Show Me The Money | Renewed | Pastor Bruce Goodwin | Light City DMV

Financial wisdom is part of the kingdom lifestyle. Some things believers spend time praying for could simply be paid for if money were handled wisely. Prayer for miracles cannot become a way of making up for mismanagement. Scripture gives principles for managing, maximizing, and multiplying money because families, assignments, and God-given visions require resources.

Jesus’ answer about Caesar’s money reaches beyond taxes. The Jews live under an oppressive Roman system, and the question about paying Caesar is meant to trap him. But Jesus makes another way. Caesar’s image identifies the coin as belonging to Caesar; God’s image identifies human lives as belonging to God. To “render” is to give something back to its original owner. God therefore receives more than a Sunday version of a person. Relationships, spiritual growth, pursuits, health, and money all belong under his direction.

Dominion means taking control and putting things in order. Money needs orders, or money will start giving orders. Income flows toward three places: Caesar, representing bills and debt; personal needs and investment; and God. Necessary expenses must be managed without allowing overleveraging to swallow every opportunity for growth. Investment includes counseling, spiritual health, coaching, and skills that make a person more productive in the marketplace. The wise woman considers a field before buying it, then uses its earnings to plant something else productive.

Material wealth serves God’s agenda by funding his work and replenishing what is lacking. Honoring God with firstfruits requires a plan, not whatever happens to remain. Tithing is presented as a principle of honor rather than a forced obligation.

Four money models expose the difference between income and purpose. Being broke, being rich but empty, and giving religiously without developing skills all leave something out. Kingdom prospering puts God first, invests in productive growth, and brings Caesar under control. Giving makes money bow to God, while wise work and practical adjustments position believers to fulfill their assignments and leave an inheritance.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Prayer Cannot Take Management’s Place. Financial trouble does not always call for a miracle; sometimes it calls for money to receive clear orders. Believers can pray sincerely while leaving spending habits and debt untouched. Financial wisdom requires applying Scripture to those decisions rather than expecting supernatural help to make up for continued mismanagement. [01:06]
• 2. God’s Image Establishes His Ownership. Caesar’s image marks the coin, but God’s image marks the person. Rendering life to God means returning what already belongs to him, not offering a polished Sunday version while keeping other areas off limits. Financial surrender belongs alongside relationships, health, spiritual growth, and work as part of a whole life aligned with his word. [13:04]
• 3. Personal Investment Goes Beyond Financial Assets. Counseling, spiritual health, and stronger skills can be investments in a person’s ability to work and grow. A cluttered mind or an undeveloped skill set may need deliberate attention, not simply another demand for greater income. Setting money aside for that growth prepares believers to become more productive without confusing marketplace value with personal worth. [26:18]
• 4. Firstfruits Give Wealth A Kingdom Purpose. Giving honors God, funds kingdom work, and keeps the heart in check. Firstfruits require a financial plan that includes God from the beginning rather than an offering drawn from whatever remains. Wealth gains purpose as it helps replenish needs and carry God’s vision across the earth. [43:07]
• 5. Giving Does Not Replace Productive Work. Religious regret grows when believers keep giving but never develop the skills or habits needed for fruitful work. Offerings are not a substitute for investing in personal growth and putting capable hands to an assignment. Honoring God and taking practical action belong together, rather than leaving a person waiting for giving alone to change an unchanged financial pattern. [54:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:06] - Miracles, Mismanagement, and Financial Wisdom
• [04:45] - Roman Rule and the Tax Trap
• [09:40] - Caesar’s Coin and God’s Image
• [16:13] - Dominion Means Giving Money Orders
• [20:38] - Three Destinations for Income
• [25:00] - Needs and Investment in Personal Growth
• [28:53] - Wise Ventures and Productive Fields
• [32:33] - Lower Expenses as an Investment Opportunity
• [36:29] - Wealth That Funds God’s Vision
• [43:07] - Firstfruits Instead of Leftovers
• [47:07] - Tithing as a Principle of Honor
• [49:54] - Three Money Models That Fall Short
• [56:22] - Kingdom Prospering and Practical Adjustments
• [1:00:39] - Action Steps and Prayer for Financial Renewal

Bible Reading

Matthew 22:15-22
“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.” [04:45]

Proverbs 3:9-10
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” [43:07]

Genesis 1:26
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [11:14]

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 22:15–22, how was the question about taxes meant to trap Jesus? What problems could either a yes or a no have created? [06:52]
2. What connection is made between the image on Caesar’s coin in Matthew 22 and God’s image in Genesis 1:26? What does each image identify as belonging to its owner? [11:08]
3. What five areas of life are identified as belonging under God’s direction rather than being kept separate from him? [13:49]
4. In the discussion of Proverbs 3:9–10, what is the difference between planning to give firstfruits and giving whatever remains? [43:48]

Interpretation questions

1. How does connecting Matthew 22:15–22 with Genesis 1:26 help explain why a believer’s responsibility to God includes everyday financial decisions, not just Sunday worship? [13:09]
2. Genesis 1:26 gives people responsibility to exercise dominion. How does applying that responsibility to money help distinguish wise management from being controlled by spending and debt? [18:08]
3. Why does honoring God with firstfruits involve more than the amount given? How might planned giving express a different attitude toward God than giving only when extra money is available? [44:02]
4. Why is it incomplete for a believer to practice giving while neglecting productive work and personal growth? How does this clarify the difference between honoring God and treating giving as a way to secure financial success? [55:42]

Application questions

1. Prayer and wise management belong together. Is there a financial concern you are praying about that also calls for a practical change? What part is within your ability to address this week? Share only what you feel comfortable sharing. [01:06]
2. Your whole life belongs to God, including your money. Which financial decision is hardest for you to place under his direction, and what would trusting him in that decision look like? [13:09]
3. Money needs clear direction. When you think about your current spending, is there an expense or debt pattern that is crowding out necessities, growth, or generosity? What manageable adjustment could create some breathing room? [24:01]
4. Investing in yourself can include counseling, spiritual health, coaching, or stronger skills. Which kind of growth would help you most in your current season, and what affordable first step could you explore? [27:08]
5. Honoring God with firstfruits requires a plan rather than an afterthought. What would it look like to include giving intentionally in your next budget? What concerns would you need to work through as you make that plan? [44:02]
6. Financial resources can help meet needs and support God’s work. What person, ministry, or community need would you like to help support, and what realistic step could you take toward that purpose? [38:20]