“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income. Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with fresh wine.”
Proverbs 3:9-10 (GW) God’s promises are so good! Not only does he promise to bless you personally when you give generously, but he also promises to bless your work and your business. Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income. Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with fresh wine” (GW). The first part of that verse is the premise: You give your tithe. The second part is God’s promise: When you tithe, God will fill your barns to overflowing. Now, most people don’t have a barn to fill to overflowing or even vats to fill with the finest wine. In Bible times, almost everyone was a farmer. Whatever their barn contained represented their business and investments and livelihood. If the barn was filled, it was a sign of great success and blessing. God is saying that if you learn to be generous, he will bless your business and your work. He will bless your career and your investments. As I mentioned yesterday, sometimes those blessings will be material. But many times they’ll be the spiritual blessings that come from a generous heart. The Bible also says in Proverbs 11:25, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT). If you own a business, do you want it to prosper and increase in profits? If you’re an entrepreneur or a venture capitalist, do you want God’s blessing on your new projects? Of course you do. If you want God’s help, not just in your family but also in your business, then you have to fulfill the premise of his promise. You have to be generous with your resources. “You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and all that you undertake.” (Deuteronomy 15:10 ESV). Generosity triggers God’s blessing on your work.
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“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV) The Bible teaches that God is the source of our finances. He is the one who provides for our needs. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (NIV). So what does that mean for your everyday life? It means that instead of looking to your employer for financial security, you look to God. It means that instead of looking to your savings account for financial security, you look to God. It means that you don’t look to anyone or anything other than God to provide for your needs. Here's a way to look at it: When you turn on the water, you know the water doesn’t actually come from the faucet. The water comes through the faucet. The water actually comes from a reservoir or a well, and the way you happen to receive it is through the faucet. In the same way, the income that God wants to give you may come through a job or through something or someone else. But the source is always God. You don’t need to worry about which faucet God uses to supply your needs. In a sense he says, “If I turn off one faucet, I can just as easily turn on another. If you lose one job, I can give you another. Your job isn’t your source. Your bank account isn’t your source. I am your source.” Worry reveals the places where we aren’t trusting God. Ask God to help you understand what causes you not to trust him, and then ask him to teach you to start trusting him. Look for how he does that. And when you start to worry, talk to God about your concerns. “The quality of each person’s work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone’s work; the fire will test it and show its real quality.”
1 Corinthians 3:13 (GNT) God wants to use your job to make you more like Jesus. But learning Christ-like qualities such as responsibility, character, and love is never easy. To learn those things, you have to respond to people the way Jesus would—and that can be particularly difficult at work. So why should you make such an effort to become like Jesus in your job? First, because God is going to evaluate your work one day. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:13, “The quality of each person’s work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone’s work; the fire will test it and show its real quality” (GNT). Everything you’ve done in your career eventually will be seen—because Christ is going to inspect it on the day of judgment. On that day, everyone’s work will be tested by fire to show the character and quality of what each person has done. So much of your work may be done without anyone seeing or watching—but God knows. He is watching, and you will give him an account for your work, no matter how menial it seems. You don’t have to always get it right. And you certainly don’t have to be the best. But you do have to work as if you’re doing it for Christ—because you really are. Second, you should try to become more like Jesus in your work because God is going to give eternal rewards for whatever is done in love. Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is fair. He won’t forget what you’ve done or the love you’ve shown for him” (GW). You need to remember that verse every Monday morning. God is not going to forget how hard you work, how you give your best, and how you show love in his name. Your work matters to God. One of your purposes in life is to become like Christ. And your job could be one of the most important ways God teaches you to be responsible, to develop character, and to love others. And it could be one of the most significant ways he uses you to bring others to him. “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.”
Proverbs 21:20 (TLB) John D. Rockefeller was the wealthiest man of his time and was often asked about the secret of his wealth. His answer became known as the 10-10-80 principle. He’d tell people that he got wealthy by giving away the first 10 percent of whatever he made; the second 10 percent went into savings, and he lived on the remaining 80 percent. Proverbs 21:20 says, “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (TLB). Saving is one way that God tests you in your finances—to see if you will be responsible with what he’s given you. If you’re saving for the future right now, that’s smart. If you’re not saving anything, that’s just foolish. God wants you to tithe (to give the first 10 percent of your income through your church), and then he wants you to save for the future. You may think you can’t live on 80 percent of your income, but if you can’t, you’re likely just living beyond your means. You’re not managing your money well; you are spending more than you actually have. Remember, God tests you through your finances. Do you want God to find you faithful with your money? The 10-10-80 principle is the exact opposite of what most cultures teach. Culture says to pay all your bills first—but then you may not have any money for saving and tithing. God says, “Pay me first, then pay yourself second (savings), and then pay your bills after that.” That is the order God blesses—and he wants you to set up a budget that makes that order possible. If you’re not saving anything, you have a “live for today” mentality. That kind of mindset says, “I’ve got it now, so I’ll spend it now. Forget about tomorrow!” God doesn’t just want you to think about tomorrow. He wants you to plan for tomorrow so that you have enough to do the things he wants you to do. It’s smart to put off a purchase today that will better allow you to live your purpose tomorrow. And you can do it! Saving is a spiritual discipline, and God will give you all the grace you need to take the hard steps. Don’t live just for today. Learn to do whatever it takes to save money for the future. This is God’s way of doing things. When you ignore God’s principles, you’re asking for financial stress. When you do it God’s way, you’ll be at peace. “Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.”
