Category: Christian Life

Honoring God With Our Money, Lesson 2

In Lesson 2 of our Bible study on Honoring God With Our Money, we look at God’s warnings to the rich.  We will consider the following questions:

  • Does God want Christians to be rich?
  • Doesn’t it seem that those raised in wealth have a difficult time finding their place in life and wind up frequently bored and in trouble?
  • Does wealth equate to happiness?

 

Opening Discussion:

If you won $1 million (ignore taxes), what would you do with the money?

 

  1. __________________________________________

  2. __________________________________________

  3. __________________________________________

  4. __________________________________________

  5. __________________________________________

 

 

Discussion:  What does 1 Timothy 6:10 tell us is the root of all evil?

Why is the love of money a problem for believers?

Read Ecclesiates 5:10:  What love of money leads to what?

Read the story of The Rich Young Ruler:  Matthew 19:16-30

Why was the rich ruler sad?

Why do you think it is so hard for the rich to be saved? 

Additional Warnings to the Rich

Look up the following verses and fill-in the missing words.  These verses are from the New International version (NIV) of the Bible.

1 Tim. 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into _______________ and a trap and into many foolish and ______________desires that plunge men into ruin and __________________.

Job 36:18-19 Be careful that no one entices you by _______________; do not let a large ____________ turn you aside.  Would your ___________ or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in ______________?

Luke 6:24 Woe to you who are _____________, for you have already received your ___________________.

Luke 1:53 He has filled the _____________ with good things but has sent the rich away _________________.

James 5:1-5 Now listen, you _______ people, weep and wail because of the ___________ that is coming upon you…Your wealth has _____________, and moths have eaten your ____________.  Your gold and silver have _____________…You have hoarded ________________in the last days..You have lived on earth in _____________ and self-indulgence.

Discussion:  After reading these verses, why might you still desire to be rich?

Proverbs 22:7  provides one reason why we should desire to stay our of debt. It says, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”

Life Application:

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

 

Honoring God With Our Money: Lesson 1 Life Application

It is important to have a proper perspective on money.  If money takes on more importance than it should, we begin to desire money above all else.  This desire can lead people to engage in foolish, and often illegal, actions to obtain more money.  Many murderers, thieves, and embezzlers have been motivated by greed and the desire for wealth to commit their crimes.  Failure to place a proper value on money will lead to poor money management and the inability to meet the needs of our family.

Solomon provides us with a proper perspective on how much money we truly need. He wrote in Proverbs 30:8,  “Give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Money is a necessary and important aspect of modern life.  We should desire to have enough money to meet the needs of our family and assist those less fortunate than us, without feeling pressured to engage in illegal activities.  We should also desire to never have so much money that we feel independent and self-sufficient.  God wants us to recognize that He is our provider.  He gives us talents and the ability to work and earn money.  We need to acknowledge His help and His gracious provisions for us.

How has God provided for your needs this week?   How have you seen His provisions for you in the past?

Mom and Dad do not love each other anymore.

I wanted to share this blog written by our long-time friend Mike Patz, pastor of First Assembly of God church in Gainesville, FL.  Mike writes about what constitutes real, lasting love and provides words to inspire us all to love our spouses with the same commitment we love our children.

Mom and Dad do not love each other anymore..

Honoring God With Our Money: Lessons from the Prodigal Son

Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son in the book of Luke.  This parable often used to illustrate God’s amazing love and grace towards His children.  However, it is a story that can teach us some important financial principles.  A synopsis of the story is below, and you can read the complete story in Luke 15:11 – 32.

