Our view of money is mostly influenced by the environment were raised in.
God's desire for our finances: 1. Our trust in him. Matthew 6:19-24
2. Our needs met. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
3. That we would live generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV) 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Stewarding the blessing: 1. First things first.
Proverbs 3:9 (NIV) Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops
There is not a greater revealer of our heart than our bank statement.
We don't give the tithe; we yield it.
Malachi 3:8–12 (NIV) 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 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 there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
The Tithe:
It's already God's
It's a test. We can test God in it, as he is testing us with it.
It's for the storehouse, His house.
Matthew 6:21 (NIV)For where your treasure is, there you're heart will be also.
We receive best where we are invested most.
2. Manage well. 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV) Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food... Luke 16:10–13 (NLT) 10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
A. Take care of what you have. B. Set a budget:
Prioritize Necessities
Consider Luxuries
Set Boundaries
Dealing with debt: Luke 16:13 (NLT) “You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Proverbs 22:7 (NIV) The borrower is servant to the lender.
3. Work smart and hard. Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV)Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.
4. Establish a lifestyle of generosity. “The goal of believers is not to accumulate wealth but to delegate blessing.”
The significance of generosity is measured by sacrifice, not size.
Our little becomes a lot when we put it in God's hands.
Luke 17:11-19 (NLT) 11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!" 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" 19 And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you."
1. Jesus is troubled by ungratefulness. 2. Jesus provides health and wholeness. 3. Wholeness is connected to Gratitude. Luke 17:19 (NIV) "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
"Gratitude increases our faith because we keep the one we trust before us." The Spirit of Gratitude is the prerequisite to a healthy soul.
3 John 1:2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
"It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy."- unknown
Mindsets that hinder a grateful spirit: 1. Entitlement What you are entitled to is so much less than what God promises you! 2. Victimhood The difference between victims and victorious is their posture in the battle. 3. Negativity Complainers are drainers. Negativity comes out of those who have not nurtured an internal culture of gratefulness.
Gratitude is the will of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Thankfulness not just a command OF you; it's a command FOR you!
Counting blessings Colossians 3:15-17(NIV)Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with Gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
1. Consider the blessings Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly! Psalm 103:1–5 (NIV) 1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
2. Celebrate your blessings Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Find the melody in the moment. Praise points: Provision,Providence, Promise.
3. Commit to an attitude of gratitude. "Gratitude is not an act; it's an attitude." Colossians 3:17(NLT) And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
7 Days of Gratefulness. #1. Complete the following statements: Today I am thankful that God is ___________. Today I am grateful for_________. #2. Write them down #3. Avoid grumbling, complaining, or whining.
Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV) 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Blessed attitudes: The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7
Matthew 5:1–13 (NIV) 5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecutedbecause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"Blessed"
Makarios: happy, blissful, to be enlarged.
Deep Joy of the soul: A vibrant spirit.
The spirit of the age: self-promotion and self-preservation. Self-priority is a vice not a virtue. Proverbs 11:25 (NIV )A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
The Blessed Attitudes. 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "If we lose our dependence on God, we lose his blessing."
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Psalm 51:17 (NIV) My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. "When we lose the sorrow over sin, we lose sight of the joy of our salvation."
3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Meekness is strength under control.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Philippians 3:13–14 (NLT) … I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. When we sow mercy, we reap it! Colossians 3:12–13 (NLT) 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Not only forgiveness but blessing those that oppose us. Matthew 5:44–45 (NLT) 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be actingas true children of your Father in heaven…
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Purity of heart: morals, motives, and methods.
Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) …Be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. We are bringing a message of reconciliation with God.
Romans 12:18 (NLT) Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
8. Blessed are those who are persecutedbecause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.
Matthew 5:13–16 (NIV) 13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Numbers 6:22–27 (NIV) 22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 "Tell Aaron andLord sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. 27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Why is this blessing valued? 1.We want God's blessing. 2. It's given by God. 3.It expresses his nature.
The Priestly Blessing 1. The Lord Bless + Keep you Blessing:
Favor: The enjoyment of God.
Fulfillment: Contentment in God's goodness.
