Invest your Wealth

“There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart,

mind and purse. Of these three, the conversion of the purse is most

difficult.”Martin Luther

Why Give your Wealth to God?1. It’s His, not yoursPsalm 89:11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them.

Why Give your Wealth to God?1. It’s His, not yoursDeuteronomy 8:17–18 Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth...

Why Give your Wealth to God?2. Withholding is stealing from GodMalachi 3:8–9 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!”

Why Give your Wealth to God?3. Giving is how we worship GodPhilippians 4:18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Why Give your Wealth to God?4. Giving is how we love others1 John 3:17–18 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

Why Give your Wealth to God?5. Giving can change someone’s eternityLuke 16:9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

Why Give your Wealth to God?6. Your wealth is a testLuke 16:10–12 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”

Why Give your Wealth to God?7. You are (almost certainly) rich1 Timothy 6:17–19 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

Why Give your Wealth to God?7. You are (almost certainly) rich

“God has prospered us not to raise our standard of living,

but our standard of giving.”Randy Alcorn

Why Give your Wealth to God?8. Giving protects you1 Timothy 6:9–10 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Why Give your Wealth to God?8. Giving protects youMatthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Why Give your Wealth to God?9. Giving is an investment, not a

sacrificeMatthew 6:19–20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal”

Why Give your Wealth to God?

1. It’s His, not yours2. Withholding is stealing from God3. Giving is how we worship God4. Giving is how we love others5. Giving can change someone’s eternity6. Your wealth is a test7. You are (almost certainly) rich8. Giving protects you9. Giving is an investment, not a sacrifice

How to Give1. Cheerfully2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

How to Give2. Regularly1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

How to Give3. PrivatelyMatthew 6:2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

How to Give4. SacrificiallyMark 12:42–44 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

How to Give4. Sacrificially2 Samuel 24:24 However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing...”

How to Give4. Sacrificially“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is

to give more than we can spare.”C. S. Lewis

Galatians 6:6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

Attendance Budget

2008 2012

Grow

thOur Financial Health

2500

5000

$2.77M$3.48M

20%

100%

2008 2012People / Pastor 277 / 1

454 / 1

Our Financial Health

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