Finances
How to Get Rich, 3 March 2024
04 03 24 Filed in: Sermons | God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
How to Get Rich
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: Intentionality is usually required to make us rich…financially and otherwise.
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
A common wish people have is to get rich. Was that your wish? Today I’m going to tell you how to get rich…and I hope you’re paying attention!
Welcome to week two of our series God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do. It’s true. God loves you and wants you to flourish in this life—and the next—and money can be a tool for good…or an idol to destroy our lives.
It’s so easy to make money our god, our idol. It’s a common factor in divorce. It has split families and friendships. So is money evil?
No. It’s a tool, like food or a hammer or a book. It can be used for good or bad purposes. It can be used or abused. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy and said,
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)
The love of money is the issue, just like the love of pleasure or power or any number of things can get in the way of our relationship with God…and others.
God is more concerned about the heart than the wallet.
One of the problems with the love of money is there never seems to be enough. One billionaire was asked how much was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” The love of money will never lead to contentment. Perhaps that’s why in the book of Hebrews it says,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
God wants us to trust Him, not money. Isn’t it ironic that our currency says, “In God We Trust” when most of us put our trust in money?
I’ve titled this sermon, “How to Get Rich.” So how much money do you need to be rich? By the world’s standards, must of us are already rich. What are we doing about it?
Two weeks ago, Pastor Donald said God owns, we possess. Do you have possessions or does what you have possess you?
One of the core values of our Alliance family says, “Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards.” God owns it all. Your health. Your job. Your retirement account. Your house, car, baseball card collection, wardrobe, …
W. Graham Scroggie said, “There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money--"How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God's money shall I use for myself?"
Back in November, I said,
“Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
On the subject of tithing—giving ten percent of your income to the LORD—I like to say don’t tithe on what you earn. Tithe on what you want to earn! No, I’m not guaranteeing a raise, but it’s amazing how many people think they’ll tithe on a million dollars but refuse to give ten percent of a hundred dollars.
But back to how to get rich. Here’s a simple principle, maybe step one in getting rich…financially. Are you ready?
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
My late grandfather gave me a silver dollar when I was a boy and said if I kept it, I’d never be broke!
It’s no secret USAmericans are drowning in debt. Mortgages, car payments, student loans, medical bills, and perhaps worst of all, credit card debt. I hate debt. It is not only costly financially due to interest, it is an emotional burden.
Addison H. Hallock once said, “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more!”
Proverbs says,
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Many of you just said a silent, Amen!” I must confess we owe a small amount on our house, but we have no other debt. I wanted to say we’re blessed to have no other debt, but it’s not accidental. If I had three pieces of advice about money, I would say,
Work hard.
Spend wisely.
Give generously.
How’s that for a three-point sermon? Let’s go!
Work hard.
I know it’s politically incorrect to say, but some people are just lazy! I’m grateful for government programs and charities who help the disabled who are unable to work, but able-bodied people who choose not to work are stealing from taxpayers who work hard.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece and said,
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, NIV)
We were created to work. Adam and Eve were given the task of naming the animals and caring for the Garden of Eden before they sinned and disobeyed God. I’m quite confident that we will work in heaven, too. It won’t be boring work. We won’t have a mean boss! But we were created to work, to produce, to create, to serve.
We’ve had seasons in our nation when unemployment was high. It created hardships not only financially, but also mentally and emotionally. We were not created to watch tv or play video games or surf the Internet all day!
It’s no surprise to me that many people who retire early and move to Florida to play golf die early. Study after study has shown this. Able-bodied people—and I want to emphasize that again—need to work. It may or may not involve a paycheck. We have many retirees here in our First Alliance family who volunteer countless hours, enabling us to do things we could never afford to do if paid staff were required. Thank you!
