The Blessed Test - Money Matters -

Acts 20:33-35Acts 20:33-35

The Truth about MoneyThe Truth about MoneyActs 20:33-35Acts 20:33-35

After three years of ministering After three years of ministering to the Ephesian church, the to the Ephesian church, the brilliant Paul the Apostle leaves brilliant Paul the Apostle leaves the elders of that church with the elders of that church with these parting words….these parting words….

Acts 20:33–35 Acts 20:33–35

3333 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. clothes.

3434 “You yourselves know that these hands “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my ministered to my own own needs and to the men needs and to the men who were with me. who were with me.

3535 “In everything I showed you that by “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself saidLord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more , ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ blessed to give than to receive.’ ” ”

Acts 20:36–38Acts 20:36–38

3636 When he had said these things, he When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. knelt down and prayed with them all.

3737 And they And they began began to weep aloud and to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, him,

3838 grieving especially over the word grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship. accompanying him to the ship.

The Truth about Being More Blessed The Truth about Being More Blessed

33 “I have coveted 33 “I have coveted {{desire and seek forbidden thingsdesire and seek forbidden things}} no one’s no one’s silver or goldsilver or gold {{moneymoney}} or clothes or clothes {{possessionspossessions}}. .

3434 “You yourselves know that these “You yourselves know that these handshands ministeredministered to to my my own own needsneeds andand to the men to the men who were with me. who were with me.

35 “In everything I showed you that 35 “In everything I showed you that by working by working hardhard in this manner in this manner you MUST help the weak you MUST help the weak and and rememberremember the words of the Lord Jesus, the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘that He Himself said, ‘It is It is MORE BLESSEDMORE BLESSED to to give than to receivegive than to receive.’ ” .’ ”

(Acts 20:33–35)(Acts 20:33–35)

Truth #1 about Being More Blessed Truth #1 about Being More Blessed Acts 20:34Acts 20:34

God sees helping the weak as a God sees helping the weak as a requiredrequired or or “must” ministry “must” ministry for our money.for our money.

What should you do?What should you do? Don’t hoard money. Instead, Don’t hoard money. Instead, SEESEE your your

money as a means to money as a means to take care of take care of yourself and help othersyourself and help others. .

(34)“my own needs and to the men who were with me”(34)“my own needs and to the men who were with me”

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS! AND OTHERS!

RESPONSIBILITYRESPONSIBILITYwhen you successfully when you successfully

display that you are display that you are “able” to “respond” “able” to “respond” prayerfully and prayerfully and practically to your practically to your needs and the needs of needs and the needs of the people God has put the people God has put in your path.in your path.

““My Needs…With Me”My Needs…With Me”



What should you do?What should you do? Don’t just give away money. Instead, Don’t just give away money. Instead,

EMPLOYEMPLOY your money as your money as a minister a minister with with a a holistic ministry holistic ministry {{meeting needs of sprit, body and soulmeeting needs of sprit, body and soul}}..

(35) “help the weak”(35) “help the weak”

The Truth about MoneyThe Truth about MoneyActs 20:35Acts 20:35

EMPLOY your money as a minister to do EMPLOY your money as a minister to do holistic ministry holistic ministry {{meeting needs of sprit, body and soulmeeting needs of sprit, body and soul}}. . ““Or do you think lightly of the riches of His Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4) (Romans 2:4)

““Or do you think lightly of the riches Or do you think lightly of the riches {God gives you {God gives you

power to gain (Deuteronomy 8:18)}power to gain (Deuteronomy 8:18)} of your kindness and of your kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that God tolerance and patience, not knowing that God works through the kindness of riches He helps you works through the kindness of riches He helps you get to lead others to Him?” (Romans 2:4 KTV)get to lead others to Him?” (Romans 2:4 KTV)


EMPLOY your money as a minister to do EMPLOY your money as a minister to do holistic ministry holistic ministry {{meeting needs of sprit, body and soulmeeting needs of sprit, body and soul}}. . ““Or do you think lightly of the riches {Or do you think lightly of the riches {God gives you God gives you

power to gain (Deuteronomy 8:18)power to gain (Deuteronomy 8:18)} of {your} kindness and } of {your} kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that {God tolerance and patience, not knowing that {God works through the} kindness {of your riches to} works through the} kindness {of your riches to} lead {others} to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)lead {others} to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)

God ministers through our money this…God ministers through our money this…11stst) Systematically through His Church, mainly and ) Systematically through His Church, mainly and

primarily.primarily.22ndnd) Secondarily, through Para-church ministries and ) Secondarily, through Para-church ministries and

individuals ministering one-on-one.individuals ministering one-on-one.

EMPLOY YOUR MONEY EMPLOY YOUR MONEY AS A HOLISTIC MINSTER! AS A HOLISTIC MINSTER!

RELEVANCERELEVANCE

when what you do when what you do matters to who you matters to who you do it for.do it for.

““Help”Help”



What should you do?What should you do? Don’t forget to give. Instead, Don’t forget to give. Instead, REMEMBERREMEMBER

your “more blessed” state is dependent your “more blessed” state is dependent upon your giving, not willingness but actual upon your giving, not willingness but actual giving. giving.

(35) “Blessed” ((35) “Blessed” (μακάριοςμακάριος) - ) - good fortune that accumulates providing favorable circumstances including mfavorable circumstances including material goods, children,

bachelorhood or a husband-wife relationship, riches, good understanding, fame, righteousness, trust in God, forgiveness, and/or

deliverance

REMEMBER GOD’S PROMISE REMEMBER GOD’S PROMISE TO BLESS YOUR GENEROSITY! TO BLESS YOUR GENEROSITY!

FAITHFAITH

when you believe God when you believe God enough to do the enough to do the right thing, even right thing, even when you don’t feel when you don’t feel like doing it.like doing it.

““Remember”Remember”

The Truth about MoneyThe Truth about Money

DO YOU BELIEVE HIM?DO YOU BELIEVE HIM?

The Truth about MoneyThe Truth about Money

WILL YOU OBEY HIM?WILL YOU OBEY HIM?



What should you do?What should you do? Don’t covet the wealth of others. Don’t covet the wealth of others.

Instead, Instead, FOCUSFOCUS your energies your energies on on working hardworking hard to gain your own to gain your own possessions. possessions.

““by working hard” – grow bodily tired while laboringby working hard” – grow bodily tired while laboring

WORK HARD! WORK HARD!

LAZINESSLAZINESS

when you just can’t be when you just can’t be bothered to do more bothered to do more than the bare than the bare minimum for minimum for yourself, God or yourself, God or others.others.

““Work Hard”Work Hard”


LAZINESSLAZINESS

when you just can’t be when you just can’t be bothered to do more bothered to do more than the bare than the bare minimum.minimum.


LAZINESSLAZINESS



LAZINESSLAZINESS


““Work Hard”Work Hard”


DID YOU DID YOU

PASS OR FAIL?PASS OR FAIL?

THE BLESSED TEST – ACTS 20:33-35THE BLESSED TEST – ACTS 20:33-35

MORE BLESSEDMORE BLESSED MORE STRESSEDMORE STRESSED

RESPONSIBILITYRESPONSIBILITYTake care of self and others!Take care of self and others!

RELEVANCERELEVANCEHire your money to ministerHire your money to minister! !

FAITHFAITHRemember to give is to be Remember to give is to be

more blessed!more blessed!

LAZINESSLAZINESSWork hard!Work hard!

GENEROUSGENEROUS GREEDYGREEDY

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Economy & Finance

The Blessed Test - Money Matters -