Get out from under the Curse!
Get under the Concilliation!
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About every week, I have lots of opportunities to counsel folks and try and help them, I marvel at how many people are struggling with the same problems…
Money is the one thing that people say they argue about most in marriage, followed by children (Stanley & Markman, 1997).
Younger people in the U.S. who are marrying for the first time face roughly a 40-50% chance of divorcing in their lifetime under current trends (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1992, p. 5).
Finances have been reported as the culprit or basis of problems 85% of the time in a marriage survey.
Thank God for the Bible… Jesus talked much about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deal directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions. See: Lk 7:41-43; Mt 24:45-51; Mt 13:44-46; Lk 15:8-10; Lk 18:10-14; Lk 12:16-21; Lk 16:19-31; Lk 16:1-8; Mt 25:14-30; Mk 12:1-11; Lk 19:12-27; Mt 18:23-35; Mt 20:1-16; Mt 19:16-30
Have you ever stopped to think that Christ never gave anyone money? The riches of the world were his for the taking and his to give away, yet when the poor and the hungry came to him, he didn't give them money, and he rarely gave them food; he gave them love and service and the greatest gift of all-himself.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. -- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Before I go any further, let me say, my hope and desire tonight is to save you and me from Marital problems. 85% of all of them are related to finances. I really believe some folks need there eyes opened up by the Scriptures. However, I'm not an idiot who's only after your money. Too often that is what the thought is when a Preacher gets on the subject I'm on tonight. I think that's why a lot of Preachers are shying away, and as a result their folks are suffering.
So Tonight I want to deal with the Bible and your finances… If you get what I'm preaching and maintain it, you'll have a peace in the day of adversity that no one will be able to understand. You'll still have problems, but they won't be to the magnitude that others will have them, and you'll have resources to help you with those struggles that others won't have.
The reason so many are struggling is because they haven't put God first.
When God is not in first place you will have problems. God guarantees that. Mark that down. God intends that you won't make it without Him. Submit to that Truth! Don't fight that! You will loose! Your marriage will loose! Your Kids will Loose! God Comes First!
Does this sound like a lot of home? Sown Much… working hard, two incomes, but can't make it! Why not? Let me ask you, is God First in it?
First Fruits: There was a knock on the door of the hut occupied by a missionary in Africa. Answering, the missionary found one of the native boys holding a large fish in his hands. The boy said, "Reverend, you taught us what tithing is, so here--I've brought you my tithe." As the missionary gratefully took the fish, he questioned the young lad. "If this is your tithe, where are the other nine fish?" At this, the boy beamed and said, "Oh, they're still back in the river. I'm going back to catch them now.
(Jimmy Robins, "I prayed some of you God robbers home from Vacation this summer")
Understand, God has made all of us Stewards of what He has given us. Stewards are required to be faithful!
Annanias and Saphira -- Lied about their Giving and God killed them… You better take this matter serious.
The reason some of you fella's have a wife that wants to spend all of your money is because you are God Robber and that is God's judgement on you. If it's not your wife it's your kids! God's not going to let you spend His money.
You and I had better listen to God! He's revealed in the Bible, not on Oprah!
My assistant Pastor who didn't tithe was not fit for the ministry… Let me tell you what else he was… He was Broke.. He was borrowing, and he was in Trouble..
I've seen it.. Christian School teachers who didn't tithe! We can't hire folks like that… If anyone needs to tithe it's them.. they don't make much, they need God to multiply it! I won't hire anyone who isn't a tither… we don't need a thief. Anyone who'll steal will lie…
The widow lady was asked to give her meal and oil to Elijah. Sight said, that wouldn't be enough. We had just enough for another meal. But what happened? She gave, so God gave. What did she have that most are missing? Faith! You want to see how can I do it… Tell me, could she do it? In 1000 years could she have figured out how she did what she ended up doing? Never, why? It was unexplainable!
Some of you are under all kinds of stress because you can't figure out how to make your 100% + overtime + extra job, + loans make the ends meet. What you need is to step back ask God to forgive you for stealing from Him and in Faith put God first! Exercise some faith!
How you gonna pray your way out of a mess when you can't Pray? That's right, if you're a God robber, you're in Sin and you can't pray and have your prayers heard, "Ps. 66:18, If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me"
A church member was having trouble with the concept of tithing. One day he revealed his doubts to his minister: "Pastor, I just don't see how I can give 10 percent of my income to the church when I can't even keep on top of our bills." The pastor replied, "John, if I promise to make up the difference in your bills if you should fall short, do you think you could try tithing for just one month?" After a moment's pause, John responded, "Sure, if you promise to make up any shortage, I guess I could try tithing for one month." "Now, what do you think of that," mused the pastor. "You say you'd be willing to put your trust in a mere man like myself' who possesses so little materially, but you couldn't trust your Heavenly Father who owns the whole universe!"
God isn't interested in your excuse, but He will honor our Faithfulness!