Definted By Generosity

This is the last sermon in the series, "Enough." This past Sunday was Commitment Sunday. If you are able to give financial to the church in 2010, we would ask that you let us know. It helps us to budget for the coming year and make good stewardship decisions. If you got a pledge card, please send it to the church or bring it this Sunday. If you need one, please contact us at the church office.

Click here for the audio download:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/mhd2m2gcugn/Defined By Generosity.mp3

Here is the text and at the very bottom is the personal goals text.

INTRO

Over the past several weeks we have been taking a closer look at the world of finances and the business of God. The Scriptures speak so often and so insightful into the realm of money that we would be foolish to ignore the wisdom that can be gleaned from God. We have talked about the miserable financial reality that our country and our region find ourselves in. As a culture we have bought into the false message that we can buy happiness and purpose. Most of the country is beginning to realize the words of Jesus that “Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Yet, instead of pursuing God in the light of this reality they have given up on life.
My hope is that you have not given up on life, on happiness, on joy. Jesus came to give life and life abundantly. For that reason, the Bible gives us valuable insight into how we should manage our resources. Most of you hopefully got a static cling with the Six Financial Principles we talked about in week two. Last week, we examined the practice of cultivating contentment through simplicity. We discussed the importance of be grateful and making conscious choices towards contentment. If we can apply some of these principles, I think we have a real shot at discovering joy and abundance in our lives.
This morning we are in our final week of the four week series called “Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity.” This morning is called “Defined by Generosity. Generosity is another vital piece of the puzzle towards discovering lasting joy in your life. Proverbs 11:24-25 speaks to the importance of generosity: “Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.” Generosity is probably the most counterintuitive piece of joy and abundance. And yet generosity most closely resembles the kingdom of God.

THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

The world tries to tell us that we need to hoard in order to gain. God tells us we need to give in order to gain. Many of us know the Scripture, “It is better to give than to receive.” Most of us don’t actually believe it though. The reality is that we were created to receive joy from giving because we are created in our Heavenly Father’s image.
God created us with the willingness to give—to God and to others. This design is part of our makeup; we actually have the need to be generous. Yet there are two voices that “war” against our God-given impulse toward generosity, tempting us to keep or hoard what we have.

#1) The voice of fear: Fear, of what might happen to us, along with a misplaced idea about the true source of our security, keeps us from being generous and leads us to hoard what we have. The truth is that hoarding offers us no real security in this world.

#2) The voice of self-gratification: Our culture tells us that our lives consist in the abundance of our possessions and pleasurable experiences. So we find ourselves thinking, If I give, there won’t be enough left for me.
When we give our lives to Christ, invite him to be Lord, and allow the Holy Spirit to begin changing us from the inside out, we find that our fears begin to dissipate and our aim in life shifts from seeking personal pleasure to pleasing God and caring for others. Although we still may wrestle with the voices from time to time, we are able to silence them more readily and effectively the more we grow in Christ. And the more we grow in Christ, realizing that our lives belong to him, the more generous we become. Generosity is a fruit of spiritual growth.

WHY: Biblical Reasons to Give to God and Others

#1) We find more joy in doing things for other people and for God than we ever did in doing things for ourselves. (Acts 20:35) Paul talks to the leaders of Ephesus. He is departing them but he has shown them the example that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Paul spoke of the secrets of joy and he lived them out through his generosity. The selfish person will never prosper, will never find joy, will never discover abundance. It is the person who discovers selflessness and generosity that will discover joy and abundance.

#2) In the very act of losing our lives, we find life. In Matthew 16:25, Jesus calls us not only to give of our possessions but he calls us to give our lives. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” By engaging in the practice of being generous with our possessions, we will be able to give up our lives for God. At the end of the day, God wants all us of, not just parts of us. He wants to do an extreme makeover with our entire lives. When we allow him to do that work, we will be closer to discovering abundance and joy.

#3) Life is a gift, and everything belongs to God. The last biblical reason that we need to give to God and to his church is that everything has been given to us. We stray from joy when we adopt an entitlement attitude. We need to remember the words of Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.” Giving to God reminds us that it is all his and that life is a gift. When we pray for the offering every Sunday this is one of the things that I try to pray each time. I never want to forget that life and everything in it is a gift and I don’t want us as a church to forget that either.

HOW: Biblical Guidelines for Giving

Now that we’ve discussed the why now to the how: the biblical reasons for giving, I want to spend a few minutes talking about the biblical guidelines for giving. From the early days of the Old Testament, God’s people observed the practice of giving some portion of the best of what they had to God. A gift offered to God was called the first fruits or the tithe, and it equaled one-tenth of one’s flocks or crops or income. Abraham was the first to give a tithe or tenth.
In Genesis 14, we read about Abraham giving the first tithe. If you don’t like the concept of tithing, you can blame Abraham. The story is quite fascinating. Listen to a few verses of it. “And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything."
The priest brings out what we would identify today as communion and Abraham gives him a tenth of his possessions. Abraham’s motivation is revealed in verse 23. He doesn’t want the kings to say they made him rich. Abraham realizes that true wealth and abundance come from God and not people.

