Living Fearlessly: Magnifying God Through Our Finances

Devotional

Day 1: Trust in God's Shepherd-like Care

When we trust God as our Shepherd, we embrace the assurance that we will not lack what we truly need. This trust dispels fear and magnifies His shepherd-like love. Psalm 23 beautifully illustrates this relationship, reminding us that with God as our Shepherd, we are guided, protected, and provided for. By releasing our financial fears and anxieties, we allow His love to shine through, demonstrating our faith in His ability to care for us. This trust is not passive but an active choice to rely on His guidance and provision. [03:21]

Ezekiel 34:15-16 (ESV): "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you struggling to trust God as your Shepherd? How can you actively choose to rely on His guidance and provision today?

Day 2: Treasuring God as Our Father

As children of God, we are invited to trust in His provision rather than approaching Him with our own agendas. This trust magnifies His fatherly care, showing that we value our relationship with Him above our material concerns. By recognizing God as our Father, we acknowledge His intimate knowledge of our needs and His willingness to provide for us. This relationship is not transactional but rooted in love and trust, inviting us to rest in His care and provision. [04:53]

Matthew 6:31-32 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from your own agendas to trusting in God's provision as your Father? What steps can you take today to deepen your trust in His fatherly care?

Day 3: Trusting in God's Sovereignty as King

Recognizing God as our King, who has the authority to give us the kingdom, helps us overcome the fear of financial insecurity. His sovereignty is our assurance, providing us with the confidence to face uncertainties without fear. By trusting in His kingly power, we acknowledge His rule and provision in our lives, allowing us to live with a sense of security and peace. This trust is a declaration of faith in His ability to provide and protect, freeing us from the anxieties of financial instability. [06:30]

Daniel 4:34-35 (ESV): "At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’"

Reflection: In what ways can you acknowledge God's sovereignty in your financial decisions? How can trusting in His kingly power change your perspective on financial security?

Day 4: Embracing God's Generosity

God's generosity is not transactional; He gives freely. Trusting in His generosity allows us to battle daily fears and anxieties about money. By embracing His generous nature, we are reminded of His abundant provision and care, which transcends our material concerns. This trust invites us to live with open hands, ready to receive and share His blessings with others. It challenges us to view our resources as gifts from a generous God, encouraging us to live generously in return. [07:48]

2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV): "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 reflect God's generosity in your own life? What practical steps can you take to live with open hands, ready to receive and share His blessings?

Day 5: Trusting in God's Joyful Giving

God delights in giving us the kingdom. Trusting in His joyful generosity allows us to live in freedom, worshiping Him without the burden of financial fear. This trust is rooted in the understanding that God takes pleasure in providing for His children, inviting us to rest in His joyful giving. By embracing this truth, we are freed from the anxieties of financial concerns, allowing us to focus on worship and service. This freedom is a testament to our faith in His goodness and love. [09:42]

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Reflection: How can you embrace the freedom that comes from trusting in God's joyful giving? What changes can you make in your life to focus more on worship and service, free from financial fear?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound ways in which our relationship with money can magnify the character of God. The central theme is the call to live without fear concerning financial matters, which in turn allows us to magnify God in five distinct ways. First, when we are not afraid about money, we magnify God as our Shepherd. As Psalm 23 reminds us, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." This means that with God as our Shepherd, we will not lack what we truly need. Trusting in His shepherd-like care dispels fear and magnifies His love.

Second, by not fearing financial insecurity, we show that we treasure God as our Father. We are not only sheep with a Shepherd but also children with a Father who knows our needs and provides for them. This relationship invites us to trust in His provision rather than approaching Him with our own agendas.

Third, living fearlessly with regard to money magnifies God as our King. He is the one with the authority to give us the kingdom, and as our King, He rules, provides, and exerts His sovereignty on our behalf. Trusting in His kingly power helps us overcome the fear of not having enough.

Fourth, when we are fearless about money, we magnify God as free and generous. He gives us the kingdom freely, not as a transaction. This generosity is a testament to His character, and by trusting in it, we can battle our daily fears and anxieties.

Finally, overcoming our fear of money magnifies God as happy in His giving. It is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom, and He delights in doing so. Trusting in His joyful generosity allows us to live in freedom, worshiping Him without the burden of financial fear.

Key Takeaways

1. Trusting God as our Shepherd means believing that we will not lack what we truly need. This trust dispels fear and magnifies His shepherd-like love. [03:21]
2. As children of God, we are invited to trust in His provision rather than approaching Him with our own agendas. This trust magnifies His fatherly care. [04:53]
3. Recognizing God as our King, who has the authority to give us the kingdom, helps us overcome the fear of financial insecurity. His sovereignty is our assurance. [06:30]
4. God's generosity is not transactional; He gives freely. Trusting in His generosity allows us to battle daily fears and anxieties about money. [07:48]
5. God delights in giving us the kingdom. Trusting in His joyful generosity allows us to live in freedom, worshiping Him without the burden of financial fear. [09:42]
** [09:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:49] - Magnifying God as Shepherd
[03:53] - Treasuring God as Father
[06:00] - Trusting God as King
[07:16] - God's Generosity
[09:18] - God's Joyful Giving
[10:05] - Trust and Worship
[10:39] - Living in Freedom
[11:08] - Sharing the Message
[11:20] - Sermon Context
[11:45] - Closing Remarks

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Psalm 23:1 - "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Luke 12:32 - "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom."