I could preach an entire sermon series on work as worship. We spent much of our lives working, and beyond a paycheck, how we work matters. Paul wrote,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Needless to say, hard work will often lead to raises, promotions, more money. So if you want to get rich, the first step is to work hard. The secret is not sports betting, the lottery, Hollywood Casino, or replying to that spam e-mail from Nigeria! It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme or running a shady business. It’s working hard…for the LORD…with rest…with sabbath…with quality time for family and friends…but work hard.
One more thing about work…in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus tells a parable about three workers. He says to two of them,
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23)
He calls the third a “wicked, lazy servant” in verse 26. That’s not what I want Jesus to call me!
I want to slip in one Toledo reference. The seal of the city says in Latin, “To work is to pray.” The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” It’s ok to ask God for a better job, more money, or favor with your boss. Virtually all of us experience emergencies in which we need help. It’s ok to ask God…and it’s ok to ask our church family, too. We have a Benevolence fund the Deacons administrate to assist with emergencies. Simply fill out the form in the lobby kiosk or at the bottom of Wednesdays’ FAC Focus e-newsletter. Family helps family.
Spend wisely.
This is a huge challenge in our consumer culture where every commercial is created to make discontent, conditioning us to want what we don’t have, promising eternal happiness if we just buy…now!
There used to be a time before credit cards when people would actually save up before buying a car or new furniture or even a tv! Contentment is a blessing…an attitude of gratitude. Instead of what you want, think about what you already have. Count your blessings. Many of the things we think we want or even need will end up in a garage sale—or dumpster—in a few years. Some money problems are related to income, but others are about consumption. Let me say it again
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
I have a helpful tool to help you. It’s called a…budget!
I used to struggle with budgets because my income changed from month to month. Then I learned a monthly budget might be more useful than an annual budget. I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence, but let me walk you through a simple budget.
Suppose you earn minimum wage…$10.45/hour. Most entry-level jobs pay more than that, but let’s use that. Your paycheck would be about $784 twice a month, so $1568/month. You can’t spend more than that or you’ll go into debt. Period.
The next step is to look at your expenses and, if necessary, find ways to reduce them. For example, housing is the largest expense for many of us. If you can’t find housing to fit your budget, you might consider a roommate (pets don’t count! They don’t share the bills!).
Food eats up much of our budgets (sorry for the pun). I’ve gone through seasons where instead of eating out, I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which are still affordable even with inflation!). Sure, it’s tempting to see an ad for Mancy’s or even fast food these days (which has skyrocketed in price), but your budget will thank you if you go to Aldi or Kroger instead. Use digital coupons. Look for sales and stock up. If you like to eat out, consider buying a Save-around coupon book in the lobby to support the Germany trip. My $25 investment pays off with two meals using the book.
Transportation is another huge expense. When it’s 70 degrees in February, consider walking! Take the bus. Hang on to the used car before racing to buy a new one with all of the fancy features you can’t afford. Consider reliability over frills. The job of transportation is to get you to your destination, not give you a day at the spa! Maybe a bicycle would fit the bill, especially if we keep having mild winters.
These are some simple examples, and as your income increases, so can your spending…but not until!
A budget brings freedom, not bondage.
Take the time to create one. Income on one side and expenses on the other. As one author says, a budget tells your money where to go. You never need to feel guilty about spending on something that’s in your budget.
Give generously.
I know this one doesn’t make logical sense, but Kingdom math—God math—is amazing! No, I’m not promising that if you stuff the Drop Box you will win the lottery. I’m not saying name it and claim it. I am saying—Jesus said—
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23b)
If we work hard, spend wisely, and live open-handed, God will bless. It might be unexpected financial blessings. Pastor Will Henderson told a great story last week of being given $10,000 out of the blue! That happens to those who are generous. I can tell personal stories of cash taped to my office door, cash appearing in our medicine cabinet, and my favorite story of all, the gift of a minivan hours after we prayed for one (and didn’t tell a soul!). Those stories all happened when we had little people, couldn’t afford to give away a dime, yet chose to take God at His Word and give at least ten percent of our income to our local church. Again, I’m not promising that $100 in the Drop Box will mean $100 will appear in your mailbox or Venmo account this week…but it might…or even more!
