#Strapped - A Godly Perspective on Money - 09.13.15 Notes

Good afternoon! We kicked off a brand new series on giving and finances called #Strapped at Revolution Church. Here's the notes from week one, so share them up and print them out as you dig into God's Word this week! Big thanks to Open Source at LifeChurch.tv for an amazing set of resources for this series!

Live.Love.Serve.

Pastor Kris

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Pastor Kris Freeman

A Godly Perspective on Money

#STRAPPED Week One – Sept. 13, 2015

Revolution Church

Just as the rich rule over the poor; so the borrower is servant to the lender. - Prov. 22:7 NLT

How many of you could use more money? Money is fun - unless you don’t have enough of it. But don’t be fooled by the lie - money does not cause evil - the Bible says “the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Myth: Fighting about money hurts my relationships.

Truth: Imbalanced budgets, life situations, poor spending habits, lack of savings LEAD to fights about money.

Myth: Spend it now. You can’t take it with you.

Truth: Invest well, spend wisely, and place your vision in things that make an eternal difference and not a momentary one.

Myth: I give, so God and the church owe me.

Truth: Giving to God is not a reward-based system. It is about obedience and trust. God blesses in ways far beyond money.

Myth: Money will make me fulfilled and happy.

Truth: Money may satisfy a momentary desire and give us comforts other people do not have, but ultimately cannot buy the peace, joy and grace that comes from God.

Myth: God wants people to live poor, so they are humble.

Truth: Humility is a character trait not tied to our financial independence or lack thereof. God uses wealthy people with the proper heart and attitude to accomplish great things on earth that affect many people.

In the Bible - Two-thirds of Jesus’ parables dealt with money and possessions. One out of 10 verses deal directly with money, wealth or possessions. Over 2,300 verses in the Bible deal with money, wealth or possessions - more than prayer and faith! God wants us to GET THIS RIGHT!

Are you #STRAPPED for cash, or are you set free?

Servant `ebed (eh’-bed) - a slave in bondage

• ·  Love to get married; can't afford it
• ·   Love to start a family; it will break me
• ·   Love to buy a home; rented my whole life
• ·   Love a new job; bound to a bad one (or TWO!)
• ·   Love to support missions, no disposable income
• ·   Love to tithe, but where do I get 10 percent

What does not come off the top will be hard to find in the middle. Waiting to give to God when it’s available often means God will be waiting on you for something that can’t be found. 

The Temptation of Money:

1. We are tempted to _________________ money. (SERVE)

Matthew 6:24 - No man can serve two masters.

2. We are tempted to _________________ money. (LOVE)

1 Timothy 6:10 - Wandered from faith, pierced with grief.

The issue is not how much you make and what you like.

The issue is what you serve and what you spend.

A Godly Perspective on Money:

1. We don’t serve money, we serve ______________ . (GOD)

2. Money serves __________ as we serve God. (US)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. - Romans 13:8

Money tricks us into believing it can provide two things that come only from God: SECURITY and SIGNIFICANCE.

Money just makes you more of what you ALREADY ARE.

Jerk? = Bigger jerk. Generous? = More generous.

Faithful? = MORE FAITHFUL!