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Observation Questions:

According to Psalm 23:1, what does it mean for the Lord to be our Shepherd, and how does this relate to not lacking what we need? [03:07]
In Luke 12:32, Jesus refers to His followers as a "little flock." What imagery does this evoke, and how does it connect to the idea of God as our Shepherd and Father? [03:53]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between being fearless about money and magnifying God as our King? [06:00]
What does the sermon suggest about God's generosity and how it contrasts with transactional relationships? [07:16]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does trusting God as our Shepherd, Father, and King help us overcome the fear of financial insecurity? What does this trust look like in practical terms? [06:50]
The sermon mentions that God gives freely and generously. How does this understanding of God's character challenge common perceptions of financial transactions and security? [07:33]
What does it mean for God to be "happy in His giving," and how does this affect our perception of His generosity? [09:30]
How can the concept of God delighting in giving us the kingdom influence our daily approach to financial worries and anxieties? [09:42]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent financial worry you had. How might viewing God as your Shepherd change your perspective on that situation? [03:21]
Consider your current approach to financial planning. How can you incorporate trust in God's provision as your Father into your financial decisions? [04:53]
Identify an area in your life where you struggle to trust God's sovereignty as King. What steps can you take to surrender that area to His rule? [06:30]
Think about a time when you felt anxious about money. How can you remind yourself of God's generosity and battle those fears in the future? [07:48]
How can you cultivate a mindset of freedom and worship, free from the burden of financial fear, in your daily life? [10:05]
Is there someone in your life who could benefit from hearing about God's generous nature? How can you share this message with them this week? [11:08]
What practical steps can you take to live in the freedom that comes from trusting in God's joyful giving? [10:39]

Sermon Clips

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. That word is the old Elizabethan word for lack. I shall not lack, I shall not be in want. That is, if I have a shepherd like this who loves to give me the kingdom, I will not lack for what I need. Therefore, if I believe that and thus exclude fear, I will magnify his shepherd love. [00:03:07]

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. So not only am I or are we sheep who have a shepherd, we are children who have a Father. He's multiplying images for us here to get rid of fear. That's what he's doing. Don't be afraid, you're sheep who have a shepherd. Don't be afraid, you're children who have a Father. [00:03:53]

All these things the nations of the world eagerly seek, but your Father knows that you need these things. Now, he didn't say that to mock us. He said that because knowing that we need these things, he'll work to provide what we need in order to magnify his fatherhood. But now be careful, do not come to God with an agenda, defining for him what you need. [00:04:42]

If we're not afraid concerning money, we show that we treasure God as our King. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Who has right and authority to give us the kingdom? No peon disposes of the kingdom. The King disposes of the kingdom. And therefore, not only is he a shepherd loving us as sheep, Father loving us as children, he is King. [00:05:50]

If we are fearless with regard to our money, we magnify him as free and generous. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom, not sell you the kingdom, not rent you the kingdom, not lease you the kingdom for payments, mortgage payments, rent payments, lease payments. He will give you the kingdom. [00:07:04]

He loves to give you the kingdom, which means he's generous, and therefore if we let his shepherd-like, fatherly, kingly generosity work on our fear, our anxieties—and I'm talking a battle here, you know I'm talking a battle here, right? We're not talking something that happened yesterday and doesn't happen tomorrow. We're talking a weekly thing, a paycheck by paycheck thing. [00:07:38]

We battle by preaching to ourselves what I'm preaching right now. That's the way I do it. It ain't automatic for John Piper to be fearless about money, though I get paid plenty, way plenty. It isn't automatic for me, it isn't automatic for you. We are battling fear and anxiety every day, not to mention greed. [00:08:13]

When we overcome our fear and live free of fear, we magnify our God as happy in his giving. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Or it is his good pleasure, another version says, to give you the kingdom. Or another version, it pleases him, he's pleased to give you the kingdom. [00:09:10]

Trust him as shepherd, trust him as father, trust him as king, trust his generosity and trust the fact that it's lavish because he loves to do it. Preach these things to yourself and attack fear and anxiety in your life with these truths so that when you overcome fear about money, God gets the glory. [00:10:00]

These five glorious things shine out of your life, and if anyone asks you, "I know that you're in financial straits, and yet at work you seem to be caring about others and fairly happy, how is that?" Then you say, "Can I share five things with you about my God?" And he is worshiped. [00:10:39]

What freedom, what freedom to worship God free from the fear of money. Others will notice that. [00:11:08]

The first point of this message is trust him as shepherd, trust him as father, trust him as king, trust his generosity and trust the fact that it's lavish because he loves to do it. Preach these things to yourself and attack fear and anxiety in your life with these truths so that when you overcome fear about money, God gets the glory. [00:10:00]

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Living Fearlessly: Magnifying God Through Our Finances

Devotional

Day 1: Trust in God's Shepherd-like Care

Day 2: Treasuring God as Our Father

Day 3: Trusting in God's Sovereignty as King

Day 4: Embracing God's Generosity

Day 5: Trusting in God's Joyful Giving

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Living Fearlessly: Magnifying God Through Our Finances

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