Generous In Every Way is a look at God’s plan for our wallets. Does it surprise you that in a land as free and wealthy as ours, greed is seen by too many as king?
The Earth Is The Lord’s
How much of what you own is yours? If you measure it with a… Maybe, when you consider… Ok, none of it. I know that might be a shock to your ears, but nothing that belongs to you is yours. Not your home, your dog, your wife and kids – nothing. Everything belongs to God. That’s why we talk about stewardship. Stewardship isn’t your use of your possessions. Stewardship is your use of someone else’s possessions.
Life is Easier
Now that we have the ownership out of the way, life gets easier.
1) You don’t need to worry about your money. It doesn’t control you. You don’t live to amass wealth. God already has treasure stored up for you in heaven.
2) You can be generous. The parable of the Shrewd Manager is one of the most puzzling parables in the Bible until you realize that the man was playing with house money. This is how we live. The reason we can be generous is because it’s not our money anyway! If your purpose is to live for Jesus and leverage every relationship for the kingdom, the purpose for money changes. How different would your life be if you didn’t make the goal of your life amassing wealth?
So how much exactly?
That brings us to the nuts and bolts of financial stewardship in your life. How much exactly does God want you to give? He did tell his Old Testament people that they were supposed to tithe – that is 10% of their income was devoted to the Lord. He doesn’t hold us to that in the New Testament. If you give nothing to God – start at 1%. After one year prayerfully consider going to 2%. Then after another year, if you successfully make it to 3% – congratulations! You’re at the national average. Whatever figure you set aside in your heart to give to God, cheerfully bring your gifts back to the giver.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s Bible study Generous In Every Way.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.