Money
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Good morning church fam! We are continuing our series “How to Deal with It”. In this series we are taking a look at some of life’s issues and how to deal with them in a biblical manner.
Today I want to talk to you about money and as followers of Christ how we supposed to deal with it according to the Scriptures.
In life we will take advice from money guru’s, CPA’s, bankers, and the like. But how often do we search the Scriptures in how to use our finances?
When you serve God, you are using God’s money to accomplish His wishes. But when you serve money, you are using God’s money to accomplish your wishes.
Bruce Wilkinson
A Life God Rewards (2002)
Bruce Wilkinson
Our resources, including our finances, are to be used to accomplish what God has planned in our lives. Money affects a person one of two ways.
Either you serve money or money will serve you.
Money makes a great servant, but it is a terrible master.
10 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.
Money itself is not the issue. Money is a neutral tool that can be used for good or for evil. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make money, obtain money, or even saving money. The issue comes in when your love for money begins to control you rather than you controlling it.
The love of money is an inordinate desire or obsession with wealth. At this point money has become not a tool for good, but for evil.
If there is an obsession with obtaining wealth, money then has become an idol.
Jesus said,
24 “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.
When money becomes you master, it will distort your values, priorities, and even relationships. You will view the world through green eyes rather than through the crimson eyes of Christ.
I knew a father of a family where he worried about money so much that he worked just about every day all day. This took a toll on his marriage, relationship with his kids, and his relationship with God.
Jesus is telling us in Matthew that there is only room for one god in your life and you have to determine what or who that is.
I believe that God desires we prosper. When people hear that word prosper, especially those who have been in the church awhile, the phrase prosperity gospel comes to mind.
The prosperity gospel, also known as the health and wealth gospel, is a Protestant Christian belief that God wants believers to be blessed with wealth, health, and happiness in this life.
The prosperity gospel teaches that believers can achieve these blessings through faith, positive thoughts and declarations, and donations to the church. It also emphasizes the idea that believers can transcend poverty and illness through devotion and positive confession. Some believe that material and financial success are signs of divine favor, and that God will give believers their heart's desires, such as money, a healthy body, and a thriving family.
This is not what I am speaking of when I say God wants us to prosper. If our financial means and health were a barometer of our relationship with God and the blessings of God, then by that every billionaire in the world is a Christian. Which we know just by the fruit of some those they are not.
Just because someone is wealthy doesn’t mean they know God. I watched a documentary on actor Chris Farley years ago. Chris was known to be a partier. He lived a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol, and women. But something was missing in his life and he was searching for it. His “priest” came on and said Chris had come to him in search of something that would fill the void. The priest told him I couldn’t help you.
On December 18, 1997 Chris was found without life. He overdosed on cocaine and morphine.
I cannot tell you if Christ knew Jesus or not. His lifestyle would say otherwise. Was he rich? Yes. His net worth was $5million. That’s about $9.8 million today.
2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
John’s prayer for followers of Christ is that they do prosper in everything, but mostly their soul. In other words:
Prosper in your walk with Jesus
This is the utmost of importance to those who belong to God. In all that I do. In all that I am. The most important thing I can prosper in is my walk with Jesus.
When I am in alignment with Jesus, the rest of my life should be too. Including my finances.
I have heard it said over the years the last thing to get saved and the first thing to backslide is your bank account.
Show me your calendar and your bank account and I can show you where your priorities are in your life.
So how do we deal it, money, biblically?
When it comes to dollars and sense, s-e-n-s-e, as followers of Christ, we must look at the Word.
Don’t Let it Consume You
Don’t Let it Consume You
Most would say that the green eyed monster is jealousy, but in our culture it is money. And money is hungry and looking for whomever it can consume.
As Christians, we must now allow money to consume us.
We live in a culture today where most are trying to get rich or to make bank.
“According to recent surveys, a significant portion of people in American culture aspire to become rich, with a Harris Poll finding that six out of ten adults expressed a desire to become not just millionaires but billionaires, indicating a widespread cultural pursuit of wealth.”
4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.
This word weary means to work extremely hard. As followers of Christ, we are not to work ourselves into exhaustion in order to gain wealth.
Remember who is writing this. King Solomon. King Solomon was known for wisdom when it came to life’s issues. He was legendary for his wise thoughts and attracted people from all over the world.
I am not saying do not work hard, but work hard for the right reasons. Being lazy and expected everything for free is just as bad.
4 The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.
10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
We work not to chase riches in this world. If that is the reason why you are clocking in 40, 60, 80 hours a week then you are wearing yourself out for no reason.
Money is a tool to be managed, not a master of toil.
Here is the great lie in America today:
If I had more money, things would be better.
No it wouldn’t. People tend to believe that if only they had more money lives would be better.
If I only had more money my marriage would be better.
If I only had more money my relationships would be better.
If I had more money, I would be happier.
If I had more money I wouldn’t be so stressed.
If I had more and more.
Just like there is always room for Jello, there is always room for more money in a persons life. The problem is it will never be enough. This is how people get stuck in gambling addictions. They won big one day and they go back for more and bet it all. Never satisfied.
Money Deceives You
Money Deceives You
This leads to my next point. Money deceives you.
Money doesn’t lead to happiness. It is like a drug. It has great promises, but will let you down hard.
Money promises you peace, satisfaction, happiness. Have you ever been to a casino? I go once a week, for Rotary…not to gamble, and every time I go in I see so many people with this sad look of despair on their faces. Some will sit for hours slaving away at a machine in hopes of striking it big! When they do win something, they turn around and put it right back in and just like that their happiness is gone.
Wise old King Solomon continues on the subject of money and makes this statement that is so true.
