Understanding God's Math: The Power of Giving
Summary
In today's message, I wanted to remind everyone of the importance of understanding God's math, especially when it comes to finances and giving. We live in a world where the enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus offers us abundant life. This abundance is not just spiritual but also extends to our material needs. God's math doesn't make sense in the natural world; it defies conventional logic. When we give, especially through tithing, God multiplies what remains, allowing it to go further than if we had kept it all. This principle of giving is not about the church wanting your money but about aligning with God's plan for provision and blessing.
Money itself is neutral; it takes on the spirit of the person who possesses it. When used for God's purposes, it becomes a tool for blessing and ministry. The Bible teaches that the love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. Therefore, it's crucial to have a healthy perspective on finances, understanding that God desires for us to prosper. This prosperity is not just for personal gain but to fund the kingdom and support God's work on earth.
I encourage everyone to adopt a provision mindset, recognizing that God is "pro-vision"—He supports the vision He has placed in your heart. This means being open to His guidance in how we manage our resources. It's about living to give, not just giving to live. When we prioritize God's kingdom, He promises to meet all our needs. The laws of the harvest teach us that we must plant seeds to reap a harvest. This requires faith and obedience, trusting that God will provide and multiply our efforts.
Key Takeaways:
1. God's Math Defies Logic: God's math doesn't add up in the natural world. When we give, especially through tithing, God multiplies what remains, allowing it to go further than if we had kept it all. This principle is about aligning with God's plan for provision and blessing, not about the church wanting your money. [03:16]
2. Money is a Neutral Tool: Money itself is neither good nor bad; it takes on the spirit of the person who possesses it. When used for God's purposes, it becomes a tool for blessing and ministry. The love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. [08:44]
3. Adopt a Provision Mindset: God is "pro-vision"—He supports the vision He has placed in your heart. This means being open to His guidance in managing resources and living to give, not just giving to live. When we prioritize God's kingdom, He promises to meet all our needs. [17:13]
4. The Laws of the Harvest: To reap a harvest, we must plant seeds. This requires faith and obedience, trusting that God will provide and multiply our efforts. The more we give, the more we receive, as God blesses our generosity. [44:09]
5. Faith and Obedience Bring Harvest: Our faith and obedience to God's principles bring a harvest into our lives. By seeking first the kingdom of God, we align ourselves with His blessings, ensuring that our needs are met abundantly. [40:08]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:22] - Abundant Life in Christ
[03:16] - Understanding God's Math
[04:38] - The Neutrality of Money
[06:48] - Money as a Tool
[08:44] - The Spirit of Money
[11:30] - The Power of Tithing
[12:27] - Revelation and Defeat
[16:21] - Financial Struggles and Revelation
[17:13] - Living to Give
[21:46] - God's Desire for Prosperity
[24:21] - Health and Longevity
[28:10] - God's Pleasure in Prosperity
[34:24] - Obedience and Tithing
[40:08] - Faith and Harvest
[44:09] - Laws of the Harvest
[49:51] - Seed, Time, and Harvest
[56:06] - The Temporary Reduction of Giving
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. John 10:10 - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
2. Malachi 3:10 - "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."
3. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of money and its role in our lives? [06:48]
2. How does the pastor describe the concept of "God's math" in relation to tithing and giving? [03:16]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of having a "provision mindset"? [17:13]
4. What examples from the sermon illustrate the principle of sowing and reaping? [44:09]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "God's math" challenge conventional views on financial management and giving? [03:16]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that money can be a tool for ministry and blessing? [06:48]
3. How does the idea of a "provision mindset" align with the biblical understanding of God's provision and vision for our lives? [17:13]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between faith, obedience, and receiving a harvest? [40:08]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current perspective on money. How does it align with the idea that money is a neutral tool that takes on the spirit of its possessor? [08:44]
2. Consider your giving habits. How might adopting "God's math" change the way you approach tithing and generosity? [03:16]
3. What steps can you take to develop a "provision mindset" that aligns with God's vision for your life? [17:13]
4. How can you actively practice the principle of sowing and reaping in your daily life, both financially and spiritually? [44:09]
5. Identify an area in your life where you need to exercise more faith and obedience to see a harvest. What practical steps can you take this week to move in that direction? [40:08]
6. Think of a recent financial decision you made. How might the principles discussed in the sermon influence similar decisions in the future? [06:48]
7. How can you ensure that your financial resources are being used to support God's work and kingdom purposes? [17:13]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Math Multiplies Generosity
When we give, especially through tithing, God multiplies what remains, allowing it to go further than if we had kept it all. This principle defies conventional logic and is about aligning with God's plan for provision and blessing, not about the church wanting your money. God's math doesn't add up in the natural world, but it is a divine principle that brings abundance. By trusting in this principle, we open ourselves to God's supernatural provision, which extends beyond our spiritual needs to our material ones. [03:16]
"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: In what ways can you trust God with your finances today, believing that He will multiply what you give?
Day 2: Money as a Vessel for God's Work
Money itself is neutral; it takes on the spirit of the person who possesses it. When used for God's purposes, it becomes a tool for blessing and ministry. The Bible teaches that the love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. Therefore, it's crucial to have a healthy perspective on finances, understanding that God desires for us to prosper. This prosperity is not just for personal gain but to fund the kingdom and support God's work on earth. [08:44]
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)
Reflection: How can you use your financial resources today to further God's kingdom and bless others?