Proverbs 21:5 (GNT) Most everyone wants to be financially responsible. And if you’re a follower of Jesus, you want to experience God’s blessing in your finances. One step in reaching those goals is to plan your spending—to develop the spiritual habit of budgeting. A budget is simply planned spending. It’s telling your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went. The only way to meet your financial goals is, first, to determine how you want to use your money and then, to make a plan for it to happen that way. Financial freedom does not come from making more money. It comes from spending less money. Financial freedom is not based on how much you make; it’s based on how you spend what you make. You can be financially free at almost any level of income. If you don’t know how to manage money at your current level, you aren’t going to know how to manage more. No matter how much or how little income you have, you need to learn how to plan your spending. Proverbs 21:5 says, “Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough” (GNT). In many cultures today, “acting too quickly” equates to impulse buying—spontaneous, unplanned spending. Impulse buying has this attitude: You see it and you want it, so you get it. How do you break the habit of impulse buying? You nip it in the budget! You set up a plan and tell your money where you want it to go. Then you simply shop less. Study after study has shown that if you shop less, you spend less. If you’re in debt, for example, the last place you need to go to relax is the mall. If you don’t want to get stung, stay away from the bees! These are not new, deep insights. But they are certainly hard to follow. It takes real discipline to change your spending habits and hard work to write out a budget and stick to it. But on the days when it’s most difficult, remember that God is with you and he wants what is best for you. He wants to see your faithfulness in money management. And he will help you to take all the necessary steps to become a responsible steward of what he’s given you. “They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”
1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NLT) The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:18-19, “They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (NLT). You are going to enjoy forever what you invest in heaven, and you invest in heaven every time you use money for good. So what’s the best way to do that? Any financial advisor will tell you not to put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, you put your money into different funds for a balanced portfolio. Did you know that God has given different “funds” that you can invest in for eternity? We’re going to look at three today and two tomorrow. These funds are proven. They have a track record. They’re protected. They are risk-free. And they yield enormous dividends. 1. God’s Growth Fund. This is any time you invest in something that is going to grow your character. Proverbs 10:16 says, “The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin” (NLT). So how do you enhance your life with your money? You use it to grow spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. When you use money to develop your skills and become mature, you are investing in eternity. 2. God’s Mutual Fund. This is every time you use money to encourage fellowship and build relationships with other believers. Romans 12:13 says, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality” (NLT). Why does God want you to use some of your money to show love to other believers? There are three reasons. First, it proves that you’re in God’s family. Second, it creates unity. And, third, it’s a witness to unbelievers. 3. God’s Service Fund. This is when you invest in eternity by using money to serve others. God wants you to take some of your money and use it to help people who are in need. Proverbs 11:24 says, “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller” (The Message). In other words, the more you help others, the more God blesses you. Why? Because God is a giver. He is generous, and he wants you to become like him. 4. God’s Global Fund. This is when you use your money to share the Good News and bring people to Jesus. Luke 16:9 says, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (NIV). A lot of people have no idea what this verse means. Is it saying that you can buy friends? Not at all. It means that God wants you to invest in things that help get people into heaven so that when you get to heaven, they will welcome you there. It’s the greatest investment of your life. Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you? 5. God’s Treasury Fund. When you give money to God as an act of worship, that’s called the Treasury Fund. God makes a promise in Proverbs 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines” (TLB). “The first part of all your income” is your tithe—the 10 percent of your earnings that you give to God through your church. You can’t really give God anything because he already owns it all. But think about the allowance you may have received as a child. If you went out and bought a birthday present for your mom, you really were using her money. Does that mean she liked the gift any less? No—because she cared more about the thought and the love behind the gift. God feels the same way about your giving. The Bible says that wherever your treasure is, your heart will also be there. If what’s most important to you are the things of this Earth, then every day you are moving further away from your treasure. Because every day you are here on Earth, you’ve got one less day to invest in eternity. You’re moving further and further away from the things you’re going to leave behind. But if you’re investing in God’s funds and using your money to serve God’s purposes, then you’re storing up treasure in heaven every day. You’re getting closer and closer to your treasure instead of further and further away. Missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” You’ll find yourself becoming more and more like God as you invest in your character, other believers, and people in need. “Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.”
