1 Chronicles 29
11 “To You, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all Yours! You’ve raised Yourself high over all.
12 Riches and glory come from You, You’re ruler over all; You hold strength and power in the palm of Your hand to build up and strengthen all.
13 And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to You, praising Your splendid Name.
14 But me…who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to You? Everything comes from You; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from Your generous hand.
15 As far as You’re concerned, we’re homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadows, hardly anything to us.
16 God, our God, all these materials, these piles of stuff for building a house of worship for You, honoring Your Holy Name, it all came from You! It was all Yours in the first place!
17 I know, dear God, that You care nothing for the surface…You want us, our true selves, and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly…what a joy!
18 O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in You.
19 And give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what You command, live by Your directions and counsel, and carry through with building the Temple for which I have provided.”
GOD OWNS IT ALL.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. —Proverbs 21:5
We will all stand before God’s judgment seat…each of us will give an account of himself to God. —Romans 14:10,12
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” —Luke 16:10,11
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. —Philippians 4:6,11
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” —Matthew 6:19-21
You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” —Revelation 22:12
GOD REWARDS
Acts of Kindness (Matthew 10:42)
Enduring Temptation (James 1:12)
Good Works (Ephesians 6:8)
Generous Giving (Luke 14:12-14)
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
– Jim Elliot
BE A MANAGER
- Ask: “God, what do you want me to do with Your money today?”
- Write it all down: Track your spending.
Tithe – to give a tenth of your income
Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. —Proverbs 3:9
Generosity is the natural response of a heart flooded with God’s love.
“David had served God’s purpose in his own generation.” —Acts 13:36
Discussion Questions
1. David was a king and very wealthy. He could afford to give lavishly. What does the Bible say about lavish giving? (See Luke 21:1-4.)
2. The Bible makes it clear that God is the owner of all things, and we are His managers. Talk about your own attitude toward ownership.
3. What 1-2 things will you do differently this week as a result of this message?
4. Which part of the David series did you like the most? Why? What was your one big takeaway?
Recommended Books
Randy Alcorn’s:
—The Treasure Principle
—Money, Possessions & Eternity
(Available in our bookstore!)