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Money Management for the Christian
Bible Study
(Click
for printable version using Acrobat Reader format)
(Printable version is 52 pages)
Click the red dot for a ten minute PowerPoint/Audio Introduction
Part I - Attitude
FORGOTTEN FREEDOMS
-A
Forgetful People
-Developing
the Right Attitude
-Wise
Counsel - The Bridge to
GETTING INTO A POSITION OF BLESSING
-What Is a
Christian?
-Faith Is the Key
-The Power of Faith
-God's Blessings for the Christian
THE
-Winning the Battle
WHY
MONEY?
-The Blessing of Provision
Part II - Application
FINANCIAL FREEDOM - GOD'S WAY
-Warnings to the Rich
-God Owns It All
-Ownership vs.
Stewardship
THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING
-First Things First
-Planning - The Responsibility of a Leader
-The Results of a Wise Plan
GOD'S PERSPECTIVE ON WORK
-From the Beginning
-Attitude of Service
RELEASING THE BLESSINGS
-Beginning with the Tithe
-Beyond the Tithe
-
Part III - Assimilation
LIVING WITHOUT
DEBT
-To Borrow or Not to Borrow
-The Dangers of Debt
-Savings
LONG-TERM PLANNING
-Check Your Motive
-Plan Your Method
-Serve Your Master
TEACHING CHILDREN
-Teaching by Example
-Teaching in Love
-Teaching with Hope
THE GOVERNMENT - FRIEND OR
FOE?
-God and Government
-You and Government
-Government as a Provider
CONCLUSION
Anyone can have financial order in their lives by simply
deciding to live a
disciplined life in accordance with a wise budget plan.
By following a logical step-by-step plan, minimizing debt, and being
cautious of emotional and impulsive spending, anyone can get control of his
finances
God's plan for the Christian not only offers a life of financial order, but
better yet, a life of FINANCIAL FREEDOM!
As you will learn as you progress through this workbook, financial
freedom is the result of having the right attitude, not an abundance of money.
Many of the wealthiest people in the world are living in bondage.
Money can buy the things and experiences that bring temporary pleasure,
but it can never buy the peace and contentment that are the by-products of
freedom.
This workbook will guide you through a self-study of many of the important
Biblical principles regarding money, planning, working, giving, saving,
investing, teaching children, and relating to government.
The main objective of this workbook is to equip the Christian with the
Biblical knowledge to understand why it is important to live in accordance with
God's plan for financial freedom.
I hope that this study will strengthen your faith and dependence upon the Word
of God as THE absolute, not only in the area of money management, but in
all of the issues of life.
Part I - Attitude
“Forgotten
Freedoms”
"
James 1:8
Our attitude about money and the way we handle it serves as an
excellent indicator of our level of commitment to God's principles.
In most cases, money problems on the outside are nothing more than
indicators of spiritual problems on the inside.
As a result of the wise plans of the obedient servant Joseph, all of
The Pharaoh of Egypt made the Israelites his slaves.
He afflicted them with great burden by making them build his cities.
He “... made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in
brick, and in all manner of service in the field:
all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.” (Exodus
1:14)
After years of being held in bondage as slaves, the children of
1. Read Exodus
14:11,12. Even after seeing the
miraculous way that God had freed them from
2. Read Exodus
3. Read Exodus
15:24; 16:2,8; 17:3; Numbers 14:27; 17:5.
What was the common attitude of the
Israelites?
The
Israelites were quick to forget the freedoms God had given them.
At every test of their faith, they were quick to offer their God given
freedom in exchange for their return to the
sufferings of bondage to slavery.
Developing the right attitude can only occur as a result of having the right
convictions in your heart. “For
as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:...”
Proverb
23:7. The choices you make in life
(wise or foolish) will be a reflection of the strength of your convictions.
4. Read
Philippians 2:13-15. Our
testimony is displayed in our attitude (our true heart felt convictions).
The development of a right attitude is dependent upon a growing knowledge
of who God is and the capability of His power.
a. How should the Christian do all
things and why? (vs. 14,15)
b. In the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, what will be the result of our testimony?
(vs.15)
Only with the right attitude (convictions in your heart) will God's
freedoms become a
reality in your life. As a
result of your having the right attitude, you
will have a tremendous opportunity to give testimony
of Him to a needy world.
5. Read Luke
16:13. Jesus makes it clear that
we must choose. He said that we must choose between what two things?
6. Read James
1:8. What happens to a person
that lives without conviction and refuses to make a choice?
7. Read Matthew
6:19-21. What does Jesus warn us
will result from the choices we make?
8. Read II Peter
2:19. Many have bought the lie
that the things of the world can bring happiness.
What does this verse say will happen as a result of our weakness?
Anything material (houses, cars, boats, clothes, furniture, etc.) that
takes priority over God will put us in bondage to that thing.
We begin to care more for the things in life than we do for people and
our relationship with God.
The first sign of being in financial bondage is usually a decrease in our
interest in spiritual things. This
occurs first in our personal lives (Bible study, prayer, giving). It then
spreads like a cancer into our relationships with our spouse and other members
of our family. Almost simultaneously there is a decrease in church attendance
and association with those still active in the church.
