Hard Work
Proverbs 13:11
Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Proverbs 13:4
A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
Provers 22:29
Do you see someone skilled in their work?
They will serve before kings;
they will not serve before officials of low rank.
There are a few reasons that God cares about our work ethic:
- It’s about our character
- It represents Jesus well
- Our financial needs and the needs of the church
are taken care of when we work hard
Mike Rowe, from Dirty Jobs:
“The real secret of success is that there is no secret,” Rowe says, “It’s all been said. But the people who truly embrace it and take responsibility for their actions and take responsibility for their performance are the ones who get the opportunities and are the ones who will succeed.”
Debt
Debt is a pretty confusing topic in the Bible, because it’s really not completely black and white…
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
Psalm 37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you
Acts 2:44-45
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
- If you need to, borrow for things that are equity building
meaning that they raise in value over time:
like a house or a business
- Try to only borrow for things that you can’t buy with savings:
If you can save for a year to buy something,
don’t incur debt for no reason, save for it.
- If you use a credit card,
only use it to build your credit
(like putting a bill on your card and paying it off),
not to buy things you want and can’t afford.
- Most importantly:
Pray and hear God before signing up for debt,
and seek wise counsel before signing up.
Tithe
Giving your money to the bride of Christ is not about it going to church vs. buying ourselves something instead. It’s about God using your job, your skills, your life to impact the Kingdom of God, and detract from the kingdom of darkness!
The word tithe means, “tenth” and refers to a principle that originated in the Old Testament called “first fruits” which literally meant that Jewish people would give the first 10% of whatever their livelihood was to God.
I’ve heard many people say that this principle of tithing went away with Jesus because he completed Mosaic Law, but I don’t agree with that:
- Because this principle predates Mosaic Law in the Bible
- Jesus mentions tithing in the New Testament as something we should not neglect:
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
- The heart of why God tells us to give never changed:
Dave Ramsey says it like this:
“Tithing was created for our benefit. It teaches us how to keep God first in our lives and how to live unselfishly. Unselfish people make better spouses, friends, relatives, employees and employers. And they usually have better finances. God is trying to teach us how to prosper over time.”
There is only 1 thing in the whole Bible that God tells us to test him in, and it’s tithing:
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.
Living Cost
Don’t live above your means.
Don’t live above your needs! Or, live at the level God calls you to live at.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
Hebrews 13:5
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Luke 16:10
10
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Giving / Saving
Imagine what you could do if you were financially free! You could support missions (long term and short term), plant churches around this city and the world, make local ministries happen, meet the practical needs of people in our city, and so much more… All because you get your finances in check!