The only place I know God says, “Test Me” is in the last book of the Old Testament.
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 there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10, NIV)
There’s an old adage that says, “Pay it forward.” God math often works like that. You can’t outgive God. I dare you to try! It’s such a joy to give. I’ve often said I love giving, especially to First Alliance Church. I see how our frugal budget is invested and the return on investment is amazing…it’s eternal!
This is not a fundraising pitch. God doesn’t need your money…even though First Alliance could use it! This is about an attitude of gratitude that results in generosity and blessing. It might be financial blessing. It might be physical health, enriching relationships, and certainly grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life with God.
Conclusion
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
King David had a brilliant answer.
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Getting rich—being rich—is about so much more than money. No amount of money can buy you true and lasting joy. Money can buy you temporary happiness, and you can experience great peace when you discover contentment and exercise generosity. Being a good steward of the riches you’ve been given brings glory to God. Ultimately, only a relationship with the living God can bring the meaning, purpose, and satisfaction we all seek.
So work hard, spend wisely, give generously, …and seek first the Kingdom of God. He’s where the joy is!
One more thing…
I’m not sure you really want to be financially rich. Many millionaires have expressed the burden of riches.
Actor Jim Carrey said, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer.”
“Two things I ask of you, 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. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: Intentionality is usually required to make us rich…financially and otherwise.
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
A common wish people have is to get rich. Was that your wish? Today I’m going to tell you how to get rich…and I hope you’re paying attention!
Welcome to week two of our series God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do. It’s true. God loves you and wants you to flourish in this life—and the next—and money can be a tool for good…or an idol to destroy our lives.
It’s so easy to make money our god, our idol. It’s a common factor in divorce. It has split families and friendships. So is money evil?
No. It’s a tool, like food or a hammer or a book. It can be used for good or bad purposes. It can be used or abused. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy and said,
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)
The love of money is the issue, just like the love of pleasure or power or any number of things can get in the way of our relationship with God…and others.
God is more concerned about the heart than the wallet.
One of the problems with the love of money is there never seems to be enough. One billionaire was asked how much was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” The love of money will never lead to contentment. Perhaps that’s why in the book of Hebrews it says,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
God wants us to trust Him, not money. Isn’t it ironic that our currency says, “In God We Trust” when most of us put our trust in money?
I’ve titled this sermon, “How to Get Rich.” So how much money do you need to be rich? By the world’s standards, must of us are already rich. What are we doing about it?
Two weeks ago, Pastor Donald said God owns, we possess. Do you have possessions or does what you have possess you?
One of the core values of our Alliance family says, “Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards.” God owns it all. Your health. Your job. Your retirement account. Your house, car, baseball card collection, wardrobe, …
W. Graham Scroggie said, “There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money--"How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God's money shall I use for myself?"
Back in November, I said,
“Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
On the subject of tithing—giving ten percent of your income to the LORD—I like to say don’t tithe on what you earn. Tithe on what you want to earn! No, I’m not guaranteeing a raise, but it’s amazing how many people think they’ll tithe on a million dollars but refuse to give ten percent of a hundred dollars.
But back to how to get rich. Here’s a simple principle, maybe step one in getting rich…financially. Are you ready?
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
My late grandfather gave me a silver dollar when I was a boy and said if I kept it, I’d never be broke!
It’s no secret USAmericans are drowning in debt. Mortgages, car payments, student loans, medical bills, and perhaps worst of all, credit card debt. I hate debt. It is not only costly financially due to interest, it is an emotional burden.
Addison H. Hallock once said, “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more!”
Proverbs says,
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Many of you just said a silent, Amen!” I must confess we owe a small amount on our house, but we have no other debt. I wanted to say we’re blessed to have no other debt, but it’s not accidental. If I had three pieces of advice about money, I would say,
Work hard.