At first, we compromise or make excuses for our change in priorities.
We may even try to fake it as a way of avoiding confrontation.
But soon, our lives are noticeably filled with worry where there was once
peace, anger where there was once love, and greed where there was once contentment.
As time goes on, we begin to move further and further away from God's
plan for financial freedom.
9. Read I
Corinthians 3:3 and James 3:16. Explain
what happens to the Christian when he/she becomes self-seeking?
10. Read Luke 12:13-21.
What did Jesus say about hoarding and greed in the parable of the Rich
fool?
11. Read Psalm 73:2-3.
What can happen when we become jealous of others?
12. Read Proverbs
Wise
Counsel - The Bridge to
Many
times for Christians, financial
problems are not a result of their unwillingness to implement God's principles
into their lives but rather an ignorance of the principles themselves.
Until we are able to search out and find these principles, we might
need to seek the counsel from those who understand and are actively applying
these principles in their lives.
13.
Read Proverbs 14:15. What
is the advice of this verse?
14. Read Proverbs
15. Read Proverbs 20:5.
What kind of person is able to make use of wise counsel?
16. Read Proverbs 19:21.
The wise man seeks the counsel of others in order to
ultimately determine what?
“GETTING
INTO A POSITION OF BLESSING”
Proverb 10:22
For
the Christian, materialism is the number one threat to a continued walk
with the Lord. Many Christian
families have traded God's gift of financial freedom
for the temporary pleasures of material possessions.
Money Management for the Christian is
a study aimed at helping the Christian understand and implement God's plan for
financial freedom.
The
term “Christian” was a title first given to the early followers of
Christ. They were people who first
believed in Jesus as the Savior of the World. They
believed that He was the Son Of God. They
trusted Him when He told them that because of their belief in Him, they would spend eternity with
Him in Heaven.
1. A Christian is
one who has believed in Jesus.
Read James 2:19 and comment on the difference between someone who
believes about Jesus and someone who believes in
Jesus.
2. Read
Ephesians 2:8,9. Does being a
good person help insure that God will be more willing to let you into Heaven
after you die? What is the key point
in this verse?
3. Read
Revelation 3:20. Because of
Jesus, is it automatic that all good people will go to Heaven?
What must we do?
4. Read I John
5:13. For the Christian, what is
the most important point in this verse in reference to our assurance of going to
heaven after we die?
Financial
freedom occurs when we truly have the faith to put our trust in God as the
source of everything and every ability we possess or ever hope to
possess. With that
attitude, we begin to live our lives with the number one
purpose of pleasing God.
As
we study the Biblical heroes of faith, we can sense their total belief in God's
words. We can see how He blessed
them greatly as a result of their faith. Read
the entire 11th chapter of Hebrews.
5.
Name three of these great men of faith and describe what they did as a
result of their faith:
6. In Hebrews
11:6, it tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God.
What must the Christian do if we are to please God?
The
one thing that got the attention of Jesus more than anything else was when He
found a person with faith. Since He
knew the hearts of all men, He knew when a person's faith was genuine.
Riches and wealth did not impress Him in the least. But when He
found a person with faith, He got excited. He
continued to impress on His disciples the importance of even a little faith.
God
knows your heart today. He knows to
what degree you truly trust in Him with your finances.
You may tithe and still not have reached a point of
TOTAL TRUST in God with your finances.
Don't underestimate the power of true faith!
7.
Read Matthew 17:14-20. What
did Jesus use to compare the amount of faith we
must have to do great things?
8. Read Matthew
8:5-13. How did Jesus respond to
this man's faith in verse 10?
9. Read Matthew
9:27-30.
a. What did Jesus first ask the
blind men?
b. When Jesus touched their eyes,
what stipulation did Jesus put on their ability to be healed?
The
power of faith is available to every Christian.
Just as with the blind men,
Jesus asks us if we believe He is able. Even
if you "say" yes, His touch in your life will only occur as a result
of a true belief in your heart.
10. Read II Chronicles 16:9
a.
What kind of person is God searching for throughout the
whole earth?
b.
What will He do when He finds them?
God's
Blessings for the Christian
The blessing of spending eternity in Heaven is God's most
wonderful gift that
is freely given to all Christians.
God also has a plan that will allow the Christian to live a happy,
peaceful life now. The secret
to this happy, peaceful life is
found in the many principles located throughout the Bible.
For
the Christian, the blessings of eternity are given but the blessings of the
present are chosen.
The blessings of wisdom, peace, freedom, joy, love,
patience, happiness, knowledge, fruitfulness, riches in the Lord,
provision, prosperity, and success are but a few of the blessings of the
present that are available to the Christian
who is willing to apply God's principles in their life.
11. Read Psalm 119:165.
What is the requirement to have great peace?
12. Read John 14:27.
Jesus made a specific point to mention that the peace He gives is
different from what?
13. Read John 10:10.
What kind of life did Jesus want us to live now?
