Prioritizing God Over Money: A Heartfelt Devotion
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor addressing the common misconception that the church is solely focused on money. He emphasizes that God's church does not need the congregation's money, as God will provide regardless of their obedience. The pastor challenges this notion by highlighting the heart issue at hand, quoting Psalm 50:9, where God states that He does not need the offerings of animals, as everything in the world belongs to Him. The pastor encourages the congregation to examine their hearts and identify anything that has become the lord of their lives, rather than Jesus being the one in charge.
The pastor then invites his daughter, Christy, to share about the changes in their ministry, One Voice. Christy explains that they initially moved the ministry outside of the church to operate as a business, but after a year, they realized they could better serve and bless other ministries by bringing it back into the church as a non-profit. The pastor expresses his excitement about this change and being back with the congregation.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of not allowing anything, including money, to take the place of God in our lives. He acknowledges that while jobs and even children can be blessings from God, they cannot be the Lord of our lives. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:24 that no one can serve two masters, and the pastor encourages the congregation to understand that they cannot serve both God and be enslaved to money. The pastor admits that talking about money can be uncomfortable for some, but believes it is necessary because it often becomes a barrier between individuals and their full devotion to God.
The pastor emphasizes the significance of money in the Bible, mentioning that it is mentioned over two thousand times. The reason for this, the pastor explains, is because money has the power to steal our hearts, faith, hope, and love. The pastor encourages the congregation to surrender their attachment to money to God in order to truly come alive in faith, hope, and love. As a practical challenge for the week, the pastor suggests that everyone examines their spending habits and asks God if there are any changes they need to make in their hearts and trust towards Him.
The pastor concludes the sermon by sharing a personal experience of dealing with the IRS. He mentions that every time he called them, he prayed beforehand, asking God to help him love the IRS representatives. He acknowledges that his initial frustration and anxiety were not reflecting the love he wanted to show. As the situation became more challenging, he and his wife were unsure of what to do financially. However, they received a letter from the IRS stating that everything was resolved, which brought them relief and gratitude towards God. The pastor reflects on his struggle to trust God fully and realizes that it is not about the money or circumstances but about having a heart that knows God will provide for all their needs.
Key Takeaways:
- God's church does not need the congregation's money, as God will provide regardless of their obedience. God cares more about the condition of our hearts than our sacrifices. Pride and self-reliance are dangerous, as we cannot guarantee our next breath or our skills and talents. [12:45]
- It is crucial not to allow anything, including money, to take the place of God in our lives. While jobs and even children can be blessings from God, they cannot be the Lord of our lives. We cannot serve both God and be enslaved to money. [24:30]
- Money is mentioned over two thousand times in the Bible because it has the power to steal our hearts, faith, hope, and love. Surrendering our attachment to money to God allows us to truly come alive in faith, hope, and love. [36:15]
- The pastor's personal experience with the IRS serves as a reminder that it is not about the money or circumstances but about having a heart that knows God will provide for all our needs. This realization brought relief and gratitude towards God. [48:20]
- God does not need our resources. He wants our hearts and what our resources represent. Our hearts should be devoted to Him and not let the resources He provides take the throne of our hearts. [59:30]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
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1. Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
2. Psalm 50:9-12: "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it."
3. Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Matthew 6:24 say about the relationship between serving God and serving money?
2. In Psalm 50:9-12, what does God say about His need for offerings from humans?
3. What promise does Philippians 4:19 make about God meeting our needs?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Matthew 6:24 challenge our understanding of devotion and loyalty when it comes to God and money?
2. What does Psalm 50:9-12 reveal about God's self-sufficiency and His ownership over the world?
3. How does Philippians 4:19 reassure us about God's provision in our lives?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where money or material possessions have taken precedence over God? What steps can you take to rectify this?
2. Considering Psalm 50:9-12, how does this change your perspective on giving offerings or tithes to the church?
3. In light of Philippians 4:19, how can you demonstrate your trust in God's provision in a practical way this week?
4. Can you identify a recent situation where you felt anxious about money or resources? How could you have applied the truth of these scriptures in that situation?
