Stewardship and Financial Health: A Biblical Approach

 

Summary

As we embark on the "Decade of Destiny," a three-year journey focusing on twelve major initiatives, we begin with the "Get Healthy" initiative, which aims to bring balance and peace to our lives by addressing seven key areas: physical, spiritual, emotional, relational, mental, vocational, and financial health. We started with physical health through "The Daniel Plan," and now we transition to financial health, exploring wisdom from the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. These books, written by Solomon, offer profound insights into financial stability, debt management, and the principles of wise money management.

In today's world, financial stress is prevalent, with many facing unemployment and debt. However, we have chosen not to participate in the recession, opting instead for a personal recovery program based on biblical principles. Jesus spoke more about money than heaven or hell, emphasizing its significance in our lives. Money management is a spiritual discipline, and God watches how we handle our wealth to determine our trustworthiness with true spiritual riches.

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 illustrates seven foundational principles for financial fitness. First, everything we have belongs to God, and we are merely stewards of His resources. Second, God allocates resources according to our abilities, and we must use them wisely. Third, we will be held accountable for how we manage what God has entrusted to us. Fourth, we must utilize God's resources effectively, not hoarding or wasting them. Fifth, we must move against our fears, trusting God's principles even when they seem counterintuitive. Sixth, if we don't use what we have, we risk losing it. Finally, God rewards good money management with affirmation, promotion, and celebration.

As we delve into these principles, we aim not only to achieve financial freedom but also to grow spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. By aligning our lives with God's will and trusting Him with our resources, we can experience true freedom and fulfillment.

Key Takeaways:

1. Stewardship and Ownership: Everything we possess is on loan from God, and we are stewards of His resources. Recognizing this truth can alleviate worry and stress, as we understand that our role is to manage, not own. This perspective shifts our focus from accumulation to faithful stewardship. [10:03]

2. Accountability and Audit: One day, God will audit our lives, assessing how we managed the resources He entrusted to us. This accountability should motivate us to live responsibly, using our time, talents, and finances for His purposes. [19:38]

3. Utilization and Investment: Money is a tool meant to be used, not hoarded. By investing wisely and putting our resources to work, we can achieve financial freedom and avoid the pitfalls of debt and stress. [27:47]

4. Overcoming Fear: Fear often prevents us from following God's financial principles. By moving against our fears and trusting God's promises, we can break free from debt and experience His blessings. [35:21]

5. Compensation and Reward: God rewards faithful money management with affirmation, promotion, and celebration. By aligning our financial practices with His principles, we can experience both earthly and eternal rewards. [46:53]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Decade of Destiny
- [00:24] - Get Healthy Initiative Overview
- [00:41] - Seven Key Areas of Health
- [01:22] - Starting with Physical Health
- [02:31] - Transition to Financial Health
- [02:45] - Wisdom from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
- [03:26] - Current Economic Challenges
- [04:25] - Jesus' Teachings on Money
- [05:51] - The Parable of the Talents
- [08:15] - The Law of Possession
- [12:33] - The Law of Allocation
- [19:38] - The Law of Accountability
- [27:47] - The Law of Utilization
- [35:21] - The Law of Motivation
- [43:22] - The Law of Application
- [46:53] - The Law of Compensation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Decade of Destiny - Financial Health

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents)
2. Proverbs 19:3
3. Romans 14:12

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Observation Questions:

1. In the Parable of the Talents, what were the different amounts of money given to the servants, and how did each servant respond to their allocation? [07:02]

2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the word "talent" in the context of the Parable of the Talents? [06:18]

3. What does the sermon suggest is the primary reason Jesus spoke more about money than heaven or hell? [04:39]

4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between stewardship and ownership in terms of financial resources? [09:02]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of stewardship, as described in the sermon, challenge the common perception of personal ownership of resources? [09:16]

2. What might be the spiritual implications of the statement, "If I don't use it, I lose it," in the context of the Parable of the Talents? [43:56]

3. How does the sermon interpret the fear that led the third servant to bury his talent, and what does it suggest about overcoming such fears? [35:21]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that financial management is a test of faithfulness, and how does this relate to the rewards mentioned in the Parable of the Talents? [47:11]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current financial practices. How do they align with the principle that "everything I have belongs to God"? What changes might you need to make to better reflect this belief? [10:03]