#1) Giving a tithe.
As Christians who live under the new covenant, we are not bound by the Law of Moses; we look to it as a guide. Yet most Christians agree that the tithe is a good guideline for our lives, and one that is pleasing to God. Like Abraham, the tithe can be a reminder to us that the world does not make us rich, but that God does.
Now we are going to watch a short video about tithing and the potential struggles of it. (“Tithing and the Ten Apples.”) Though tithing can be a struggle, it is possible at virtually every income level. If you cannot tithe right away, take a step in that direction. Perhaps you can give 2 percent or 5 percent or 7 percent. God understands where you are, and God will help you make the adjustments necessary for you to become more and more generous. [Tithe goes to the church because the Church is the most direct representation of Christ’s body on earth.]

#2) Giving beyond the tithe.
Tithing is a floor, not a ceiling. God calls us to grow beyond the tithe. We should strive to set aside an additional percentage of our income as offerings for other things that are important to us, such as mission projects, schools, church building funds, and other nonprofit organizations. [Do this after you've given your full tithe.]

WHO IT AFFECTS: GOD AND US

Now we have covered the why and the how, I want to conclude this morning talking about who our giving affects and what it means.

#1) What Our Giving Means to God
From the earliest biblical times, the primary way people worshipped God was by building an altar and offering the fruit of one’s labors upon it to God. They would burn the sacrifice of an animal or grain as a way of expressing their gratitude, devotion, and desire to honor God. The scent of the offering was said to be pleasing to God. It wasn’t that God loved the smell of burnt meat and grain. Rather, God saw that people were giving a gift that expressed love, faith, and the desire to please and honor God; and this moved God’s heart. When given in this spirit, our offerings bless the Lord.
When we give, God responds by giving back to us. While it is not a magical formula, Luke 6:39 says, “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Tin the parable of the talents, God gives each servant talents or money to invest and use for him. The person who uses the money wisely is given more responsibility. God wants to see our faithfulness and seeks to reward us accordingly. These are some of the ways that God responds to our giving. Equally important is to see how our generosity affects us.

#2) How Our Generosity Affects Us
When we give, our hearts are changed and a transformation occurs. When we are generous—to God and to our families, friends, neighbors, and others who are in need—our hearts are filled with joy. They are enlarged by the very act of giving. When we give generously, we become more generous.
Many Christians have it wrong. They say that if you give, then God will give more back to you. But that is not how it works. We do not give to God so that we can get something in return. The amazing thing is that when we give to God and to others, the blessings just seem to come back to us. In Malachi 3, the prophet challenges the people not to rob God of his tithes and offerings. God calls us to “put him to the test… see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” This is one of the few places that God says to test him in Scripture. Of course, there is no guarantee that if you tithe you will never lose your job or never have other bad things happen to you. Nevertheless, when we give generously, the unmistakable blessings of God flow into our lives.

CONCLUSION

As we conclude this morning, I ask that you hear God’s challenge, God’s call, God’s plead to live lives of simplicity and generosity so that you might begin to discover your purpose, to discover abundance, and to discover joy for God truly is enough.
Vanessa is going to play some soft music to conclude this morning. I would invite you to fill out your Personal Goals and commitment card in the few minutes we have. Then I am going to prayer and invite you to bring your cards to the front and place on the altar as a sign that you are choosing a life of abundance and joy.

PRESONAL GOALS:

1. I will thank God daily for all my blessings. My goal for daily Bible reading and prayer is ____ days a week.

2. I will seek contentment and simplicity and live within my means. My spending goal is _____.

3. I will seek freedom from the bonds of credit and debt. My debt reduction goal is _________.

4. I will seek to wisely manage the gifts God has given me, investing and saving for the future. My savings goal is ______.

5. I will worship God each week by giving of my tithes and offerings. My estimate of giving for 2010 is _________.

Cultivating Contentment

Week three of the "Enough" sermon series... Hope you enjoy it. If you didn't get a key tag please let the office know and we'll get you one.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/mnmy3yjgmhu/Cultivating Contentment.mp3

The text is below if you'd rather read it.