Spend wisely.
Give generously.
How’s that for a three-point sermon? Let’s go!
Work hard.
I know it’s politically incorrect to say, but some people are just lazy! I’m grateful for government programs and charities who help the disabled who are unable to work, but able-bodied people who choose not to work are stealing from taxpayers who work hard.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece and said,
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, NIV)
We were created to work. Adam and Eve were given the task of naming the animals and caring for the Garden of Eden before they sinned and disobeyed God. I’m quite confident that we will work in heaven, too. It won’t be boring work. We won’t have a mean boss! But we were created to work, to produce, to create, to serve.
We’ve had seasons in our nation when unemployment was high. It created hardships not only financially, but also mentally and emotionally. We were not created to watch tv or play video games or surf the Internet all day!
It’s no surprise to me that many people who retire early and move to Florida to play golf die early. Study after study has shown this. Able-bodied people—and I want to emphasize that again—need to work. It may or may not involve a paycheck. We have many retirees here in our First Alliance family who volunteer countless hours, enabling us to do things we could never afford to do if paid staff were required. Thank you!
I could preach an entire sermon series on work as worship. We spent much of our lives working, and beyond a paycheck, how we work matters. Paul wrote,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Needless to say, hard work will often lead to raises, promotions, more money. So if you want to get rich, the first step is to work hard. The secret is not sports betting, the lottery, Hollywood Casino, or replying to that spam e-mail from Nigeria! It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme or running a shady business. It’s working hard…for the LORD…with rest…with sabbath…with quality time for family and friends…but work hard.
One more thing about work…in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus tells a parable about three workers. He says to two of them,
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23)
He calls the third a “wicked, lazy servant” in verse 26. That’s not what I want Jesus to call me!
I want to slip in one Toledo reference. The seal of the city says in Latin, “To work is to pray.” The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” It’s ok to ask God for a better job, more money, or favor with your boss. Virtually all of us experience emergencies in which we need help. It’s ok to ask God…and it’s ok to ask our church family, too. We have a Benevolence fund the Deacons administrate to assist with emergencies. Simply fill out the form in the lobby kiosk or at the bottom of Wednesdays’ FAC Focus e-newsletter. Family helps family.
Spend wisely.
This is a huge challenge in our consumer culture where every commercial is created to make discontent, conditioning us to want what we don’t have, promising eternal happiness if we just buy…now!
There used to be a time before credit cards when people would actually save up before buying a car or new furniture or even a tv! Contentment is a blessing…an attitude of gratitude. Instead of what you want, think about what you already have. Count your blessings. Many of the things we think we want or even need will end up in a garage sale—or dumpster—in a few years. Some money problems are related to income, but others are about consumption. Let me say it again
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
I have a helpful tool to help you. It’s called a…budget!
I used to struggle with budgets because my income changed from month to month. Then I learned a monthly budget might be more useful than an annual budget. I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence, but let me walk you through a simple budget.
Suppose you earn minimum wage…$10.45/hour. Most entry-level jobs pay more than that, but let’s use that. Your paycheck would be about $784 twice a month, so $1568/month. You can’t spend more than that or you’ll go into debt. Period.
The next step is to look at your expenses and, if necessary, find ways to reduce them. For example, housing is the largest expense for many of us. If you can’t find housing to fit your budget, you might consider a roommate (pets don’t count! They don’t share the bills!).
Food eats up much of our budgets (sorry for the pun). I’ve gone through seasons where instead of eating out, I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which are still affordable even with inflation!). Sure, it’s tempting to see an ad for Mancy’s or even fast food these days (which has skyrocketed in price), but your budget will thank you if you go to Aldi or Kroger instead. Use digital coupons. Look for sales and stock up. If you like to eat out, consider buying a Save-around coupon book in the lobby to support the Germany trip. My $25 investment pays off with two meals using the book.
