Stress Free Giving - Matt 6:33-34
February 18, 2024
what did we learn last week… money is good… love of money is root of all evil… we are stewards… God owns everything… we manage it for Him…
1Tim 6:10-19… “love of money is root of all evil… by craving it, some have tortured their soul with sorrows… set your hope on God… who provides us all things… be generous…”
Titus 1:7… “as a steward… manages God’s house… not greedy for money…”
if you stress and worry about money… you’re not alone…
- 77% report feeling anxious about their finances daily (CNBC poll said 90%)
- 68% say they don’t have enough money to retire
- 58% say finances control their life
- 56% can’t keep up with cost of living and debt levels
- 52% say money issues are main thing that takes a toll on their mental health
- 43% can’t concentrate at work because of their financial stress
- 41% say they have trouble sleeping because of money issues
- 25% say money troubles are affecting their relationships in a negative way
being stressed about money is a trust issue… it’s also a choice…
Isa 30:15… “in rest you shall be victorious… trust shall be your strength…”
2Cor 9:8-15… “God will provide all you need… He will increase your resources…”
God wants you stress free when it comes to money… impossible if you follow worldly advice… must know who He is and what He has promised… pray…
Gen 28:3… “may El Shaddai bless you… make you fruitful… multiply you…”
Gen 35:11… “I am El Shaddai… be fruitful and multiply…”
Clarke’s… I am God who pours out blessings, who gives richly, abundantly, continually…
your attitude about God affects attitude about money… is He a giver or taker…
Job 1:21; 42:1-6… “the Lord gives and the Lord takes away… I had heard reports about You, but now my eyes have seen You, I take back everything I said…”
Luke 15:11-32… “a certain man had two sons… younger said, Father, give me my share of the estate… so he divided to them his property… squandered money in foolish living… was feeding pigs… I’ll go to my Father and say I have sinned, make me your servant… when he was far off, father saw him and was filled with compassion… ran, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him… bring out best robe… put ring on his finger… put sandals on his feet… slaughter fatted calf… let’s celebrate with a feast… this son was lost and now he is found…”
prodigal… giving something on a lavish scale; generous, unsparing, extravagant…
story is about a certain man… about prodigal father, not son… father who gives and gives extravagantly to both sons… even when they didn’t deserve it…
Luke 15:25-32… “older son angry… son, everything I have is yours…”
John 3:16… “for God so loved… that He gave His Son… for eternal life…”
Rom 8:32… “He who did not spare His Son… will freely give us all things…”
Rom 11:29… “God’s gracious gifts are irrevocable…”
James 1:5… “lack wisdom… ask God… who gives to all generously…”
stress free giving starts with knowing you are steward… none of this will work until you understand that… beginning of financial freedom ($7b gold/$400m silver)…
1Chron 29:3-5… “because of my delight in the house of my God… give over and above all I prepared to help… 112 tons of gold… 262 tons of silver… who will follow my example…”
what happened when people saw even David was a steward… they outgave him…
1Chron 29:6-9… “family leaders, tribes, generals, everyone… all gave willingly… 188 tons of gold… 10,000 gold coins… 375 tons of silver… 675 tons of bronze… 750 tons of iron… precious stones… and the people rejoiced… for they had given freely and wholeheartedly…”
offerings totaled over $17b that day… nation once in slavery… who understood everything they had came from God… He made them prosperous to be generous…
1Chron 29:10-17… “may You be praised for ever and ever… Yours is the greatness, power, victory, and majesty… wealth and honor come from You… we thank You and praise Your glorious name… who am I and who are my people that we could give anything to You… everything we have has come from You… we give You only what You first gave us…”
if you think it belongs to you… will be stressed about money… leads to all sorts of worry… not worried about my money because it’s not yours… Cure for Anxiety…
Matt 6:25-34… “don’t worry about your life… what you will eat, drink, wear… take no thought saying… Gentiles seek these things… your Father knows you need them… seek first Kingdom of God and His righteousness… and all these other things will be provided…”
world pursues stuff… as a result, they stress about money… you choose which master you serve… are you going to seek after things or God’s righteousness… in order to be stress free about giving… going to have to change way you think…
Luke 16:13… “two masters… hate or love… cannot serve both God and money…”
Acts 8:14-25… “give me this power… may your silver be destroyed because you thought you could obtain gift of God with money, your heart is not right, repent of this evil…”
Rom 12:2… “don’t copy world… let God transform you… change way you think…”
Rev 9:20-21… “did not repent… continued to worship idols of gold and silver…”
if your source is your job, investments, stock market… you’ll be stressed about money… only stress free investment is being a steward and doing it God’s way…
Gen 13:8-17… “I will give you all the land that you see… I will give it to you…”
Gen 26… “famine… I will bless you… sowed in famine… rich, richer, wealthy…”
Psa 37:25… “have not seen righteous abandoned… or his children begging bread…”
1Tim 5:8… “not provide for family… denied faith… worse than an unbeliever…”
pistis / apistos… belief with predominate idea of trust in God; without trust in God…
foundation of stress free giving is trust in God… not about money, about attitude… don’t care if your giving changes… care if your heart about giving changes…
Deut 15:7-11.. “give generously… without grudging heart… open hand willingly…”
1Chron 29:17… “You test the heart… people willingly and joyfully given all…”
Psa 50:7-14… “I do not need your sacrifices… make thankfulness your sacrifice…”
Matt 6:21… “where your treasure is… there your heart will be also…”
Mark 12:41-44… “many put in large amounts… widow 2 small coins… she gave more…”
Luke 16:14… “Pharisees, who loved money mocked… God knows your hearts…”
2Cor 9… “gift, not extortion… each decide in heart… God loves a cheerful giver…”
God owns everything… doesn’t need your money… wants your heart… this isn’t about God, it’s about us… point of giving is to trust Him… know He is our source… you will struggle and worry with finances until you know and believe that… pray…
Prov 10:22… “blessing of the Lord makes one rich… adds no sorrow with it…”
1Cor 4:7… “what do you have God hasn’t given you… everything you have is from Him…”