Pastor Gary Moritz
pastor@cityunited.church

INTRODUCTION

As we go through life, we tend to forget to dream big dreams. We settle and forget the opportunities that God has placed in front of us. If we are not careful, our faith will fail, and we will shrink our big God into a small corner. God desires us to rise up and build; there are walls to raise all around us, people to reach and lives to rebuild.

What God did through Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem shows how God can use you to rebuild your life, church and community.

“So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build…” —Nehemiah 2:20a (NKJV)

What people break, God rebuilds.

In this Imagine series, we will look at life lessons from Nehemiah to help us rebuild our faith and our church.

January 5       Imagine Praying Powerful Prayers
January 12      Imagine Going for the Goal
January 19      Imagine Organizing for Success
January 26      Imagine Overcoming Financial Bondage

TEXT: Nehemiah 5:1-19 (CSB, New Testament)

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY:

Debt brings bondage; obedience brings blessing. Tweet This

IMAGINE WEEK #4:

IMAGINE OVERCOMING FINANCIAL

I.

Reveal Answer

DEBT (v. 1-13)

A. Debt is serious because it leads to

. (v. 5, 18)

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.” —Proverbs 22:7

• Money can make a terrible

or a terrific

Reveal Answer

.
B. Debt creates several types of bondage:

1. Reveal Answer
2. Reveal Answer
3. Reveal Answer
4. Reveal Answer
5. Reveal Answer
6. Reveal Answer

II.

Reveal Answer

GOD (v. 14-19)

A. Honor God by acknowledging that He is the

of all your possessions.

“The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord; 2for he laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers.” —Psalm 24:1-2

B. Honor God by giving the

fruits of all your increase.

“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” —Proverbs 3:9-10

III.

Reveal Answer

HARD (v. 16a, c)

A. Work hard by finding a job you can

.

“Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God,” —Ecclesiastes 5:19

B. Work hard by being

.

“Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings …” —Proverbs 22:29a

IV.

Reveal Answer

INTEGRITY (v. 16b)

“Vindicate me, Lord, because I have lived with integrity and have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2Test me, Lord, and try me; examine my heart and mind. 3For your faithful love guides me, and I live by your truth.” —Psalm 26:1-3

A. Live within your

.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” —1 Timothy 6:6

B. Promptly pay your

.

“When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs. 28Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later. I’ll give it tomorrow when it is there with you.” —Proverbs 3:27-28

C. Avoid “get-rich” quick

.

“A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.” —Proverbs 28:22

V.

Reveal Answer

GENEROUSLY (v. 17-18)

A. Give

“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 back to you.” —Luke 6:38

B. Give

• A tithe is 10% of your total gross income to God through the local church.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me! How do we rob you? you ask. By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. 9You are suffering under a curse, yet you the whole nation are still robbing me. 10Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.” —Malachi 3:8-10

C. Give

and

Reveal Answer

“The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each person should do as he has decided in his heart not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” —2 Corinthians 9:6-8

CONCLUSION:

Will you trust God with your finances?

“A church debt is the devil’s salary.” —Henry Ward Beecher

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