Putting God First in Our
Finances
Proverbs 3:9,10
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
8 Nov, 2009
AM
I.
Introduction (1Timothy 6:17)
A.
This month, we are learning about being Steadfast in our Confidence!
B.
But if anything, God’s people in general are very worried.
1.
They have joined with the economists, and the analysts, and accepted all the
talk about economic disaster and recession, and swine flu, and global warming –
not that non of that exists, but that Christians have lost their confidence in
God!
2.
People who should be looking forward to the rapture, and to the fulfilment of
all the Bible’s prophecies, are instead overwhelmed with fears and concerns
about the future
C.
Let’s turn our attention to the area of money, and to its management. There are
loads of Bible scriptures about money and the Bible is full of wisdom about
managing our money and our finances. In fact, of Jesus' 39 parables, over half
of them use money or the earning of money as a teaching tool.
D.
There are Four Big Principles, or Truths about Handling
1.
The Stewardship Principle
2.
The Investment Principle
3.
The Stress Principle
4.
The Life Principle
E.
I
want to preach on just the first of these principles this morning
F.
Why? Because for most people, if not 98% of all
G.
My intention is to move our trust, labours, love, and need back to the Creator
and Giver of all things
II.
Message
A.
The Stewardship Principle
1.
Everything you have, everything you own, came from God (Psalm 24:1; 50:12; Job
41:11)
a.
Your life, your health, your wife, your children, your job, your hands, your
good looks, your LACK of good looks…
b.
c.
It’s a wild truth!
2.
Illustration: Of Dad taking his sin to McDonalds and taking some of “his” fries
3.
God owns this universe
a.
He owns the dirt, concrete, air, sky, the clouds, the water, the Gold, the
Silver, the brass, the oil, the gas, the trees, the rocks, the mud, the grass,
the sand, the mountains, the caves
b.
Not only that, but He owns the Moon, the stars, the planets, the comets, the
galaxies
c.
And even beyond all that, if you are saved by Jesus Christ, He even owns YOU
(1Cor 6:19,20)
d.
Usually when we own something, we also own everything that goes with it.
1)
For example, if your parents own a car, then usually they also own the radio
that is in the car and the things that are in the trunk of the car and the spare
tire and anything else that goes along with the car. Suppose you were to own a
pet hamster. Probably you would also own the hamster’s cage and water bottle and
food and exercise wheel and whatever else comes with the hamster.
2)
The same is true with God and the believer. Not only does God own the believer,
but He also owns everything that goes with the believer. Not only does God own
ME, but He also owns everything that I have--my clothes, my money, my
possessions, my body and everything else that is mine! It’s all His! He’s the
OWNER!
4.
What does that make US?
a.
Stewards, Managers of someone else’s property – that someone else happens to be
GOD!
b.
A
steward is a man who manages or takes care of another’s property. Like the
manager of a house, or a business. It does not mean the OWNER of the
house/business, but it means the MANAGER of it.
c.
I
am the one who should take good care of the things that belong to God. I am the
one who is responsible to be a good manager of my clothes, my body, my money, my
possessions and all that I have, because all of these things really belong to
WHO? To the Lord!
5.
You weren’t always a steward!
a.
You were a slave – owned by Satan – and your life showed it – selfish,
self-centred, egotistical, rebellious, filthy, ungodly, uncaring – YES! That was
you!
b.
God paid a great price to get you! God paid a great price to get you! "Ye are
bought with a ____________ " (1 Corinthians 6:20).
c.
What price did God pay to purchase you (1 Peter 1:18-19; Romans 8:32)?
d.
From that moment, He made you His servant – in charge of some things that belong
to Him
e.
Too many Christians are in bondage to DEBT, to discouragement, to Bills, to
Laziness
f.
And it is very serious! And it is very wrong! But it is very fixable
6.
This is where we most often fail in the managing of our monies – we forget that
our money – all of it – belongs to God, and He holds us responsible for what we
have (1Cor 4:2). That includes being
a.
Our time
b.
Our talents
c.
Our relationships
d.
Our minds
e.
Our bodies – keep them in good health to serve the Lord
f.
And our Money
7.
How to be a Good Steward with God’s Money
a.
Put God First
(Proverbs 3:9,10)
1)
We may not be rich, but most of us have some money, and we need to realize that
our money belongs to God also.
2)
Hey!
a)
All of the Euros belong to Him and I want to be very careful how I spend every
one of them!
b)
I
want to be a good steward in my use of money.
c)
I
want to use it rightly and wisely in the Presence of my God and Saviour.
d)
"Lord, every cent I have is Yours. Help me to use it in the best possible way!"
e)
It is the right thing for believers to give a tenth of their income to the Lord,
but they also need to remember that all that they have belongs to Him.
3)
So, to put God first means PAY HIM FIRST! Honour Him first!
4)
That means the first bill you pay is 10% of your GROSS INCOME – the money your
employer starts out with!
5)
The first fruits mean just that. It comes before your taxes, bills, or
entertainment. It comes off of the top.
6)
I
know, I know, the government comes in and takes its 40% straight off the top,
but GOD is BIGGER and more important than the government!
7)
The TITHE (a tenth part) belongs to God. God calls “His” part that He says
belongs to Him without question is 10 percent (Mal 3:8-10)!
a)
This means that out of every Euro, 10 cent goes to God.
b)
Out of every ten Euros, one euro would go to God.
c)
Out of every Two hundred Euros, 20 Euros goes to God
d)
It’s not that hard!
8)
Hey! Do EVERYTHING for the Lord Jesus! Including spending and being spent!
