The word associated most with money is WORRY.  

 

Matthew 6:31 (NIV)
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

 

Worry is not a MONEY problem it’s a SPIRITUAL problem.


1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV)
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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 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.


We can’t order our lives around generosity if we don’t embrace the biblical values of SELF-CONTROL & SACRIFICE.

 

Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

 

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

 

Luke 16:13 (NIV)
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

 

Make Jesus MASTER over your MONEY.

GENEROSITY is not NATURAL.

ASSUMPTION CONSUMPTION: The assumption that everything that comes TO me is FOR me.

 

Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

We have to re-think and re-prioritize our finances around GENEROSITY and not CONSUMPTION.

 

Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

Me-First Living:

  1. Live.
  2. Save.
  3. Give.

Kingdom-First Living:

  1. Give
  2. Save
  3. Live

The litmus test of our devotion to God is our willingness to put him first in the arena of our money and possessions.

Money a much better SERVANT than a MASTER.

Until Jesus is first in your FINANCES, you can’t be his FOLLOWER.

Luke 16:13 (NIV)
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Jesus

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