Study No. 10
FINANCE - SLAVES to WEALTH?

Excess Debts Are Incurred Because Of:

  1. Over-indulgence - we spend a great deal on the luxuries of life that have no lasting value, such as eating out often, expensive entertainment, extravagant hobbies, sporting goods etc. (Prov.21:17)

  2. Impulsive Buying - we buy things in a time of emotional stirring, with the money in our hand not taking into account already committed funds.

  3. Shaky Investments - we lose money on "get rich quick" investments that rarely pay off. Prov.28:20,22.

  4. Slothfulness - we have difficulty working hard therefore we do not excel in our work and we are always seeking expensive luxuries that will eliminate work. Prov.21:25,26.

  5. Greediness - we are greedy in always desiring more than we have always (almost boastfully) insisting on the best of everything. Luke 12:15.

  6. Covetousness - we are covetous of what we see others have, whether it be by watching our neighbours, our TV, catalogues, other advertising. Ps.73:2-3

  7. Materialistic Love - we feel that our love for our family must be proven, an extravagant bestowal of material things (ie. Christmas, birthdays, etc.) not realizing that love is demonstrated in a life of loyalty and commitment.

  8. Unwise purchases - we buy because of sales pressure on low monthly payments without evaluating the total purchases (ie. encyclopedias, pictures, cookware, etc.)

  9. Wrong use of credit - we use credit cards instead of money when they should be used primarily for convenience.

SOLUTION: Determine to live within your means (Luke 3:14), evaluate future purchases and live a debt-free lifestyle.

DON'T BECOME A SLAVE TO BILLS.

Make sure you are willing to work toward the goal of financial freedom.
1. Do not ignore outstanding debts. (Acts 24:16)
2. Set a date in which to reach "Paid in Full".
3. Be willing to make immediate sacrifice for long-term gain.
4. Be willing to discipline yourself and set guidelines for yourself.

Note Proverbs 22:7 "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave."

Obviously, the Lord wouldn't warn you with this fact and also say, "Owe nothing to anyone..." and not to borrow and then leave you stranded in disobedience. God is "just."

"Just" means that He will always give you the power to do what He tells you to do. The principle in the Lord is "don't borrow, because the borrower always becomes the lender's slave." If you've ever taken a loan, and then become unable to pay it back, you have discovered just how literally true this principle is.

EARLY CHRISTIANS WEREN'T "POOR"

Many Christians purchased their own homes:
...John Mark's mother owned hers (Acts 12:12). She was evidently widowed.
...Lydia, the devout woman of Thyatira, converted by Paul's preaching at owned her own home (Acts 16:40). She was evidently a single woman.
(Both of the above used their homes as churches also).
...Even at the Last Supper, Judas left the table, and the Gospels record the disciples thought he'd probably gone out "to give something to the poor" (John 13:29). Evidently, it was a common thing for Jesus and the disciples to be giving away money. Obviously, they weren't "poor" or they wouldn't have used the term "giving money to the poor." It stands to reason that Jesus would have led His followers to give in this manner. Jesus lived by His Father's Book and lived to honour His Father. Prov.14:31.
...Very rich people constantly gave financial support to Jesus and His Disciples and people with lesser funds helped too.

Luke 8:3
"And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others...were contributing to their support out of their private means."

Sometimes someone will hurriedly point out that there was a time Jesus had to pay His tax "out of a fish's mouth" (Matthew 17:24-27), but that whole episode is simply included in the Bible to tell us two things:

1. Ultimately, God is our only source.
2. God can use any means to provide our finances -- even a fish's mouth!

WHAT DOES GOD FEEL ABOUT WEALTH?

Wealth is a neutral term. It can be used in a positive way and a negative way. There is no particular virtue in God's eyes is a life of poverty nor is there any stigma attached to wealth. It is not our possessions or money or lack of possessions or money that determines our relationship to God, it is our attitude that does. God is first of all concerned with our attitude.

NOTE: With the rich fool, God did not object to his wealth, only his use of it (Luke 12:16-20).

DOES GOD DESIRE HIS PEOPLE TO PROSPER? - YES!!!

