Kevin Hardy

Money is BOTH a TRUST and a TEST from GOD

1.  Our time, energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, and resources are all gifts from God that He has entrusted to our care and management.  We are stewards of whatever God gives us.  This concept of stewardship begins with recognition that God is the owner of everything and everyone on earth.  The Bible says, "The world and all that is in it belongs to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his.!  Psalms 24:1, TEV)

2.  We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth.  God just loans it to us while we're here.  It was God's property before you arrived, and God will loan it to someone else after you die.  You just get to enjoy it for a while.

3.  When God created Adam and Eve, he entrusted the care of his creation to them and he appointed  them trustees of his property.  The Bible says, "God blessed them and said,'have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control.  I am putting you in charge'" (Genesis 1:28,TEV)

4.  The first job God gave humans was to manage and take care of God's "stuff" on earth.  This role has never been rescinded.  It is a part of our purpose today.  Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands.  The Bible says, "What do you have that God hasn't given you?  And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?"  I Corinthians 4:7b, NLT

5.  At the end of your life on earth, you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you.  That means everything you do, even simple daily chores, has eternal implications.  If you treat everything as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity

You will be given God's affirmation; he will say, "Good job!  Well done!"

You will receive a promotion and be given greater responsibility in eternity: "I will put you in charge of many things."

You will be honored with a celebration: "Come and share your Master's happiness."

6.  Most people fail to realize that money is both a test and trust from God.  God uses finances to teach us to trust him, and for many, money is the greatest test of all.  God watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are.  The Bible says, "If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches in heaven?"  (Luke 16:11 NLT)

7.  This is a very important truth and concept.  God says there is a direct relationship between how I use my money and the quality of my spiritual life!  How I manage my money ("worldly wealth") determines how much God can trust me with spiritual blessings ("true riches").  Let me ask you: Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life?  Can you be trusted with spiritual riches?

Jesus said, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked:  (Luke 12:48b,NIV). Life is a  trust and the more God gives you, the more responsible he expect you to be.

 

FAQ’S ABOUT TITHING

I have received a few questions since Sunday on tithing!  Remember, that the Bible says, "The purpose of tithing is to teach you to put God first in every area of your life." Deut. 14:23

If you are just starting out as a tither, then it will be difficult at times to give.  You are establishing a new habit of obedience to God!  But don't forget, God's promise, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  Mal. 3:10

FAQ’S ABOUT TITHING

When I calculate my tithe, should it be on my net or my gross income?

Proverbs 3:9-10 says that God has asked for our first-fruits, which is the first and best of all that we receive. God should be given to before any bill is paid, including Uncle Sam.

Should I tithe if I am in debt?

The tithe helps us to honor God, which is the beginning of wisdom. If there is anybody in the world who needs God’s wisdom in the area of finances, it is a person who is already in debt. A farmer always keeps a portion of each harvest as seed stock to be planted the next season. If he didn’t, he would not be able to grow another crop. As Christians, our tithe is our seed stock (2 Corinthians 9:10). We honor God by giving Him the first fruits of our produce (income or compensation). Therefore the first portion of our income belongs to God. It doesn’t belong to anyone else—not even creditors (Proverbs 3:9-10).

Could tithe money be used to support secular organizations?

The tithe is given in God’s name and should be used specifically for His work.

Should I tithe from the profits from the sale of my house, car, etc.?

Any profit made from a sale ought to be tithed on, because it is, in fact, part of your first-fruits. Even if the profits are to be reinvested, a tithe should first be given.

Should a person tithe on an inheritance?

Because an inheritance is part of our “increase,” we should give a portion of it back to the Lord to honor Him.

Should I tithe on alimony or child support from my ex-husband?

Alimony is part of your income from which a tithe should be given, but child support belongs to the children and isn’t part of your personal “increase.”

Wouldn’t you be exempt from tithing if you were on a fixed income and barely making ends meet?

Again, God doesn’t “need” our money. His desire is to bless His children, and it is for our good that He has instituted the principle of tithing in His Word. Remember the widow who put two “pennies” into the treasury? Jesus knew her situation and commended her by saying, “This poor widow put in more than all the contributors; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44).

What if my spouse doesn’t agree with me about tithing?

Because tithing involves money, it is a prime candidate for controversy between a husband and wife (many marital problems stem from finances). However, if both spouses are Christians, they should have a desire to please the Lord and understand tithing is God-ordained, not just a personal desire that the wife is trying to impose on the husband or vice versa. The problem becomes more complicated when one spouse is an unbeliever. If the wife is an unbeliever, the husband must obey the Lord’s direction. He must realize, however, that the Lord is more concerned about his wife’s soul than his money. If tithing becomes a stumbling block to his wife, he should consider not tithing temporarily in order to win his wife to the Lord. If the unbelieving spouse is the husband, then the wife should submit to his wishes, trusting that her submissive attitude may win him to the Lord (1 Peter 3:1-6).One idea to asking to put God to the test by giving a percentage over a 90-day period. If they are worse off financially as a result of her giving, she will cease to give. But if they are better off, she will be allowed to give more. In Malachi 3:10 the Lord says to test Him in tithing. Often, this is just the opportunity for God to prove Himself to an unbelieving spouse.

A Tithing Story

via vimeo.com

Tithing is never an easy step to take! Many people struggle with the concept because they are afraid! Fear keeps many people from trusting the Lord! As you watch this video, this will encourage you to trust the Lord! I have been tithing for over twenty years! Sometimes I am tempted to rob God because I am afraid that God will not provide! He is always faithful and I have learned to trust even when it is tough!

The Generosity Factor

GENEROSITY!  Look up the word generous, and you’ll find words such as these: “characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit; MAGNANIMOUS, KINDLY; liberal in giving: OPENHANDED; marked by abundance or ample proportions.”  It is a characteristic which is highly praised by God and by most people!  

IMAGINE if you applied THE GENEROSITY FACTOR to your time, money, and relationships!  Jesus said,  “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”   The opposite of generous is greed, selfishness, or stinginess!  None of us wants to be greedy, selfish, or stingy!  But so often, we find ourselves thinking more about ourselves 

than about others!  

In this land of plenty, too often we live our lives with a sense of lack. "I don't have enough money. I don't have enough time. I don't have enough success. I don't have enough happiness." As a result, our lives become defined by what we don't have, and too often we fail to appreciate what we do have until it's too late.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say, "I didn't realize how good my job was until I lost it...I didn't realize how precious my spouse was until he or she died...I didn't realize how important my children were to me until they left home..." and on and on. The more successful we become, the more affluent we become, the more blessed we become, our biggest challenge is to learn to appreciate—to be truly thankful for—all the good things that have come our way.

Generosity starts with a grateful heart!  Give Thanks and learn to be content!  Start looking at life from a different perspective and you will see God change you!  We are the most blessed nation on Earth and still we continue to complain and want more!  

Check out the new sermon series at Crossroads!