Cultivating Contentment

Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure. . . . Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)

INTRO

Back in August the basement at the parsonage got water in it and created conditions that allowed mold to infiltrate everything. Michelle and I had a significant amount of our stuff in storage down there. One afternoon, Michelle went to clean a suitcase that had some mold on it and it turned into a three week ordeal. We ended up losing a decent amount of stuff included childhood keepsakes. After the incident, we have talked to so many people that have lost possession to some sort of natural disaster or another. This reality reminds me of Jesus’s words, in Luke 12:15, “[My] life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
While intrinsically we know that life is not made up of what we have, we often let our hearts be fooled into believing that this is true. As a result, we find ourselves defaulting into a place of discontent. Not all discontentment is necessarily negative. In fact, it can be a gift from God. God actually wired our hearts so that they would be discontent with certain things, causing us to seek the only One who can fully satisfy us. We are meant to yearn to know God more, to cultivate a deeper prayer life, to pursue justice and holiness with increasing fervor, to love others more, and to grow in grace and character and wisdom with each passing day.
The problem is that those things we should be content with are the very things we find ourselves hopelessly discontented with. For example, we find ourselves discontented with our stuff, our jobs, our churches, our children, and our spouses. Let’s have a moment of honesty, is anyone ever discontent with this stuff? [Raise hands] It’s safe to say that we are all in the same boat when it comes to contentment and discontentment. We let God down once in awhile and we fall short of our desires.
God’s heart is really for us to have abundance and be filled with joy. For that reason, we are in week three of our four week stewardship and finance series called “Enough.” Last week, we addressed Six Principles to Financial Success. You should have received a static cling in the mail this week. If you missed the sermon, I’d encourage you to check out the blog. This week’s topic is how to cultivate contentment.

Four Keys to Cultivating Contentment

The Apostle Paul is an excellent example of contentment. In his letter to the Philippians, he wrote of the “secret” to his contentment (Philippians 4:11-12). He says, “11 Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.” Like Paul, we can learn to be content in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves. Four keys, which include the “secret” Paul referred to in his letter, can help us to do that.

#1 Key. Four Words to Repeat: “It Could Be Worse”
John Ortberg, pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California, says there are four words we should say whenever we find ourselves discontented with something or someone: “It could be worse.” This is essentially the practice of looking on the bright side or finding the silver lining. It is recognizing that no matter what we may not like about a thing or person or circumstance, we can always find something good to focus on if only we will choose to do so.

#2 Key. One Question to Ask: “For How Long Will This Make Me Happy?”
So often we buy something, thinking it will make us happy, only to find that the happiness lasts about as long as it takes to open the box. There is a moment of satisfaction when we make the purchase, but the item does not continue to bring satisfaction over a period of time. Many of the things we buy are simply not worth the expense. This is why it is a good idea to try before you buy.

#3 Key. Developing a Grateful Heart
Gratitude is essential if we are to be content. The Apostle Paul said that we are to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). A grateful heart recognizes that all of life is a gift. Contentment comes when we spend more time giving thanks for what we have than thinking about what’s missing or wrong in our lives.
With Thanksgiving approaching this is an important principle to remember. One of our members posted on her Facebook page this week the following challenge: “Every day this month until Thanksgiving, think of one thing that you are thankful for and post it as your status. "Today I am thankful for..." The longer you do it, the harder it may be! Now if you think you can do it then repost this message as your status to invite others to take the challenge, then post what YOU are thankful for today.” If you don’t have Facebook, try sharing one thing at dinner with your family or a friend.

#4 Key. Where Does Your Soul Find True Satisfaction?
The world answers this question by telling us that we find satisfaction in ease and luxury and comfort and money. The Bible, however, answers the question very differently. From Genesis to Revelation, it tells us that we find our satisfaction in God alone. Psalm 63: reads, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, / my soul thirsts for you. . . . / My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, / and my mouth praises you with joyful lips / when I think of you on my bed, / and meditate on you in the watches of the night.”
We too often look to the world, when we need to look to God. Jesus tells us very succinctly how to void worry and dissatisfaction in Matthew 6:33, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” If we are serious about cultivating contentment, we need to ask ourselves the question, are we striving for God in all we do? Do you pray for his guidance each morning as you start the day? Do you pause to consider his will as you make decisions? Your heart will continue to wander in search of contentment unless you seek him who provides all things.

Four Steps for Simplifying Our Lives

While the last key to contentment may seem too simple, that is the point. Much of contentment is found in simplicity. In fact, contentment and simplicity go hand in hand. In addition to cultivating contentment in our lives, we need to cultivate simplicity.

#1 Step. Set a Goal of Reducing Your Consumption, and Live Below Your Means.
Set a tangible goal to reduce your own personal consumption and the production of waste in your life. For example, use canvas bags when you go grocery shopping and refuse any extra packaging. Whenever you are making purchases, look at the mid-grade instead of the top-of-the-line product. When buying a new car, aim to improve fuel economy over your existing car by at least 10 percent. Reduce your utilities by 10 percent by setting the thermostat back a couple of degrees when you are away during the day and asleep at night. Find other ways to reduce your consumption and live below your means. Do some research, share ideas with others, or have a brainstorming session with your family.
More is not always better… This step will also help care for the creation!