The story begins as, “There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.”

  prodigal-son-receives-his-inheritance

The son left home and engaged in wild living.  He blew through his inheritance quickly.  About the time he ran out of money, a severe famine struck the country.  The son found himself without friends and in need of a job.  The only job he was able to get was feeding pigs. 

prodigal-son-slops-pigs

Eventually the son became so desperate that he decided to return home and throw himself on his father’s mercy.  The father rejoiced to have his errant son home and threw a feast to celebrate.  The older brother became angry and refused to join in the celebration.  His father explained that he had to celebrate the younger son’s return and that the older son was entitled to anything that belongs to the father, all he had to do was ask.

return-of-prodigal-son-celebrated

From a financial point of view, this story illustrates the following principles:

1) Money was not the answer to the prodigal son’s problems and it is never the solutions to our problems.  We do need money to buy the things we need, but money will not make us a better person or bring lasting happiness.

2) Sometimes the Father gives us what we demand, even when it is not in our best interest.  I do not imagine the conversation between the father and the younger son requesting money to be a calm, cordial dialogue.  Rather, I envision a son pestering his father for weeks or months to give him his share.  Although the father does not think it is in his son’s best interest, eventually he gives in to his son’s demands.  We like to think that God only gives us what is good for us; however, the Bible clearly states that God gave in to Israel’s desire for a king.  God warned the Israelites that a king would oppress and tax them, yet they were undeterred in their demands.  God yielded to their demands and allowed them to learn for themselves that God’s plans are the best plans.

3) Wealth that is not earned is not appreciated.  The younger son did not value the money his father gave him because he didn’t work for it.  It didn’t cost him many hours of labor, so he thought little of wasting it on frivolities.

4) You cannot buy true friends.  Friends that like you for your money will scatter when the money is gone.  Unfortunately, many celebrities have had to learn this lesson the hard way.

5) All that the Father has He shares with His children.  If you are a child of God, all the riches of Heaven are available to you. This doesn’t mean that God is going to give them to you (reread point 2).  It does mean, however, that you should make your needs known to God and ask Him to meet them.  God does take care of His children.

I hope that you will take the lessons of the prodigal son to heart.  God desires His best for you.  Often we want things that are not actually in our best interest.  Trust God and allow Him to give you those things that will help you to grow and mature in Him and to withhold those things that will lead you away from Him.

Have you ever greatly desired something and obtained it, only to find out that it didn’t live up to your expectations?

Honoring God With Our Money: Purpose of Money

Before we can really consider how to honor God with our money, we need to consider the purpose of money.

Money serves to make transactions easier.  Without money, we would have to barter for the things we need and want.  Work is a form of barter.  I go to work for you and give up my free time.  While I am at work, I accomplish the tasks you assign to me.  In exchange for my time and labor, you pay me an agreed upon sum.  Without money, I would have to trade my services to you for products or services that I need and that you could supply.  Money makes the whole process much simpler than a bartering system.

Most of us work hard to earn our money.  We want to get the most for our money.  We use money to meet our needs and to make life easier and more enjoyable.

Isaiah 55:2 provides a good framework for money management.  It says “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labors on what does not satisfy?

In this verse, bread signifies necessities of life–food, shelter, clothing, and other things we truly need.  If we spend our money to buy the things we need, we feel satisfied and content.  When we waste our money on things that we don’t need, we feel regret and discontent.  All of us have purchased things we thought we really wanted, only to have them sit in a closet unused for years before we decided to get rid of them.  Our natural tendency to purchase items we don’t need has led to the rise of yard sales and thrift stores.

I believe we would waste much less money if we would stop and ask ourselves two questions before making a purchase:

1) Do I truly need this item?

2) Am I willing to trade ______ hour(s) of my labor to obtain this item?

This week I encourage you to pause before making any discretionary purchases and consider these questions.

Honoring God With Our Money, Lesson 1

I have just begun teaching a Sunday school class entitled Honoring God With Our Money.  Earlier this year, I read Dwight L. Moody’s book Pleasure and Profit in Bible Study. It inspired me to do a word search on what the Bible says about money.  That lead to searches on riches, wealth, poverty, giving, charity, tithing, and greed.

The Bible has quite a lot to say about money and finances.  These teachings are still valid today and can be used as a guideline for how to live in financial freedom.  As I studied, I felt impressed to write a Sunday school curriculum and teach these principals to some of my fellow church members.  In this space, I will also share this information with my readers.

