This week we are talking about a topic that we don't always like to talk about, but we certainly need to: money. Depending on the way we choose to spend our finances, we can use our money to glorify God, or we can spend it all in a way that dishonors Him. Today we are going to look at what Scripture teaches about finances and discover how we can honor God in the way that we steward the finances He has given us.
When it comes to your finances, are you a spender or a saver?
1. Why do you think that money can be such a sensitive subject to talk about?
2. Read 1 Chronicles 29:10-15. How does acknowledging that everything, including our money, comes from God affect the way you view your finances?
1 Chronicles 29:10-15 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly: “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
1 Chronicles 29:10-15
Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:
“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
3. Do you find it difficult to make a budget and stick to it? Why or why not?
4. Are you currently setting aside a portion of your paycheck to save? Why or why not?
5. Read Deuteronomy 14:22-29. Have you ever thought of tithing as an act of celebration of God's provision? How might viewing it as a celebration change your perspective on tithing?
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 “You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God. “Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe. If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has chosen. When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household. And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you. “At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
“You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God.
“Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe. If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has chosen. When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household. And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.
“At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.
6. According to 1 Timothy 1:17, why can we trust God instead of money? Describe a time when God provided for you during a difficult time.
1 Timothy 1:17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17
All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
7. After considering what Scripture says about finances, what is one way you can trust God with your money (set a budget, tithe more than 10% this month, give generously to someone you know who is in need, etc.)?
On an index card, write out the entire verse from 1 Timothy 1:17. Place that index card in your wallet as a reminder to trust in God rather than your finances. If you find yourself struggling to tithe and have not yet committed to giving 10% of your income back to the Lord, tell your group that you are struggling. Don't worry. There will be no judgment from any of your group members! Commit to take on Sagebrush's 90-Day Tithe Challenge. For the next three months, commit to tithing and see how the Lord will provide for you over the next ninety days as you give a portion of your income back to Him. When you are finished with your index cards and discussion, pray together as a group, thanking God for the ways He has richly provided for you and asking Him for the courage to steward your finances well.
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Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
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