I’m a little late getting this out, but this week has been crazy busy. We continued our series called 5 Lies of the Devil and talked about something most people don’t want to talk about – money. Some pastors get nervous talking about money, I really don’t. I believe it is a spiritual issue not a financial one. Here’s the highlights:
- Too often in the church we don’t want to deal with the most obvious problems in our lives. Money is one of them.
- People have believed the lie that the “church just wants your money” because of swindlers and crooks who have abused people’s generosity.
- Just because you’ve been hurt by someone in the past, doesn’t mean you stop living or giving.
- I am not worried about people leaving our church because they are offended when we talk about money. Those folks never give any ways!
- One reason I feel the church needs to talk about money is because God wants to bless us!!
- God was pretty generous when He decided to let us keep 90% of the money He blessed us with! Good deal.
- God makes some pretty strong promises to us if we are obedient with our tithe. (Prov 3:9-10; Mal 3:8-10)
- The reason so many people struggle financially is probably because their finances are CURSED rather than BLESSED.
- Another reason I feel it is important to deal with money is because Jesus said it is connected to our hearts. (Matthew 6:19-21)
- God is more interested in your heart than your wallet. He’s pretty rich you know.
- The problem I see in the church is that many would rather give God their “messes” than their “money.”
- But maybe even more glaring is the truth that what we do with our money identifies what we REALLY believe.
- We are so good at making big statements of what we believe…”God is my provider” or “God is All-Powerful.” Yet we won’t trust Him to provide if we give the tithe. What do we really believe?
- I believe God wants to bless His people so that we can be conduits of His blessing.
If you missed the message, you can watch it online here.
P.S. – Next week’s topic is rated PG-13.