God's Miraculous Plan For Finances

GOD'S MIRACULOUS PLAN FOR FINANCES

Selected Verses

            Everything that God has ever done He has had a plan.  Just take a look at creation.  For example, God has a plan for crops to receive water.  God's plan is for it to snow or rain in the mountains.  The rain and snow forms lakes and rivers.  The rivers flow into the ocean and from the ocean the waters evaporate and form more clouds that take snow and rain to the mountains.  You can not improve on that or change it.  If you could change it, you will encounter a draught.  God also has a plan for finances.  And if you try to change God's plan for finances, you're going to encounter a draught financially.  We have a choice, we can ignore those principles and struggle financially, or we can get in on God's plan, and realize that it beats any investment.

FIRST -- SETTLE THE OWNERSHIP QUESTION. 

A.  BELIEVE THAT GOD ________ EVERYTHING.

             I am not saying you should pretend that God owns everything you possess.  The Bible says that literally everything belongs to God.  You may possess certain things, but you do not own them.  When you believe you're the owner of your possessions, you place yourself in immediate conflict with God, for he claims those rights.  The Bible says,

Psalm 24:1

1 The earth is the Lord's, and everything in

it, the world, and all who live in it; (NIV)

            God is very specific about it.  He says:

Haggai 2:8

8 `The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the LORD Almighty. (NIV)

            In Luke 14:33 Jesus said something very interesting. 

Luke 14:33

33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (NIV)

            What does Jesus mean by that?  Does Jesus mean you're to sell your car and your house and all your possessions and give all the money to charity?  No, what Jesus meant is far more revolutionary than that.  Jesus meant that before you can be a disciple you have to settle the issue of ownership in your life.  You have to come to the point in your life where you recognize that you do not own anything.  You and I are just managers of what God has released to us. 

            We have a problem with that in America, because it is taught in our country that you own your own body, and you can do to it whatever you please. 

Psalm 50:10-11

10  for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  11  I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. (NIV)

            Recognize that God is owner of all that we possess.  You can do this by:

B.     ________________ OWNERSHIP TO GOD.                   

            If you have not recognized that God is the owner of your time, finances, possessions and earning power you need to transfer your ownership to God.  God says everything is His, and our recognition of God's ownership is the first foundation stone to financial freedom. 

            How does God's ownership relate to being financially free?  Well, if God is the owner of all that I own, then it relieves me of a certain amount of responsibility.  I am still responsible to be a good steward of my possessions.  But beyond that I am

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free.  For example, several years ago, I drove a VW rabbit.  The car was rear ended and the insurance company totaled it.  I said, "O.K., God, if that's what you want to happen to your car, it's all right with me.  Now it's God's responsibility to find a new car."  And that is exactly what God did.  God provided a better car, and gave us the money to pay cash for it. 

            I find it takes a lot of pressure off me when I recognize that all I have belongs to God.  If God wants some of His money to flow through the local automobile dealerships, I'm willing.  Or, if it is His intention to supply me with another car, that's O.K.  First, settle the ownership question. 

            You see the Bible says in:

Romans 8:32

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all -- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (NIV)

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

21  All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future -- all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. (NIV)

Galatians 3:29

29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (NIV)

1 Timothy 6:17

put our hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (NIV)

            In Matthew, chapter 25, there is a parable of a man who went on a journey.  He called 3 servants and he gave one $5000 and he gave another $2000 and he gave another $1000.  And he said to them, "According to your ability invest it."  When the man

came back from his journey, he called his 3 servants in and asked them how well they managed the money he had given them.  This tells me that God is going to call all of us to settle our account someday.  God is going to ask every one of us, "What did you do with what I entrusted to you?"  How did you spend it?  How did you give it?  We're going to have to give an account. 

C.    THE SOURCE OF ALL OF OUR GIVING IS GOD'S ________________.      

            Let that sink in.  The source of all of our giving is God's wealth, not our own.  In First Chronicles 29:4 an offering is given for the building of Solomon's Temple.  The Bible tells us how much King David gave for the building of the temple.  Look at the amount. 