5. What is one change you can make in your spending habits this week to better align them with the biblical view of money and possessions?
Devotional
````Day 1: The Heart Over Sacrifices
The pastor emphasizes that God's church does not need the congregation's money, as God will provide regardless of their obedience. God cares more about the condition of our hearts than our sacrifices. Pride and self-reliance are dangerous, as we cannot guarantee our next breath or our skills and talents. [12:45]
Hosea 6:6 - "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
Reflection: Reflect on your recent acts of giving or service. Were they done out of a genuine love for God and others, or were they done out of obligation or a desire for recognition?
Day 2: God Over Money
The pastor stresses the importance of not allowing anything, including money, to take the place of God in our lives. While jobs and even children can be blessings from God, they cannot be the Lord of our lives. We cannot serve both God and be enslaved to money. [24:30]
Luke 16:13 - "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Reflection: What are some things in your life that may be taking the place of God? How can you ensure that God remains the Lord of your life?
Day 3: Money's Power Over Hearts
The pastor explains that money is mentioned over two thousand times in the Bible because it has the power to steal our hearts, faith, hope, and love. Surrendering our attachment to money to God allows us to truly come alive in faith, hope, and love. [36:15]
1 Timothy 6:10 - "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with money. Is it something that you control, or is it something that controls you?
Day 4: Trusting God in Difficult Circumstances
The pastor's personal experience with the IRS serves as a reminder that it is not about the money or circumstances but about having a heart that knows God will provide for all our needs. This realization brought relief and gratitude towards God. [48:20]
Psalm 37:5 - "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this."
Reflection: Think of a difficult circumstance you are currently facing. How can you trust God more fully in this situation?
Day 5: God Wants Our Hearts, Not Our Resources
The pastor concludes by reminding us that God does not need our resources. He wants our hearts and what our resources represent. Our hearts should be devoted to Him and not let the resources He provides take the throne of our hearts. [59:30]
Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Reflection: Reflect on where your treasure is. Is it in earthly possessions, or is it in God? How can you ensure that your heart remains devoted to God?````
Quotes
"No one can serve two masters...you cannot serve God and be enslaved to money." [27:08]
"It's usually the one thing that's standing between you and your heart being fully devoted to God...we'll give God everything except that." [28:07]
"Money is the one thing that steals our hearts, it steals our faith, it steals our hope, it steals our love, and if we don't get that out of the way, if we don't surrender that to him, we'll never come alive in faith, hope, and love." [51:54]
"I want you to seriously take a text challenge this week and say okay God, does money have my heart or do you? I want to trust you because it's not about my money, it's all his. He provides it all. Am I going to trust him with it?" [52:53]
"God does not need resources... what he wants is what it represents our hearts... he doesn't want the resources he provides us to ever take the throne the lordship of our hearts." [47:58]
"they had begun thinking that God needs our sacrifices so God says this Psalm 50 verse 9. I do not need the Bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens for all the animals of the forest are mine and I own the cattle on a thousand hills you see this with my kids I'll need your fries I I can go get more I oh they're all mine verse 11. I know every bird on the mountains and all the animals of the field are mine." [24:55]
"this verse speaks to me so much God says if I were hungry I would not tell you for all the world is mine and everything in it see the opposite of really trusting God is pride saying oh no I've done this all myself and I have some of you right now going oh Jeff I earn every dime it's it's me I'm self-made and my question to you would be can you guarantee your next heartbeat can you guarantee next breath where'd you get your skill and your talent I mean if anything this week in the NFL has proved to us we cannot buy that next breath in life God gives us that and he says I'm giving you all this and he wants to provide for all our needs but what he cares about the most is our hearts." [25:29]
"God provides for all my needs...he's met our needs already when we come up against it...to get to the place where we go oh God you got this I don't know how and how many of you realize his timing is not always your timing." [36:47]
"I don't play the lottery that's not my thing... I'm a risk taker but not a gambler... would you rather have 160 million dollars in your bank account and I won't take care of any of your needs anymore financially or would you rather have nothing in your bank account and trust me to meet all your needs as your provider" [40:01]
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