January 8 2017 Your Choice: Blessed Or Stressed

YOUR CHOICE: BLESSED OR STRESSED

Decade of Destiny – Part 1

Deuteronomy 28:2-8 - You will experience all these blessings IF you obey the Lord your God.  You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields.  You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks.  You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread.  You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.  The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you, and the Lord will BLESS EVERYTHING YOU DO and will fill your storehouses with grain.

Job 42:12 – The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the first half of his life.

GOD PROMISES TO BLESS MY LIFE

1. If I meet with Him daily.

Proverbs 8:34 – Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

Psalm 31:19 – You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you.  You do so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

2. If I study and do His Word.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His Word he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.

James 1:25 – The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

3. If I tithe my income.

Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my hours.  Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

4. If I help others in need.

Psalm 41:1-2 – God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless.  He helps them out of their own troubles.  He protects them and keeps them alive; He publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.

Proverbs 22:9 – A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 11:11 – Good people bless and build up their city.

5. If I share the good news.

Philemon 1:6 – I pray you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will fully understand every blessing we have in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:8 – The man who plants and the man who waters have on purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

6. If I participate in fellowship.

Romans 1:12 – I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed If you Do them.

October 2 2016 Your Choice: Blessed Or Stressed

YOUR CHOICE: BLESSED OR STRESSED

Decade of Destiny – Part 1

Deuteronomy 28:2-8 - You will experience all these blessings IF you obey the Lord your God.  You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields.  You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks.  You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread.  You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.  The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you, and the Lord will BLESS EVERYTHING YOU DO and will fill your storehouses with grain.

Job 42:12 – The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the first half of his life.

GOD PROMISES TO BLESS MY LIFE

1. If I meet with Him daily.

Proverbs 8:34 – Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

Psalm 31:19 – You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you.  You do so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

2. If I study and do His Word.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His Word he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.

James 1:25 – The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

3. If I tithe my income.

Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my hours.  Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

4. If I help others in need.

Psalm 41:1-2 – God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless.  He helps them out of their own troubles.  He protects them and keeps them alive; He publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.

Proverbs 22:9 – A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 11:11 – Good people bless and build up their city.

5. If I share the good news.

Philemon 1:6 – I pray you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will fully understand every blessing we have in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:8 – The man who plants and the man who waters have on purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

6. If I participate in fellowship.

Romans 1:12 – I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed If you Do them.

November 15 2015 Managing My Money

MANAGING MY MONEY

Wiser- Part 5 of 8

FIVE FOUNDATIONS FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Rule #1: Keep Good Records

Proverbs 23:23 (LB)"Riches can disappear fast ... so watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks.  "

Proverbs 23:23 (LB)"Get the facts at any price!"

Rule #2: Plan Your spending

Proverbs 21:5 (GN) Plan carefully  and you will have plenty; if you act too quick, you will never have enough.  "

Proverbs 21:20 (GN)". . . stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.  "

Rule #3: Save For the Future

Proverbs 21:20a (LB)"The wise man  saves for the future. . . "

Proverbs 13: 11 (Jerusalem Bible) "He grows rich who accumulates little by little.              

Rule #4: Enjoy What your already have

Proverbs 21:17 (Good News) "Indulging in luxuries, wine and rich food will never make you wealthy. 

Hebrews 13:5 "Be content with what you have. .  

Rule #5: Give At least 10% back to God

Memory Verse: Proverbs 3:9-10 (LB) "Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part  of all your income and He will fill  your barns to overflow. 

Proverbs 10: 16 (Living Bible) "The good man's earnings advance  the cause of righteousness. 

Proverbs 22:9 "A generous man will leave God's blessings.  

Isaiah 55:2  Why spend money on what does not satisfy. "

January 30 2011 How To Live Generously

How To Live Generously

(Acts 20:35 - In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'")

Key Bible Words: Believe, Pray, Love, Give

Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

I. How giving benefits your life

1. Giving makes us more like God

(John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.")

2. Giving draws me closer to God

(Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.")

3. Giving is a victory over materialism

(1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.")

(Deuteronomy 14:23 - Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.)

4. Giving strengthens my faith

(Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.")

(Proverbs 3:5&9 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding - Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops)

5. Giving is an investment for eternity

(1 Timothy 6:18-19 - Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.)

6. Giving it blesses me in return

(Proverbs 22:9 - A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.)

(Psalm 112:5 - Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.)

7. Giving makes me happy

(1 Chronicles 29:9 - The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.)

II. How to get the most out of giving

1. Learn to give willingly

(2 Corinthians 9:12 - This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.)

2. Give generously

(2 Corinthians 8:3-4 - For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.)

3. Give joyfully

(2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)

4. Give thankfully

(1 Chronicles 29:13-14 - Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. "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.")

5. Give expectantly

(2 Corinthians 9:6 - Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.)

(2 Corinthians 8:5 - And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.)