At the beginning of each week, I will post the student worksheets.  Then, throughout the week, I will post the teaching notes.  This study is for anyone who is experiencing financial difficulties and for everyone who wants to know more about what the Bible says about money and finances.

 Please feel free to post comments, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with me.  I hope that you will find this study useful and that it will give you a better understanding of how we can honor God by the way we earn, spend, give, and share our money.  May God richly bless you, financially and spiritually, as you begin to apply these godly principals to your life.

Week 1:  Purpose of Money, Overview of Class

Think About:  What purposes does money serve?

Read Theme Verse:  Isaiah 55:2  Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labors on what does not satisfy?

In this verse, what does bread signify?

When have you spend your money on things that brought no satisfaction?

 

Activity:  Make a list of a few of your biggest money mistakes.

  1. _________________________________________________
  2. __________________________________________________
  3. _________________________________________________
  4. _________________________________________________
  5. _________________________________________________

Why did you regret spending your money on these items?

If you could have back the money you spent on those items, what would the money allow you to do?

Read Luke 15:11 – 32—The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Think About: What does this parable teach us about money?

Read Proverbs 22:1  A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

According to this verse, what is the measure of true wealth?

In this Bible study, we are going to consider how we can Honor God with our money.  Honoring God with money involves

(1) earning money honestly,

(2) spending money wisely,

(3) giving back to the work of the Lord a portion of our earnings, and

(4) sharing with those less fortunate than us.

Accomplishing all four of these goals requires understanding how God views money and having a plan for managing our money.

Life Application:

Proverbs 30:8  Give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Letting Go and Letting God

The phrase “let go and let God” has been popular in Christian circles for many years.  It simply means give your problems, concerns, and worries to God and allow Him to take care of them for you.  It’s a catchy phrase–easy to say and easy to remember.  However, it’s very hard to put into practice.  More times than not, I find myself praying about a situation and then spending many hours or days trying to work out a solution on my own.  A beloved former pastor of mine calls that “picking the problem up again.”

Yesterday I read a great blog post by Pastor Tim Burton entitled “Get Rid of Self-Imposed Limitations.”  (http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com/    January 7, 2013)  Pastor Tim addressed this very issue and his struggles with “letting go and letting God.”  In this post, Pastor Tim described a situation in which a friend confided to him before the Sunday morning church service that he had been laid off from his job and asked Tim to pray for him to find a new job.  Pastor Tim agreed to pray for his friend and provided him with the name of a contact who might be able to assist him.

Pastor Tim had been supportive and offered his friend useful information.  His sole responsibility at this point was to pray for his friend.  However, as he tried to worship, his mind kept trying to come up with solutions to assist his friend.  I could relate to Pastor Tim’s experience.  Too often, I ask God to handle a problem and then begin working out the ways God could best accomplish the task.

Pastor Tim reported that he had come up with three possible solutions when he felt God reprimand him with these words, “You are trying to solve what belongs to me. Can you see how limited your thinking is? Stop your limited thinking and turn this over to me! There are no limitations for me and you could not figure out how I will be directing his life.”  

To his credit, Pastor Tim immediately stopped interfering and stepped back to allow God to work.   This simple story illustrated to me that when I spend time trying to solve a problem that only God can solve, there are two unintended consequences: (1) I waste my time and (2) I put limits on God.

Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”  This tells me that God has plans for me, or my friends, that I could never fathom.  If I will get out of the way and allow God to enact His plans, the results will be far better than any I could come up with on my own.

I believe that this illustration will help me to truly be faithful in letting go of the problems I bring to God and allowing God handle them in the way that He knows will be best for me and will bring Him glory.

Do you find yourself asking God to help you and then not allowing Him to work?  If so, I hope that Pastor Tim’s inspired words will bless you and help you to let go and let God.

