Glorifying God Through Generosity and Financial Stewardship
Devotional
Day 1: God's Supremacy Over Material Wealth
Our use of money should reflect God's supreme value over all material wealth. By prioritizing God above financial gain, we demonstrate His worth and glory in our lives. This principle challenges us to live in a way that shows God as our ultimate treasure, not money. The Apostle Paul exemplified this by choosing not to charge for the gospel, relying instead on the support of other believers. This approach ensures that the gospel remains untainted by commercial interests and reflects the generosity of God's grace. [02:31]
1 Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV): "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate that God is your ultimate treasure through your financial decisions today?
Day 2: Praying for a Heart Satisfied in God
We are encouraged to pray for hearts that find satisfaction in God's steadfast love, which is more precious than life itself. This prayer acknowledges our tendency to fall short and seeks divine intervention to align our desires with God's will. By seeking satisfaction in God, we are reminded that His love surpasses all earthly treasures and that true contentment is found in Him alone. [04:08]
Psalm 63:3-5 (ESV): "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips."
Reflection: What specific desires or areas of your life do you need to surrender to God in prayer, asking Him to satisfy you with His love?
Day 3: Freedom from the Love of Money
Hebrews 13 reminds us to live free from the love of money, finding contentment in God's promise to never leave or forsake us. This assurance allows us to trust in God's provision and presence, rather than relying on financial security. By embracing this freedom, we can live with a sense of peace and confidence, knowing that God is our ultimate provider and protector. [05:09]
Hebrews 13:5-6 (ESV): "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'"
Reflection: Identify one area where you are tempted to rely on money for security. How can you actively choose to trust in God's provision instead?
Day 4: Generosity as a Reflection of True Life
True life is found in making God our pride, hope, and trust, rather than in material wealth. By being generous and ready to share, we store up treasures in heaven and experience the fullness of life that God intends for us. Generosity is not just an act of giving but a reflection of a heart transformed by God's grace, leading to a life that glorifies Him. [07:50]
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (ESV): "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Reflection: How can you practice generosity today in a way that reflects God's grace and abundance in your life?
Day 5: Freely Giving as We Have Received
Following Paul's model, we are called to spread the gospel freely, without charging for the message. This approach ensures that the gospel remains untainted by commercial interests and reflects the generosity of God's grace. By giving freely, we participate in the advancement of God's kingdom and demonstrate the transformative power of His love in our lives. [10:12]
Matthew 10:7-8 (ESV): "And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay."
Reflection: Consider how you can contribute to the spread of the gospel in your community. What resources or talents can you offer freely to support this mission?
Sermon Summary
In this session, we explore how to glorify God with our money, drawing inspiration from the Apostle Paul's model of funding the spread of biblical truth. The fundamental principle is to use money in a way that demonstrates God's supreme value over money itself. This involves living in a manner that reflects God's beauty, greatness, and worth, ensuring that our financial practices do not suggest that money is our ultimate treasure. The Psalms remind us that God's steadfast love is more precious than life, and therefore, more valuable than money. We are encouraged to pray for hearts that are satisfied in God above all else, and to live free from the love of money, trusting in God's constant presence and provision.
Paul's model, as seen in his epistles, emphasizes spreading the gospel freely, without charging for the message. This approach is rooted in Jesus' teaching to give freely as we have received freely. Paul chose not to exercise his right to financial support from those he ministered to, to avoid placing obstacles in the way of the gospel. Instead, he relied on the support of other churches, like those in Macedonia, to fund his ministry. This model has been adopted by Desiring God, where resources are offered freely, supported by those who have been transformed by the truth and wish to help spread it further.
The call is to transition from merely encountering the truth to actively spreading it, encouraging generosity among those who have been impacted by the ministry. This approach not only aligns with Paul's model but also ensures that the gospel remains untainted by commercial interests, avoiding the pitfalls of becoming peddlers of God's word. Ultimately, the goal is to use money in a way that treasures God above all, reflecting His glory and advancing His kingdom.
Key Takeaways
1. God's Supremacy Over Money: Our use of money should reflect God's supreme value over all material wealth. By prioritizing God above financial gain, we demonstrate His worth and glory in our lives. This principle challenges us to live in a way that shows God as our ultimate treasure, not money. [02:31]
2. Prayer for a Satisfied Heart: We are encouraged to pray for hearts that find satisfaction in God's steadfast love, which is more precious than life itself. This prayer acknowledges our tendency to fall short and seeks divine intervention to align our desires with God's will. [04:08]
3. Freedom from the Love of Money: Hebrews 13 reminds us to live free from the love of money, finding contentment in God's promise to never leave or forsake us. This assurance allows us to trust in God's provision and presence, rather than relying on financial security. [05:09]
4. Generosity as a Reflection of True Life: True life is found in making God our pride, hope, and trust, rather than in material wealth. By being generous and ready to share, we store up treasures in heaven and experience the fullness of life that God intends for us. [07:50]
5. Freely Giving as We Have Received: Following Paul's model, we are called to spread the gospel freely, without charging for the message. This approach ensures that the gospel remains untainted by commercial interests and reflects the generosity of God's grace. [10:12] ** [10:12]
1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Psalm 63:1-3 - "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."
