Live a Life of THANKS-GIVING (#2 or 2)

Discovering God’s Answers for Financial Stability In Unstable Times

Nov 18, 2007 – bk@kluth.org

1) Give to God first as your highest financial priority

Psalm 67:7 God blesses us so people all over the earth will fear him.

Deut. 14:22-23 Set aside a tithe—a tenth of all that your fields produce each year…Do this so that you may learn to honor* the Lord your God always. *=To put God first in your life.

2 Cor. 8:7 …see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Malachi 3:8-10 "Should a person rob God? But you are robbing me. "You ask, 'How have we robbed you?' "You have robbed me in your offerings and the tenth of your crops. So a curse is on you, because the whole nation has robbed me. Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord All-Powerful. "I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need.

2) Invest for eternity

1 Tim. 6:17-19 Tell those who are rich not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone, but their pride and trust should be in the living God…Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven--it is the only safe investment for eternity! And they will be living a fruitful Christian life down here as well.

3) View every need & desire as a chance to trust God

Matthew 6:11 Give us today our daily bread.

Ps 34:10 Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Ecc 2:26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.

Also see: Prov 13:22, Job 27:16-17, Isa 45:3

4) Insert time in your schedule to manage your $

Prov 13:16 A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn't and even brags about it!

Prov 24:3 Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.

Isa 32:8 The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.

Prov 14:23 Work brings profit; talk brings poverty!

5) Never be financially dishonest

Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 20:17 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.

Proverbs 10:2 Ill-gotten (dishonest) gain brings no lasting happiness.

Eph 4:28 If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need.

6) Gain Biblical understanding

Ps 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2 Chron 26:5 [King Uzziah] sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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