GREED or GENEROSITY
Stewardship Series part 3
Luke 12:13-21
Greed is the desire to acquire more than God has planned for us - especially in the areas of finances and possessions.
Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psa 37:4)
Greed: 4 Warning Signs
1) When we live above our means
11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. Luke 15:11
2) When we’re willing to compromise our values to get
ahead.
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. I Timothy 6:9
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Tim 5:8
3) When we’re not giving generously.
The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing. Psalm 37:26
4) When we’re preoccupied with making, spending or saving
money.
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.25“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Matthew 6:24-25
Generosity: 4 Principles to live by
1) Generosity is more than an amount - It’s an attitude.
If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. Ephesians 4:28
And I have been a constant example of how you can help the poor by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”Acts 20:35
True generosity isn’t an occasional event. It comes from the heart and permeates every aspect of a leader’s life, touching his time, money, talents and possessions.(John Maxwell, The 21 Indispensible Qualities of a Leader)
Give so often and so much as a matter of course, that you no more take note that you have helped the poor than that you have eaten your regular meals. (Charles Spurgeon)
2) Generosity is measured not by how much you give - but
by how much it cost you.
"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. [4] All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:3-4)
3) Generosity requires a work of God in our hearts.
1Now I want to tell you, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done for the churches in Macedonia. 2Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. 3For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will II Corinthians 8:1-3
For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:21-22)
4) Generosity will grow when we are totally surrendered to God
Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them. I Corinthians 8:5