#2 Step. Before Making a Purchase, Ask Yourself, Do I Really Need This? and, Why Do I Want This?
These questions will help you to determine the true motivation of your desired purchase. Is it a need, a self-esteem issue, or something else? You may find yourself wrestling with your true motive and decide that your reason for purchasing the item is not a good one.
Along the same lines, you might realize that you can continue to use what you already have instead of replacing it. If you take good care of the things you buy and use them until they are empty, broken, or worn out, you won’t need to buy things as often. Also, Buy things that are made to last; and, when buying things that have a short lifespan, spend your money wisely.

#3 Step. Plan Low-cost Entertainment That Enriches.
When it comes to choosing entertainment for your family or friends, plan things that are simple and cheap. You’ll be amazed at how much more pleasure you derive from low-cost, simple activities. [What do you do for fun that is free?]

#4. Ask Yourself, Are There Major Changes That Would Allow Me to Simplify My Life?
Consider selling a car and buying one you pay for in full, downsizing your home, or getting rid of a club membership you don’t use. Ask yourself questions related to your home, possessions, job, and activities to identify some significant changes that will simplify your life. Remember, if you cannot do all the things God is calling you to do and you’re unable to find joy in your life, perhaps it’s time to simplify in some major ways.

The Power of Self-Control

Before I conclude, a brief side note: Achieving contentment and simplicity aren’t easy; they require the practice of self-control. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 25:28, “Like a city whose walls are broken down / is a [person] who lacks self-control.” Self-control comes down to making a choice between satisfying an impulse and choosing the future good. If you aren’t good at it, get help from a friend. Go to God with it. The person without self-control is always one decision away from destruction. You can begin to strengthen self-control by asking these three questions:

· “What are the long-term consequences of this action?”
· “Is there a higher good or a better outcome if I used this resource of time, money, or energy in another way?”
· “Will this action honor God?”

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I ask you the question: Which Tent Will You Live In? Will you live in discon-tent or con-tent-ment? You and you alone determine which “tent” will be yours. By utilizing self control to implement the keys of contentment and simplifying your life, you will be able to move towards contentment. You choose it in large part by deciding what life is about. If you decide that “life does not consist in the abundance of your possessions,” then you are choosing contentment. Choosing contentment means we look to God as our Source, giving thanks for what we have; we ask God to give us the right perspective on money and possessions and to change our hearts each day; we decide to live simpler lives, wasting less and conserving more; and we choose to give more generously.

Pray the prayer together as the close. “Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don’t need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity.”

Widsom and Finance

Here is the link to Sunday's sermon. You can follow it and download the audio of the sermon or you can read the text below. Hope to see you this coming Sunday!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/y0m4owtlnoj/Widsom and Finance.mp3

INTRO: Where Did All Our Money Go?

Living as Prodigals
Do you ever get to the end of the month and wonder where all of your money went? If you do, did you know you might be a prodigal? Prodigal is a word we associate with the story of the prodigal son told in Luke 15:11-16. The younger son takes his sher of his father’s inheritance and runs off to squander it. The word prodigal does not mean someone who wanders away or is lost.
It literally means “one who wastes money.” A prodigal is one who wastes money, who is a spendthrift. Many of us struggle with that habit as well. We’re not worried about tomorrow. We want it today. The problem with that kind of thinking is that, for most of us, the “famine” eventually comes. It comes when we have spent everything we have and even a little bit of next year’s income. So we use the credit card and charge it, and we go a little further into debt. Finally, we come to a place where we “find ourselves.” We have nothing left, not even any credit, and we can’t figure out how we are we going to make it.
So if you think you might be a prodigal or have wasteful tendencies don’t worry you are in the right place. We are now in week two the sermon series, “Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity.” This week’s sermon is entitled, “Wisdom and Finance.” While finances may feel like a black hole of doom for you, they don’t have to. There is a lot of good, sound, and even simple, advice when it comes to properly handling finances. As we begin this morning, I want to draw your attention to the insert in the bulletin. On one side is a budget guide and on the other is a goal sheet. I’m going to mention them during the sermon, and I would encourage you to take them home and spend some time with them this week. Like I said last week, I trust you are going to get some helpful information during this series, but for it to have an impact you’ll need to put it into action.

