October 30 2016 God's Plan For Financial Blessing

GOD’S PLAN FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

TWO STATEMENTS FROM JESUS

Luke 12:15 – Jesus said, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Luke 16:9-13 – “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain eternal friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.  So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?  No one can serve two masters.  You cannot serve both God and money.

Money is a tool and a test.

Managing money is a spiritual discipline.

SEVEN HABITS FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

1. I must trust God as my source and supply.

Romans 11:36 – Everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory.

Deuteronomy 8:18 – Always remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.

2. I must do my work as an act of Worship.

Proverbs 21:5 – Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Proverbs 10:4 – Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 16:11 – The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; He sets the standard.

Proverbs 12:11 – Hard work brings prosperity; only fools waste time chasing fantasies.

Proverbs 13:11 – Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; but wealth from hard work grows.

3. I must keep good records.

Proverbs 27:23-24 – Be sure you know the conditions of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.  For riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. 

Proverbs 23:23 – Get the facts at any price.

Proverbs 24:3-4 – Any enterprise becomes strong, through common sense and profits by keeping abreast of the facts.

Three Things To Know: Know what you own; Know what you earn: Know where it goes.

4. Plan your spending.

Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as hast leads to poverty.

Proverbs 21;20 – The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.

Three things in a good budget: Mutual decision; Matter of prayer; Goals

5. Enjoy what you have.

Proverbs 15:16-17 – Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.  Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

1 Timothy 6:6-8-But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and be content with that.

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

6. Share with others in need.

Proverbs 11:24-25 – One man gives freely, yet gains even more, another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 19:17 – He who is kind to the poor leads to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has one.

Proverbs 22:19 – A generous man will himself be blessed.

Proverbs 28:27 – He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.

7. It’s called tithing.

Proverbs 3:9 – Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first fruits of all your crops.

Three Reasons To Tithe: It shows Our Gratitude; It’s a Reminder for the Present; It’s a Step of Faith for the Future.

Deuteronomy 14:23

Malachi 3:8-11

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

September 25 2016 Learning To Be Content

LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet...anything that belongs to your neighbor."

"COVET": the uncontrolleddesire to acquire

I. What Happens When I Always Want More

1. Fatigue

Proverbs 23:4" Do not wear yourself out to be rich; have the wisdom to show restraint."

2. Debt

Ecclesiastes 5:11 (LB) "The more money you have, the more money you spend..."

3. Worry

Ecclesiastes 5:12 (GN)"A working man ... can get a good night's sleep. But the rich man has so much that he stays awake worrying."

4. Conflict

James 4:1"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from the desires that battle with you?"

5. Dissatisfaction

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (GN)"You will never be satisfied if you long to be rich. You will never get all you want."

Philippians 4:12(Paul) "I have learned the secret of being content... whether living in plenty or in want."

II. How To Learn To Be Content

1. RESIST COMPARING MYSELF TO OTHERS.

2 Corinthians 10:12 "We do not dare classify or compare ourselves ... it is not wise."

I Timothy 6:9 (JB) "When we long to be rich, we are a prey to temptation; We get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge us into ruin."

2. REJOICE IN WHAT I DO HAVE.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 (GN)"If God gives a man wealth and property .. he should be grateful and enjoy what he has...it is a gift from God."

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (GN)"It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else."

3. RELEASE WHAT I HAVE TO HELP OTHERS.

I Timothy 6:17-19 (LB)"Tell those who are rich, not to be proud and not to trust in their money which will soon be gone. Tell them to use their money to do good ... to give happily to those in need, always with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven -- it is the only safe investment for eternity!"

Acts 20:35 (GN)"There is more happiness in giving than in receiving."

4. REFOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING TO LAST.

2 Corinthians 4:18 "We fix our attention, not on the things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever."

Luke 12:15 "A man's true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be."

August 21 2016 Honoring My Parents

Honoring My Parents

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land..."

I. WHY DID GOD GIVE THIS COMMANDMENT?

Because...

There are no perfect parents!

Respect for authority begins at home.

How I relate to my parents will affect every other relationship.

II. HOW TO HONOR MY PARENTS

1. As a child, I honor my parents by obeying and respecting them

Ephesians 6:1(LB) "Children, obey your parents; this is the right thing to do because God has placed them in authority over you."

Proverbs 19:26 (LB) "A son who mistreats his father or mother is a public disgrace."

2. As a young person. I honor my parents by accepting and appreciatingthem

Proverbs 23:22" Listen to your father who gave you your life and do not despise your mother.."

Proverbs 20:20 (GN)"If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark."

Acceptance includes:

Dueteronomy 26:11 (GN)"Be grateful for the good things that the Lord has given you and your family..."

Proverbs 23:32 (GN)"when your mother is old, show her your appreciation."

3. As an adult, I honor my parents by affirming and not abandoning them.

Proverbs 3:27" Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power go act."

1 Timothy 5:8 (LB)"Anyone who won't care for his own relatives when they need help, especially his own family, has no right to say he is a Christian. Such a person is worse than the heathen."

1 Timothy 5:4 "They should ... put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God."

A word to parents: Be `honorable'!

Ephesians 6:4 (LB)"And now a word to you parents; Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with loving discipline..."

Matthew 18:6 (Ph) "Anybody that offends one of these little ones, it's better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and thrown in the bottom of the ocean.

A word to those without parents

Psalm 27:10 (GN)"My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me."

January 24 2016 Daring To Imagine

DARING TO IMAGINE

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 3

Three Categories in the Bible

Some things we shouldn’t imagine

Some things we can’t imagine

Some things we should imagine

WHY DREAM?

1. My imagination shapes my life.

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)" . . . For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is."

Proverbs 4:23 (TEV)"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."

Genesis 11:6 (Amp) The Lord said, "Now that they are one people speaking one language, this is only the beginning of what they will do. Now nothing they have IMAGINED they can do will be impossible for them!"

2. Imagining is essential to living by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NCV)"We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever."

3. Great lives are built around great dreams.

Ephesians 1:18 (NJB) "May God enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see the hope that his calling holds for you."

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)"Where there is no vision, the people perish . . ."

4. God’s dream for my life is bigger than my dream.

Ephesians 3:20 (Mes)"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever IMAGINE or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by his Spirit working deeply and gently within us." 

Let the size of my God, determine the size of my goals

5. Doubt is the enemy of imagination.

James 1:5­7 "If you need wisdom, just ask God for it, because He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. But when you ask God, you must believe in faith and not doubt. For a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven back and forth, and tossed about by the wind. Such doubters cannot decide about anything they do, so they should not imagine receiving anything from the Lord."

Mark 9:22­24 (NLT) "The man said, ‘Please heal my son if you can.’ Jesus replied, ‘What do you mean, "If I can?" Anything is possible IF a person believes.’ The father replied, ‘I do believe, but help me not to doubt!’"

6. Growing my character will clarify my vision.

2 Peter 1:5­9 (NCV) "To your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self­control; and to your self­control, add patience; and to your patience, add service for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love for everyone. IF all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you to BE USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who does not have these things CANNOT SEE CLEARLY."

7. If a dream is from God, it will be connected somehow to to His Church & Plan for the World

"If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life." Mark 8:35 (NLT)

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. "