Five Financial Myths Series

There is a fascinating story in the Old Testament that deals directly with this myth. Let me read it to you.

I Kings 17:7-16

One of the reasons God asks us to be stewards is to test our willingness to truly trust Him. He does not need 10 percent or 20 percent of even 100 percent of His resources to be returned by us: He can get the job doe with us or without us, through us or in spite of us. He was able to create the resources we oversee for Him in the first place, and He is abundantly capable of creating them anew or creating other means of having His plans accomplished. By entrusting recourses to us, and giving us free reign in managing them, though, the priorities of our heart emerge clearly. His desire is that we will consistently demonstrate unbridled obedience and trust, and thus recognize our place in creation. So how generous I am in my giving is a direct result in my trust in God.

Let’s look at bit at number myth four again. Many Christians see their creditors as more powerful than God and thus show their lack of trust in God by the way they spend their money. If you truly trust God, you will generously give to Him, even if the creditors are knocking on the doors.

Luke 6:38 – give generously and it will be returned to you in like manner

I Timothy 6:17-19 – put your hope in God, not in your wealth

Hebrews 6:10 – God remembers our good efforts to help others

James 1:10 – the rich are lowly in position; their only hope is in God

Conclusion

Pastor, I hear what you are saying but some of this just seems so unreasonable. God never foreclosed on a loan but the bank I have my mortgage with sure has. It’s easy for you to say trust God, give generously, support the church responsibly, but you don’t know the bills I have.

This is one of the fascinating things about stewardship. It seems that when we bring our finances in line with God’s will, all of a sudden we begin to have money we never had before. I don’t know if this is a miracle or just plain common sense. When we spend as if it is God’s money and our spending is in line with His will all of a sudden we stop living beyond our means, we stop being driven by our lusts and wants and we start to have money and financial freedom. It is all circular, the one directly effects the others.

Let me leave you with this neat story this morning. There was a single mother who had heard a Biblical financial teacher say, “Quit looking at your job as the source of your income. Look at your job as only one avenue, one channel the Source, El Shaddai, uses to bring finances into your life. Begin to teach your children to look to their heavenly Father as their Source, not the parents.” Her little daughter, one day told her that she wanted a bike, like all the other children. Her mother, at first was about to reply, “Honey, momma does not have extra money,” because this was her typical response. However, she remembered what the teacher said in the seminar, so she told her daughter, "Let’s ask the Lord for a bike". They prayed together and thanked God for hearing their prayer. A few days later, the little received a check in the mail, payable to her personally. On the way to town to cash the check, they noticed a man placing a bicycle out by the side of the road. The mother stopped the car and asked the man what he was going to do with that bike. The man replied that his daughter had quickly outgrown the use of it and he was going to sell it. The little asked the man how much he wanted and he replied, “For you, $25.00.” which was exactly the amount of the CHECK the received in the mail!”

The little grew up not remembering a mother who worked hard to buy a bike, but thankful for a mother who taught her about her Heavenly Father, who cared about an eight years old ’s need.