An
opinion is nothing more than a personal preference.
A conviction is a heart felt belief rooted in your moral value
system. Your convictions are how you see yourself spiritually and your moral
responsibilities. When the convictions of your heart are aligned with the wisdom of God found in the
Bible, you will then be in a position to receive God's blessings.
14.
Read Romans 12:1,2. What
must we do to put ourselves in a position to see God's will for our
lives?
15. Read Colossians 2:8.
What must we be careful about when getting advice
from those who are depending on the wisdom of the world?
16. Read II Timothy 2:15.
What is the one thing we must continually do to gain the knowledge and
confidence we need to make the right decisions.
a. Read
Psalm 119:2
b. Read
Psalm 128:1,2
c.
Read Proverbs 28:20
d.
Read
Luke 11:28
e. Read
Revelation 22:14
18. Read Deuteronomy
28:1-14. What are the
prerequisites to receive the blessings of
the Lord?
For the Christian, God has a plan for eternal life.
For the Christian who desires to
align their convictions with the Bible and live a life of obedience, God has a
plan filled with blessing. One of
those blessings is financial freedom.
The material distractions of this world have caused many Christians to settle
for a life of mediocrity filled with sorrows.
God offers every Christian His bountiful blessings in return for our
faithful obedience. Why would we
want to settle for anything less?
What should we do to avoid the sorrows that it brings?
20.
The world's offer is nothing more than a mirage.
Read Proverbs 10:22. What
does God's Word say will really make us rich?
21. Read Luke 16:11.
What is the first thing the Christian must do before God will begin to
show him the true riches of His blessings?
The blessings of the Lord are waiting for the Christian, but it is the individual responsibility of each person to get into a position to receive them. If you have never made the decision to believe in Jesus as your Savior, then that becomes your first step to getting into a position of blessing. If you have made that decision, then you must now decide to begin applying His principles in your everyday life.
“THE
BATTLE FOR FREEDOM”
Proverb 22:4
There
is a great battle that is going on inside of every Christian.
This battle is between our inherited sinful nature (Romans
One of the greatest weapons of the enemy is the love of MONEY!
Everyday, we are
attacked from every side in hopes of getting us to accept this attitude
of the enemy. We are told
that we must satisfy our wants and desires.
We are told that to satisfy these
cravings will bring us happiness and peace.
We are also told that more is better and new is best,
irregardless of the price or sacrifice
required to have it.
The financial defeat a person experiences in their lives as a result of poor planning, greed, hoarding, impulsive buying, jealousy, wasting, and debt are examples of how powerful this weapon (the love of money) can be. Not only can it rob us of our freedom, but also it has the power, if used in the wrong way, to distract the Christian from serving the Lord and destroy healthy marriages and families.
Winning
the Battle
The battle can be won by understanding and
applying the Biblical strategy for victory.
Step 1: Understanding Truth and Where to Find It
1.
Read John 8:30-32. God's
divine strategy for victory for the Christian is found in the Bible.
a.
What did Jesus say the Christian must do to become His disciple?
(vs. 31)
b.
As a result, what did He say would make us free? (vs. 32)
2. Read John
14:6. What did Jesus say was
truth?
3. Read
Galatians 5:1. Therefore, who
has made us free?
4. Read John
5. Read John
6. Read John
7. Read I John
4:4-6. What can the Christian
differentiate between?
Not only is the Christian free from the penalty of our sinful nature (promise of eternal life in Heaven), but also he is given the opportunity to experience freedom from the things that enslave people on this earth. This great benefit can be enjoyed by developing the attitude of Christ which allows him to recognize the truth.
Step 2: Knowing and Fearing the Lord
When the Bible speaks of fearing the Lord, it does not mean to be afraid but rather to have a reverential awe of who He is. The further we distance ourselves from God, the less we fear Him. The less we fear Him, the less we are willing to acknowledge our need to know His truth. Without His truth, we live a defeated Christian life.
Conversely, the closer we draw ourselves to Him, the better we know Him. The better we know Him, the more we fear Him and subsequently recognize the need to know and apply His truth in our lives.
8.
Read I John 2:3-6;
a.
What is a sure sign that we know Jesus?
(vs. 3)
b.
How can we recognize someone who does not know Jesus?
(vs. 4)
9. Read Titus
1:16. How can we recognize false
teachers that profess to know God?
10. Read I John 5:20.
As a Christian, what has Jesus given us the ability to
understand?
We learn to know about God as we read and study His Word. We learn to know God when we start depending on Him in every area of life. This results in the development of our prayer life. The more we see Him work in our lives; the more we know and understand Him. The more we know and understand Him, the more we fear Him. A healthy fear of the Lord is our most powerful weapon in our battle for freedom.
11.
Read the following verses and list the benefits of a fear of the
Lord (reverential awe):
a.
Proverbs 1:7
b.
Proverbs
c.
Proverbs 10:27
d.
Proverbs
e. Proverbs
f.. Proverbs
16:6
g.
Proverbs
h.
Proverbs 28:14
i.
