of the podcasters she listens to talk about investing in gold and silver or other types of hard currency and/or goods in lieu of current events and a possible financial crash. She asked me if I had an opinion about it? She said, I know what Psalm 20:7 says. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” I believe that is the best and most important advice. Do you have any other thoughts along this line?
Here’s my response.
My Dear Friend, I agree with you totally, and similar to the verse you mentioned are my own line of thoughts. In Psalm 41:1-2 we read, "Blessed is he that considers the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and Thou (Lord) will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies."
Proverbs 28:27 says, "He that gives to the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse."
In Proverbs 19:17 we see, "He that has pity on the poor lends unto the Lord: and that which he has given will He (the Lord) pay him again."
Isaiah 58:6-11 is another example. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loosen the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh (your family who need your help)? Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your reward (or protection). Then you shall call, and the Lord shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noon day: and the Lord shall guide you continually, and shall satisfy your soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
It seems to me that they Lord is saying, we need to take care of the needy He brings along our way, and if we do, then He will take care of us. It’s like an if/then relationship. If we do such and such, God will do such and such. It’s like the verse, “Seek first the kingdom and then all these things will be added unto you.” [Matthew 6:33] It also comes down to the old saying: "For God's sake, and your own sake, and the sake of others, follow God." Apostle Paul wrote, "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is the man that doesn't condemn himself in the thing which he allows." [Romans 14:22] In other words, don’t look around to what others are doing. Get a hold of God by prayer and fasting. Whatever God tells you individually to do, that do, and don’t feel condemned about it.
My wife and I live month to month with very little money in the bank. We rent. I'm 75 years old and have no government or old age benefits being a foreigner. We work for a non-profit and we each receive ¾ of a minimum wage as a monthly gift. We are just trying to follow God day by day. As we do, and as we look to Him, He provides our needs and saves us.
Build Community. We are trying to be faithful to God by
building community with our brethren of faith and with our neighbours and with others
we come in contact with in our work. We believe that if we are faithful to do
today, what He shows us as best we can, He will provide and do what we cannot
do for ourselves. He will open doors and do the miracles of supply that we
need. I Corinthians 10:13 says, “God will not tempt us above that we are able,
but will with the temptation, also provide a way of escape, that we may be able
to bear it.” He will supply manna from heaven, if we need it.
We are also strengthening the binds of love and friendship within our own family, which at times is the hardest of tasks, requiring lots of love and patience.
In Psalm 46 we read, "God is our refuge and our strength a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.[1-2]...The Lord of host is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." [7] God is our refuge in times of trouble. We do what He shows us to do to prepare and then we trust in Him for what we can’t do. He promises to be a refuge for us. In Isaiah 25:4 we see God’s portion has been to be a refuge for His people. “For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”
Proverbs 14:26 says, "In the fear of the Lord is a strong confidence.” In other words, by walking with Him day by day, by following and loving Him, we will have a strong confidence. What is strong confidence but a strong faith, a strong assurance. The second part of the verse shows us the results of walking in the fear of the Lord, "And his children shall have a place of refuge.” God promises a place of refuge for those who walk in the fear of the Lord, for those who put God first in their lives.
Proverb 18:10 tells us: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe." What is a strong tower but a refuge. It’s upon these promises, which are vaults in the Bank of Heaven, where we should invest our life’s savings. "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen." [2 Corinthians 1:20] God will fulfil His promises and provide a safe haven.
Another verse from the Old Testament where God promises to care for us in our old age is Isaiah 46:4. "And even to your old age I am He; and even to the grey hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."
We, also, have promises in the New Testament. “But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:19] Ephesians 3:16-22 is another good section to claim and to access. “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory.” If we could understand how much God loves us, we wouldn’t worry so much.
Should we buy gold and silver as reserves and insurance for the future? My dear friend who prompted the questioned died a month later from a heart attack. She was a faithful witness and has gone to her heavenly reward. In the end, she didn't need the gold. She may be walking on streets of gold in the heavenly city at this moment. Her worries were fruitless. God took care of her in a way she wasn't expecting.
Nevertheless, here are some of the verses I found on gold when I researched. “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” [Psalm 119:72] “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.” [Psalm 119:127] “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge, rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” [Proverbs 8:10-11] “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!” [Proverbs 16:16] In Ecclesiastes 9:14-18 we find an interesting story. A poor man by his wisdom helped deliver a city from their enemies. The conclusion being, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” [Ecclesiastes 9:18a] It seems wisdom, or in other words, our close relationship with the Lord, is more important than having a supply of gold or silver, or even a gun.
Here are two good verses from the New Testament about gold. “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but as such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” [Acts 3:6] Apostle Paul also chimed in on the subject with, “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” [Acts 20:33] It doesn’t look the Apostles were worrying about their survival needs.
Psalm 19:9b-10 reminds us that, "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." In other words, having a good relationship with the Lord even through the hard things we go through in life, the chastisements, is more important than having gold stored away in our survival kits.
Of course, if you are able, and have money to invest, you might want to have a little gold or silver on hand to barter with or as a survival fund. If you have more to invest you might buy a property, or give more to missions. Or you might decide something else. It usually requires that we get a hold of the Lord and get an answer straight from Him on what He wants us to do. “One-size fits all” does not exist. It comes down to one of the first classes I had when I first became a Christian, "For God's sake follow God.” We should remember Apostle Paul’s warning to Timothy, “Don’t trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” [1 Timothy 6:17 ] In the end we need to trust God. “Trust in the Lord with all your hearts and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” [Proverbs 3:5-6] That sounds like good advice.
