Mr. & Mrs. Wrong Finances
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro
Intro
Quick Survey: Close your eyes… raise your hands… not high!
You and your spouse sometimes disagree about how to spend money?
You and your spouse sometimes disagree about how to save money?
You and your spouse struggle with debt?
If you are single do you ever have money problems?
Most of the time we talk about money when we have a problem...
PRAYER
Message
Message
You are stewards of that which God has given you.
You are stewards of that which God has given you.
1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
God owns everything and I own nothing
God entrusts me with everything I have
I am responsible to increase what God has given me
God can call me into account any time
Not just a budget that works but a budget that pleases God!
Not just finances but heart issue…
Last time you prayed to be good steward?
Last time took stewardship inventory? Made stewardship plan?
evaluate your ability to give an account to God today!!
Be on guard against your own greed.
Be on guard against your own greed.
Parable of the Rich Fool…
Lk 12.13-21 “13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness [GREED], for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Greed will never cease to tell you “you will be happy if you just have _________!”
Make every effort to avoid the seduction of greed
Understand that riches are not the sum total of life
“Guard”
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.””
Me / I / My
Do you purchase that which you cannot afford? For the purpose of happiness?
Do you use bonuses for pleasure when you have unpaid debt?
Do you hoard money for your kind of retirement?
barns / silos - of grain!!
What is the distinction of greed to you?
God’s care for you is larger than your concerns over money.
God’s care for you is larger than your concerns over money.
It is very difficult to deal with finances biblically until you grasp this!!
Right After in LK!!… Worry
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Material possessions must not dominate your life
do you find yourself envying others? How often? Over what?
Sovereign control belongs to God [25-26]
does worry add anything to you?
if you cant change the little things by worry why do it?
would you rather bank on God or wall street!!?
God knows your needs and cares for them [24, 26-30]
NEEDS!!
Back to the point - Do you believe that the God of Heaven who gave you His son will choose to accomplish His purpose thought His love and care for you?
how much would have to be taken out of your account for you to start to worry? — NOT $0.00 we need to biblically plan!
how convinced on a scale 1-10 are you that God cares for you?
Budgets are good and proper but this is the heart!!!
Contentment is critical because of what it communicates.
Contentment is critical because of what it communicates.
communicates that you value God’s presence / provision above things
Heb 13.5-6 “5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?””
Phil 4.10-13 “10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Contentment is not only commanded but possible… through/in Christ.
Contentment = a state of Christ empowered joy in the midst of God-ordained circumstances that cannot be changed at that time…
not self sufficiency or willpower - Christ as source of strength wherever god put him!
Contentment is not code for “Give Up” = this is a corruption of the meaning
Are you able to say “NO” to something you want if it would not be pleasing to God - even if you have money for it?
Starbucks?
what dreams do you have for the future? can you honestly say in your heart, not my will but yours Lord?
Exercise wisdom to become a biblical planner.
Exercise wisdom to become a biblical planner.
Proverbs 9 - Check that out this week on your own! [1-6 & 13-18]
Which will you pick?
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
Refusing to plan is irresponsible
God may be giving you more now for something coming in the future!!
God sometimes provides in advance!
Plan is not a nice word for HOARD
Planning facilitates contentment
Planning encourages generosity
Plans must always be dependent on the LORD
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
How much of your planning is commited to how you will make a difference for the cause of Christ?
In order to plan properly what immediate “wants” are you giving up?
How do you respond when your plan does not work?
Develop a godly dislike for debt.
Develop a godly dislike for debt.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
26 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Debt places the debtor at the mercy of the creditor
Debt can encourage a lack of contentment and a selfish heart
Debt automatically limits options and presumes on the future
a casual attitude toward debt fails to understand its significance, its consequences, and its future impact
3 Checks on Attitude of Debt
Firm and whole hearted commitment to repay ASAP
Asset gained could pay off loan if necessary
No heroic measures necessary
have you weighed how debt today may impact finances 1, 3, 5 years from now?
how casually do you view debt? does that match with scripture?
Generosity to God is a statement of your appreciation to Him.
Generosity to God is a statement of your appreciation to Him.
What has He withheld from you? Rom 8.32!!
Generosity is to be sacrificial
Generosity should be considered a privilege
Generosity should extend outside of the local church
2 Cor 8.1-15.
Privilege
Sacrifice
Macedonia - wants to help… not rich!!
1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
How has the concept of celebrating Gods goodness been communicated in your family? Is it obvious to your spouse, your children, your parents, others in your sphere?
How much per year do you spend caring for the needs of others?
When you spend money for things for your own enjoyment, is there recognition that God has blessed you? Not only in lip service but in the way you talk, pray, think, worship?
Have you experienced growth in the last 5 years in your ability to be generous both in attitude and action? If not why not?
Close
Close
The key to biblical finances for married people or otherwise is the gospel’s effect on our hearts in connection to our wallets!!
PRAYER
Group Questions
Group Questions
What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message?
Do you feel like you have too little, too much, or just enough money to
meet your needs?
Have you ever lent someone money, or have you ever had to ask
someone to loan you money? How did it change the relationship, if at all?
Do you feel like you manage money well? Do you have a tendency to
spend too much or worry about saving enough? How can acknowledging
God as provider help free you from anxiety or greed surrounding money?
What is a practical act of generosity that you could do this week?
How does Satan use materialism to blind Christians to the needs of the world?
What is holding you back from giving radically of your money, time, and family to God’s work?
What steps do you take to maintain a proper attitude toward material things while living in this culture?
Where does a person get the idea that he or she is immune to the deception and danger of materialism?
Why do people have a tendency to look to materialism for satisfaction rather than to God? How do we fight against this tendency?
How might a church unintentionally show preference to wealthier members and visitors? How might this be corrected?