A. God not only desires that His people prosper, but He promises that they WILL prosper. (Psalm 1:3; 122:6)
B. True wisdom that comes to the people of God will produce riches and honour (Prov.3:16-17; 8:18).
C. God has always desired blessing for His people (Deut.38:1-14), BUT, all of God's blessings are based on various conditions which include:
  1. Obedience to God (Deut.28:15-68; 19:9; Josh.1:6-8; 3 John 2.)
  2. Placing God first (Matt.6:33; 2 Chron.31:21)
  3. Diligence with what God has given you (Prov.21:5; 24:30-31)

SOME WRONG ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATIONS FOR ACCUMULATING WEALTH.

God is most of all concerned about our attitudes and motives for accumulating wealth. Only the individual involved can know what his or her true motivation really is. Some of the wrong things that can motivate us are these:
  1. We are caught up in the spirit of the age. (1 John 2:15-17)
  2. We are covetous. (Ps.73:2-3; Luke 12:15)
  3. We enjoy the challenge. (Luke 12:18)
  4. It makes us feel important. (1 Tim.6:17)
  5. We feel more secure. (1 Tim.6:17-18; Prov.11:4,28)
  6. We love luxury. (1 Tim.6:8; Eccl.5:10)

THE RIGHT MOTIVATIONS FOR ACCUMULATING WEALTH.

God has given us the patter and example for every good and perfect thing that we are expected to do by Him. When it comes to giving, God is the greatest and highest example. God, who is abundant in mercy, shows mercy (Titus 3:4-7). God, who is rich in grace, gives grace (John 1:14-17). God, who is full of love, extends His love (John 3:16). God, who has everything at His disposal, has freely given to those who are in need (1 Corinthians 8:14-15; 9:6-15; James 1:5,17; John 3:16; Matt. 7:11).

The true motivation, then, for accumulating wealth, is so that we might have to give to those who are in need. This is clearly seen in the life of Joseph. Joseph was warned by God of a famine to come, was instructed by God to store up vast sums in big barns, was given wisdom in the handling of the matter, BUT the purpose was so that in a time of need he would have to give to others.

ECONOMIC CALAMITY AHEAD?

The vast majority of economists say that world chaos is inevitablevery soon. Henry Kissenger recently said, "I cannot conceive of the world being around by the year 2000!" Meanwhile, prices are going up. Someone joked, "Soon they'll be breaking into a car to steal $30.00 worth of groceries from the glove compartment."

"The last three major depressions have been separated by exactly 56 years -- 1817, 1873 and 1929. These depressions occurred exactly at the conclusion of a 56-year period -- one seven year period more than the voluntary limit established for year of Jubilee in the Old Testament. It is as if God has said, "You have seven years to do it My way; if not, I will do it for you."

"When truly difficult times come, it would be well to remember the words of Isaiah who wrote that there is no "safe" investment in the day of God's Wrath:

Isaiah 24:2-3
"And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priests; as with the servant so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word."

As Christians we must remember this:

"Our treasure is in heaven where we look for a city with foundations whose builder and maker is God."

GOD WANTS US TO HANDLE FINANCIAL PROSPERITY.

God wants us to use every talent and possession that He has given to us for the glory of God and the extension of the Kingdom of God. Therefore the most valuable thing that we could do with the things He has given to us is to use them to make spiritual investments (Matt.25:14-30).

A. We are to give to the Poor. (Prov.22:9; Luke 12:33)
B. We are to give to needy members of the Body of Christ. (1 Cor.8:14; 1 John 3:17-18; James 2:15-16)
C. We are to share with other family members. (1 Tim.5:8; Matt.15:5-6)
D. We are at times to open our hands to the unsaved. (Matt.5:42; Luke 16:9-12)
E. We are to give to the ministry. (1 Tim.5:17,18)

This does not mean, however, that we are not to be discriminating in our giving (2 Thess.3:10-15). There are many people that God may be correcting through the means of financial problems. For a well meaning Christian to interfere at this point may take the pressure off that God wants to bring them to Him to strengthen them. We must be careful in all of our giving to seek the mind of the Lord.

BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING WILL HELP US KEEP A PROPER BALANCE IN THIS AREA OF WEALTH.

A. Everything that we have comes from God and belongs to Him. (Gen.39:3)
B. True riches are not material but spiritual. (Prov.22:4)
C. The whole of the material world system is passing away. (2 Peter 3:10-11)
D. True satisfaction comes from being God-like. (Psalm 17:15)
E. The greatest wealth is the Lord's blessing. (Prov.10:22)
F. We are not to seek riches, but should be seeking the kingdom. (Luke 12:31-34)
G. When we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord and the Lord is a debtor to no man. (Ps.19:17; Luke 6:38)

Paul said: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." (Phil.4:12,13) God is wanting to teach His people how to abound so that when they do it, it will not be to build their own barns bigger, but to extend the Kingdom of God.

