Trusting God: Finances and Spiritual Peace
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound connection between our finances and our spiritual peace. We began by acknowledging the stirring of the Spirit among us, emphasizing the importance of being sensitive to God's leading. We reflected on the freedom that comes from fully submitting to God's will, recognizing that each of us has a unique way of expressing our devotion. This led us to the core of our discussion: the role of finances in our spiritual lives.
We delved into the book of Malachi, where God calls His people to return to Him, highlighting their failure to obey His decrees, particularly in the area of tithes and offerings. This passage underscores the importance of trusting God with our resources, as withholding tithes is equated to cheating God. We discussed how giving is not just about finances but about our relationship with God, our trust in His provision, and our acknowledgment of His ownership over everything we have.
We also addressed common struggles and questions about tithing, emphasizing that while we are not bound by Old Testament law, the principles behind it still hold value. Jesus raised the standard of giving, calling us to be generous, cheerful, and sacrificial in our giving. We were reminded that God blesses faithfulness and that our giving should be an act of worship and trust, not a reluctant obligation.
Finally, we reflected on the importance of stewardship in all areas of our lives, including our health, relationships, and spiritual well-being. Effective stewardship involves both wise management and radical generosity. We concluded with a call to examine our hearts, to break any pride or stubbornness that hinders us from fully trusting God with our finances, and to embrace the peace that comes from complete submission to His will.
### Key Takeaways
1. Trusting God with Our Finances: Trusting God with our finances is a profound act of faith. It signifies our belief that God is our ultimate provider and that His ways are higher than ours. When we entrust our finances to God, we exchange our worry for His peace, knowing that He will provide for our needs. [46:08]
2. The Principle of Stewardship: Stewardship is about managing and being generous with what God has entrusted to us. It extends to every area of our lives, including our health, relationships, and spiritual well-being. Effective stewardship requires both wise management and radical generosity, ensuring that we honor God with all that we have. [01:07:09]
3. The Heart of Giving: Giving is not just about resources; it's about our relationship with God. It should be done with joy and not under compulsion. Our giving reflects our trust in God's provision and our acknowledgment of His ownership over everything. It is an act of worship and a spiritual discipline that aligns our hearts with God's will. [01:18:26]
4. God's Faithfulness in Blessing: God blesses faithfulness. When we are faithful in managing what He has given us, He entrusts us with more. This principle applies to all areas of our lives, including our finances. By being faithful stewards, we open ourselves to receive God's blessings, which may come in various forms, not just financial. [01:04:38]
5. Breaking Personal Barriers: Sometimes, the biggest barrier to experiencing God's peace and provision is our own pride and stubbornness. We need to allow God to break these barriers within us, leading us to a place of full submission and trust in Him. This breaking process is essential for us to fully embrace the peace and blessings that God has in store for us. [01:23:06]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[24:05] - Stirring of the Spirit
[27:00] - Freedom in Worship
[27:41] - Preparing Our Hearts
[28:46] - Individual Expressions of Faith
[29:25] - Unique Moments in Services
[29:59] - Significant Moments for Our Church
[30:24] - Sensitivity to the Spirit
[30:48] - Prayer for Sensitivity
[33:40] - Announcements and Connections
[35:01] - College Ministry Update
[37:07] - Honoring Dudley Bradley
[39:26] - Transition in Worship Leadership
[42:50] - Real Peace Series Recap
[43:44] - Peace with God
[44:38] - Peace with Ourselves
[45:28] - Peace with Others
[46:08] - Peace and Finances
[49:14] - Trusting God with Finances
[51:05] - God's Unchanging Nature
[52:57] - Returning to God
[55:00] - Relationship with God
[58:51] - Transformation of Hearts
[59:25] - Cheating God
[01:03:42] - Testing God in Tithing
[01:07:09] - Stewardship Principles
[01:13:08] - Jesus' Teaching on Tithing
[01:19:05] - Spiritual Discipline of Giving
[01:23:06] - Breaking Personal Barriers
[01:29:54] - Call to Generosity
[01:31:41] - Worship and Offering
[01:35:28] - Prayer for Offering
[01:39:00] - Closing Benediction
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Malachi 3:6-10 (NIV)
> "I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
> "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
3. Luke 11:42 (NIV)
> "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Malachi 3:6-10 say about God's unchanging nature and His call for His people to return to Him?