Psalm 34:9
j.
Psalm 112:1, 3
There
is great benefit to the one who feareth the Lord.
The blessings of the Lord are surely on his house (life).
12. Read Proverbs 24:3,4.
What are the results in the Christians life of having a
fear of the Lord?
a.
Through WISDOM (vs. 3)
b.
and by UNDERSTANDING (vs. 3)
c.
And by KNOWLEDGE (vs. 4)
13. Read Deuteronomy
14:22-23. When the law of the
tithe was established, what was an important lesson to be learned?... that thou mayest learn to_________________.
14. Read Luke 6:46-49.
As a believer in Christ (a Christian), Jesus becomes our Lord.
There is only one way that the Christian can be assured of a spiritual
foundation that will insure a life of freedom from the worries of
finances or any other issue of life.
That is, when we learn of God's ways, what must we
do? (vs. 47)
15. Read James 4:17.
What is the result of the Christian knowing what to do and choosing not to do it?
The materialistic world that we live in has a never ending supply of ammunition for the enemy to use to tempt us. There is something for everyone; from nice clothes and accessories for our homes to hunting equipment and fancy fishing boats.
16.
Read Matthew 26:41.
a.
What did Jesus say we must do to avoid temptation?
b.
Although our spirit might be willing to do the right thing, what
did Jesus say would be our weakness?
In
effect, the battle has actually already been won by the blood of Christ on the
cross. To claim the victory, we must
choose to walk in His truth as found in His
principles (God's guidelines for living).
This can be done through the daily
(moment by moment) surrender of our lives to God's
ways, not ours.
As we transfer more of the control of our lives to Him, we learn to become
better stewards (managers) of all areas of our life.
When this happens, the battle for freedom has been won!
“WHY
MONEY?”
“He that trusteth in his
riches shall fall: but the righteous
shall flourish as a branch.”
Proverb 11:28
Money
in itself is only as valuable as the paper (or plastic) it is written on.
The value of money is in its ability to be traded for needed items
(food, clothes, homes, cars, etc.). Because
of our limited ability to exchange services and goods (barter), we have
grown dependent upon money to have the things that we need.
Since it first began being used, many people have grown to accept the
attitude that money brings
happiness. They believe that it is
the pleasures that money buys that brings happiness.
Jesus spent much of his time trying to convince people of just the opposite. It may
bring temporary satisfaction through the enjoyment of pleasure, but money
never has nor will it ever bring true happiness.
Although the people of Jesus' time were basically poor, Jesus knew that money
was the one thing that they all had in common.
Money and wealth became an excellent tool for Him to use to get their
attention as He taught about the
Material
Provision:
Because of a lack of faith and trust
in God as The Provider, those with an abundance fear losing their wealth; those
that live on little worry about having enough.
The results are that both rich and poor live a life of bondage.
With the
right attitude, God's Word can point every Christian (rich and poor)
to a life filled with peace and financial freedom through His promise of the
blessing of provision.
1. Read Matthew
6:25-34.
a.
What does Jesus tell us not to worry about?
(vs. 25)
b.
How did Jesus use the fowls
of the air as an illustration? (vs.
26)
c.
What did Jesus indicate keeps us from trusting Him like
we should? (vs. 30)
d.
Is your need so specialized that God is unaware of it; what did Jesus
say?
e.
What did Jesus say was our first and most important responsibility to
insure that our needs were met?
2. Read Matthew
7:11. How does Jesus compare God
to an earthly father?
Attitude of Contentment:
We
often want to believe that God's blessings in return for our obedience will
come in the form of material gain. God wants us to see that His blessings far
surpass the temporary pleasures of materialism.
He warns us of becoming blinded by
the world's shallow understanding of true blessing.
God has an individual plan for each Christian's life.
You must come to the place of being able to accept God's plan for you.
3. Now read I
Timothy 6:3-9.
a.
What should we do when we find ourselves in the company of or association with those who feel that because of a godly life, we
should expect material gain? (vs. 5)
b.
Where can we expect to find great gain?
(vs. 6)
c.
What does this passage say is for certain?
(vs. 7)
d.
God has great blessing He wants to bestow on the obedient Christian.
Materially, what is the minimum we should be content with?
(vs. 8)
e.
What happens to those who desire to be rich?
(vs. 9)
4. Read Luke
12:15. Why did Jesus warn
against covetousness?
The
Blessing of Prosperity and Success
God does not ask us to be content with food and clothes because that is the
extent of His ability to provide. He
is trying to affect in our lives an attitude change.
When we can reach the point of being content with the bare
minimums, it is only then that the battle with materialism is won.
It is then that God can begin a beautiful work in our life of revealing
to us His true riches - the blessings of prosperity in Him.
5.
Read Matthew 19:29. How
much did Jesus say that we would receive when we
developed the right attitude in relation to material things?
6. Read
Galatians 4:7. Everything
in this world belongs to our Father in Heaven.
What does this verse imply that we are recipients of as Christians?
7. Now read
Ephesians 3:20. What is God
capable of doing?