The More We Make, the More We Waste
I hope the insert can be tools to help you implement, because implementing good financial stewardship can be difficult. For many people, the thought of money can be stressful. What if I told you that money or the how much money you have aren’t the real issues? The reality is they aren’t. Those of you in the congregation that make more money I’m sure can attest to this.
It seems that the more financially secure we become, the less we worry about spending money here and there. We waste a dollar on this or that, and we forget where it went. Money just seems to flow through our fingers. We’re not as careful with our money as we should be. There are many ways we waste money, but there are two primary money-wasters that many of us struggle with. It is not necessary to eliminate these two things all together, but we should think more carefully about how we spend our money.
As we begin to talk about the wisdom of finances, it is important that we learn to not waste money. After all, your parents always told you, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” The two biggest money wasters are impulse buying and eating out.
Tips for avoiding impulse buying: 1) Never go grocery shopping when you are hungry. 2) Shop for what you need only. 3) Make a list and stick to it; buy what you need and get out of the store! 4) Wait twenty-four hours before purchasing an impulse buy.
Eating out: The issue is frequency. The average American eats out an average of four times a week. By eating out less frequently, we will have more money to save, spend on something more important, or give away.

SCRIPTURE: Clarifying Our Relationship With Money and Possessions
Once we eliminate wasteful spending, the next step is to begin to redefine and clarify our relationship with money and our stuff. If we can’t learn to relate to it properly, we will remain a slave to it. Instead of working for money, we need to learn to get money to work for us. We do not exist simply to consume as much as we can and get as much pleasure as we can while we are here on this earth We begin to redefine our relationship with money by being clear about our life purpose and then setting worthy goals. We have a higher purpose. We need to know and understand our life purpose—our vision or mission or calling—and then spend our money in ways that are consistent with this purpose or calling.

#1. Be Clear About Your Purpose and Calling
Our society tells us that our life purpose is to consume—to make as much money as possible and to blow as much money as possible. The Bible tells us that we were created to care for God’s creation. We were created to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We were created to care for our families and those in need. We were created to glorify God, to seek justice, and to do mercy. Our money and possessions should be devoted to helping us fulfill this calling. We are to use our resources to help care for our families and others—to serve Christ and the world through the church, missions, and everyday opportunities. We have a life purpose that is greater than our own self-interests, and how we spend our God-given resources reflects our understanding and commitment to this life purpose or mission.
If you haven’t discovered your life purpose, I would encourage you to talk to me or someone in your life that you trust. Knowing what you are passionate about, having a cause to pursue, will help you in your quest for financial stability. [family, community, cause]

#2. Set Worthy Goals
Being able to accomplish the greater purposes God has for our lives requires some measure of planning. Taking the time to set goals related to our lives and our finances is crucial if we are to become wise stewards of our God-given resources. The Proverbs which are filled with wisdom about finances says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.” (Proverbs 21:5) If you are going to discover abundance and live out of that abundance, then you need to be wise and plan.
Each of us should think about our life purpose and goals and then identify two short-term financial goals, two mid-range financial goals, and two long-term financial goals that are aimed at helping us to accomplish our broader life goals. At least one goal in each category should relate specifically to our faith. Take a look at your insert, “My Life and Financial Goals Worksheet.” now. I remember hearing once that you are like twice as likely to execute a goal if you write it down that if you don’t. So if you really want to accomplish something in life, write it down.

The Discipline of Managing Your Money

#1. The Necessity of a Budget/Spending Plan
It begins with a plan. Once you have established some personal goals and maybe some family goals, the next step is to establish a plan to manage your money. Proverbs 21:20 says, “Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it.” If we don’t learn to be wise with our money, we will devour it or someone will devour it for us [think spouses, children, charitable organizations even].
Once we have set some financial goals, we need to develop a plan to meet those goals. A budget is a spending plan that enables us to accomplish our goals. Some people use an envelope system to help them manage their saving and spending and stay on budget. Others use a variety of different approaches. Many people find it helpful to seek the advice of a financial advisor. For those who find themselves in the midst of a financial crisis, a financial counselor can help to work out terms with creditors and develop a workable financial plan. Whatever approach you choose, the important thing is simply to have a plan. (*** Show the video clip “Finding Financial Stability.”)

#2. Six Financial Planning Principles The following financial planning principles can help us to manage our money with wisdom and faith: As a side note, many of you will be getting a letter in the mail with these six principles on a static cling this week. If you don’t, please contact the office and we’ll get you one.

1. Pay your tithe and offering first.
Put God first in your living and your giving. Give your tithe and offering from the “top” of your paycheck, and then live on whatever remains. So many of us have a tendency to give what’s in the wallet or write a check at the end of the month. Giving period is good, but if we are going to discover joy through our finances, we need to make giving to God a priority. [We’ll talk more about this in a couple of weeks.]