2. Consider a time when fear prevented you from making a wise financial decision. What steps can you take to move against your fears and trust in God's financial principles? [35:21]

3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of accountability in financial management. How can you create a system of accountability in your financial life to ensure you are using your resources wisely? [19:38]

4. Identify one area of your financial life where you feel you are not being a good steward. What practical steps can you take this week to improve in that area? [09:16]

5. The sermon mentions the law of compensation, where God rewards good money management. What specific financial goal can you set that aligns with God's principles, and how will you work towards it? [46:53]

6. How can you apply the principle of "utilization and investment" in your financial decisions this month to avoid the pitfalls of debt and stress? [27:47]

7. Reflect on the idea of leaving a legacy. What long-term financial decisions can you make now to ensure you leave a positive legacy for future generations? [42:33]

Devotional

Day 1: Stewardship as Sacred Trust
Everything we possess is on loan from God, and we are stewards of His resources. Recognizing this truth can alleviate worry and stress, as we understand that our role is to manage, not own. This perspective shifts our focus from accumulation to faithful stewardship. By acknowledging that all we have is entrusted to us by God, we can find peace in knowing that our responsibility is to manage these resources wisely and faithfully. This understanding encourages us to prioritize God's purposes over personal gain, leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life. [10:03]

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." (Psalm 24:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your mindset from ownership to stewardship in your daily life, and how might this change your approach to managing your resources?


Day 2: Accountability Before God
One day, God will audit our lives, assessing how we managed the resources He entrusted to us. This accountability should motivate us to live responsibly, using our time, talents, and finances for His purposes. Understanding that we will be held accountable for our stewardship encourages us to be intentional and purposeful in how we use what we have been given. It is a call to live with integrity and to align our actions with God's will, knowing that our choices have eternal significance. [19:38]

"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you begin to live with a greater sense of accountability to God in your daily decisions, particularly in how you use your time and resources?


Day 3: Investing in God's Kingdom
Money is a tool meant to be used, not hoarded. By investing wisely and putting our resources to work, we can achieve financial freedom and avoid the pitfalls of debt and stress. The principle of utilization emphasizes the importance of actively engaging with the resources God has given us, rather than letting them sit idle. By investing in ways that align with God's purposes, we can experience both financial stability and spiritual growth, contributing to the advancement of His kingdom. [27:47]

"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." (Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to invest your resources in a way that honors God and furthers His kingdom?


Day 4: Courage to Trust God's Principles
Fear often prevents us from following God's financial principles. By moving against our fears and trusting God's promises, we can break free from debt and experience His blessings. Overcoming fear requires courage and faith, as God's ways may sometimes seem counterintuitive to worldly wisdom. However, by trusting in His promises and stepping out in faith, we can experience the freedom and blessings that come from living according to His principles. [35:21]

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What fear is holding you back from fully trusting God's financial principles, and how can you take a step of faith to overcome it today?


Day 5: Rewards of Faithful Stewardship
God rewards faithful money management with affirmation, promotion, and celebration. By aligning our financial practices with His principles, we can experience both earthly and eternal rewards. Faithful stewardship is not only about managing resources well but also about aligning our hearts with God's purposes. As we do so, we open ourselves to the blessings and rewards that come from living in obedience to His will, experiencing joy and fulfillment in both this life and the next. [46:53]

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" (Matthew 25:23, ESV)

Reflection: How can you align your financial practices more closely with God's principles, and what rewards do you anticipate as a result of faithful stewardship?

Quotes



"Now this is really important because we tend to forget it we forget and and and when we forget it you know what is the sign that you've forgotten that it's God's and and not yours when you think it's yours you worry about it worry is the sign that you think it's all yours." [00:11:24]

"Money is a tool to be used you put it to work you use money and you love people now if you get that reversed you're going to be in trouble because if you start loving money you will use people no people are to be loved money is to be used you are to never love money you are to use it it is a tool to be used." [00:15:27]

"Now when you get to heaven one day God is not going to say why weren't you more like your brother why weren't you more like your dad why weren't you more like your mother why weren't you more no you are only responsible for the talents you've been given and I'm talking about not just money but your time and your abilities and all these other different things." [00:18:02]