5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
I am just as guilty as anyone. I am preaching to myself this morning if this doesn’t affect anyone else.
I am not saying working extra to help pay for an extra bill or something. I am trying to do that right now to pay for Carly’s hearing aides she has needed for years.
What I am saying is money will not bring you happiness or satisfaction in your life.
In 2003, there was a 16 year old named Callie Rogers in the UK who won over a million dollars playing the lotto. Just three years later she filed for bankruptcy. 33% of lotto winners in America file for bankruptcy.
She used the money for partying, doing drugs, amongst other things. She got so depressed that she tried to take her own life.
This is what she said,
“Even if you say your life won't change, it does – and often not for the better. It nearly broke me, but thankfully, I'm now stronger.” - Callie Rogers
The money mastered her, rather than she mastering it.
Don’t buy into the lie that money will fix your happiness, your peace, your contentment in this life. Only God can do that.
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Good Steward
Good Steward
Finally, money is not to master us, we are to master it. We do this by being a good steward of what God has entrusted us with.
The Word of God offers to us several teachings on money management.
When it comes to managing your money wisely it speaks about debt.
7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
Too often we accumulate unnecessary debt. One survey said that 83% of Americans overspend. When they do overspend they use a credit card. As of August 2024, Americans have a total credit card balance of $1.142 trillion, which is the highest balance ever recorded since the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began tracking in 1999.
Are credit cards bad? Some say yes and some say no. The Scripture tells us that we become the lender’s slave. While some debt is unavoidable, over spending is not.
I am a shopper. I love to shop. I love to spend money. Sometimes too much. But I am learning to live within my means. In our culture it is normal to be in debt. It is normal to live beyond our means and buy buy buy. This is not being a good steward of what God has given us.
You don’t need the $8 dollar coffee. You don’t need the $300 pair of shoes. You don’t need the $80K car. If you can afford them, fine. But don’t take out a second mortgage on your house in order to finance the filet mignon you want to eat everyday.
Here is what usually happens when it comes to finances in America. Americans, especially those who grew up pay check to pay check. We have a poverty mentality.
What I mean by that is the moment we get any access of cash, we spend it. We tend to spend it on something we don’t need instead of something we do. I have been guilty of this.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you get a nice tax refund. Let’s say $3,000 - $5,000. All year you have been struggling to pay bills. All year you struggled to keep food on the table. All year you struggle with fuel for you vehicle. Or you need repairs on your vehicle.
Buying a big screen tv is not a wise choice. Buying $200 pair of shoes is not a wise choice. Going out to eat and spending $200 is not a wise choice.
But we do it. Why? Because of the poverty mentality. I couldn’t get it then so I get it now because I might not be able to later.
I knew someone who did this. Their vehicle needed fixing and they came into some extra cash and spent it on things they didn’t need instead of fixing the vehicle that would help them to earn more money in order to pay their bills.
Not too long after that they were asking the church to help pay for something. This is not wise management of finances. In fact, Scripture says it is foolish.
20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up.
When you have the poverty mentality, your money is mastering you instead of it.
Part of managing your money wisely is also having generosity.
Generosity includes tithing, or giving a tenth of one’s income is a biblical principle that is emphasized both in the Old and New Testament.
I can speak freely on this because I don’t know who gives or how much they give. I don’t want to know. If this subject hits you, I can honestly say it is not me, but the Holy Spirit.
Some people say and believe that tithing was an Old Testament Law and not mentioned in the New Testament. While it was mentioned in the Old Testament, the principle of tithing was around before the Law was written.
19 He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.
Hebrews even highlights Abram’s tithing practice.
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
Looking in the New Testament, in one of Jesus parables he speaking about humility, mentions the practice of tithing.
12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
If it is not important or not applicable, then why would Jesus mention it?
When we practice tithing, giving ten percent to God, we are saying “God I trust you with everything, including my finances.”
I have a friend who came to me once and said to me, “Pastor, I want to tithe to the church, but I can’t afford it.”
I said, “Ok, let’s look at your finances.”
He proceeded to tell me his income and I wrote it down. I asked him for his monthly expenses.
Electric
Food
Gas
Water
Clothing
Internet
Cable
Cigarettes
Going out to eat
I asked how much do you spend on cable? He told me. I said cut the cable. They said I can’t do that. I need to watch my wrestling. I responded with ok, cut the cigarettes. He gave me an excuse for that too. Eventually I got to the point where I told them that they didn’t really want to tithe. They feared he would lose something.
When your money controls you, there is fear.
Fear you won’t make it. Fear that God won’t provide. Fear that you won’t have enough. Fear of this or fear of that.
Fear overrides truth.
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
25 I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.
Over and over again God promises that He will take care of His children! Either we trust Him with our finances or we don’t.
I would rather trust in God than the almighty dollar. God meets my needs. God takes care of me. God has always provided for me and my house because we trust in Him!
Being a good steward of what God has entrusted to us when it comes to generosity is also giving above the tithe.
6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
While not specifically about tithing, this passage speaks to the spirit of generosity and the attitude one should have in giving.
I remember once when Carly and I were at a church meeting and we barely made it there financially. Just enough to go for one night then head home the next day. They took up an offering for missions and the Lord told me to give what was in my pocket. The Lord nudged Carly and confirmed. It was all that we had left and was for a fast food meal at for our family before heading home.
Before we left service that night one of the leaders in the denomination told us he wanted to take my family out for dinner. Can I tell you that it was not McDonalds.
You see, you cannot out give God. He always takes care of His kids. Usually in a way that we least expect it.
The Lord told me years ago, if you are faithful to my house I will be faithful to yours. He always has. Even when I wasn’t. He still was. That is how good God is.
Closing
Closing
