Financial Freedom in 2009 (Part 4)
“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”
(Part 4)
Psalm 24:1 (NKJV)
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
Everything belongs to the Lord. We are but stewards of what is His.
1. EVERYTHING BELONGS to GOD.
Stewardship is the sum total of man’s attitude and reaction toward God and His creation. God is the Owner of all creation, and man is the responsible servant entrusted with and commissioned to rightly handle for God His program on earth.
Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)
"You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
God created man to be His stewards over all His creation. We have been entrusted with this planet and limited by time and space to demonstrate our ability and trustworthiness to rule over this entire universe.
2. God CREATED man to be His STEWARD over all His CREATION.
Luke 16:10-12 (NKJV)
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
Luke 19:1-27 (NKJV)
Luke 19:26-27 (NKJV)
For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.' "
He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all!
Back to the beginning.
3. There is the REALM of STEWARDSHIP, the RESPONSIBILITY of STEWARDSHIP, and the RESTRICTION of STEWARDSHIP.
The realm of stewardship.
Genesis 1:26-30 (NKJV)
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.
The responsibility of stewardship
Genesis 2:15-17 (NKJV)
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
All but the responsibility of stewardship may mean there are certain restrictions. The very concept of stewardship means caring for something that doesn’t rightfully belong to us. Webster defines stewardship as: the individual’s responsibility to manage his life and property with the proper regard to the rights of others. And there can be no greater other, than God.
Everything in the garden was theirs except one tree.
Illustration: the life of Joseph.
Genesis 39:3-6 (NKJV)
And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 5So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. 6Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
The realm of stewardship – over all his house.
The responsibility of stewardship – verse 6 – complete trust over all he had.
The restriction of stewardship, verse 9.
Genesis 39:9 (NKJV)
There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
Joseph would not compromise – he was faithful over little.
Fast forward:
Genesis 41:38-44 (NKJV)
And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" 39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
Do you see the realm – over all of Egypt?
Do you see the responsibility – all my people shall be ruled according to your word?
Do you see the restriction – only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you?
Where did Joseph’s abilities come from? They came from God.
So how are you handling your stewardship? How are you handling what God has given to you? If the earth is His, what portion belongs to Him? It all belongs to Him but He has given us stewardship over the earth.
The Bible states the tithe is the Lord’s.
4. The BIBLE states the TITHE is the LORD’S.
Leviticus 27:30-34
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord. 31If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 32And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. 33He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.' "
34These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. [NKJV]
Illustration: call 5 people to work for $100 per hour.
10 pennies – I penny belongs to God – 3.6 seconds
10 dimes – 1 dime belongs to God. – 36 seconds
10 dollars – I dollar belongs to God – 6 minutes
100 dollars – 10 dollars belongs to God – 1 hour
1000 dollars – 100 belongs to God. – 10 hours
5. TITHING means if I make 10 CENTS an hour, 1 PENNY belongs to GOD.
God gave us the 10 pennies, or the 10 dimes, or the 10 dollars, or the 100 dollars or the thousand dollars. It all belongs to Him, but He gave it to us. Now the test do we trust Him or do we rely on our own strength?
Deuteronomy 8:6-18 (NKJV)
Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 7For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.
11"Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12lest--when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end-- 17then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' 18And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
If God did not give you the ability then you owe Him nothing. If he is not your creator, if the earth is not His, if you do not have breathe you owe Him nothing.
How is it that Christians can trust God for their eternity but refuse or cannot trust God to take care of them and their families for the temporal?
Is God your source?
Francis Schaeffaer, in his book “True Spirituality” summed the Ten Commandments with the basic principle of covetousness. Desiring that which is not rightfully yours. Desiring what belongs to God the first four commandments. And desiring that which belongs to others the fifth through the tenth commandment.
So taking what belongs to God is stealing.
6. TAKING what BELONGS to GOD is STEALING.
How are you going to reign with Him and be entrusted with true riches if you cannot be a good steward of the unrighteous mammon?
J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week."