2. Create a budget and track your expenses.
Creating a budget is simply developing a plan in which you tell your money what you want it to do. Tracking your expenses with a budget is like getting on the scales: It allows you to see how you are doing and motivates you to be more careful with your expenditures. I think this is important so I’ve included the bulletin insert “Basic Budget Worksheet.” Again, there is something confessional and powerful in writing stuff down, so I would encourage you to sit down and do this.

3. Simplify your lifestyle (live below your means).
Because this discipline is critical to the success of any financial plan, next Sunday’s sermon will be devoted to this topic. [do I really need this to survive?]

4. Establish an emergency fund.
An emergency fund is an account separate from checking or long-term savings that is set aside specifically for emergencies. Dave Ramsey recommends beginning with $1,000 and building that to three months’ worth of income. When you have this amount, you won’t need to use your credit cards anymore.

5. Pay off your credit cards, use cash/debit cards for purchases, and use credit wisely.
As you are building your emergency fund, begin to pay off your credit card debt and start using cash or debit cards for purchases. Some experts suggest starting with the credit card that has the highest interest rate. Others suggest paying down the smallest debt first, experiencing that victory, and applying your payments from the first card to the second, and so on, creating a snowball effect to pay off the cards as soon as possible. Cut up your cards as you pay them down so that you are not trapped or leveraged by your future for present-day pleasure, as the prodigal son was. If you must use a credit card, such as when traveling or making purchases online, be sure to pay off the debt monthly. If you are unable to do this, then it is better for you to cut up your cards and stop using them altogether.

6. Practice long-term savings and investing habits.
Saving money is the number-one wise money management principle everyone should practice. We do not save merely for the sake of saving. There is a word for that: hoarding. Hoarding is frowned upon in the Bible as the practice of fools and those who fail to understand the purpose of life. Saving, on the other hand, is meant to be purposeful. There are three types of savings we should have: 1) emergency savings, 2) savings for wants and goals, and 3) retirement savings.

CONCLUSION
I used to be afraid to talk about finances in church. I felt the fear and anxiety that many people feel when talking about this issue. I must confess that stewardship and money has become one of my favorite topics because the Scriptures have so much to say about it. The church and God really have much more to say about money than simply give us yours. It has much practical advice that can radically change lives.
I was talking to one of our members after church last week and she was talking about how she had put some of these principles into action. There was a joy and excitement in her face. It reminded me that regardless of how much or how little money you make joy is accessible when we chose to live in simplicity and out of generosity.
Please make sure you spend some time this week looking these things over. If your spouse doesn’t attend worship with you, I would encourage you to still talk over these issues of finance with them. They may not want to talk about tithing but they might benefit from the advice nonetheless. May you be filled with joy as you apply timeless wisdom to your finances.


Resources for Developing a Budget
http://www.crown.org/Tools/Calculators/Budgeting_SpendingPlan.asp
This is a fun and helpful budgeting calculator that automatically generates a suggested budget based upon the user’s inputs and Crown’s recommended expenditures.

http://crowncanada.ca/resources/CrownSpendingPlan2.pdf
This is another Crown resources site focused on budgeting and financial freedom. There is good information here.

Getting Out of Debt
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University offers a great deal of online information including his approach to reducing debt found at this site: www.daveramsey.com/the_truth_about/get_out_of_debt_4055.html.cfm.

Basic Budget Worksheet

The Basic Budget Worksheet

Item Actual % Suggested %* Plan for next 12 months

Housing 25-35%

Transportation 10-15%

Charitable Gifts 10-12%

Food 5-15%

Saving 5-10%

Utilites 5-10%

Debt 5-10%

Clothing 2-7%

Miscellaneous 12-23%

*These percentages are adapted from Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makover (Thomas Nelson, 2007).

Widsom and Finance Worksheets

This is the first worksheet that we handed out in worship this week, 11/8/2009

My Life and Financial Goals Worksheet

How would you define or describe your life purpose?



What are three goals that can help you to achieve this life purpose?



What are some financial goals that can help to support your life goals and purpose?




Short-term financial goals (next 12 months):
1.


2.


Mid-range financial goals (2–5 years):
1.


2.


Long-term financial goals (5 years to retirement):
1.


2.

Money and Wealth in Proverbs

Here is a short overview of money in wealth as addressed in Proverbs. I hope this is interesting and helpful. YHWH is the Hebrew name of God (read it Lord). I wrote this a couple of years ago while in seminary.