2. According to Malachi 3:8, how were the people robbing God, and what were the consequences of their actions?
3. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, what transformation occurs when someone is in Christ?
4. How does Jesus address the issue of tithing and justice in Luke 11:42?
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to "return to God" as mentioned in Malachi 3:7, and how does this relate to our financial stewardship? [49:14]
2. How does the concept of being a "new creation" in 2 Corinthians 5:17 influence our approach to giving and stewardship?
3. In Luke 11:42, why does Jesus emphasize both tithing and justice? How can we balance these in our own lives?
4. How does trusting God with our finances, as discussed in the sermon, reflect our overall trust in His provision and care? [46:41]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current financial practices. Are there areas where you struggle to trust God fully? How can you begin to surrender these areas to Him? [49:14]
2. The sermon mentioned that giving is an act of worship and trust. How can you cultivate a heart of joyful and sacrificial giving in your daily life? [01:18:26]
3. Stewardship extends beyond finances to include our health, relationships, and spiritual well-being. Identify one area in your life where you can improve your stewardship. What practical steps will you take this week? [01:07:09]
4. Sometimes pride and stubbornness can be barriers to fully trusting God with our finances. Can you identify any personal barriers that might be hindering your trust in God? How can you work on breaking these barriers? [01:23:06]
5. The sermon emphasized that God blesses faithfulness. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's blessings as a result of your faithfulness. How can this encourage you to remain faithful in your giving and stewardship? [01:04:38]
6. Jesus raised the standard of giving by emphasizing generosity and justice. How can you ensure that your giving practices align with both of these principles? [01:11:31]
7. The sermon called for examining our hearts and breaking any pride or stubbornness. Spend some time in prayer this week asking God to reveal any areas of pride or stubbornness in your life. How will you respond to what He shows you? [01:23:06]
Devotional
### 5-Day Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God with Our Finances
Description:
Trusting God with our finances is a profound act of faith that signifies our belief in His ultimate provision. When we entrust our finances to God, we exchange our worry for His peace, knowing that He will provide for our needs. This act of trust is not just about money; it is about our relationship with God and our acknowledgment of His ownership over everything we have. By submitting our financial concerns to Him, we demonstrate our faith in His ability to care for us and our willingness to follow His guidance. [46:08]
Bible passage:
"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 specific financial worry can you entrust to God today, and how can you practically demonstrate your trust in His provision?
Day 2: The Principle of Stewardship
Description:
Stewardship is about managing and being generous with what God has entrusted to us. It extends to every area of our lives, including our health, relationships, and spiritual well-being. Effective stewardship requires both wise management and radical generosity, ensuring that we honor God with all that we have. By being good stewards, we acknowledge that everything we possess is a gift from God and that we are responsible for using these gifts in ways that glorify Him. This principle challenges us to evaluate how we use our resources and to seek ways to be more generous and responsible. [01:07:09]
Bible passage:
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)
Reflection:
In what area of your life can you practice better stewardship, and what steps can you take to manage and share your resources more effectively?
Day 3: The Heart of Giving
Description:
Giving is not just about resources; it's about our relationship with God. It should be done with joy and not under compulsion. Our giving reflects our trust in God's provision and our acknowledgment of His ownership over everything. It is an act of worship and a spiritual discipline that aligns our hearts with God's will. When we give cheerfully and sacrificially, we participate in God's work and experience the joy of contributing to His kingdom. This perspective on giving transforms it from a mere obligation to a meaningful expression of our faith and love for God. [01:18:26]
Bible passage:
"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." (2 Corinthians 9:7-8, ESV)
Reflection:
How can you cultivate a joyful and generous heart in your giving, and what specific act of generosity can you perform this week?
