Speaker: Sis. Techie Rodriguez ,Elder, The Lord's Flcok Catholic Charismatic Community

“ God's Plan of Giving - Part 1 ”

God Will Give Us Everything Else Along with Jesus

“ H e [God] who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? ” (Romans 8:32).

God Gives Us His Word

G od has given us his word. Let us know his word and his commands. “ Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live! .” (Proverbs 4:4). Let us hide them in our heart and not let the devil steal them. (Parable of the Sower – Matthew 13:1-8).

God Gives Us Wealth

G od owns everything. “ Mine is the silver and mine the gold. ” (Haggai 2:8). God's plan includes giving us wealth. “ Remember then, it is the Lord, your God, who gives you the power to acquire wealth .” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

E verything that we own came from God. “ What do you possess that you have not received? ” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

G od owns all the money, and He entitles us, as his children, to his wealth: “ But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God…. . ” (John 1:12). “ The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ… ” (Romans 8:16-17).

G od gives us the power to possess and use wealth , but He asks us not to rely on wealth but on God. “ Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous ready to share .” (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

Generosity of the Early Christian Community

T he communal life of the early Christian community (Acts 2:42 -47) has been misunderstood as a kind of Christian communism . Actually, it was the result of the Christians' baptism by the Holy Spirit. They received the gift of generosity; they were selling their possessions, helping one another, and giving to the needy. Their acts of giving became their second nature – in the likeness of their creator, the generous God.

Principles of Gaining Wealth

L et us observe the following biblical principles of gaining wealth:

1. I f we obey God through our work and good stewardship, He will bless our work and promote us in the eyes of our employers.

? “ If you continue to heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and are careful to observe all his commandments which I enjoin you today, the Lord, your God, will raise you high above all the nations of the earth. ” (Deuteronomy 28:1).

? “ Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal. ” (Joshua 1:8).

? “ But from God who decides, who brings some low and raises others high. ” (Psalms 75:8).

G od promotes men. Joseph is an example of a good steward whom the Lord blessed in his work in the household of his Egyptian master. (Genesis 39:2-6).

L ike Joseph, we will be blessed by the Lord when our fellow workers, our associates, and our customers see the Lord in us. For being good stewards in our fields of endeavors (as employees or businessmen or family heads), God will bless everything we own, our home, and our place of work. He gives us the opportunity to acquire wealth.

? “ In all labor there is profit. ” (Proverbs 14:23).

? “ If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. ” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

2. I t is wise to save. “Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool consumes it.” (Proverbs 21:20). With our income, let us set aside 10% as our savings. Ten percent is for our tithes (Malachi 3:10 ). The 80% may be allotted for our needs and expenses .

3. I t is wise to plan our income and expenses. Let us remember that “ Wealth lasts not forever .” (Proverbs 27:24). We should plan how to spend our money, prepare a list of priority expenditures, and keep records. We should also estimate cost before proceeding with any project. “ Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion ?” (Luke 14:28).

4. G od wants us to be debt-free. Let us avoid getting into debt.

? “ Owe nothing to anyone .” (Romans 13:8).

? “ The wicked borrow but do not repay; the just are generous in giving. ” (Psalms 37:21).

? “ You have been purchased at a price. Do not become slaves to human beings .” (1Corinthians 7: 23 ).

? “…the borrower is the slave of the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7).

? “ Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never forsake you or abandon you. ” (Hebrews 13:5).

? Let us avoid impulse buying. Let us not spend beyond our means.

? Let us not be guarantors for somebody else's loans.

5. G od does not want us to be a loan company. What should we do when someone comes to us to borrow some money? We should use our discernment.

? We should not lend money if the amount will be used by the borrower for something sinful.

? We should not lend money if the person is a habitual borrower who lives on borrowed money as a way of life.

? We should verify the real need of the person who has come to us. If actual necessity is proven, God wants us to help him. Then we should give him what we can (instead of lending him money). “ If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him ?” (1 John 3:17).

How To Regard Money

H ow should we regard money?

M oney in itself can be a great blessing when it is used wisely. It is the desire for money that leads to evil acts.

? “ For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. ” (1 Timothy 6:10).

? “ No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despite the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money]. ” (Matthew 6:24, Luke 6:13).

? “ How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God !. ” (Mark 10:23 ).

W hen we work too much to make money, we may no longer have time to work for God. This is like making money our god. This should be avoided.

G od is not displeased if we have money. It is actually part of God's plan to bless us with wealth. What is important is what we do with what God gives us – big or small.

W hat we receive as money should cover our needs for daily living – for buying and paying. We should be satisfied with what we have. We might desire for more money; work for more income and have no more time for God. Let us not exchange God for money but thank God for our wealth that comes from him. Let us be good stewards of wealth. Let us also be careful of the temptation of money. Money can be so enticing that we might make it number one in our life and God number two.

Cautions About Money

L et us be cautious about money. Let us beware of desiring to accumulate too much wealth.

? The desire for money will lead us to evil. (1 Timothy 6:10). “Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction.” (1 Timothy 6:9).

? The desire for money lacks contentment. “ The covetous man is never satisfied with money. ” (Ecclesiastes 5:9).

? The desire for money separates men from God. Because of love of money, we get separated from God. We compromise by bribing in exchange for favors by padding expense accounts, by delivering substandard products and by other sinful practices. Because of money, Delilah betrayed Samson (Judges 16). Ananias and Sapphira were punished with death because of their greed for money. (Acts 5:1-11).