Wealth and Money
When reading through Proverbs there are numerous verses discussing the issues of money and wealth. To begin to get an understanding one should know the Hebrew words behind the English translation. The Hebrew word for money is kasaph which can also be translated silver. The most common word used for wealth is chayiel, which can also be translated riches or possessions. There are other Hebrew words that pertain but for brevity sake these are the two most common. As with all of the Hebrew language these terms are fluid and translated in a variety of ways, which also reflects the various ways wealth is viewed by the sages of Proverbs. [1]
Wealth is truly the epitome of the allegorical double-edged sword. Some passages affirm that it is good and others warn against the dangers of it. Essentially, there are two types of wealth according to the sage. There is good wealth, which must still be handled with caution, and then there is evil wealth, which has been acquired by wicked means. The sage Agur provides the model verse for wealth in Proverbs 30:8b-9. He states, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or I shall be poor, and steal and profane the name of my God” (NRSV).
Wealth is one place where middle of the road seems to be the safest place to be. With that said, wealth is looked upon favorably when achieved with good means and through godly character. The Master Card commercials capture the essence of wealth as described in Proverbs. Wealth can purchase many things and provide for many things but it cannot obtain the most important things in life: love, fellowship, and wisdom. Basically, wealth should not be despised but it should not be coveted.
There are definite benefits to having wealth. Wealth results in honor and power. People are more likely to listen to you if you have money. People will give you respect when you have money. You will be able to accomplish things with money. People who have wealth are more likely to have a lot of friends. Wealth ensures that you will not starve. People in poverty will be unable to achieve these things. Wealth gives security but it does not save a person from death. Wealth can provide many things but it is not a replacement for God. True wealth is actually provided by YHWH.
One of the paradoxes of Proverbs and wealth is that while wealth is a blessing from God you cannot pursue wealth. When a person sets out to pursue wealth, they will fail to obtain it. They may obtain many riches but they will not find the true wealth of God. True wealth is a combination of worldly goods and godly wisdom. Wealth must be obtained through hard work and integrity. Only the person who walks in righteousness and seeks wisdom will find true wealth. The sage advises us to chase after wisdom and righteousness. Only then will wealth and possessions not be a curse. When a person walks in wisdom and righteousness wealth will be a reward for their faithfulness. Acquiring wealth at the cost of others, especially the poor, is utterly wicked and vile. It is better to be poor yourself than to steal wealth from others.
In summary, wealth is a result of and a reward for faithful living. A person who seeks wisdom and walks with integrity will find true wealth. True wealth cannot be measured by worldly goods but rather by the richness of relationships, the honor given by others, and by intimacy with YHWH. Pursuit of worldly wealth will result in deceitful behavior, disgrace, and ruin. Money and possessions are to be seen as a blessing from God. If we forget that they are from God, we may forget who our God is. Therefore, seek wisdom and a fear of the LORD above all else and wealth will find you.
[1] From several searches using Gramcord Bible Companion and The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, I was able to find the subjects of wealth and money in the following passages of Proverbs. The list is an attempt to be as complete as possible. Proverbs 5:10; 7:20; 8:10, 18, 21; 10:2-5, 15; 11:2-8, 28; 12:27; 13:7-11, 22; 14: 24; 15:7-8; 18:11; 19:4, 14; 28:8.

Bibliography

Bruce K. Waltke, The book of Proverbs Chapters 1-15. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI; Eerdmans, 2004.

Perdue, Leo G. Proverbs. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2000.

Enough

We started our new finance series called "Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity." The first sermon didn't get recorded so I'm posting the text here. This series is from Rev. Adam Hamilton.

“When Dreams Become Nightmares”
Brimfield Faith UMC
November 1, 2009

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10b, NIV)

The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (Matthew 16:26)

** Show video clip The Economic Crisis
INTRO: The American Dream
I don’t know if you saw in the news this week or not, but economists have declared that the recession is over. The Vice President even got up this week to tell the American public that the bailout plan is working. I sort of chuckled at the fact that we need to be told these things. Shouldn’t we know if the recession is over? Of course, the recession being over simply means that overall spending in the country is up. It doesn’t mean that the average American is back at work. In fact, the unemployment rate continues to hover around 10% in the country and especially in this region.
I don’t need to tell you this but finances is a sticky issue in Northeast Ohio. We have been experiencing recession for a number of years. Many of you find yourselves in tight financial positions either unemployed or underemployed. For this reason, we are going to spend the next several weeks talking about issues of finance and stewardship both for the individual and for the church.
The series is called, “Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity.” It is a campaign from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection and Rev. Adam Hamilton. My expectation is that over the next four weeks you will gain some valuable information and that if you are willing to put it into action you will benefit greatly from it. I believe this because we have often been given false messages by the culture. After all…

What Characterizes the Greatest Hopes, Desires, and Dreams of Most Americans?
For most people, the American Dream has to do with a subconscious desire for achieving success and satisfying the desire for material possessions. It is the opportunity to pursue more than what we have, to gain more than what we have, and to meet success. We tend to measure our success by the stuff that we possess.

