Page 62 - Principles for Discipling Others-Student textbook

easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich church to reach a lost world.”
[Modified proverb] *Manager of a polling company for Christian information.

Did you know there are over 2,350 verses in the Bible about money? While we don’t have the time to
review every verse, we will consider a large number of verses in this short paper.

Did you know that nearly half of Jesus’ parables are about possessions? God is concerned with how we
manage our possessions!

The Bible is packed with wise counsel about your financial life. In fact, Jesus had more to say about
money than about heaven and hell combined. So looking into God’s Word will bring to our mind God’s
major principles in managing our resources.

Who owns your possessions and money?

Key Concept: Everything belongs to God, and it is from Him that we are given stewardship over worldly
wealth. God looks at wealth differently than we do. To be good stewards of what God has given us, we
need to have HIS perspective, have HIS desires and attitude about handling money, and be content with
all that God has given us.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

Not only does God own our money, but also our job, our promotion, our ministry, our family, our
home, all our belongings and everything we have.

I Chronicles 29: 11-13 Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and
the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as
head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are
strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise
your glorious name.

Our responsibility is to be good stewards (servants) of everything that God LOANS us as stewards,
remembering that the source of all we have on this earth comes from God and belongs to Him. It is NOT
OURS!

So how much of what God gives you does he want you to give back to Him? If all of what we have
belongs to Him, how much does He want us to give back to Him, and how much should we borrow
from Him to live on?

God takes generosity and giving very personally. We are commanded to take care of those less
fortunate than we are. Jesus told us that when we care for those who are less fortunate, then we are
really caring for Him. When it comes to giving, God promises a special blessing and a return on
investment. We give to God as an expression of our love for Him. We give to honor Him. We are to
give with a joyous heart with thanksgiving for all that He has done and provided for us.

The Bible says in II Corinthians 9:7 that we are to give as God tells to in our hearts. “ Each one must give
as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. We

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