A Life Verse for 2013

A number of years ago while teaching at a Christian high school, I was introduced to the concept of ‘life verses’.  Basically, life verses are verses of Scripture that speak so powerfully to a person that the person’s life is impacted.  The verses may supply encouragement, provoke a change of heart, bring correction, or provide instruction.  I was already aware of Scripture verses that had impacted me in these ways, and I had written several of those verses in my journal.  I had not, however, identified these verses as my ‘life verses.’ 

Since my introduction to the idea of life verses, I have made a habit of keeping my life verses close at hand.  I write them on index cards and carry them in my purse, so they are handy when I need them.  I read and ponder them frequently.  One such verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”  This verse sustained me during a difficult time several years ago as Steve and I considered a major change in our life.  We were certain that God was leading us to make this change, yet nothing was working out.  When I would become discouraged, I would recite this verse many times throughout each day.  Eventually  God set things in motion for us with results that were far better than if our earlier attempts had succeeded.  God was teaching us to be patient and wait for His plan to be fulfilled.

Five years ago, God revealed to me that I should write a Christian novel.  This idea seemed very foreign to me, given my background is in math and finance.  Yet, God assured me that He would help me to accomplish the task if I would rely on Him.  Two verses gave me the courage to step out in faith and undertake this task.  I wrote them on index cards which I kept by my computer as I wrote.  One was John 15:16, “You did not choose me; I chose you and gave you this work and I gave you this work to produce fruit.”  This verse not only reminded me that writing a novel was God’s idea, but it also promised me that people would come to know God through reading the novel.  The second verse was  “If you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust Him to do it–you could never to it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked–well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God.  Sheer gift.” (Romans 4:5, The Message)  This verse encouraged me to continue to rely on God for the words to write.  I was well aware that I was not up to the task on my own, and I needed to be reminded to trust God to do it in me and through me.

For the past few weeks, I have been pondering a word to choose as my ‘One Word’ for 2013.  The One Word campaign encourages people to choose a word to focus on for the year, rather than making resolutions which are quickly broken.  Last year my Word was ‘intentional’ and in 2011 I selected ‘delight’ as my word.  This year I have not selected a word, but rather a new life verse. The verse that God keeps bringing to my mind is “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labors on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2) 

This single verse encompasses important principles of money management and time management.  We should spend our money on things that sustain and improve our life, and we should be our time in tasks that bring joy and satisfaction.  I believe that if this verse is foremost in my thoughts this year,  I will be less likely to waste my money or my time.  I will not clutter my life with possessions I will discard in a few weeks or months and I won’t fritter away my time in meaningless activity.  So rather than making resolutions or even choosing a word to focus on this year, I have chosen a verse that I believe will impact me and the way I live my life in 2013 in very positive ways.

What Scripture verses have most impacted your life?  Do you have a verse you will focus on during this year?

My Take on Proselytizing

I grew up in a Christian home and have attended church regularly all my life, yet I was not familiar with the term ‘proselytizing’ until I was in my thirties and then I only heard it used on rare occasions.  In recent years I have heard the term used more and more frequently, often as a criticism.  The term is bandied about so negatively that I found it hard to believe it was an action I could be guilty of committing, so I looked up its meaning.  Webster defines proselytize as ‘the attempt to convert’.

Christians are instructed by Christ to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19), which certainly results in an attempt to convert those who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior to Christianity.  We don’t use the term ‘proselytizing’, however.  Rather we ‘share the gospel’ and ‘evangelize.’  In Christian circles, these are viewed as positive actions.  We are attempting to lead people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, because we are convinced that salvation through Jesus Christ is the only access to eternal life.

Of course, many people have a different and negative opinion of evangelism. The Atheist Revolution recently published an article entitle ‘The Condescending Nature of Proselytizing.’  The unidentified author discusses his disdain for those of any religion who proselytize.  He quotes Rick Levy who finds this practice “rude and condescending because of its implication that the adherent’s beliefs are superior to those of other people’s and thus they need to be saved from the error of their ways.”