The Pursuit of Immediate Material Pleasure
The love of money and the things money can buy is a primary or secondary motive behind most of what we Americans do. We want to consume, acquire, and buy our way to happiness—and we want it now.
Let’s watch a short video talking about the economic crisis.
THE REALITY: The American Nightmare
The American Dream has become an American Nightmare due to two distinct yet related illnesses that impact us both socially and spiritually. The first illness is:

#1. Affluenza: is the constant need for more and bigger and better stuff—as well as the effect that this need has on us. It is the desire to acquire, and most of us have been infected by this virus to some degree.
· The average American home went from 1,660 square feet in 1973 to 2,400 square feet in 2004.
· Today there is estimated to be 1.9 billion square feet of self-storage space in America.

#2. Credit-itis: is an illness that is brought on by the opportunity to buy now and pay later, and it feeds on our desire for instant gratification. Our economy today is built on the concept of credit-itis. Unfortunately, it has exploited our lack of self-discipline and allowed us to feed our affluenza, wreaking havoc in our personal and national finances.
· Average credit card debt in America in 1990 was around $3,000. Today it’s over $9,000.
· The average sale is around 125 percent higher if we use a credit card than if we pay cash, because it doesn’t feel real when we use plastic instead of cash.
· Credit-itis is not limited to purchases made with credit cards; it extends to car loans, mortgages, and other loans. The life of the average car loan and home mortgage continues to increase, while the average American’s savings rate continues to decline.
THE SPIRITUAL PROBLEM: The Deeper Problem Within
These illnesses are really just the symptoms of a greater and deeper problem. The problem goes beyond our spending and saving habits. It goes beyond our ability to budget successfully. It goes beyond our greed, self-sufficiency, and pride. It is a spiritual issue.

#1. Spiritual Issue Beneath the Surface of Affluenza and Credit-itis.
Our souls were created in the image of God, but they have been distorted. We were meant to desire God, but we have turned that desire toward possessions. We were meant to find our security in God, but we find it in amassing wealth. We were meant to love people, but instead we compete with them. We were meant to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, but we busy ourselves with pursuing money and things. We were meant to be generous and to share with those in need, but we selfishly hoard our resources for ourselves. There is a sin nature within us.

#2. The Devil Plays Upon This Sin Nature.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The devil doesn’t need to tempt us to do drugs or to steal or to have an extramarital affair in order to destroy us. All he needs to do is convince us to keep pursuing the American Dream—to keep up with the Joneses, borrow against our futures, enjoy more than we can afford, and indulge ourselves. By doing that, he will rob us of joy, make us slaves, and keep us from doing God’s will.
Matthew 4:8-10 (Satan tempts Jesus with the world)
Luke 8:14 (Parable of the sower: the word of God withers because of the riches and pleasures of life)
Mark 8:36 “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many
While these passages very clearly warn us about the dangers of money, notice money in itself is not the problem. It is the lies that we believe about money that creates the problem. It is our belief and trust in money that creates the problem. Interestingly enough, our cash currency reminds us of this reality with the words, “In God We Trust.” Don’t trust in the Almighty dollar because it will fail you every single time. And so instead of heeding the advice, we use plastic credit cards that don’t remind us of the allures of money. Our sin nature takes control and leads us astray.
THE BIBLE’S SOLUTION
Thankfully, this condition of the human heart is not a new one. People for thousands of years have attempted to find lasting joy through material possessions. God knows our shortcomings and suggests some significant solutions.

#1. We Need a Heart Change
Although we receive a changed heart when we accept Christ, in a sense we need a heart change every morning. Each morning we should get down on our knees and say, “Lord, help me to be the person you want me to be today. Take away the desires that shouldn’t be there, and help me be single-minded in my focus and my pursuit of you.” As we do this, God comes and cleanses us from the inside out, purifying our hearts.

#2. We Must Allow Christ to Work in Us
Christ works in us as we seek first his kingdom and strive to do his will. As this happens, we begin to sense a higher calling—a calling to simplicity and faithfulness and generosity. We begin to look at ways we can make a difference with our time and talents and resources. By pursuing good financial practices, we free ourselves from debt so that we are able to be in mission to the world. A key part of finding financial and spiritual freedom is found in simplicity and in exercising restraint. With the help of God, we can:
· simplify our lives and silence the voices constantly telling us we need more
· live counter-culturally by living below, not above, our means
· build into our budgets the money to buy with cash instead of credit
· build into our budgets what we need to be able to live generously and faithfully

Money and possession are not bad in themselves. In fact, John Wesley told us “Earn all you can. Save all you can. And give all you can.” Over the next few weeks, I expect us to benefit from the wisdom of God concerning our finances and begin to discover joy through simplicity and generosity. After all, Jesus came to give us life and life abundant. Let’s pray.