Trusting God with our Finances

TRUSTING GOD IN OUR FINANCES

Dave Bennett (Guest Speaker)  

MESSAGE SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 25:14-30 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now comes the accountability time after the managing the Master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

How do we live realizing that God owns everything and we need to be ready to give an account to Him? Though not fully sure, here are some of the best attempts to do just that:

1. Pray first thing in the day, “Lord, what would You have me do for You today?”
2. Listen for what He might be saying.
3. Examine every area of your life and ask, "How would God have me handle this situation like how I invest money since it's His?  How would God have me treat my wife since she is His and from Him? How would God have me treat my children since they are His and from Him? How would God have me treat my customers (even specific ones I am meeting that day) since they are His and from Him?"

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What area of your life do you feel most or least prepared for the Lord to inspect?

2. What is one thing you believe God might be leading you to do?