Interesting.  I make no apologies for Christians believing that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.  Christ himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:60)  In Acts 4:12, Peter preached “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  There are no alternative beliefs for anyone who truly is a disciple of Christ.

What I object to is the assertion that sharing our faith makes Christians condescending.  We are not trying to present ourselves as superior, but rather as sinners saved by grace who want to give others the opportunity to share in this wonderful gift.  We desire that everyone would experience the peace and joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Recently quotes from an interview given by Penn Jillette in 2008 have been making the rounds on the Internet.  Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame, is a very vocal atheist, yet he states “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize…How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?”  When I saw the video of this interview, it reminded me of the Seinfeld episode in which Elaine discovers that her boyfriend Putty is a Christian.  She gets upset that he would let her go to hell rather than try to convert her.

Proselytizing, from a Christian’s point of view, is the attempt to share the most precious, valuable gift ever given to man–the gift of eternal life.  Christianity is so wonderful that not sharing this good news is not an option.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, I urge you to examine your heart.  Do you have true peace?  Do you know your sins are forgiven?  Are you confident that you will spend eternity in Heaven?  If not, you might want to open your heart and your mind the next time a Christian wants to share the gospel with you.  You have nothing to lose and eternity to gain.

Sharing Christ’s Love Through Christmas Generosity

At this time of year, most people are in a generous mood.  The Christmas spirit inspires us to share with those in need and we are bombarded with opportunities to give.  From the Salvation Army’s red kettles to Toys for Tots drop boxes to food drives, there are ample choices for everyone to give to those needs that are most dear to their hearts.  There are so many worthy charities that it is hard to decide which ones to support.  Each year I struggle to balance the desire to give to every great cause while staying within my budget. So I want to share some steps that have helped me in making these tough decisions.

1) Ask God for wisdom in determining which charities to support each year.  If we all followed God’s guidance with our giving, all the needs would be met.

2) Decide how much money you can afford to give and stick to your budget.  I once read a definition of debt as “misguided charity.”  Being overly generous can lead to financial difficulties just as surely as greed and selfish spending.

3) Support charities whose values line up with your own.  As a Christian, I support charities sponsored by Christian organizations.  While I recognize that the beneficiaries of charitable giving appreciate the assistance regardless of the source, I want to share the message of Christ’s love while blessing others.

The following are some of the charities that I have supported over the years.

1) Angel Tree–This ministry of Prison Fellowship provides gifts to children of prison inmates.  They desire to reconcile prisoners with their families by delivering gifts to the children in the name of the incarcerated parent.

2) Operation Christmas Child–A ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child has delivered nearly 100 million Christmas gifts in shoeboxes to children all over the world.  Each box contains materials that share Christ’s love and plan of salvation with the recipient.

3) Salvation Army–Through their red buckets and their Angel gifts, the Salvation Army blesses needy children and senior citizens.  The Salvation Army’s mission is to reach the lost, the last, and the least with the message of Christ’s love.

4) Toys for Tots–This toy drive is sponsored by the Marine Corps and Marine Corps reserves and provides toys to disadvantaged children.  The mission of Toys for Tots is to provide a message of hope that will assist children in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. 

5)  Food banks.  I donate to my church’s food ministry and our local food bank.  It’s hard to share Christ’s love with people who are hungry.  When we feed people, they know we care about them and it makes it easier for them to believe that Christ loves them.

That’s my list of favorite charitable organizations. What are some of yours?  What other ways to you share Christ’s love at Christmas?

Christmas celebrates the beginning of Christ’s earthly journey and the hope that He brought to the world.  As we give Christmas gifts to those less fortunate than us, we have an opportunity to share Christ’s love and the infinitely valuable gift He gave us when He left his home in Heaven to live among man and ultimately pay the price for our sins. Please pray and ask God to direct your giving this year.  If we all give as God leads us, many needs will be met and many lives will be changed.  The true message of Christmas is that Christ came to Earth to change lives.