Matthew 25:14-15 (GNT) Jesus says in Matthew 25:14-15, “Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip” (GNT). Instead of using a bank, when this rich man left for his long trip, he entrusted his property to his servants. When he returned, he asked each one for an account of how they’d handled his money. What the rich man was looking for was good stewardship. The word stewardship is related to the Old English word for “manager.” Your stewardship—your management—is key to your financial freedom. The first law of financial freedom is the law of possession: Everything you have belongs to God. You are only a manager! You are called to be a steward of your time. You are called to be a steward of your influence. You are called to be a steward of your health, your relationships, and your opportunities. God calls you to be steward or manager of everything you have. You may say, “But wait a minute! I worked for my money, and now you want to tell me it isn’t mine?” Where do you think you got your body to work for your money? Where do you think you got your mind to work for it? Where do you think you got the energy to work for it? Where do you think you got the intelligence to work for it? Everything you have comes from God. You don’t really own anything in life; it’s all on loan. You only get to use God’s money while you’re here on Earth. He’s loaned it to you for a few decades. He loaned it to somebody before you, and he’s going to loan it to somebody else after you die. You don’t own it; the Master owns it all. You just get to manage it. Do you know what the sign is that you’ve forgotten the law of possession? When you think your money is yours, you worry about it. You feel a pressure and stress that you weren’t meant to. Money management is a spiritual discipline. God is watching how you handle his money to see what spiritual riches he can trust you with in heaven. This might make you feel pressure, but there is actually freedom in the law of possession. When you remember that God is the owner and you are the manager, you’ll worry a whole lot less and focus more on managing God’s money well. “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."
Luke 16:9 (NLT) The best use of your money is using it to get people into heaven. Luke 16:9 is a verse that most people don’t understand. Jesus says, “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home” (NLT). Jesus is saying that, just like the shrewd manager who made friends he could later count on, you need to use some of your money to make eternal friends that will welcome you into heaven. He’s not saying you can buy your way into heaven—you can’t. Jesus has already paid the price on the cross. He’s not saying you can purchase your salvation—you can’t. Salvation is a free gift by grace. Jesus is telling you to use your money to build friendships that are going to go on and on for eternity. When you use your money to help other people meet Jesus, you make friends for eternity and you gain rewards for eternity. Imagine getting to heaven one day, and a hundred people are standing at the entrance, clapping and cheering and saying, “We’ve been waiting for you! We’re here because you spent money to tell us the Good News. We’re your friends for life—no, for eternity! If it weren’t for the way you used your money, we wouldn’t have heard how to get to heaven.” Are you using any of your money to get people to heaven? Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you? When you buy a Bible and give it to someone who doesn’t have one, you’ve stored up treasure in heaven. When you support a program that shares the Good News around the world, you have stored up treasure in heaven. When you help build a church, you have stored up treasure in heaven. That is the highest and best use of your money. You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead by investing your money to help other people meet Jesus. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21 (NIV) The Bible says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV). So where is your heart today? It’s simple, really. Your heart is wherever you put your money and time. For some of you, your heart is in your home—because that’s where you put your money. Maybe your heart is in your boat. Or your cabin. Or the sport you spend your time and money on. Wherever you put your money is where your heart is going to go. Do you want to get interested in a particular company? Buy some stock. From the moment you buy it, you’ll be very interested in that company. But when your money—your treasure—isn’t there, you will likely never think about the company. Where you spend your time also reveals your priorities. You say you love your kids, but do you spend time with your kids? No? Then you don’t really love them the way you think you do. You can say you love to be in shape, but do you exercise? No? Then you don’t really love being in shape. You can say you love Jesus, but if you don’t spend any time with him, then you don’t love him as much as you think you do. Here’s how you know what’s really important to someone: Look at their calendar, and look at their bank statement. The way you spend your time and money shows what’s really important to you. You can say, “This is really important to me.” But what you say in this case doesn’t really matter. If you don’t spend time on it and you don’t spend money on it, then your heart isn’t really there. When you give to God, guess where your heart goes? It turns toward him and the things he loves. When you spend time with God, you become closer to him as you know him more. Giving God your time and money is an act of worship—it’s a way you align your heart with his. Where is your heart today? Where do you want it to be? Decide where you want your heart to be and start investing your time and money there. Soon you’ll find your heart there too. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) Many people are feeling financial instability these days—no matter how much they have in the bank. Some are wondering, Am I going to have a job next week? What’s going to happen to the economy? Will I have enough to do the things I want to do with my life? If you’re asking those questions, then you need to remember God’s promise in Hebrews 13:5--“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (NIV). Did you see that? God’s promise to never leave you is connected to your financial future. He’s saying there’s no need for you to love money. You can be content with what you have. You don’t need to hoard your resources—because you have the assurance of God’s presence. God always sees you and always knows what you need. And because God is love, he will never forsake you, including when you are in need. What are you trusting for your future financial security? Are you trusting in your possessions or in God’s presence? If you have a hard time letting go of money, tithing, or being generous, then you are revealing a lack of faith. You don’t really believe God will keep his many promises to take care of you. You’re living with a scarcity mentality. Try instead to start living with God’s promises in mind. Once you do that, you will not have to hoard because you will trust God. You will hold your resources with an open hand. This is the only way to live a purposeful life! |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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