"One day God is going to audit me he's going to come and settle accounts there's going to be a final exam on the life God gave you it will be a life audit not by the IRS but by the God and the difference with between the IRS and the God is God has all the records you don't have to bring any to that audit he's already got it he's seen everything you've ever done with your time with your words with your money with your life times you used it for good and the times you just flat out blew it but you will give an account one day." [00:19:52]

"God expects me to use what I've got not to hoard it not to sit on it not to hide it not to bury it not to deny it but money is a tool and it is meant to be used it is not meant to be stockpiled money is like manure okay if you spread it all around it helps things grow like fertilizer but if you pile it up it just starts stinking and money is like fertilizer you know you you don't pile it up he says money is to be used now God expects me to invest what he loans me." [00:27:56]

"If I'm going to be successful in life here it is I must move against my fears I must move against my fears I have to do the very thing I fear the most because with every Talent there is a corresponding fear to keep you from using that Talent if you have a talent at singing there will be a fear that nobody will like it if you have a talent at business there will be a fear that what if I fail and if you have a fear Talent at any other area there will always be the wha ifs in the back that keep you from stepping out and doing what God created you to do with your life." [00:35:19]

"To those who use well what they are given even more will be given and they will have an abundance but for those who are Unfaithful even what little they have will be taken away this is the law of application and here it is if I don't use it I lose it that is a principle of the universe that you cannot deny if you don't use it you you will lose it and if you're not using what you got you don't get what you've got and God has the right to take away anything that I don't use to invest for him because it's all his in the first place." [00:43:22]

"God will reward me for good money money management God will reward me for good money management money is the acid test of your faithfulness God uses it more than any other thing in your life to test your faith why it's because it's the thing we have the hardest time with now look at the rewards that God gives for wise money management in verse 21 he says this the master replied to the guys who had used their money well he said uh well done that's first thing well done good and faithful servant that's the first reward he says you've been faithful with few things I will now put you in charge of many things that's the second reward come and share your Master's happiness that's the third reward." [00:46:53]

"Money is the acid test of how much you trust God that's why we're going to spend some weeks on this not just to get you out of debt because I want you to learn to trust God more here's what Jesus said look here on the screen if you are untrustworthy with worldly wealth that means if you don't manage your money here on Earth you don't manage it well you're always in debt you don't never have any able to give away to share with anybody else cuz your own needs aren't met if you're untrustworthy with worldly wealth who will trust you with the true Riches of Heaven said if I can't trust you with real money here on Earth how can I trust you with Heavenly money the true riches in heaven and if you're not faithful with other people's money why should you be trusted with money of your own this is Jesus talking no one can serve two masters for you either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other you cannot serve both God and money." [00:49:33]

"Whatever you need more of you give it to God if you need more time you give God your time if you need more energy you give God your energy if you need more BR brains you give God your brain if you need more money you give God your money that's what He blesses whatever you sow you will reap and we'll look at that one of the laws is the law of the Harvest now when you sew a seed you don't get one seed back you always get exponentially geometrically more if I sew one kernel of corn plant it in my backyard I don't get one kernel of corn back I get a stock of corns with hundreds of corns on I always get back more than I seow that is the law of sewing and harvest." [00:46:53]

"Now let me just close by asking this question if God did an audit of your life right now on your finances what grade would he give you a b c whatever it is my goal is to move you up the scale in the next couple weeks because this issue is an eternal issue if you are not faithful in unrighteous man money management who will trust you the true Riches of Heaven I want you to have the good roles the good responsibilities the good rewards in heaven and as your pastor I'm praying that you'll learn these principles and apply them not just so you get out of debt I want you out of debt I want you to succeed I want you to prosper but more than that I want you to be what God wants you to be." [00:50:49]

"Dear God I realize that everything I have belongs to you nothing is really mine you just loaned it to me I realize that everything I have is a gift from you and it comes from you and one day it will all return to you and I realized Lord that one day you're going to do an audit on my life and you're going to ask me to give an account of what I did with what I was given I want to practice these principles I want to wisely use your money I want to learn the principles of financial Fitness and then I want to move against my fears and do the right thing whether I feel like it or not Lord I didn't get in the mess I'm in overnight but I want to learn the little by little principle and as we talk about these areas of freedom in that gate of Destiny I want to not just be spiritually free and emotionally free and relationally free but I want to be financially free I realize that if I don't use it I'll lose it but I also realize that if I use it wisely that you have promised to reward me for good management." [00:51:48]

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Transcript
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