Hebrews 13:5 - "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.'"
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Observation Questions:
According to the sermon, what is the fundamental principle for using money in a way that glorifies God? ([02:31])
How does the sermon describe the relationship between God's steadfast love and money? ([03:20])
What does Hebrews 13:5 suggest about the relationship between contentment and God's presence? ([05:09])
How does Paul's model of funding the spread of biblical truth differ from commercial approaches? ([11:52])
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Interpretation Questions:
What does it mean to use money in a way that shows God is more precious than money? How might this principle challenge common financial practices? ([02:31])
How can the prayer for a heart satisfied in God's love, as mentioned in Psalm 90:14, transform one's approach to wealth and possessions? ([04:08])
In what ways does the assurance of God's constant presence, as stated in Hebrews 13:5, provide a foundation for living free from the love of money? ([05:09])
How does Paul's decision to offer the gospel freely, without charge, reflect the generosity of God's grace? What implications does this have for modern ministry practices? ([11:52])
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Application Questions:
Reflect on your current financial practices. In what ways do they reflect God's supreme value over money? What changes might you consider to better align with this principle? ([02:31])
Consider a time when you felt the pull of material wealth. How can you pray for a heart that finds satisfaction in God's steadfast love above all else? ([04:08])
How can you cultivate contentment in your life, trusting in God's promise to never leave or forsake you? What practical steps can you take this week to live free from the love of money? ([05:09])
Think about a recent opportunity to be generous. How did you respond, and how might you approach similar opportunities in the future to reflect true life as described in 1 Timothy 6:18-19? ([07:50])
How can you support the spread of the gospel in a way that mirrors Paul's model of freely giving as we have received? Are there specific ministries or individuals you feel called to support? ([11:52])
Identify one area in your life where you might be tempted to prioritize financial security over trusting in God's provision. How can you address this temptation in a practical way? ([05:09])
How can you encourage others in your community to embrace a lifestyle of generosity and trust in God's provision? What role can you play in fostering a culture of giving within your church or small group? ([13:51])
Sermon Clips
Whether you eat or drink or use your money, do it all to the glory of God. That is, use your money in a way that makes God look like He really is supremely glorious, more glorious than money or anything money can buy. That's the fundamental principle: live to show that God is supremely beautiful, great, valuable, and thus use your money to show that. [00:02:02]
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you, and if it is better than life, it's better than money. Money is used to sustain life, enhance life, and if the steadfast love of God is better than life, it's better than money, and if we live to show that, we glorify God with our money. [00:03:16]
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, which is more precious than life, that we may rejoice and be glad in you all our days. We need to pray, "Oh God, do this, make my heart the kind of heart that is satisfied in you and your love more than in money." [00:04:01]
Keep your life free from the love of money, be content with what you have, for He has said, "I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you." How could you love money more than God when God is with you always as your helper? Everything is going to work for your good, even in the hour of your death. [00:05:05]
As for the rich in this world, in the present age, charge them not to be haughty. Don't let money make you proud; let God be your pride. Nor set their hopes on uncertainty of riches; let God be your hope, not the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. [00:06:08]
They are to do good, they are to be rich in good works, they are to be generous, they are to be ready to share. How many times must he say it, right? Do good, be rich in good works, be generous, be ready to share, and thus in that way, in those ways, you store up treasure for yourself as a good foundation for the future. [00:07:14]
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." We glorify God by treasuring God above money so that the giving of money becomes part of our delight in glorifying God. [00:08:21]
The way we seek to glorify God with our money is to get it, and use it, and lose it in a way that shows how much we treasure God above money. And I used the word lose here, thinking of Job, who lost all of his possessions and his ten children, and how did he lose it? [00:09:09]
Freely you've received, freely give. We saw years ago in Matthew 10:8 a very significant principle for guiding our ministry: heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. That's the way biblical truth was spread in Jesus' ministry. [00:09:41]
What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right. Paul knows he has a right. Don't muzzle the ox when it's treading out the grain; the ox has a right to eat. The worker is worthy of his wage. [00:11:21]
We do not require any payment for any of our products. We do not require any registration or sign-in. We don't distract anybody with advertisements as to give the impression we're really trying to make money off lots of views here. We do invest in a team of gifted, Bible-saturated writers and editors. [00:12:23]
We do it by encouraging people who have encountered something glorious and beautiful and life-changing at Desiring God by encouraging people to transition from encountering the truth freely to spreading the truth generously. From this kind of person to this kind of person, and the reason we do it this way is because this is the way we saw Paul do it. [00:13:52]