8. Read Psalm
37:4. What will God give us when
we put Him first in our lives?
9. Read Joshua
1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3. What do
these verses say are the prerequisites
of a prosperous and successful life? Money is necessary in our society as
a tool, but greater than money, for the Christian, is the understanding
of God's blessings and how to obtain them.
"FINANCIAL
FREEDOM - GOD'S WAY”
Psalm 50:12
Most
people would agree that freedom means being able to do what you want,
when you want. If applied to our
finances, this would mean that we could have what we wanted, when we wanted it.
One of Webster's definitions of being free even says, "no longer
burdened by obligation and debt...".
Many people spend their lives pursuing this type of financial freedom.
Of the majority
who are unable to attain it, as they had hoped, many turn to easy credit as an alternative means of making their dreams come true.
As a result, they are in effect
exchanging their freedom for their infatuation with materialism.
How foolish we are when we buy things we don't need with
money we don't have to impress people we don't know.
1.
Read Proverbs 27:20 and Ecclesiastes 4:8;
2. Read Proverbs
23:4-5. What happens to the
riches that some labor so hard to get?
God
is the giver of all riches and wealth. With the right attitude,
a wealthy person
can be a great blessing to the work of the Lord. But, there is a great danger
when one is “wanting of nothing“.
It becomes extremely difficult to trust
in God. It often takes a misfortune
that money can not correct before the right
attitude and perspective can be acquired.
Although there are many warnings given to those that God has blessed with
wealth, the Bible never says it is wrong to accumulate wealth. God
is only concerned with our attitudes.
Envy, hoarding, greed, and the lack of concern for the needs of others
are examples of the attitudes that God warns against.
3. Read
Ecclesiastes 6:1-2. King
Solomon, the wisest, richest, most influential king
in
4. Read Luke
12:13-21. The Parable of the
Rich Fool was an attempt by Jesus to emphasize the dangers of hoarding and greed.
It serves as a warning to those that are rich as well as to those that desire to be rich.
a.
What was the problem with the attitude of the man who asked Jesus
to help?
(vs. 13)
b.
It is interesting to notice that Jesus knew that the attitude problem
with the man was
common among us all. Who was the
parable directed to? (vs. 15,16,17)
c.
Jesus points out the vanity of the rich man's pursuits.
Instead of laying up treasure for ourselves, what did Jesus suggest as the alternative?
(vs. 20-21)
When we implement Biblical principles into our lives, as the result of our
heart felt convictions, we will then become rich toward God.
5. Read Luke
18:18-27. In the Parable of
the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus knew, as with all wealthy people, that it is
very difficult to develop the right attitude.
As paradoxical as it may sound, it is usually the riches and wealth of a
person that keep them from becoming financially free.
a.
What kind of life had this man lived since his youth?
(vs. 20,21)
b.
What did Jesus tell this young man to do?
(vs. 22)
c.
Why do you think Jesus ask this man to do this?
d.
What was the young mans response? (vs.
23)
e.
Why do you think the man responded that way?
d.
Summarize Jesus' comments after he heard the man's response?
(vs. 24-27)
6. Read Deut.
8:18; I Chron. 29:12; Eccl. 5:19; I Tim. 6:17-18.
Those with riches and wealth must always remember:
a.
Where do the riches and wealth come from?
b.
Where are they warned not to put their trust?
c.
Where are they told to put their trust?
d.
What should they be willing to do with their abundance?
7. Read John
8:31-32. For the Christian,
where can real freedom be found?
We become a Christian by responding to an opportunity that God has made available to us through Jesus. When we decide to put our trust in God's Words concerning our finances it is likewise an act of our will. It does not mean that we can now sit and wait for God to bless us with great wealth. It means that we are now ready to begin learning what our position of responsibility is in regard to our money. It means that we have truly been convinced that, as the Creator, God's plan for our finances is in our best interest. It means that we are now willing and ready to do our part! As we transfer more and more of our trust in this area to Him, we will begin to develop a new attitude about what it means to be wealthy. As we begin to realize the reality of God's blessings, we will then see the lie that the world has believed concerning what true financial freedom is.
The
most important truth that the Christian must believe in is that
God owns everything and the
ability to have anything is given by Him and Him alone.
Without a genuine acceptance of this Biblical truth, the Christian can
never have financial freedom.
With the right attitude; the poor or struggling family will continue to
do all they can to improve themselves and be content;
the middle class family will stop transferring their wealth to the banks
by the means of borrowing and easy credit;
the wealthy family will trust in God and not in their riches.
8. Read John
1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; and Proverbs 22:2.
What did God make?
9. Read Deut.
10:14; I Chronicles 29:11; Psalms 50:10-12.
What do these verses imply that God owns?
10. Read Psalm 24:1 and
1 Corinthians 6:20. Who owns YOU
?
We are not our own. We are owned.
At birth, we become responsible to God.
The Bible teaches that life on this earth can be orderly and meaningful
only insofar as there is a clear understanding of our relationship to God (God
is sovereign and man is subject to God).
God
owns our body, soul, mind and talents.
