- I do not want to have a church that is built around the dollar bill..." " " " " " " I want it built around Jesus Christ!

Transcription

1 August 24th, 2014 The Good Steward Stewarding Our Money! Terry Baldwin! ( Title Slide )! Don t like talking about tithing or offerings, because...! - The great abuse that has been associated with it. - I do not want to have a church that is built around the dollar bill... I want it built around Jesus Christ! - Some ministries have highjack the scriptures relating to money Time for us to take back the Bible!!!!! There are over 2000 verses on finances and possessions in the Bible. Blessings and curses... God wants us all to know First Principle of being a Good Steward of Money...! What We Have Is Not Our Own [ Psalm 24:1 ] The earth is the Lord s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; [ Haggai 2:8 ] Referring to money The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty. 1

2 - You and I are Stewards, or Managers, to whom God has entrusted a portion of his riches. - You have the privilege and responsibility of taking care of God s property and spending His money in ways that please Him! Does knowing you are a steward & not actually owning anything make you feel sad or insignificant? It shouldn't. - God created you and loves you so much that He entrusted some of His riches to your care. - Looking at your finances this way can be an exciting journey. Look at story of Joseph! [ Genesis 39.4, 6 NLT ] He (Potiphar) put him (Joseph) in charge of his entire household and everything he owned... 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn t worry about a thing except what kind of food to eat! - Joseph didn t own anything in Egypt at this point. He was a slave of Potiphar. - But that didn t keep Potiphar from entrusting to him all that he owned. - Joseph in charge of all that was purchased - Joseph managed his fields and work crews. - He made sure the house was repaired. - Joseph did the books Stewards are much like bank tellers or portfolio managers. They handle or control a lot of money, but they better not start thinking it as their own.!!!!!!! What we have is NOT our own! 2

3 God has clear instructions for stewards. FAITHFULNESS! [ 1 Corinthians 4:2 NKJV ] Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. - The Greek term Steward describes a household MANAGER - Managers are accountable to owners for how they use their finances or material possessions. (Story) In 1989 a family in West Palm Beach Florida gave permission to the film crew of the TV show B. L. Stryker (Burt Reynolds) to use their front lawn as a set for a dramatic car crash scene. But while their front yard was being blown up, the owner of the house called from New York demanding to know what was going on. - Turns out the family who gave permission were renters, not owners. - Owner was upset and was holding everyone accountable for what they did to his property. Owners will hold managers accountable!! God will hold us accountable for anything He has entrusted to us. There is seriousness to having things! 3

4 God s Brief Master Plan for Your Money! 4 God has a plan for your finances. And it s not as complicated Comes from Scripture, how God intends for us to use His money. Remember, this isn t really your money. It s God s money. He s given it to you to manage, and to further His purposes on Earth. #1 Providing for ourselves and our families. [ 1 Timothy 5.8 NLT ] But those who won t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. - This is at the top of the list - most fundamental duty that we must perform with our money. - If we don t use the resources that God gives to provide for the people that depend on us, we ve veered off course from the beginning. - We are not to spend our paychecks on ourselves I ve earned it... I worked hard and deserve a break - Don t put hobby before family needs - Those who gamble God s money away when family needs clothes, glasses, etc. - Many families waste God s money then expect government to take care of family

5 #2 Tithing Sadly, many Christians don t give the 10% tithe of their income that God requires. [ Malachi 3:8 NLT ] Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. - We are very good at making excesses for our lack of tithing ( VIDEO - on tithing ) I heard of companies with Christian owners who tithe from their profits also. - If you worked in the office of those companies and were asked to write the tithing checks for the owner, it really wouldn t bother you to do it. - After all, it s not our money. - We are just doing what the boss asked us to do. - Plus, it really doesn t affect my paycheck anyhow. I know that the boss is also going to pay me. SO... If I really believe that God is the owner and you are the steward of His money, then that s how I should feel about my giving also. - God determines my flow of income and what I should be paid. - I only have to be faithful to allocate it the way He wants. And if He wants a 10th or any other percentage, that s not a problem. He s the owner. - By the way... 10% is the starting block - not the finish line 5

6 #3 Giving Giving to the poor, helping our neighbors and being a blessing. - We live in the most financially blessed society in the history of the world, but many of us are quick to squander the blessings on ourselves....that s not God s plan - We are blessed to be a blessing, - We re to Give to the poor [ Matthew NIV ] Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. - Be generous on every occasion 6 [ 2 Corinthians 9.11 NLT ] 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. - Out of our bounty, we re supposed to make the world a better place, and glorify God in the process - Find a missionary work and bless them! (Story of missionary praying for milk money) - Bless someone today who needs it! (not just friends) - Do your research like a good steward, then give accordingly... Don t throw God s money around nilly willy - Ask God to open your eyes to the needs of others... then use HIS MONEY TO BLESS THEM

7 #4 Building an inheritance [ Proverbs NLT ] A good person leaves an inheritance for their children s children, (Joke) My uncle was the tightest man I ve ever known. All his life, every time he got paid he took $20 out of his paycheck & put it under his mattress. Then he got sick & was about to die. As he was dying, he said to his wife, I want you to promise me one thing. Promise what? she asked. I want you to promise me that when I m dead you ll take my money from under the mattress & put it in my casket so that I can take it all with me. He died, & his wife kept her promise. She went in & got all that money the day he died & went to the bank & deposited it, and wrote out a check and put it in his casket. Building an inheritance for future generations.! - There s nothing wrong with accumulating wealth, and passing it on to your children. - Allong with the inheritance is the wisdom and example on to how to use it What is the #1 reason families Neglect this??? DEBT!!! 7

8 #5 Enjoy Life Yep, that s right, God wants you to enjoy your money. [ I Timothy 6:17 NIV ] 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. - As a manager, Joseph was able to eat the finest foods and wear the best clothes himself. - Stewards often can enjoy the things they manage. It s a perk - Sometimes we think that if we do God s will we are taking a vow of poverty. - While living very frugally might be God s will for some, - God also gives each person different kinds of material blessings. Many a TV preacher has promised WEALTH if you give to that ministry! - Jesus never promised us worldly wealth here on earth, - He does say that the way we manage whatever amount of money or worldly possessions we have is really a spiritual test. And God is grading that test. - How much we have is not an indication of our spirituality; - How we manage what we have is an indication of our spirituality. 8

9 Some believers will be tested on their stewardship with a six-figure income. It s a test one which God may give them a grade of A, B C, D or F. Other believers will be tested with subsistence level living and receive the same variety of grades. 9 So every financial decision is a spiritual decision. Stewardship means a whole different way of thinking. Thinking like stewards does not mean we give up good things. It means that we give up control. And a stewardship mindset does not mean that we don t enjoy good things. It actually means that we enjoy things more. God s Money Manager Can t Stress enough... Have a BUDGET Any good (or even decent) money manager knows where the money under his control goes. Think about it if you called up your money manager and asked where your money was invested and he didn t know and had no way of finding out because it wasn t even documented anywhere wouldn t you be concerned? As Stewards Of God s Money Shouldn t We At The Very Least Know Where It Is All Going?

10 10 (Title Slide ) Remember that there are treasures that await use. The amount is all dependent on how we steward what God has given us (Joke) A man died and went to heaven. He was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter who led him down the golden streets. They past mansions after beautiful mansions until they came to the end of the street where they stopped in front of a shack. The man asked St. Peter why he got a hut when there were so many mansions he could live in. St. Peter replied, I did the best with the money you sent us. I want you to know that your church pays to Foursquare National a 1/10 of all tithe that we receive. This allows for the work of the church to be greater than could possible be with just us