The Simplest Money Course Ever
by Pastor Errol Hale
Eight Principles of Stewardship — Matthew 25:14-30
Stewardship begins with submission to Christ's Lordship.
All that I have has been given to me to manage.
God gives to me based on His sovereign will and my ability.
Jesus will return and require an accounting.
God requires faithfulness -- not success.
I must manage God's goods according to His priorities and principles, not my own, or my incorrect opinion of His.
How I manage His things reveals my relationship with Him.
Based on that relationship (as revealed by my stewardship) I will receive either commendation or condemnation.
Definition of Money:
Any medium of exchange which is accepted as payment for goods, services and debts.
Money is the representation of work.
Importance of Money:
1. 1/3 of Jesus' parables were either about money or used money as the basis of illustration.
Warned not to set heart on it.
Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
It is an indicator of the heart.
Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Can't serve God and Money.
Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Don't seek it or worry about it.
Matthew 6:31-34 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things."
Jesus chastens disciples for being unwise concerning money.
Luke 16:8 & 11 "So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light . . . Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"
Paul warns the rich.
1 Timothy 6:17 "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (also James 5:1-6)
Jesus warns about riches.
Mark 10:23-25 "Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"
Love of money is root of all kinds of evil.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
Purpose of Money:
Care for Family.
1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Help needy.
Ephesians 4:28 "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need."
Support Ministry.
1 Corinthians 9:14 "Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel."
Honor God.
Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine."
How To Get Money:
WORK!
Proverbs 18:9 "He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer."
Proverbs 14:23 "In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty."
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15 "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed."
Warnings against gaining money through "get rich quick schemes"
Proverbs 20:21 "An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end."
Proverbs 28:20 & 22 "A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished . . . A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him."
Warning against gaining money dishonestly
Proverbs 13:11 "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase."
Proverbs 21:6 "Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death."
What is True Prosperity:
Contentment.
1 Timothy 6:6 "Now godliness with contentment is great gain."
Wealth brings with it more things to consume it.
Ecclesiastes 5:11 "When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?"
No matter how much you have, it is never enough.
The Emperor Nero entered his garden house for the first time. He inspected the statue of himself, 120 feet high. He saw the enclosed lake surrounded by buildings that were designed to represent the cities of his empire. He admired the pillared arcade that stretched for a mile, the dining rooms paved with marble, the ceilings of gold and fretted ivory inlaid with jewels and said "At last, I am beginning to live like a human being!"
Contentment is learned -- by experiencing both plenty and want.
Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Three Common Financial Pitfalls For Christians: Taxes, Giving and Debt
Taxes:
Jesus paid taxes.
Matthew 17:24-27 "When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, 'Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?' He said, 'Yes.' And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, 'What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?' Peter said to Him, 'From strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.'"
Jesus told us to pay taxes.
Matthew 22:15-22 "Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, 'Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?' But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, 'Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.' So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, 'Whose image and inscription is this?' They said to Him, 'Caesar's.' And He said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way."
Giving:
Wrong reasons to give:
Do not give in order to receive money
Do not give in order to receive glory (Matthew 6:1-4)
Do not give because God is broke (Psalm 50:10-12)
Do not give based on feelings or coercion (1 Corinthians 16:3)
Right reasons to give:
Give because it is commanded (1 Corinthians 16:1-3)
Give because of gratitude (Mark 12:41-44)
How to give: Faith offering.
Genesis 4:3-5 Abel was respected Cain was not.Why? At the heart it was not a matter of grain v. blood. It was a matter of Faith.
Hebrews. 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks."
What is a faith offering?
2 Corinthians 8:1-3 "Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,"
Faith Giving Formula: Ability + More = Faith
What about TITHING?
Malachi 3:8-10 "'Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,' says the LORD of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'"
For some, 10% is a great gift of faith. For others, it is robbing God!
HOW are we to give?
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem."
Commanded "Orders . . .you must do also"
Regular/Systematic "First day of the week"
Proportional "storing up as he may prosper"
Not Manipulated "no [special] collections when I come"
Responsible "Whomever you approve . . .I will send to bear your gift"
Debt:
To be avoided.
Proverbs 22:7 "The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender."
What is Financial Bondage?
Living beyond your means (What are my means? Whatever God has gifted me with MINUS Taxes and Tithing.)
Owing more on anything than you can easilyliquidate it for.
What about Bankruptcy?
Psalm 37:21 "The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives."
Reorganization? May be necessary. (Reorganization is only court assistance for what you should have been doing all along.)
Cancel debts? Do not expect God's blessing.
Use charge cards, NEVER credit cards!
When you pay your entire balance every month, you are charging. When you pay less than the balance, you are going into debt with credit cards!
What about co-signing?
Proverbs 11:15 "He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure."
Proverbs 17:18 "A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend."
Proverbs 22:26-27 "Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?"
The Importance of Budgeting:
Live within your means. PERIOD!
Saving and Investing:
Charles Wesley advised: "Make all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can!"
Having savings is not unbiblical.
Proverbs 20:4 "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing."
Proverbs 21:20 "The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends all he gets." (The Living Bible)
It is unbiblical to trust in your savings or to have anxious thoughts about money. (Matthew 6)
How To Figure A Budget:
It is not godly to fail to plan. God plans. Jesus didn't just happen to die on the cross for us. It was all a part of God's plan!
A simplified budget plan:
Gross Pay 100%
Minus Taxes 20%
Minus Tithe 10%
You have 70% of your gross income left.
Divide what is left:
Savings for retirement. 10%
Not to be spent until then!
Living expenses. 70%
That means EVERYTHING! You must adjust your expenses to fit this number, not this number to fit your expenses!
To clear present debts and then to save for things that you used to buy on credit. 20%
If you are NOT paying your taxes;
If you are NOT tithing (giving a faith offering);
If you are NOT serious about getting out of debt and staying out;
Then praying for God to bless your finances is: at best meaningless – and at worst an affront to God!
"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds
to your account." – The Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:17
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