Transportation is another huge expense. When it’s 70 degrees in February, consider walking! Take the bus. Hang on to the used car before racing to buy a new one with all of the fancy features you can’t afford. Consider reliability over frills. The job of transportation is to get you to your destination, not give you a day at the spa! Maybe a bicycle would fit the bill, especially if we keep having mild winters.
These are some simple examples, and as your income increases, so can your spending…but not until!
A budget brings freedom, not bondage.
Take the time to create one. Income on one side and expenses on the other. As one author says, a budget tells your money where to go. You never need to feel guilty about spending on something that’s in your budget.
Give generously.
I know this one doesn’t make logical sense, but Kingdom math—God math—is amazing! No, I’m not promising that if you stuff the Drop Box you will win the lottery. I’m not saying name it and claim it. I am saying—Jesus said—
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23b)
If we work hard, spend wisely, and live open-handed, God will bless. It might be unexpected financial blessings. Pastor Will Henderson told a great story last week of being given $10,000 out of the blue! That happens to those who are generous. I can tell personal stories of cash taped to my office door, cash appearing in our medicine cabinet, and my favorite story of all, the gift of a minivan hours after we prayed for one (and didn’t tell a soul!). Those stories all happened when we had little people, couldn’t afford to give away a dime, yet chose to take God at His Word and give at least ten percent of our income to our local church. Again, I’m not promising that $100 in the Drop Box will mean $100 will appear in your mailbox or Venmo account this week…but it might…or even more!
The only place I know God says, “Test Me” is in the last book of the Old Testament.
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 there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10, NIV)
There’s an old adage that says, “Pay it forward.” God math often works like that. You can’t outgive God. I dare you to try! It’s such a joy to give. I’ve often said I love giving, especially to First Alliance Church. I see how our frugal budget is invested and the return on investment is amazing…it’s eternal!
This is not a fundraising pitch. God doesn’t need your money…even though First Alliance could use it! This is about an attitude of gratitude that results in generosity and blessing. It might be financial blessing. It might be physical health, enriching relationships, and certainly grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life with God.
Conclusion
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
King David had a brilliant answer.
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Getting rich—being rich—is about so much more than money. No amount of money can buy you true and lasting joy. Money can buy you temporary happiness, and you can experience great peace when you discover contentment and exercise generosity. Being a good steward of the riches you’ve been given brings glory to God. Ultimately, only a relationship with the living God can bring the meaning, purpose, and satisfaction we all seek.
So work hard, spend wisely, give generously, …and seek first the Kingdom of God. He’s where the joy is!
One more thing…
I’m not sure you really want to be financially rich. Many millionaires have expressed the burden of riches.
Actor Jim Carrey said, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer.”
“Two things I ask of you, 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. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Money Mess, 13 March 2016
15 03 16 Filed in: Sermons
The Money Mess
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Big Idea: Money is not the root of all evil, but it can mess up our lives if we allow it.
Introduction
Today we’re going to talk about a subject Jesus loved to discuss, a subject He talked about more than heaven and hell combined…money!
Money. Is it a problem for you? It clearly was in the drama.
In our culture we have problems earning money.
We have problems spending money.
We have problems saving money.
We have problems sharing money.
We have a money mess.
In the next thirty minutes I will not solve all of our money problems, but as Tax Day approaches and you’ve had multiple opportunities to invest in God’s work in Toledo and beyond, I’d like to briefly address some money matters with plans to go more in depth in the future.
Earning Money
I was recently privileged to interview more than a dozen Toledoans for a doctorate research project. One question I repeatedly asked was, “What would be good news in Toledo?” A common answer was, “Jobs.” It’s no secret our city has struggled in the midst of the Rust Belt as manufacturing jobs have gone overseas during the past few decades. Although our unemployment rate is only 6.6%, many are underemployed and many have given up entirely on employment and are no longer included in unemployment statistics.
Work is a good thing. Although a burden for many, it was present in the Garden of Eden and I believe will be a part of our eternal lives.
