Untitled Sermon (78)

MANAGING YOUR RESOURCES

INTRODUCTION:

TODAY MANY OF US CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE WITH MANAGING OUR RESOURCES.

IT IS BECAUSE WE DON’T PAY OUR OBLIGATIONS ON TIME, OR WE GO BEYOND OUR NEEDS, OR WE SPEND MONEY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE.

THESE HABITS USUALLY IS BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO IMPRESS OTHERS OR WE TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MORE THEN WHAT WE HAVE.

IT IS THESE KIND OF BEHAVIORS THAT PUTS US IN THE POOR HOUSE AND INTERFERE WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.

GOD EXPECT US TO HANDLE OUR AFFAIRS WITH DISCRETION. MEANING TO WISELY MANAGE OUR RESOURCES WITH CARE.

TODAY I LIKE TO DISCUSS HOW TO MANAGE YOUR RESOURCES?

PAY YOUR OBLIGATION.

BUY WHAT NEED, NOT WHAT YOU WANT.

STAY WITHIN YOUR MEANS.

A. PAY YOUR OBLIGATIONS.

ROMANS 13:7-8 “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

OBLIGATIONS IS WHAT ONE OWES IN RETURN FOR A FAVOR OR BECAUSE A LAW OR PROMISE DEMANDS ONE MUST GIVE IT.

THE BIGGEST THING THAT STOP US FROM PAYING OUR OBLIGATIONS ON TIME IS PROCRASTINATION. MEANING PUTTING OFF PAYING YOUR BILLS TO A LATER DATE.

WHEN THIS HAPPEN CAUSES A PATTERN OF NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE, WHICH LEAD YOU TO A PLACE OF DEBT.

THEN IT IS THE BORROWING FROM LENDERS TO TRY TO EASE THE SITUATION YOU HAVE PUT YOURSELF IN , FOR THE SENSE OF INSTANT SATISFACTION.

BUT HOW MANY OF US USE THE MONEY WISELY TO PAY OFF OUR BILLS , SO THAT YOU CAN SEE MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS MONTHLY.

THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE LENDER’S, BUT NOT BORROWS.

SATAN WILL TRY TO DO EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO KEEP YOU FROM GIVING TO THE KINGDOM OR GIVING TO YOURSELF.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SOW A TENTH IN THE KINGDOM AND A TENTH TO OURSELVES.

WHEN WE NEGLECT TO PAY OUR OBLIGATIONS ON TIME, WE ARE FOUND NOT TO BE TRUSTWORTHY.

THEN INSTEAD OF US CALLING THE LENDER’S TO PAY OUR BILLS, THEY WILL BE CALLING US TO FIND OUT WHEN WILL THE BILLS BE PAID.

YOUR KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, THOSE NUMBER’S THAT SHOWS UP IN YOUR PHONES, THAT YOU KNOW NOT TO PICK UP, BECAUSE IT’S THE BILL MAN.

WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO STOP PUTTING THINGS OFF, AND PAY OUR BILLS ON TIME OR MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO PAY IT.

1 TIMOTHY 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

B. BUY WHAT YOU NEED, NOT WHAT YOU WANT.

PHILIPPIANS 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS WE SPEND OUTSIDE OF OUR NEEDS.

AND WHEN OUR WANTS BECOME OUR NEEDS, WE FIND OURSELVES IN BANKRUPTCY COURT FILING CHAPTER 7.

MANY OF US DO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR NEEDS FROM OUR WANTS.

WHEN YOU ARE A GOOD STEWARD OVER YOUR FINANCES , GOD WILL PROVIDE YOU YOUR NEEDS AND REWARD YOU WITH SOME WANTS.

WHEN YOU ARE FAITHFUL , WHILE YOU ARE IN THE SEASON OF LACKING, GOD WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH MANY.

WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE YOUR WANTS ABOVE YOUR NEEDS, YOU WILL ROB GOD AND ROB YOURSELF FROM BEING A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ELSE.

MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THERE MONEY.

IT IS THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY.

GOD HAS RELEASED MANY OF US FROM DEBT, ONLY FOR US TO FIND OURSELVES GETTING BACK INTO DEBT.

SOME OF US RATHER BE IN EGYPT, THEN TO BE IN THE LAND OF PLENTY.

BUT IF WE FOCUS MORE ON WHAT WE NEED, INSTEAD OF WHAT WE WANT, WE CAN FIND OURSELVES IN A WEALTHY PLACE.

PSALM 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

C. STAY WITHIN YOUR MEANS.

1 TIMOTHY 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

THE PROBLEM WITH MANY OF US, IS WE BUY THINGS OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO AFFORD.

WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PATIENCE TO ACCUMULATE THE MEANS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.

WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT AWAY, IT IS AN INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO GOD ABOUT IT, INSTEAD IT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT, INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.

IN ORDER FOR US TO STAY WITHIN OUR MEANS, WE HAVE TO BE CONTENT IN WHAT WE HAVE.

MANY OF US ARE NEVER SATISFIED, NO MATTER HOW MUCH GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH . IF YOU ARE FAITHFUL OVER THE FEW, HE WILL BLESS YOU WITH MANY.

I HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST CHRISTIANS ARE FAITHFUL IN SERVICE, WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING, BUT THE MOMENT GOD BLESS THEM WITH SOMETHING THEY WILL FORGET WHERE THERE BLESSINGS COME FROM.

PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”