Lesson 6
The news is full of fearful thoughts on our financial future. What is a person suppose to do—why it looks like any moment we will have a great depression. I mean…look at the people who have lost jobs and can’t find work!! It strikes FEAR in our hearts, doesn’t it?
Let’s look at this in a different light for a moment. Who gave you that job to begin with? Who answered your prayers for the job you now have…God. Is God in all your tomorrows—yesterday…YES! Does He know what is in your bank book also…Yes! If you have lost your job, don’t you think God allowed it to happen for a purpose…Yes! Read Roman 8:28
Money or job must not be our god…Never.
Read Luke 12:16-21
This man made his money (crops and barnes) his god. This man left God out of his plans. He never asked God what to do with the wealth he had. It is God who gives us the wisdom to get wealth. Everything is God’s to begin with! And God loves us more than we can think or imagine.
A very wise woman (my best friend, in her 50’s and I was in my 20’s) told me “God will never give your more money than you can handle, honey. So be wise with what you have even if it is small. Always pay your tithes if its only 50 cents. Always give to the poor and don’t hold back because you don’t have much.”
When we are gripped with the fear of losing our money or income it’s like slapping God in the face. For the last 10 years Ronnie has been threatened with this very thing, in company buy outs and turn-overs, but we never saw the job as our source—God is the source and the job is the vehicle he has chosen. We know God loves us and He says in his word that He will give us everything we need for life (livelihood) and godliness. Praise His holy Name. Someone say AMEN!
Trust God—Not Stuff!
When can you tell you are not trusting God more than money or things?
- You become anxious and covet what someone else has and you don’t.
- You become self pitying about your lack.
- You complain about what you don’t have and don’t praise God for what you do have.
- You find fault in your husband/wives’ ability to bring home more in a pay check.
- You forget to give sacrificially to someone or a need because you don’t think you have enough yourself.
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Abundance of Blessings!
OK Let’s say you have been blessed beyond most people. You are wealthy or at least very financially comfortable, you realize in the beginning God gave you His blessing in this area…BUT….something creeps in. It’s sin! You don’t even see it but it’s there. Israel faced this very problem. God told them He would give them abundance, but He warned them about a sin that would knock at their door. This sin will rob them and us of spiritual blessings. You have the abundances of blessings-which is not evil in God’s eyes because He has giving you this journey. What could happen? The FEAR of remembering the days you didn’t have enough and you were a nobody, and you listen to yourself or satan tell you a lie, that stuff and money will make you a “somebody”. These thoughts or lies will give money more power that it deserves. You begin to spend money to have just “things.” Fearful thoughts of the hard days behind can cause us to depend on things to gain friendships, influence and power. Undetected this fear can bring on PRIDE; the sin that goes before a fall.
How could this fear and the sin that follows eclipse our dependence on God and our Christian testimony?
The Fear of Hoarding
How can the poor be addicted to money, when seemly they don’t have any? It’s the same fear without money. Ronnie and I knew a father who was a hoarder. He worked long hours at minimum wage, and as raises came through the years it still wasn’t enough and the fear of being a nobody, caused him to put everything in saving. That sounds good, but he wouldn’t spend anything to bring any happiness into his wife or children’s lives. The grandparents ended up clothing and buying Christmas every year, because of this fear. When his wife would ask for something needful for the children, he would get angry and verbally abuse her, so she finally gave up. The marriage fell apart the children grew up and moved out, and he remained in a small shack with untold thousands in the bank. Now he is well into his 60’s and dresses in rags and still works. Because his fear of being a nobody held him captive and left him lonely. When speaking of his death, he has said, “people, will say how rich I really was. I will show them who I am.”
We as Christians should see money as only a vehicle to bring us a livelihood and to give to those God directs us to help.
How much do you fear not having money and the stuff you can get with it?
How can you reduce those fears?
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Here is a fun mind game to play. Pretend real money is Monopoly money. When the game is over it goes back in the box. It is given to you by God to be a vehicle to provide for your family and others. Money is not a big deal to God…why not?
Here is a story-This person dies and goes to Heaven carrying a heavy bag of gold over their shoulder. St. Peter is at the gate and welcomes the person into heaven. Then St. Peter notices how tired the person looks carrying this heavy bag over their shoulder.
“Can I ask you what is in the bag?” asked St. Peter.
“Oh, yes I am very proud of this. I worked all my life for this. It is very important to me. I had my family bury this with me and I am so glad I arrived here with it. I want to show Jesus what I worked so hard for all my life.”
St. Peter asked with great excitement, “May I look inside!”
He slowly opened the bag and looked inside and then look back at the person will confusion written all over his face, to which he said, “PAVEMENT??”
Let’s expose the Fear!!
In our scripture in Luke 12:16-21 Why did Jesus call this man a fool?
What does it mean to be rich toward God? Explain
Read 1 Tim. 6:6-10, 17-19
What kind of contentment is described in verses 6-8? How can this contentment destroy FEAR?
What should we be aware of if God should call us to be rich? What instructions does Paul give in 17-19 when we are rich or financially comfortable?
Read Proverbs 23:4-5
What should our attitude be toward being rich?
Why are we warned about setting our hearts on getting rich?
Read Mark 12:41-44
Why do you suppose Jesus watched people put money in the temple treasury? What does this mean to us in 2010?
Why did Jesus single out the widow for praise? What does this teach us in 2010?
Battling FEAR in the real world:
Regardless of your financial position, this week give generously–more than you can simply afford—to someone or a cause that you know will advance the cause of Christ. Write in note how this giving effected you and your family. Share with the class next week if you like. The amount doesn’t matter.
Pray and seek God’s direction and revelation if you have any of these fears about money or stuff. Seek God forgiveness and ask Him to create in you a clean heart in this area and give you the power through the Holy Spirit to change.