What was Adam and Eve’s work before The Fall?
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
That’s quite a responsibility, ruling over the fish, birds, and living creatures. But there was another task assigned.
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
Adam—and possibly Eve—had to name the animals. Sure, maybe that wasn’t as stressful as dealing with your boss, but think about how creative they had to be after they got through dog, cat, cow, pig, and horse. Rhinoceros. Hippopotamus. That took effort! Seriously, Adam and Eve worked before they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. God designed us to work. We will work in heaven.
In the midst of our crazy election circus, allow me to be political for a moment: if you don’t work, you should not eat.
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. (Proverbs 28:19)
This verse is significant not only because it appears in the Old Testament but also because it is reiterated in the New.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I’m not including, of course, those who cannot work, but every able-bodied person in our nation who wants to eat needs to work. They need to earn money. They need to enjoy the satisfaction of a job well-done, whether it is in a store, the home, an office, or a classroom.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)
We are to work for the Lord…and to earn money to provide for ourselves and, in some instances, others.
Spending Money
This is where USAmericans often get into trouble. Simply: we spend more than we earn.
Non-housing debt is $3.38 trillion. The average household owes $7283 on their credit cards, and only 51% of Americans have enough cash in their emergency accounts to clear themselves of credit card debt.
Debt is a tremendous burden. We’re all aware of the student loan crisis and the earlier housing loan crisis. Proverbs famously states
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Experts disagree whether or not it is ever appropriate to have debt such as a student loan or a mortgage. The point is simply debt is a burden, and credit card debt, in particular, is a tremendous burden because
The solution is simple but not always easy: budget. I admit budgeting has been challenging for me, especially when I was creating annual budgets. I prefer monthly budgeting since incomes and expenses are rarely the same twelve months of the year.
Mint.com has some excellent, free tools for creating a budget and managing your finances.
Dave Ramsey also has a great, free guide to budgeting.
Saving Money
This is one area where we have struggled as a family. Many financial experts advise a six-month emergency fund plus additional savings for retirement and large expenses such as college, cars, and weddings.
As a matter of full disclosure, our family has never had credit card debt. We had a car payment for one year. We have a mortgage on our home of less than 40% of the home’s value. We have largely avoided debt and lived within our means, but we have little savings. Our emergency fund is small. While I personally wish we had six months of income or more in the bank, there is a benefit to our condition. Again, turning to Proverbs:
Two things I ask of you, 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. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Unexpected bills have kept us from amassing a great savings account, but they have also kept us dependent upon God for our daily bread. I’m grateful for that. He has never failed us. There have been so many stories throughout our marriage of God supplying our needs—and often our wants—it’s absolutely silly that I have any money worries at all…but I do.
A friend on our trip told me about his least-favorite verse. He finds it so convicting, and so do I!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do you worry about money? Speaking from experience, it usually boils down to our trust in God. Often our worries stem from lack of fail and/or poor stewardship on our part, spending more than we can afford and then feeling the pressure of mounting debt.
Finally…
Sharing Money
Paul wrote to Timothy…
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. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Perhaps you’ve read this verse and taken exception. “I’m not rich,” you say. Take a look at this…
$32,400
I’m not going to ask for a show of hands, but if you earn this much money per year you are in the richest 1% of the world. It will not rank you in the top 1% in the USA, of course, but most of us are in the richest 1%.
But regardless of your income, are you generous? Or are you stingy?
Do you have an abundance mentality that recognizes the vast resources available to us or a scarcity mentality that clings to every penny?
I must tell you I planned the timing of this message on money months ago, long before I knew we would be raising money for Claro Coffee Bar or our local and international missions partners. I promise you there’s no hidden agenda here, just to be good stewards of God’s gifts.
Imagine my surprise when yesterday I did my daily One Story reading and came across this passage from the Exodus as the people were wandering for 40 years in the wilderness:
Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. (Numbers 11:31-34, NLT)
They were gluttons. They were hoarders. 50 bushels per person? That’s a ton of meat!
