How should a believer manage money? In this message, Pastor Eric Robertson shares about a topic that Jesus taught about a lot.
Jesus and Money
The focus of his teaching on money was not to create a path to financial stability, or not to invest in a Kingdom Ponzi scheme. The focus of Jesus was to ensure that you were in control of your money and that money was not in control of you.
Jesus makes a direct connection between our hearts and our wallets.
Matthew 6:21
NLT: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Managing Money God’s Way
Managing money God’s way is not easy, but it is simple.
Live, Give, Save
Live Simply
God’s goal for your life is to live a life of shalom. Shalom is a Hebrew word that means peace, wholeness, prosperity, full and restored.
Our access to excess has stolen our enjoyment of the necessities. We are applying biblical principles of generosity to chase after a type of prosperity that God never promised.
Matthew 19: 21-22
We should never be in a position where our possessions possess us.
The answer to living on money is to live a life of biblical simplicity. Simplicity is getting rid of what we don’t need to enjoy the things we do need.
Richard Foster: “Simplicity sets possessions in their proper perspective. Simplicity is the only things that sufficiently [repositions] our lives so that possessions can be enjoyed without destroying us.”
Give Generously
The biblical principle of generosity is as much about your heart as it is your wallet. When we treat generosity like a spiritual discipline, we reap spiritual benefits as well as financial ones.
Matthew 6:22
When your understanding or outlook of the world comes from a place of GENEROSITY, your whole life will be illuminated by God. If your understanding or outlook is STINGY, your life will be dark.
Generosity is a symptom of spiritual health, while greed and stinginess are symptoms of spiritual sickness.
2 Ways You Can Practice Generosity
1. Give Consistently
Percentage giving is not God’s subscription service for financial stability, it’s the process by which we pledge our allegiance to Kingdom of God and keep our hearts from greed.
Start where you are and challenge yourself to be a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
2. Give Compassionately
What moves your heart? What brings you to tears? Give to that!
1 Corinthians 16: 1-2
Save Diligently
If generosity is an indication of spiritual health, then saving is an indication of financial health.
According to recent surveys, the median American household has about $1200 in saving. Another survey indicates at 56% of Americans could not shoulder an unexpected $1000 expense.
Saving is a form of self-control through delayed gratification.
Start now, Be intentional, Be consistent.
Proverbs 13:7
Proverbs 21: 20
Proverbs 13:22
Proverbs 21: 5
Are you willing to submit EVERYTHING, including your money, to God’s way?