9)
Failure To Tithe brings a Curse! Because you actually “rob God!” You
are holding out on paying what God said to pay – not what “I” said!
a)
It’s like racking up €80 in groceries and only paying the attendant €20 and then
trying to walk out of the store! You would be called a THIEF!
b)
The curse is evident in so many people’s lives (Hag 1:6-11)
10)
Honouring the Lord with our money brings great blessing (Mal 3:10)!
a)
God will POUR you out a blessing from the windows of heaven! POUR - not
trickle! POUR -not drop!
b)
God will bless you with so many spiritual blessings that you will not have room
to receive it!
c)
I
don’t know about you this morning, but God has blessed my family. No, we
are not rich, but we have enough! God’s blessings are so much more than
just money. Having “ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS!”
d)
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
e)
Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,
What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all
these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye
have need of all these things. But seek ye first the
11)
Why Do all This?
a)
Because God said so
b)
You will learn contentment
c)
Because, if you obey God, and God will take care of you and your family!
Guaranteed!
d)
Because it is how God’s people take care of God’s church in each community –
without the need for Government handouts, and without the need of denominational
headquarters – just God’s people that love their church
b.
Budget Your Spending
(Proverbs 24:3,4; 27:23)
1)
You need to plan your spending, and keep it controlled
2)
Group the bills and start living within your income!
3)
Have you ever sat down and recorded your expenses?
a)
List how many times you buy fast food instead of fix home cooked meals (which
cost HALF the price)!
b)
List how many sweats and chocolates and cokes and coffees you buy!
c)
List how many times you buy clothes and shoes!
4)
Take control of your spending!!!
5)
How should your budget work?
6)
I’ll talk more about this next week
c.
Pay Your Bills
(Romans 13:8). Otherwise you are a thief (1Cor 6:9,10). If you owe someone for
something, PAY IT BACK!
d.
Cut Expenses
– REDUCING YOUR SPENDING! (Proverbs 27:17)
1)
Cut out Sky Digital
2)
Hey! Cut out TV altogether and see how much you could save and how many books
you and your kids will read!!!
3)
Cut out Brown Thomas and shop in Dunnes and Penneys
4)
Cut out the steaks and all the HUGE portions people are getting used to eating –
eat salads with your meals, and butter some
5)
Quit buying every toy your child asks for
6)
Stop using your credit cards like they are money – THEY ARE NOT! They are LOAN
SHARKS! 15% and up in interest! That means, every
7)
How much money would you save if you put down those cigarettes?
8)
I
wonder?
e.
Be Ever Busy Working to Make
Money (1Tim 5:8;
Proverbs 10:4) – NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THIS!
1)
Take a look around – find SOMETHING TO DO TO MAKE SOME MONEY
2)
Find what people need done (shrub cutting, rubbish clean up, fixing cars) – and
then offer to do it!
3)
Get good at making money!
4)
That’s why you needed to learn at school, and finish college, and get a job
while young, and learn the value of work
f.
Save Something Every Month
(Proverbs 30:24,25; 21:20)
g.
Give money away without strings
attached (Luke
6:38)
h.
Lastly, Pray!
Pray for God to help you trust Him as you obey His instructions. Pray for God to
keep His promises! Pray for the ability to wait on the Lord and not get
impatient (Hebrews 10:36)
III.
Conclusion
A.
There are Four Big Principles, or Truths about Handling
1.
The Stewardship Principle
2.
The Investment Principle
3.
The Stress Principle
4.
The Life Principle
B.
I
have taught you just the first of these principles this morning
C.
Why? Because for most people, if not 98% of all
D.
We all need to move our trust, labours, love, and need back to the Creator and
Giver of all things
E.
We do that by First Obeying The Stewardship Principle
1.
Everything you have, everything you own, came from God. Your life, your health,
your wife, your children, your job, your hands, your good looks, your LACK of
good looks…
2.
God owns this universe
3.
And even beyond all that, if you are saved by Jesus Christ, He even owns YOU
(1Cor 6:19,20)
4.
What does that make US? Stewards, Managers of someone else’s property – that
someone else happens to be GOD!
5.
So, it is Time be a Good Steward with God’s Money
a.
By Putting God First in Our
Spending
(Proverbs 3:9,10)
1)
Is the first bill you pay 10% of your GROSS income to God?
2)
The first fruits mean just that. It comes before your taxes, bills, or
entertainment. It comes off of the top.
3)
The TITHE (a tenth part) belongs to God
4)
Failure To Tithe brings a Curse!
5)
Honouring the Lord with our money brings great blessing
b.
By Budgeting Our Spending
1)
You need to plan your spending, and keep it controlled
2)
Group the bills and start living within your income!
3)
Have you ever sat down and recorded your expenses?
4)
Take control of your spending!!!
5)
How should your budget work?
6)
I’ll talk more about this next week
c.
By Paying Our Bills
d.
By Cutting Expenses
e.
By Being Ever Busy Working to
Make Money
f.
By Saving Something Every Month
g.
By Giving money away without
strings attached
h.
Lastly, Pray!
Pray for God to help you trust Him as you obey His instructions and wait on the
Lord and not get impatient
6.
You weren’t always a steward!
a.
You were a slave – owned by Satan – and your life showed it – selfish,
self-centred, egotistical, rebellious, filthy, ungodly, uncaring – YES! That was
you!
b.
God paid a great price to get you! God paid a great price to get you! "Ye are
bought with a ____________ " (1 Corinthians 6:20).
c.
What price did God pay to purchase you (1 Peter 1:18-19; Romans 8:32)?
d.
From that moment, He made you His servant – in charge of some things that belong
to Him
e.
Too many Christians are in bondage to DEBT, to discouragement, to Bills, to
Laziness
f.
And it is very serious! And it is very wrong! But it is very fixable