Day 3: Embracing a Provision Mindset
God is "pro-vision"—He supports the vision He has placed in your heart. This means being open to His guidance in managing resources and living to give, not just giving to live. When we prioritize God's kingdom, He promises to meet all our needs. By adopting a provision mindset, we align ourselves with God's plan and trust in His promise to provide abundantly. This mindset encourages us to be generous and to see our resources as tools for fulfilling God's vision in our lives. [17:13]
"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 9:8, ESV)
Reflection: What vision has God placed in your heart, and how can you trust Him to provide for it?
Day 4: Planting Seeds for a Harvest
To reap a harvest, we must plant seeds. This requires faith and obedience, trusting that God will provide and multiply our efforts. The more we give, the more we receive, as God blesses our generosity. This principle of sowing and reaping is a divine law that encourages us to invest in God's kingdom with the assurance that He will bring a harvest into our lives. By planting seeds of faith, we participate in God's work and witness His blessings unfold. [44:09]
"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." (Galatians 6:7, ESV)
Reflection: What seeds can you plant today in faith, trusting God for a future harvest?
Day 5: Faith and Obedience Unlock Abundance
Our faith and obedience to God's principles bring a harvest into our lives. By seeking first the kingdom of God, we align ourselves with His blessings, ensuring that our needs are met abundantly. This alignment requires us to trust in God's promises and to act in obedience to His word. As we prioritize His kingdom, we experience the fullness of His provision and the joy of living in His abundance. [40:08]
"And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." (Deuteronomy 28:1, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life is God calling you to step out in faith and obedience today?
Quotes
And as I said, we don't spend a lot of time, probably not enough. I probably need to go on record and say I don't teach you enough about giving and God's math and how it works. Because God's math doesn't make sense in the natural. It just doesn't calculate. [00:03:16] (21 seconds)
It doesn't add up how you can give 10 % or more of your income away, but the 90 % or 85 % or whatever you have left after you give an offering above your 10%, whatever you have left will go further and spend further and buy more and do more than the 100 % if you didn't give to the Lord the 10 that belongs to him. It doesn't add up. But all the tithers would say amen because they know it works. [00:03:36] (38 seconds)
Money is not good or bad in and of itself. Do y 'all have any money with you? Anybody? If you got money, wave at me. If you got some. I'm not taking offering right now. I'm just asking a question. Do you have any money? If you do, wave at me. All right, get it out. [00:06:55] (19 seconds)
So here's what you need to understand about money. When it comes into your hand, it takes on the spirit of the person that possesses it. When it's in the hands of a drug dealer, it's used for illegal things. But when it comes into the hands of a tither, a tither pays 10 % tithe on that dollar. [00:11:36] (29 seconds)
he wants you he wants me he wants all of his people to have a provision mindset which means he is pro the vision that he's put in your spirit what has he called you to do what has he deposited in your spirit what are you supposed to do in life what is your purpose what is your calling what are your gifts what do you like to do whatever it is that you like to do there's a pretty good indication that that is one of your gifts and God wants you to do that when you spend your career doing something that you like you never spend a day working because you are doing what you want to do you're doing what you are called to do what you are gifted to do so when we get a provision mindset we understand that God is pro the vision that he has given us he is for the vision he is pro the vision that's what provision is provision is the resources in your hand to perform the vision that you have that's what provision we pray for provision we pray God give us provision provide for our food and put roof over our head and food on our table and clothes on our back and the things that we need Lord we pray that God will provide those things and he does because he is pro the vision [00:18:47] (89 seconds)
god it's not a trick question it's in the bible third john 2 beloved i pray above all things that you may prosper that you may prosper in all things what is all things is all things your your money and be in health just as your soul prospers now the key is soul prosperity matthew 6 33 seek first the kingdom of god his righteousness all these other things will be added to you god wants your soul to prosper in other words he wants you to be right with him he wants you to serve him he wants you to be a man or woman of god he wants you to read the bible he wants us to pray and fast he wants us to worship him to be in connection with him all those things just as your soul prospers so whatever that means for us as christians when your soul begins to prosper it also includes i pray above all things i pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers so if you could just take that one verse and get a revelation he wants you to be healthy and wealthy [00:21:54] (69 seconds)
You don't have to be sick all the time. You don't have to be broke all the time. God wants to bring increase into your hands. So you must have a provision mindset because get it in your spirit. It's God's desire for you to prosper in every area of your life. Say it with me. It's God's desire for me to prosper in every area of my life. [00:25:27] (24 seconds)
So you plant your seed and you keep on giving the seed. You must plant what you expect to harvest. If you want a big crop, you plant big. If you want a little crop, you plant little. Genesis 1, 12, when the earth brought forth the herb that yields seed according to its kind and the tree that yields seed, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. This is a principle of sowing and reaping, but you plant what you expect to reap, what you expect to harvest. God said, set this up and it works. [00:44:09] (37 seconds)
If we could get a revelation on finances, here's the revelation. The more you give, the more you get back. You invest in the stock market, your stock goes down and so you never invest again. Maybe you invested in the wrong thing. Maybe you got in bad ground. [00:45:38] (21 seconds)
And you know how you stop being broke? You sow. You give something. If what's in your hand, don't miss this. If what's in your hand is not big enough to be your harvest, it must be seed. And if you will sow it, you'll reap a harvest. So your seed must be planted in good ground. [00:48:09] (20 seconds)
I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. That's our responsibility. We're supposed to plant. God may send somebody else to water, but God will give the increase. And it's a principle, a principle. It's a principle. It works in every area of your life, not just finances. [00:53:21] (21 seconds)
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