FAITH

1. ‘Mammon’ GOD’s level = Abundance! GOD to speak into ‘my’ Finances Stewarding Debt I GOD’s Way vs the World’s Way Debt II Gary B. Giving FAITH Agreement! Saving?

2. Finances for HIM: Giving “Economics” is derived from the Greek word: oikonomia = ‘management of household’ Many have then described Economics as “the study of how people & society choose to employ scarce resources that could have alternative uses…” BUT: GOD doesn’t speak of scarce resources – only HIS abundance for us!!!

3. Finances for HIM: GivingTithing The 1st Tithing: UNDER GRACE! • Gen 14 • We tithe b’cos HE has already Blessed us!! NOT to be blessed..! (World’s Way) • Melchizedek showed Abram GOD – as the Possessor of Heaven & Earth!! • Abram responded with the tithe – 10% of everything. • Gen 15 • Abram was afraid / nervous… • Earthly riches are entrusted to our stewardship – they are NOT our reward..!

4. Finances for HIM: GivingTithing The 2nd Tithing: UNDER GRACE! • Gen 28:10-22 • Jacob had a revelation of GOD & Heaven… • Responded with 2nd Tithing. • Jacob must have kept this oath (v20-22) as GOD references HIMSELF as the GOD of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob…

5. Finances for HIM: GivingTithing The Tithe belongs to GOD! It was never ours in the 1st place… • Lev 27 • Mal 3:6-12 In 1994, Christianity Today claimed: “Our people 45 yrs old & younger have grown up mesmerized by materialism. There’s tremendous pressure on families to spend, spend, & spend… I’ve heard that the generation that believed in the tradition of tithing is in 3 places: retirement homes; nursing homes; or cemeteries…”

6. Finances for HIM: GivingTithing Why tithe? John Piper: • Ancient Path! Jerm 6:16; 18:15 • Honors the Creator as the POSSESSOR! • Invites HIS protection… • An antidote to covetousness… Luke 12:15; Heb 13:5 • Helps govern an ever-expanding spending!

7. Finances for HIM: Giving Illustration: John Wesley Take John Wesley for example. He was one of the great evangelists of the 18th Century, born in 1703. In 1731 he began to limit his expenses so that he would have more money to give to the poor. In the first year his income was 30 pounds and he found he could live on 28 and so gave away two. In the second year his income doubled but he held his expenses even, and so he had 32 pounds to give away (a comfortable year's income). In the third year his income jumped to 90 pounds and he gave away 62 pounds. In his long life Wesley's income advanced to as high as 1,400 pounds in a year. But he rarely let his expenses rise above 30 pounds. He said that he seldom had more than 100 pounds in his possession at a time. This so baffled the English Tax Commissioners that they investigated him in 1776 insisting that for a man of his income he must have silver dishes that he was not paying excise tax on. He wrote them, "I have two silver spoons at London and two at Bristol. This is all the plate I have at present, and I shall not buy any more while so many round me want bread." When he died in 1791 at the age of 87, the only money mentioned in his will was the coins to be found in his pockets and dresser. Most of the 30,000 pounds he had earned in his life had been given away. He wrote, I cannot help leaving my books behind me whenever God calls me hence; but in every other respect, my own hands will be my executors. In other words, I will put a control on my spending myself, and I will go beyond the tithe for the sake of Christ and his kingdom. (Quotes from Mission Frontiers, Sept./Oct. 1994, nos. 9–10, pp. 23–24.)

8. Finances for HIM: GivingAlms – the Poor • We will always have the poor… Math 26:11 Was George Müller wrong? • JESUS came to preach Good News to the poor! Luke 4:18 Math 11:5 • Giving to the poor “opens doors!!!” • An expression of ‘Loving our Neighbor’ Luke 10:25-37 • You will have treasure in Heaven Math 19:21 Mark 10:21 Luke 14:12-14 • Opens a way for the Gospel..? Acts 10 (NB v2;4) Gal 2:10

9. Finances for HIM: GivingAlms – the Poor Math 6:1-4 1”Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness (Gk: compassion) before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven. 2So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites (Gk: actor) do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand (Gk: 2nd best) know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who in sees what is done in secret, will reward you (KJV: openly).”

10. Finances for HIM: GivingApostolic • 2Corinth 8-9 • Philp 4:10-20 • Is it a Church giving or for Individuals? • How can we give? are in the context of Apostolic Giving

11. Finances for HIM: GivingOther Offerings… • 1Chron 29 • The Levites & people would still have received the Tithe • This offering was for the Temple! • Ex 35 • GOD has a purpose for the ‘plunder’/riches (Ex12) HE puts into our hands… • NOT for idol – Ex 32!!!

12. Finances for HIM: Giving GOD’s way is Sowing & Reaping… • Gal 6:7-8 • 2Corinth 9:6-11 • Multiplication! • Math 25; Math 13; …

13. Finances for HIM: Giving • Sow into ‘good’ ground Haggai 1:5-8 • Every seed has a miracle! Haggai 2:19 • What you sow, you WILL reap Math 6:16(b) • NEVER convenient to sow… Eccl 11:3-4 • Sowing = exercising our Faith! Man doesn’t understand sowing… Eccl 11:5-6 • Will wait b4 reaping… Gal 6:9 • GOD will increase your seed for sowing – NOT your bread for eating! 2 Corinth 9:10 • GOD loves a cheerful giver! 2 Corinth 9:7

14. Finances for HIM: Giving “Raising Money is Man’s effort & focus…” “Releasing Funds (in Faith!) is exercising Spiritual Authority.” “We have the power to open Heaven…”

15. Finances for HIM: Giving • Bibliography: NIV Bible Wealth Riches & Money by Craig Hill and Earl Pitts John Piper: www.desiringgod.org