We have been blessed with a ton of resources. We have not only dollars but freedom, opportunity, brothers and sisters in Christ, education, the Internet, transportation, technology, health,…and let’s not forget the power of prayer and the presence of God.
So What?
We looked at part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. Timothy was in Ephesus, a huge port city filled with great trade and wealth.
Heather and I both found it to be our favorite of the dozen or so cities we visited. This huge city was once buried under dirt and archaeologists keep excavating the area, uncovering incredible relics of this city of at least 50,000 but possibly as many as 200,000 people.
Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Do you love money? Do you hoard money? Or are you generous?
We often talk about tithing, which literally means giving ten percent. The great thing about a percent is we can all give. We all give a percentage to Columbus and Washington whether we like it or not! The reality is one hundred percent of what we have is a gift from God, a loan from God, if you will. We are to be good stewards of it. We have been blessed to be a blessing. We are not supposed to feel guilty about our wealth, but rather be grateful and generous.
We are to live open-handed, allowing God to give and take away. It’s all His so we can clench our fists and let Him pry things out of our lives or we can freely surrender, knowing He can be trusted with our time, our talents, and our treasures.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Big Idea: Money is not the root of all evil, but it can mess up our lives if we allow it.
Introduction
Today we’re going to talk about a subject Jesus loved to discuss, a subject He talked about more than heaven and hell combined…money!
Money. Is it a problem for you? It clearly was in the drama.
In our culture we have problems earning money.
We have problems spending money.
We have problems saving money.
We have problems sharing money.
We have a money mess.
In the next thirty minutes I will not solve all of our money problems, but as Tax Day approaches and you’ve had multiple opportunities to invest in God’s work in Toledo and beyond, I’d like to briefly address some money matters with plans to go more in depth in the future.
Earning Money
I was recently privileged to interview more than a dozen Toledoans for a doctorate research project. One question I repeatedly asked was, “What would be good news in Toledo?” A common answer was, “Jobs.” It’s no secret our city has struggled in the midst of the Rust Belt as manufacturing jobs have gone overseas during the past few decades. Although our unemployment rate is only 6.6%, many are underemployed and many have given up entirely on employment and are no longer included in unemployment statistics.
Work is a good thing. Although a burden for many, it was present in the Garden of Eden and I believe will be a part of our eternal lives.
What was Adam and Eve’s work before The Fall?
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
That’s quite a responsibility, ruling over the fish, birds, and living creatures. But there was another task assigned.
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
Adam—and possibly Eve—had to name the animals. Sure, maybe that wasn’t as stressful as dealing with your boss, but think about how creative they had to be after they got through dog, cat, cow, pig, and horse. Rhinoceros. Hippopotamus. That took effort! Seriously, Adam and Eve worked before they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. God designed us to work. We will work in heaven.
In the midst of our crazy election circus, allow me to be political for a moment: if you don’t work, you should not eat.
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. (Proverbs 28:19)
This verse is significant not only because it appears in the Old Testament but also because it is reiterated in the New.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I’m not including, of course, those who cannot work, but every able-bodied person in our nation who wants to eat needs to work. They need to earn money. They need to enjoy the satisfaction of a job well-done, whether it is in a store, the home, an office, or a classroom.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)
We are to work for the Lord…and to earn money to provide for ourselves and, in some instances, others.
Spending Money
This is where USAmericans often get into trouble. Simply: we spend more than we earn.
Non-housing debt is $3.38 trillion. The average household owes $7283 on their credit cards, and only 51% of Americans have enough cash in their emergency accounts to clear themselves of credit card debt.