CAN GOD TRUST YOU WITH FINANCES?

Matthew 6:19-23
  1. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
  2. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
  3. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
  4. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
  5. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Does this mean that Jesus is STEPPING out of the SPIRITUAL REALM when he deals with WORLDLY MATTER?

Jesus TAUGHT MORE on money matters than anything else.

He was VITALLY INTERESTED in that AREA of life.

This law of Finance falls into TWO SECTIONS.

1. STORING UP TREASURE ON EARTH (VS) the value of storing up in heaven.

Verses 19 - 21 centre around the word "treasure". In the first century, gold, silver, precious gems and large land holdings had just as much fascination for men as they do in the twentieth. There may not have been as much monetary exchange then as there is today, but the exchange of time and service for payment has always been the order of the marketplace. That is why we say money is spiritual. It represents time. Time is life. Life is man and man is God's concern.

When a person puts twenty dollars in the offering plate as it goes by, he may be putting in two hours of his life, if he earns ten per hour.

The literal translation of "lay up for yourselves" is "lay up in your own interest". Does this bring the laying up a bit closer home? If our interests centre on earthly treasures and activities, our time and money will be spent in following wherever they may lead us. If, on the other hand, we are giving to Kingdom purposes (not to be seen or impress anyone), but with pure motive, we are laying up to our eternal interest. Each of us must ask, what percent of interest are our investments bearing? Are we sending our treasure on ahead of us, with the assurance of finding worthwhile dividends? Or are our treasures showing signs of corrosion and rust?

2. DEALS WITH CAUSE AND EFFECT.

In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul reminds us, "For the love of money is the root of all evil. Which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Neither Paul nor Jesus taught that money, or treasure, in itself is evil. It is man's response to abundance - lack of worldly belongings - that causes the trouble. This thought brings us to the second phase of the law of finance.

Verse 22 and 23 shift the emphasis in wise use of earthly possessions from the heart to the eye. These two organs, which are of such vital importance to man's daily welfare, are closely tied in the physical as well as in the spiritual.

ANSWER THESE URGENT QUESTION:

* DOES YOUR TIME REALLY BELONG TO GOD?
* DO YOUR TALENTS REALLY BELONG TO GOD?
* DOES YOUR EARNING POWER REALLY BELONG TO GOD?
* DO YOUR POSSESSIONS REALLY BELONG TO GOD?

THE MAN WITH "I" TROUBLE...

Luke 12:16-20
"And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store MY crops? And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down MY barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all MY grain and MY goods. And I will say to MY soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you. And now who will own what you have prepared?"

NOW NOTICE VERSE 21:
"So is the man who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God."

Luke 6:38
"Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For whatever measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt to you in return."

Whatever measure you give to God, that's how He gives back.

How much could the man with "I" trouble take with him? When we die, we leave behind all we have and take with us all we are! Or as Proverbs 11:4 (LB) says: "Your riches won't help you on judgement day; only righteousness counts then."

The man who needed the bigger barns more desperately needed to transfer ownership of all his possessions to God.

GOD OWNS EVERYTHING

Psalm 24:1
"The earth is the Lord's and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it."

WHY DOES GOD REQUIRE THE TITHE?

Of course the CHURCH REQUIRES FINANCES, but more important, the Lord wants to TEACH US TO DEPEND ON HIM.

THE MAN WHO GIVES TO GOD IS SAYING, "I DEPEND ON YOU".

If 10% isn't enough to have us THROW OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD then try giving 20% and depend on Him to take care of needs.

YOU'VE BEEN CALLED TO BE GOD'S 'STEWARDS'

God is looking for unselfish people who will continue to keep all of His work going with the riches they receive. He wants to give each of us His riches to share, but though many are called, few are chosen - only those stewards who will be faithful.

NOTE: YOU MUST KEEP RIGHT ON BEING COMPLETELY FAITHFUL TO GOD WHEN HE DOES GIVE YOU MUCH TO BE FAITHFUL OVER.

Luke 12:28
"...from everyone who is given much shall be required..."

Dwight L. Moody said, "Give in proportion to your income lest God make your income proportionate to your giving!!!"

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