"Money Tremendous tool, but terrible master"

The title is a quote that I heard that sums up the topic of money beautifully. In the word of God money is no small subject. Sixteen of the thirty eight parables deal with financial management. One of the big reasons is because How can we be in a position to be a blessing unless were blessed? God said in the book of Deuteronomy I will bless you coming in and out, in the city and field, in your basket and store. The bible says that the blessing of the Lord makes us rich and adds no sorrow(Prov 10:22) God has no problem getting money to us, its getting it through us that can be the issue! God doesent care how much we have as long as those things dont have us. There are people that can be like "well its just like the bible says "Money is the root of all evil" NO! Its the LOVE of money thats the root of all evil(1 Tim 6:10) Is it possible for someone to have alot of it and love God? Absolutely! Abraham was rich in cattle, David gave a ton in one offering, Soloman was the wealthiest person that ever lived on the face of the planet and would have been able to send care packages to Bill Gates! However on the other side of things someone can be poor and be completely covetous. Many times they are the very ones that make statements such as "If I only had their money"! I want us to notice a very important word in that phrase THEIR!!!! How is what someone is doing with their money effect are ability to recieve? It doesent! Gods blessing is not based on condition or culture, but COVENANT! The book of Ecc says, A poor mans wisdom is not heard(Ecc 9:16) In other words if we dont have enough to get out of the drive way, we cant take it to the streets! This is why we must all trust God for increase! Why? So that we can achieve more for the Kingdom of God! Think about it, not one church can for one day stay open for one minute without financial support. Not one evangelistic outreach can occur without financial support. Not one missionary can be sent to the foreign fields without financial support. This is why we all need to be believing for prosperity. We are going to now discuss some principles from the word of God that will enable the Lord to open up the windows of Heaven and pour out his blessing in abundance in our lives! Number one. The Tithe. What is the tithe? It is ten percent of our income. The bible set presedence for it in the fourteenth chapter of Genesis when Abraham gave TITHES OF ALL(vs. 20) This is very important because there are people that think that the tithe came in the giving of the law and now that were under grace its no longer of significane. Nonething can be farthur from the truth. Another thing that some people say is that the tithe is not mentioned in the new testement. Not true. Jesus mentions it in Matt 23:23 Woe unto you scribes and pharisees hyprocrites. for ye PAY TITHE..... and it mentions it in the seventh and eigth chapters of the book of Hebrews. Why Tithe? Because God commands it(Mal 3:8), Why Tithe? Because it proves to God that he owns absolutely everything in our lives and we trust completely in his Lordship. Hes like PROVE ME NOW SAITH THE LORD(Mal 3:10) The only place in the entiety of the word of God where almighty God, creater of heaven and earth says prove him is regarding money! The reason is because it shows him that he has ALL of our heart and not just part of it and that we trust him as our Jovah Jireh provider! Jesus said where our treasure is, our heart WILL BE ALSO(Matt 6:21) Jesus said Why call me Lord Lord and NOT DO what I say?(Luke 6:46) We need to prove his Lordship in our lives and its in the PUDDING! We must litterally put our money where are mouths are! lol Number two is The Offering. The offering is above and beyond the tithe. We can never substitute an offering for the tithe, because that would be TIPPING not TITHING. As the Lord directs us we need to be sowing seed especially for the future. The bible says in the book of Ecc chapther eleven Cast thy bread upon the waters, and IT WILL COME BACK to you after not many days give a portion of seven and eight for you know not what evil shall come upon the earth. and it goes onto says He that observes the wind SHALL NOT SOW(Ecc 11:1-4) In other words if we get caught up in the winds and waves of a situation, we'll be held back and stop the flow of giving in our lives. God can multiply any seed sown(2 Cor 9:10) but zero times zero equals zero! A seed may leave our hand, BUT it WILL NEVER LEAVE OUR LIFE! Remember the widow at Zeraphath? She recieved a visit from the prophet Elijah, once there she told him that she was making a a little meal for her and her son than we''ll die. Elijah said make me some first! Sounds like a preacher huh? LOL Elijah was NOT attempting to get something from her but to her! However it had come THROUGH her first! When were willing to let go of what is in our hand, God will let go of what is in his hand! How many know whats in his is much greater than whats in ours! This was in the midst of a fiearce famine. This wasent EASY! She let the seed lead and it met her NEED! The mill barrel never emptied and the cruise of oil NEVER failed(1 Kings 17) Lets not forget God IS SUPERNATURAL!!!! The old testement especially is filled with illustrations of his miracle working power manifested after demonstrated obedience. The bible says These things were written for our admonition and example(1 Cor 10:11) When were in a seemingly unprosperable situation, we need to look back see what others of the heros of faith did to thrive and not just survive. Number three, Stewardship. This is getting into the natual side. We must get up out of debt as soon as we can. Its a prison that causes us to be the borrower and not the lender. Hes the owner and were the manager! Purchase with cash as much as possible. The danger with credit cards is spending more than whats coming in. It can easily cause us to be slaves to the creditors. Its a day to abound and not be bound! Jesus said If were faithful in the little things we'll be made rulers over much(Luke 16:10) In other words if were unable to be faithful with a hundred, we wont be a thousand. It will be impossible for increase to come. In the event your in debt, dont be condemned, but challenged! The bible says the Lord will TEACH us how to PROFIT(Isiah 48:17) Number Four, Patience. No farmer after sowing the seed in the morning is eating the crop by the afternoon! Its going to take some TIME! The bible says while the Earth remains seedTIMEharvest WILL NOT CEASE(Gen 8:22) Notice that the word time is like slap dab in the middle of the seed and the harvest. The bible says Through faith and PATIENCE we inherit the promises(Heb 6:12) We have need of PATIENCE after having done the will of God that may recieve the promise(Heb 10:36) Esau sold his inheritence away through impatience. He was like if I cant have that little morsal im going to DIE! the bible said that even through he sought repentence with tears, it wasent given back to him(Heb 12:14) The children of Israel took forthy years with millions dying along the way to get to the promiseland because of a lack of patience. The bible says Growing not weary in well doing, we SHALL REAP IF we faint not(Gal 6:9) Our reaping is conditional. We must stand strong and wait patiently, for Jesus himself is the Lord of our harvest!(Matt 9:38) Number Five, Diligence. The bible says We desire that every one of you show the same diligence(Heb 6:11). What is diligence its the opposite of lazy! The book of proverbs is filled with passage after passage of what happens when we are slothful, we'll be under a cure and poverty will come upon us. God sent Manna on the COI for frthy years, but they had to collect. God provides worms for birds, but he doesent shove them down their throats. Ships dont come in, there brought in! The bible says that God is not unrighteous to forget our WORK and LABOR of love(Heb 6:10) The bible says if a man doesent work, he shall not eat( 2 Thess 3:10) The bible says If a man doesent provide for his household hes worse than the infidel(aka unbeliever) 1 Tim 5:8. Number Six, Persuasion in the promises. How was Paul able to become fully persuaded that God was able to keep what he entrused unto him? We find the answer in the beginning of the verse. I KNOW WHOM I BELIEVE(2 Tim 1:12) Abraham was fully persuaded that what God promised he was able to perform(Rom 4:21) How? The same way! The bible says he was the friend of God(Jms 2:23) The more we know him through the word and not the opinions of preachers and men the more persuaded we'll become. It will cause us to be a cheerful giver in which God loves(2 Cor 9:7) Practice these principles & precepts they will produce power to prosper in Jesus name!