Our refusal to accept God's ownership
takes us out of His will.
One
of the best illustrations of the attitude that God is looking for can be
seen in the Parable Of
The Talents. Read Matthew
25:14-30.
11. What did the Man (God)
give unto His servants (us)? (vs.
14)
12. How did the Man determine
how many talents to give to each of the three servants?
(vs. 15)
13. What did each servant do
with the talent(s) he was given:
a.
(Servant with 5 talents)
b.
(Servant with 2 talents)
c.
(Servant with 1 talent)
14. When the lord of the
servants returned and saw what the servants had each done, what did he say:
a.
To the servant with 5 talents?
b.
To the servant with 2 talents?
c.
To the servant with 1 talent?
15. What were the differences
in the comments and the rewards given to the servant
with 5 (now 10) talents and the servant with 2 talents (now 4)?
16. Who was given the last
servant's one and only talent and why?
God owns it all, even you! We own
nothing! We are only managers
(stewards) of what God has given us.
Webster's dictionary defines a "steward" as "one who
manages another's property". God
decides what we are to manage based on our abilities (both God given and
acquired). Just as with the
servants, God is concerned with our attitude and our motives
rather than the money itself.
As could be seen by the rewards given to the first two servants, the amount of money was not important. They both had the right attitude and did the best they could with what they had. Their reward was the same.
After
he had seen what the first two servants had done, he said the same thing
to both of them; "...thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things...".
Because of their faith, they could now be entrusted with more
responsibility. They were then told
that they could now "...enter thou
into the joy of thy lord."
This Parable of the Talents shows us that true financial freedom is
achieved when we acknowledge God's total
ownership and accept our appointed position
as stewards (managers).
“THE
IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING”
Proverb 16:9
Every
family needs a written plan (budget) for how they are going to spend
their money, especially those who think they don't.
It is impossible for you to efficiently
manage your finances without a written plan (if married, both the
husband and wife must agree on the plan).
As stewards (managers), we are negligent
with God's money when we refuse to develop and follow a written plan for the
home.
The Small Business Administration said that the number one reason that small
businesses fail is due to poor planning. The
home is nothing more than a small business that God has appointed you to manage.
The finances of every Christian home should be a representation of
orderliness and excellence as a testimony to a world driven by greed, envy, and
indulgence.
First
Things First
1. Read Proverbs
16:1-9.
a.
Before we can begin to develop a financial plan for the home, what is the
first thing we must do?.. (vs.1-3)
b.
The amount we manage is not important.
What is important? (vs. 8)
c.
Our opinions are in our head but our convictions are in our hearts.
Where do our plans originate, head
or heart? (vs. 1,9)
d.
The way you plan to spend the money that God has given you to manage will
be a direct reflection of the convictions in your heart.
What is the result of plans from a prideful heart? (vs. 5)
e.
When your plans please God, to what extent do we experience peace?
(vs. 7)
2. Read James
1:5. How does God promise to
help us as we put together our financial plan for our family?
Planning - The Responsibility Of A Leader
3. Read I
Timothy 5:8. What does the Bible
equate one to that does not provide for his own family?
4.
Read Proverbs 14:15. Webster's
Dictionary defines “prudent” as, "exercising sound judgment
in practical matters, cautious in conduct; managing carefully.” What
does this verse say is a characteristic of a “prudent”
man?
A written financial plan for the family (budget), allows you to be able
to carefully consider and track the “goings” of your money.
Without a written plan you become a “responder”; one who
reacts rather than controls (Those who
fail to plan are planning to fail).
5. Read Proverbs
27:23,24. Why are we told to be
diligent to know and attend to the state of our flocks and herds?
6. Read Proverbs
24:27. Many times young married
couples want it all now - the new cars, the new homes, fancy toys.
What is the advice of this verse to us in the generation in which
we live?
7. Read Luke
14:28-30. When Jesus was
teaching on discipleship, He used an
illustration that emphasized the importance of planning.
a.
What did He say one must do first before starting to build?
b.
What are the results of a lack of planning?
We can relate building a tower to living one month; one year;
etc. Without a written plan,
the outcome of our months, years, or our entire life is at best, a guess.
Plans must be flexible but visible. As
the leader of your home, God has made you responsible for your finances.
It can not be over emphasized; those involved in executing the plan
should have an active part in its design.
The
Results Of A Wise Plan
(Genesis 37-47)
The story of Jacob's youngest son, Joseph (the son of his old age),
teaches us an excellent lesson about the importance of planning.
Because of the hate and envy of his older brothers, Joseph was trapped
and sold as a slave when he was only seventeen years old.
Joseph endured many more trials and temptations but because he remained
strong in his faith, the Lord blessed Joseph.
God
had a great plan for Joseph's life. His
close relationship with the Lord allowed him to be able to interpret the dream
of The Pharaoh of Egypt. After his
interpretation of the dream, he presented a master plan to The Pharaoh
that would in the end save all of
8. Read Genesis
41:34-36.
a.
What was the first step of the plan?
b.