W.A. Criswell tells of an ambitious young man who told his pastor he'd promised God a tithe of his income. They prayed for God to bless his career. At that time he was making $40.00 per week and tithing $4.00. In a few years his income increased and he was tithing $500.00 per week. He called on the pastor to see if he could be released from his tithing promise, it was too costly now. The pastor replied, "I don't see how you can be released from your promise, but we can ask God to reduce your income to $40.00 a week, then you'd have no problem tithing $4.00."
D. James Kennedy tells a story of a man who came to Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the Unites States Senate, with a concern about tithing. He said: "I have a problem. I have been tithing for some time. It wasn't too bad when I was making $20,000 a year. I could afford to give the $2,000. But you see, now I am making $500,000, and there is just no way I can afford to give away $50,000 a year."
Dr. Marshall reflected on this wealthy man's dilemma but gave no advice. He simply said: "Yes, sir. I see that you do have a problem. I think we ought to pray about it. Is that alright?"
The man agreed, so Dr. Marshall bowed his head and prayed with boldness and authority. "Dear Lord, this man has a problem, and I pray that you will help him. Lord, reduce his salary back to the place where he can afford to tithe."
The tithe is the Lord’s whether it’s a penny, dime, dollar, ten, dollars, one hundred dollars or a million dollars. The portion belongs to God.
Malachi 3:8-12
"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the Lord of hosts; 12"And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land," Says the Lord of hosts. [NKJV]
I would not risk the curse of God because of one penny! I would rather people would call me blessed!
7. I would not RISK the CURSE of GOD for one PENNY.
8. But the BLESSINGS of GOD are WORTH every DIME.
“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”
(Part 4)
1. EVERYTHING BELONGS to GOD.
2. God CREATED man to be His STEWARD over all His CREATION.
3. There is the REALM of STEWARDSHIP, the RESPONSIBILITY of STEWARDSHIP, and the RESTRICTION of STEWARDSHIP.
4. The BIBLE states the TITHE is the LORD’S.
5. TITHING means if I make 10 CENTS an hour, 1 PENNY belongs to GOD.
6. TAKING what BELONGS to GOD is STEALING.
7. I would not RISK the CURSE of GOD for one PENNY.
8. But the BLESSINGS of GOD are WORTH every DIME.
.
“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”
(Part 4)
1. ___________________ ______________ to __________.
2. God ______________ man to be His ________________
over all His ____________________________.
3. There is the ____________ of ______________________,
the ___________________ of ______________________,
and the _________________ of ____________________.
4. The _________ states the __________ is the __________.
5. _________________ means if I make ________________
an hour, _________________ belongs to _____________.
6. _________________ what ______________________ to
______________ is _____________________.
7. I would not ________________ the ______________ of
_______________for one _______________________.
8. But the __________________ of _________________ are
___________________ every _____________.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
W.A. Criswell tells of an ambitious young man who told his pastor he'd promised God a tithe of his income. They prayed for God to bless his career. At that time he was making $40.00 per week and tithing $4.00. In a few years his income increased and he was tithing $500.00 per week. He called on the pastor to see if he could be released from his tithing promise, it was too costly now. The pastor replied, "I don't see how you can be released from your promise, but we can ask God to reduce your income to $40.00 a week, then you'd have no problem tithing $4.00."
D. James Kennedy tells a story of a man who came to Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the Unites States Senate, with a concern about tithing. He said: "I have a problem. I have been tithing for some time. It wasn't too bad when I was making $20,000 a year. I could afford to give the $2,000. But you see, now I am making $500,000, and there is just no way I can afford to give away $50,000 a year."
Dr. Marshall reflected on this wealthy man's dilemma but gave no advice. He simply said: "Yes, sir. I see that you do have a problem. I think we ought to pray about it. Is that alright?"
The man agreed, so Dr. Marshall bowed his head and prayed with boldness and authority. "Dear Lord, this man has a problem, and I pray that you will help him. Lord, reduce his salary back to the place where he can afford to tithe."
J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week."
Give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.
Peter Marshall.