1 Chronicles 29:4

4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, (NIV)

            Do you know how much that is?  The gold that David gave is equivalent to $280,000,000 today.  And the silver is equivalent to $52,000,000 today.  Now look at 1 Chronicles 29:14 and notice David's reaction to what he has just given to God.

1 Chronicles 29:14

14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. (NIV)

            David said the reason He was able to give like this is because, he wrote the check from God's checkbook.  Some of you are thinking, Pastor, I understand that God owns it all.  But, pastor, tell me how do I get my hands own what God owns?  That takes us to the second key principle. 

SECOND -- GODLY GIVING RELEASES GOD'S WEALTH.      

            Do you pray for more money and all of a sudden money from heaven falls into your check book?  No, you won't find that in Scripture.  Let me show you in the Bible were this actually happens. 

            In 2 Chronicles 31 they are raising money for the Levites to minister.  Look at verse 3 and notice what begins to happen.

2 Chronicles 31:1-21

3 The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons and appointed feasts as written in the Law of the LORD. 4 He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.

            Now watch what happens. 

5 As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.

                The minute the order went out, they immediately responded.  There was no begging, or high pressure tactics.  And God blessed.

            Now watch the result in verse 8 and following.

2 Chronicles 31:8-10

8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel. 9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over." (NIV)

            When you give, God opens the windows of heaven and out pours the heaps.  If the people of God had not given they would have not  received the blessings.  You release what God has given you and it will come back to you. 

            Do you remember the little boy in John 6, who had a sack lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes?  The entire crowd that had been following Jesus was starving.  A little boy gave up his sack lunch. And Jesus blessed it and the whole multitude ate from it and there was 12 baskets full of food left over from the boy's sack lunch.  Folks, I want to tell you something.  That little boy left home with a sack lunch, but he came home with 12 baskets full of food. 

            Do you know how some people want to give to God?  They want to give when their ship comes in.  They have it backwards.  Do you know why their ship has never come in?  It's because they have never sent one out. 

            The Bible says,

Luke 6:38

38 Give, and it will be given to you. (NIV)

            Do you want the combination to God's vault?  Give and it shall be given to you.  

Proverbs 11:24-25

24  One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25  A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (NIV)

            What is that saying?  When you give it God it will come back to you.  

            We need lower taxes, right?  But I will tell you what will work better than lower taxes.  It is being blessed by God. 

Ecclesiastes 11:1

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. (NIV)

                Your mortgage company doesn't offer that kind of a deal.   Does Washington Water Power offer a deal like that?  Have you ever seen a sign over a slot machine "Give and it shall be given back to you?"  No way, give and it will eat it up.  Some of you have been there. 

                Look at 2 Corinthians 9:8.  There is a word that appears inverse 8 four times and I'm not going to tell you what it is.  See if you can pick it out.    

2 Corinthians 9:8

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (NIV)

2 Corinthians 9:10-11

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. (NIV)

            God wants His children to have enough money so we can  pay our bills and to glorify Him in our giving.  If you're not there, I'm going to tell you how you can get there.  I know that not everybody here is on God's plan of economy.  One of the reasons you're not in on it is that you have never been willing to release what you have, so that God can release it back to you.  While our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, I'm going to give everybody here an opportunity to get in on God's plan.  You can make your start today, by doing one thing, by being willing to say, "I will tithe from my income for the next 3 months.  And I will expect God to be faithful in what He says."   That is where you start.  Don't let it scare you.  This message was not preached to raise money.  It was preached to get you in on God's miraculous plan.  I'm going to ask you to pray a prayer.  Here is the prayer.  Pray it if you're willing.  "Dear God I know that you own everything.  Your resources are there for me.  I am willing to tithe of all that comes to me and will trust You to keep your promise, to return back everything that I give, so that I can give even more.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.   

A.  OWNS

B.  TRANSFER

C.  TREASURY

Tom Myers