Debt is a tremendous burden. We’re all aware of the student loan crisis and the earlier housing loan crisis. Proverbs famously states
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Experts disagree whether or not it is ever appropriate to have debt such as a student loan or a mortgage. The point is simply debt is a burden, and credit card debt, in particular, is a tremendous burden because
- a) Interest rates are ridiculously high
- b) Many are tempted to only pay the minimum, which only increases your debt
- c) Often credit card debt is the result of poor money management and self-control, buying products that depreciate
- d) Rarely is there a plan to eliminate the debt
The solution is simple but not always easy: budget. I admit budgeting has been challenging for me, especially when I was creating annual budgets. I prefer monthly budgeting since incomes and expenses are rarely the same twelve months of the year.
Mint.com has some excellent, free tools for creating a budget and managing your finances.
Dave Ramsey also has a great, free guide to budgeting.
Saving Money
This is one area where we have struggled as a family. Many financial experts advise a six-month emergency fund plus additional savings for retirement and large expenses such as college, cars, and weddings.
As a matter of full disclosure, our family has never had credit card debt. We had a car payment for one year. We have a mortgage on our home of less than 40% of the home’s value. We have largely avoided debt and lived within our means, but we have little savings. Our emergency fund is small. While I personally wish we had six months of income or more in the bank, there is a benefit to our condition. Again, turning to Proverbs:
Two things I ask of you, 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. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Unexpected bills have kept us from amassing a great savings account, but they have also kept us dependent upon God for our daily bread. I’m grateful for that. He has never failed us. There have been so many stories throughout our marriage of God supplying our needs—and often our wants—it’s absolutely silly that I have any money worries at all…but I do.
A friend on our trip told me about his least-favorite verse. He finds it so convicting, and so do I!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do you worry about money? Speaking from experience, it usually boils down to our trust in God. Often our worries stem from lack of fail and/or poor stewardship on our part, spending more than we can afford and then feeling the pressure of mounting debt.
Finally…
Sharing Money
Paul wrote to Timothy…
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. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Perhaps you’ve read this verse and taken exception. “I’m not rich,” you say. Take a look at this…
$32,400
I’m not going to ask for a show of hands, but if you earn this much money per year you are in the richest 1% of the world. It will not rank you in the top 1% in the USA, of course, but most of us are in the richest 1%.
But regardless of your income, are you generous? Or are you stingy?
Do you have an abundance mentality that recognizes the vast resources available to us or a scarcity mentality that clings to every penny?
I must tell you I planned the timing of this message on money months ago, long before I knew we would be raising money for Claro Coffee Bar or our local and international missions partners. I promise you there’s no hidden agenda here, just to be good stewards of God’s gifts.
Imagine my surprise when yesterday I did my daily One Story reading and came across this passage from the Exodus as the people were wandering for 40 years in the wilderness:
Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. (Numbers 11:31-34, NLT)
They were gluttons. They were hoarders. 50 bushels per person? That’s a ton of meat!
We have been blessed with a ton of resources. We have not only dollars but freedom, opportunity, brothers and sisters in Christ, education, the Internet, transportation, technology, health,…and let’s not forget the power of prayer and the presence of God.
So What?
We looked at part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. Timothy was in Ephesus, a huge port city filled with great trade and wealth.
Heather and I both found it to be our favorite of the dozen or so cities we visited. This huge city was once buried under dirt and archaeologists keep excavating the area, uncovering incredible relics of this city of at least 50,000 but possibly as many as 200,000 people.
Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Do you love money? Do you hoard money? Or are you generous?
We often talk about tithing, which literally means giving ten percent. The great thing about a percent is we can all give. We all give a percentage to Columbus and Washington whether we like it or not! The reality is one hundred percent of what we have is a gift from God, a loan from God, if you will. We are to be good stewards of it. We have been blessed to be a blessing. We are not supposed to feel guilty about our wealth, but rather be grateful and generous.
We are to live open-handed, allowing God to give and take away. It’s all His so we can clench our fists and let Him pry things out of our lives or we can freely surrender, knowing He can be trusted with our time, our talents, and our treasures.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Radical Abandonment, 30 October 2011
You can listen to the podcast here.