Fellowship: Rejoicing connectedness
Keep You: Shamar: to keep, watch, preserve, guard. To exercise great care over: "to guard" or "to give attention."
Isaiah 27:2–3 (NLT) 2 "In that day, sing about the fruitful vineyard. 3 I, the Lord, will watch over it, watering it carefully.Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it.
"In his garden, he is the gardener and guardian."
Psalm 91:1–7 (NLT) 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
2. Face shine upon you + be gracious to you. Numbers 6:25 (NLT) May the Lord smile on you.
Psalm 34:5 (NIV) Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
3. Turn his face toward you + give you peace.
Peace: Shalom- A state of tranquility or wholeness.
Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
We can have peace because his attention is on us to care for us! We experience peace when we focus our attention on him.
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
"So they will put my name on them"
Jesus Provides the Blessing: Luke 24:50–52 (NLT) 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.
Hebrews 7:24 (NLT) Because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.
Jesus is the declared blessing over us!
Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
1. Jesus keeps us. John 10:27–30 (NLT) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one."
Jesus provides eternal protection and preservation.
2. Jesus delights in us. John 1:16–18 (ESV) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Jesus is the Father's favor.
Luke 12:32 (NLT) It gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
3. Jesus gives peace. John 14:26–27 (NLT) 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive peace of mind and heart.
Colossians 1:19–22 (NLT) 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Application: Priesthood of the believer. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God...
We are not just recipients of blessing; we are participants.
The succession of blessing The blessing was meant to be passed down from one generation to the next.
Paul + Timothy: 1 Corinthians 4:15–17 (NLT)15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16 So I urge you to imitate me. 17 That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.
Elijah + Elisha 2 Kings 2:5–15 (NLT) 5 Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?” “Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.” 6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.” But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together. 7 Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. 8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground! 9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.” 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.” 11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress. 13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across. 15 When the group of prophets from Jericho saw from a distance what happened, they exclaimed, “Elijah’s spirit rests upon Elisha!” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
The double portion: 1. Replication 2. Multiplication
Jesus + Disciples John 14:12 (NLT) “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
The Inheritance of spiritual succession: 1.Initiation 2. Dedication
The willingness to stay: A. Endure correction.
Correction is a gift.
Proverbs 12:1 (NLT) To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
B. Follow direction
Listen more than you talk.
C. Grow in communication
“If communication doesn’t happen nothing happens.”
3. Cultivation + Perspiration “Don’t expect the power of Elijah unless you are willing to serve like Elisha!”
4. Impartation “Success without succession is failure.” It takes no maturity to be a son. As you are being poured into your into others
2 Kings 13:20–21 (NLT) 20 Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. 21 Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!
Blessed from the beginning. Genesis 1:21–22 (NLT) 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Genesis 1:27–28 (NLT) 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.
What is the blessing? BRK Barak: To bless, to praise. "Blessing is a signature of God's approval." A. Favor: The enjoyment of God.
To be blessed means that we are partaking in the goodness of God.
B. Fulfillment: Peace and contentment in God's goodness.
C. Fellowship- Rejoicing Connectedness.
5 Realities of Blessing: 1. God's Blessing serves a purpose. -Blessings are not just for our enjoyment but for our empowerment. -We are blessed to be a blessing! -When you see blessing as a resource, you can stop being bashful when God blesses you.
2. There are levels of God's blessing. Common blessing / Direct Blessing.
3. Blessings are passed down. Impartation
Honoring up positions us ourselves in God's creative order for blessing.
4. Blessings have boundaries Genesis 2:15–17 (NLT) 15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die."
"You don't get God's blessing doing things your way!"
Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NLT) 19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
5. Blessings can break When things get out of God's order, they get out of His blessing.
Genesis 3:17–23 (NLT) 17 And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."…23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden…
God repairs what's broken. Genesis 3:15 (NLT) I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." 1 John 3:8 (NLT) The Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.
Christ restored the blessing. He reversed the curse! Romans 5:16–21 (NLT) 16The result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
Jesus restored the order. 1. Favor- Right Standing 2. Fulfillment 3. Fellowship- Connectedness
Ephesians 1:3–5, 11 (NLT) 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure…11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
