Sermon: Managing God's Money

7/26/09
Spiritual Disciplines Most Difficult to Practice: Managing God’s Money 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Money is a medium of exchange for goods and services. It is a method we use rather than using the barter system of exchanging goods for goods or cervices. Money is neither good nor evil, but can be good or evil.
• The two most private areas in a person’s life are sex and money
o And we have more problems in those areas than any other place
• We don’t study or talk about them
• People have difficulty managing money
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. "Now he who supplies seed to the sewer and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
o how we deal with God’s creation
o Paul is taking a collection for the poor saints, he’s talked to the people about offering
• Giving and confession of faith are tied together
• There’s an assumption that God exists, it’s His, and He has a plan
• Too many choices in America
• 96% of Americans believe in God
• 87% of Americans believe religion is important
• We’re a nation of believers
• Believers in what?
o We believe in Christ, Scriptures are our guide for faith and practice and how we behave
• How do we practice what we believe? Huge challenge for everyone
• Manage God’s money (or economy)
• Proverbs 30:7-9 – (give balance – not too much, or I may forget the Lord, or too little then am tempted to steal)
• "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor 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.”
• Problem with balance is that we work for security to surround us
• Our secret balance is what we make or store against us
• So how do we get the balance?

How does a believer manage God’s Money?

1. Practice God’s Law of the Harvest
• You reap what you sew
• Galatians 6:7-8 – Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
 Wont fool God
• Quality and quantity is bound to what is sewn
• We’re asked to share what God shares
• What is God’s? Everything.
• Psalm 24:1 – “the earth is the Lords, everything in it, the world and all who live in it”
• God only asks for 10%
• Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
• Proverbs 11:23-25 – The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
 God provides for you, so you will can be generous to others
2. Follow a Planned Approach
• One of the most difficult things
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 – Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
• Each man should give what he had decided.
• Decided: prefix pro, determine beforehand what you do with God’s money
• It’s the decision Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
• Giving is about surpluses, what you do first, not last
• Decide what your going to give before you get there
• Psalm 14:1 – The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good”
• Psalm 19:14 – May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
• Psalm 37: 30-31 – The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
• Matthew 6:21 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
• Decisions of matching God’s plans are from the heart
• When you reap what is good, then it becomes stored up inside
 When you make decisions it comes up from you
• Study of brain says that the brain tends towards negativity
• Bible says to tap into something positive
• Life is how we live with what we have
• God is giver of every good thing
• Christianity gives balance and goodness to our lives
• Issue that comes to marriage is about money
• Plan Should be:
 Give 10% First
 Save 10%
 Live off of 80%
• Eliminating choices reduces stress
3. Trust in God’s Grace
• Generosity from trusting God’s grace
• 2 Corinthians 9:8 – God’s grace is abounding; God’s grace is all you need
• Grace is in you, through you
• God’s grace touches every thing we touch
• Trust God
• God gives what you need to get done what God needs you to
• Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
• Discipline is not easy!

One author has called giving “the door to the good life” and “God’s blueprint for the good life.” Everything belongs to God. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to be faithful managers of all that God gives to us. Faithful management means trusting God’s promise of sowing and reaping.