Day 4: God's Faithfulness in Blessing
Description:
God blesses faithfulness. When we are faithful in managing what He has given us, He entrusts us with more. This principle applies to all areas of our lives, including our finances. By being faithful stewards, we open ourselves to receive God's blessings, which may come in various forms, not just financial. Faithfulness in small things leads to greater responsibilities and opportunities to serve God. This understanding encourages us to be diligent and trustworthy in all that we do, knowing that our faithfulness honors God and positions us to receive His abundant blessings. [01:04:38]
Bible passage:
"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?" (Luke 16:10-11, ESV)
Reflection:
What small area of your life can you be more faithful in today, and how can you demonstrate your trustworthiness to God?
Day 5: Breaking Personal Barriers
Description:
Sometimes, the biggest barrier to experiencing God's peace and provision is our own pride and stubbornness. We need to allow God to break these barriers within us, leading us to a place of full submission and trust in Him. This breaking process is essential for us to fully embrace the peace and blessings that God has in store for us. By surrendering our pride and stubbornness, we open our hearts to God's transformative work and experience the freedom that comes from complete submission to His will. This journey requires humility and a willingness to let go of our own ways in favor of God's perfect plan. [01:23:06]
Bible passage:
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV)
Reflection:
What personal barrier (pride, stubbornness, fear) do you need to surrender to God today, and how can you take a step towards full submission to His will?
Quotes
1. "What those type of moments mean is that you have a choice. Like, we can operate in the freedom and the Lord can do something significant. Or we can hold back and not give everything to the Lord who we are. Again, that looks different for everybody. What that looks like for you is going to look different for me. That's part of being individuals in the body of Christ." [28:46] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When we give God our whole self, we receive his perfect peace. We give God everything that we are. We give it to him so that we can find real peace in our lives. The second week, we begin to talk about what it means to have peace with ourself. Because you know yourself. You know all the things you've ever done. And there are days that regret, shame, guilt can overflow in you." [43:44] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we release our guilt to God, we find wholeness in his peace. Our desire, God desires for us to be whole. He does not want you to live a fractured life. He desires for you to be whole. But you can only find true wholeness in him." [44:38] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When we give forgiveness just as we have received, we open the door to peace within our relationships. That's easier said than done. But because of the forgiveness Jesus has given us, we have to give forgiveness to other people. Doesn't mean they're going to receive it, doesn't mean that there's full reconciliation, but it means that we can find peace." [45:28] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When we entrust our finances to God, we exchange our worry for His peace. Now, we've been on this journey of finding how to find real peace in our lives. And today, we are tackling finances. It's no secret that money-related stress is one of the leading causes of anxiety. For most people, it's usually at the very top of the list." [47:24] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "When we talk about having peace in our lives, stress plays a vital role in that because stress stops peace. Well, what is one of the number one ways of stress? Well, 64% of adults, identify this as a source of stress. It's the number one. I haven't told you what it is yet. You haven't missed anything. That's on purpose." [46:41] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Giving is simply a matter of trusting God. What it is, it's simply trusting God. It shows your level of trust in Him. And that's a huge part. Because here's what happens, and we've talked about this for this entire series, is that there are parts of our heart, because they're difficult to deal with, we go before the Lord and we say, Lord, we don't say it out loud, but we really are doing this, Lord, You can have 85% of my heart." [52:57] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "God is always pursuing you. Whether or not you're pursuing Him does not matter. He is pursuing you. He is waiting on you to make the decision to turn all of your life over to Him. And even if you say, well, I follow the Lord. But if you are not giving the Lord all of your life, He is still pursuing you saying, Jack, give me everything you've got. I want 100%. I don't want 92.4%. I want 100% of who you are." [54:14] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "When we disagree with God, we need to change. Because we have to understand often our disagreements with God stem from a misalignment of our priorities or a misunderstanding of His character. Truthfully, when it comes to giving, we might question God's wisdom or even His goodness. We might wonder why He asks us to give when we don't even feel like we have enough." [56:08] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "God blesses faithfulness. He does. It's all in Scripture. He blesses faithfulness. Now, here's the thing. When we talk about stewardship, many of us would not question the mindset of stewardship, because it's in all of our lives. I mean, let's look at this. If you don't steward your health, you're going to suffer physically." [01:04:38] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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