What percentage was saved?
9. Read Genesis
41:37-46.
a.
After hearing the plan, what was Pharaoh's initial thoughts?
b.
Who did Pharaoh recognize as being behind the wisdom of Joseph?
c.
What were the details of Joseph's newly appointed position?
10. Read Genesis 41:54-57.
What were the results of the wise planning of
Joseph?
When we obey God and live by His principles, we are promised blessings. This is seen in the story of Joseph's life. Whether on a national scale or a personal scale, God's wisdom never fails.
Planning is critical if we are to maximize the resources God has entrusted to us. Only by proving ourselves to be worthy will He find use for us in His service. It is in service for Him that we find His blessings. It is “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
“GOD'S
I Timothy 5:8
Many
Christians believe that when God first created man, he was not required to work. Many believe that
the man was put in the Garden Of Eden and that all he had to do was to sit back
and take it easy for the rest of eternity. Then, one day God saw that the man was bored, so He made a beautiful woman (Eve)
to give him company. This is far
from the truth found in the Bible.
The Bible tells us that God's plan for man was that he would always work.
From the first day that God put Adam in the Garden Of Eden, he was given
a job. And then God later made Eve
for the purpose of being a helper to Adam.
1.
Read Genesis 2:15. What
was the first job that God gave man to do?
2. Read Genesis
2:19. What was another task God
assigned to Adam?
3. Read Genesis
2:18. When God saw that it was
not good that man was alone what did He say
He would do?
4. Read Genesis
1:28. Not only were Adam and Eve
told to be fruitful and fill the earth but what other task were they given?
God
gave man and his helper (woman), a great job to do.
He told them to be His
appointed guardians over His creation and to rule over all things.
God wanted man to care for His creation.
God's plan has always been for man to work.
After man disobeyed God and sinned, the conditions surrounding the work
environment changed.
5. Read Genesis 3:16-24.
a. What were the two things that
changed for the woman?
b.
What did God curse as a result of their sin?
c.
How was man's work environment changed?
d.
Just as the woman must now bear children in great pain, describe the way
that man would find his work?
God
has always intended for man to work but as you have seen, the work
experience and the conditions surrounding the work environment changed
greatly after man sinned.
The attitude in which we approach our work is the key element that God is
concerned about. The Christian with
the right attitude carries a tremendous testimony in the work place for God.
As Christians, our attitude at work should
reflect the heart of a servant. Charles
Spurgeon once said, “There are no crown-wearers in Heaven who were not
cross-bearers below.“ In order
to lead, we must first learn how to serve.
God has a plan for every person based on how He has equipped that person.
No matter what we do to provide for ourselves and our families, we must
do it with the right attitude.
6. Read Proverbs
22:29. What should our attitude
be in our work?
7. Read
Ecclesiastes 9:10. How much
effort should we put into the work God has given us?
8.
Read Colossians 3:17,23. Who
should we be trying to please in our work?
We
often find workers who are trying to get as much as they can while
giving the least that they must. This
creates an environment of waste. This
lazy, slothful attitude is very contagious and can ruin a good testimony.
9. Read Proverbs
10:4; 12:24; 13:4; 18:9; 21:5; 22:29; 24:30-34.
a.
What is God's plan for those that are diligent in their work?
b.
Summarize how the Bible describes the slothful person?
10. Read II Thessalonians
3:10-11. What did Paul have to
say about work?
11. Read Proverbs
The fast paced world that we live in today often destroys the balance that is so
important to the Christian life. The
balance between personal time with God, family, work, church, recreation, etc.
It seems as though there is not enough time in each day.
An Amish man once said, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I
get!“ Oh, how true.
In order to have the things we want, we sacrifice our most valuable
resource, time. We soon find
ourselves all stressed out. If we
are not careful, we will develop an attitude of urgency in the pursuit of
materialism. In The Paradox of
Time, Henry Dobson said, “Time goes,” you say.
“Ah, no! Alas, time stays!
We go!"
God's plan for building wealth is one of
orderliness and excellence in His time, not haste.
12. Read Proverbs 21:5;
28:20,22. What are the results
of haste?
Quite often, young couples are eager to buy their first home as soon as
possible. This wrong attitude
creates an emotional trap resulting in their making unwise decisions.
In many cases they are willing to do almost anything to satisfy their
wants and desires.
The decisions made as a result of wrong attitudes begins a pattern for more
wrong decisions. For the Christian,
this takes them far from God's plan for their lives. Instead
of financial freedom, there is financial bondage.
13. Read Proverbs 24:27.
Explain in your own words what this verse is saying in
regard to our priorities and timing?
It is easy to be overcome with the obsession for materialism.
With the encouragement and approval
of the world, you can even believe that it is the right
thing to do.
14. Read Proverbs
15. Read the Parable Of The
Two Builders in Matthew 7:24-27.
a.
What will result in a firm foundation in our lives?
b.
What did Jesus say would result from a weak foundation?
We should do all we do to the glory of the Lord - including our work.
Our work should reflect an attitude of responsibility and quality.
God gives us a great opportunity of testimony in our work.
In order for our attitude about work to be a positive reflection on
Christ, we must have the conviction in our hearts that our work is to be done unto
the Lord rather than man.
“Releasing
The Blessings”
“Honour the Lord with thy
substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:”
Proverb 3:9
The
tithe (one tenth) is sometimes misunderstood by Christians to be an Old
Testament Law that is no longer applicable today.
In reality, the tithe presents the opportunity for all Christians
in all ages to give a material testimony
to the fact that God is “Sovereign”, “King”, “Owner”, and
Lord! In addition, the tithe
is the starting place for financial freedom.
Old Testament history tells us that the “Law” required that
all Jews make offerings that exceeded 20%
annually. The tithe was and
is only a minimum.
1. Read Genesis
14:12-21; 28:20-22; Hebrews 7:2,4. What
did Abraham and Jacob give as a material
testimony to God?
(It should be pointed out that the “Law“
had no influence on the decision that these men made to give a material
testimony to God. For example, the
event with Abraham occurred more than 400 years before the Law was even
given to Moses.)
In order for the principal of tithing to become a conviction, there must be an
alignment of your attitude with the teachings of the Bible.
When this happens, you will begin to experience the blessings of the Lord. The
principle of tithing, as a result of the right attitude, is the key that opens
the door to God's blessings in the life of
the Christian.
2. Read Malachi
3:10. Describe what the Bible
says happens when you bring the tithe into the storehouse (the local church)?
When
we view the tithe as a duty or a rule, it becomes legalism.
The Bible makes clear that when the
tithe is “given” as a result of legalism, it is in vain
and will not return God's blessings.
If we offer the tithe for the purpose of receiving God's blessings; this
too is wrong. The tithe should be
offered solely as a result of a proper
perspective of God as the Owner and Giver of all things.
Our offering of the tithe should be as a result of our love, respect and
fear (reverential awe) of God.
Remember, God owns it all. The
things God places in our care are for the purpose of serving Him.
When we claim ownership to these things, we rob God.
The tithe is nothing more than the first step in the
acknowledgment that God
is truly, the Owner of it all!
3. Read
Malachi 3:8-9. The prophet
Malachi directed his message of judgment to a people who had become so sinful as
a nation that God's words no longer had any impact in their lives.
What did he say as a result of their not tithing?
4. Read Matthew
23:23-25. In these verses, we
see Jesus rebuke the Pharisees. Even
though they tithed, what was wrong with their attitude?
5. Read II
Corinthians 9:7. What attitude
does God want us to have when we offer our
tithes and offerings?
Normally,
the only way a person can give money away and be happy about doing it is when:
a.
The money belongs to someone else or
b.
When he won't suffer as a result of giving it away.
For the Christian who has accepted his/her position as a steward, as opposed to
an owner, both of these conditions are met.
As the Bible teaches, everything you have belongs to God and if you live
according to His principles, His blessings will provide provision for
your needs. So, with the right
attitude, every Christian can be a cheerful giver.
6. Read Deut.
8:18; John 3:27; I Cor. 3:5-6; 4:7; II Cor. 3:5.
We must not forget. From
where do we receive all things?
Tithing always has been and always will be an opportunity for the
Christian. God does not punish those
who do not tithe - they only forfeit His blessings.
The Christian must also understand that tithing is not a step towards personal
surrender to God, it is something you do as a result of having already
surrendered to Him.
When we focus on the tithe, we miss the object of the lesson.
Although both (attitude and tithe) are necessary, God's blessings
are more a result of our attitude than the offering itself.
God doesn't want the money; HE WANTS
YOU!
7. Read II
Corinthians 8:5. In using the
Macedonians as an example, what did Paul say that they gave to the Lord First?
Beyond The Tithe
The
tithe is only the beginning.
As we become faithful stewards (managers) of what God has placed
in our care, we will learn how to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit
in the wise use of all of our resources - money, time, talents etc.
In each step of faith, God reveals more and more of Himself to us.
We gain a new attitude; a new strength; a new testimony; and a new
freedom.
8. Read II
Corinthians 9:6. Getting control
of our financial lives allows us to respond more freely to God as He touches our
hearts in different areas of service
and giving. This becomes possible
largely due to the orderliness in our finances that is created as a result of
our living on budget. What are the
results of our giving beyond the tithe?
When we live an orderly and excellent life as a wise and faithful steward
(manager), we have the opportunity to become a tremendous asset to the
ministry of God through our local church and through our personal
testimony.
Living on a budget plan allows us to identify true surpluses that God directs
into our lives. Being
sensitive to His leading, we can then direct those surpluses to the areas He has
planned. Without a plan for your
finances, you can be assured that you will
never be able to identify a surplus.
9. Read II
Corinthians 8:14. One of God's
blessings is the joy and the privilege He gives us in helping others in their
time of need or in furthering the work of the Lord.
How is the want (lack) of one person or family met?
When God chooses to give you an abundance (surplus), you incur a great responsibility to seek His guidance as to its use. Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should give to the first per