LESSON #10 MANAGING PERSONAL FINANCES GOD’S WAY - Word Became Flesh Ministries (2024)

A. The gospel must be preached to the world

Mark 16:15-16New King James Version (NKJV)

15And He said to them,“Go into all the worldand preach the gospel to every creature.16He who believes and is baptized will be saved;but he who does not believe will be condemned.

• The passage is what is called, “The Great Commission”, the primary purpose of God’s Church to share the gospel to all the world that everybody is given the chance to know God’s plan of salvation, that on the judgment day no one could say, “I do not know about it Lord.”
• Our responsibility is to share the gospel effectively. It is like planting a seed in a proper way. We are not to convince people to accept God’s plan of salvation, for God gives us the freedom of choice, to accept or reject His offer of salvation through genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:13-15New King James Version (NKJV)

13For“whoever callson the name of theLordshall be saved.”

14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hearwithout a preacher?15And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who[a] preach (share) the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

• The passage is about steps in salvation. If one truly accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he/she will be saved. Before someone accepts Jesus as his/her Lord and Savior, he/she must hear about Jesus. Before he/she hears about Jesus someone must share/witness about Jesus to them.
• Before one preaches or shares the gospel he/she must be sent to preach. How can you send someone if there is no means to care for him/her? Preaching or sharing the gospel to unbelievers is a war (spiritual war). Preachers or those who share the gospel should be equipped (spiritually and materially).

B. The wrong way of supporting the ministry

2 Corinthians 9:6-8New King James Version (NKJV)

6But thisI say:He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows[a] bountifully will also reap[b]bountifully.7So leteach onegiveas he purposes in his heart,not grudgingly or of[c] necessity; forGod loves a cheerful giver.8And Godis able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in allthings,may have an abundance for every good work.

• Though returning tithes and offerings are God’s command to finance His church, the church should not pressure members to return their tithes and offerings for again, it is a freedom of choice. What the church can do is to remind members that when they faithfully return their tithes and offerings God will bless them bountifully as the passage says, “and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
• Getting funds by lottery or commercializing (selling the gospel) is wrong, for the gospel is free (John 3:16) Otherwise, only the rich could have the opportunity of knowing God’s plan of salvation.

C. The right way of supporting the ministry

Deuteronomy 16:17New King James Version (NKJV)

17Every manshall giveas he is able,according to the blessing of theLordyour God which He has given you.

• The passage simply means, the amount of giving to support God’s ministry is based on your capacity, according to your blessings (income).

D. One must acknowledge the following:

1. The earth is the Lord’s.

Psalm 24:1New King James Version (NKJV)

“TheearthistheLord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

2. Silver and gold belongs to God

Haggai 2:8New King James Version (NKJV)

8‘The silverisMine, and the goldisMine,’ says theLordof hosts.

3. The beasts and the fowls of the air belong to God

Psalm 50:10-11New King James Version (NKJV)

10For every beast of the forestisMine, Andthe cattle on a thousand hills.
11I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the fieldareMine.

4. Our strength comes from Him.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18New King James Version (NKJV)

17then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’18“And you shall remember theLordyour God,forit isHe who gives you power to get wealth,that He may[a] establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, asit isthis day.

• The passages clearly say that everything that we have is from God: our life, health, talents, and abilities to earn or accumulate material wealth are all from God.

• We may accumulate substantial amount of wealth and be famous but if God is not our number one priority, and material wealth is our God, we can never have peace of mind. We are primarily created to worship God, not to accumulate material wealth. Only God can provide us contentment and satisfaction.

• That is precisely the reason why many billionaires and celebrities who do not make God as their priority have no peace of mind. Some of them committed suicide, or have broken homes.

5. We brought nothing into this world

1 Timothy 6:7New King James Version (NKJV)

7For we brought nothing intothisworld,[a] and it iscertain we can carry nothing out.

• The passage is the truth for when we were born, we were all naked. When we came into this world we did not have anything, whatever material wealth we accumulate when we die, we cannot take any of it into our grave. That is the naked truth.
• However, when we are God’s faithful followers, our genuine faith in God comes with us to the grave, which is our ticket to resurrection at the second coming of Jesus, to live with God in eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth.

6. We only receive everything we have

1 Corinthians 4:7New King James Version (NKJV)

7For who[a] makes you differfrom another?Andwhat do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receiveit,why do you boast as if you had not receivedit?

• This passage is again saying that we do not own anything and we should not boast of what we have. The proof that we do not own anything including our life is that we have no control when we are going to die. We can die anytime, regardless of our age, health, and status in life.

E. We are only stewards of God

1. A steward must be faithful

1 Corinthians 4:2New King James Version (NKJV)

2Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

• Steward (trustee) means, God simply entrusted us our life, talents, abilities, and material possession to manage them according to His will. As a steward or trustee, we need to be faithful in managing those entrusted to us for on judgment day, we will account to God what He entrusted to us.

2. We must give to God His portion, the tenth

Leviticus 27:30New King James Version (NKJV)

30Andall the tithe of the land,whetherof the seed of the landorof the fruit of the tree,istheLord’s. Itisholy to theLord.

• We have already learned that everything we have is from God: our life, health, talent and abilities are all from God. With all those from God, we can earn a living and accumulate material wealth. Meaning, everything we have is from God.

• To finance God’s ministry in His church, He commands us to return (give) to him through His church, the tithe (10%) of our produce (income). That tithe (10%) is holy for it is the Lord. We are not supposed to spend it for our personal use for God already gives us the 90%.

Deuteronomy 14:22New King James Version (NKJV)

22“You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.

• God is emphatically reminding us to return the tithes to His church as it says,

“You shall truly tithe all the increase (income)”.

3. Acknowledged by Abraham

Genesis 14:18-20New King James Version (NKJV)

18ThenMelchizedek king of Salem brought outbread and wine; hewasthe priest ofGod Most High.19And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20Andblessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And hegave him[a]a tithe of all.

4. Acknowledged by Jacob

Genesis 28:20-22New King James Version (NKJV)

20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “IfGod will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give mebread to eat and clothing to put on,21so thatI come back to my father’s house in peace,then theLordshall be my God.22And this stone which I have set as a pillarshall be God’s house,and of all that You give me I will surely give a[a]tenth to You.”

5. Acknowledged by Christ

Matthew 23:23New King James Version (NKJV)

23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, andhave neglected the weightiermattersof the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

6. Ideal budget: 10%; 10%; 80% = 100%

F. The tithe is to be used for the support of the ministry

1. The Lord’s portion is for the ministers

Numbers 18:21New King James Version (NKJV)

21“Behold,I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as[a]an inheritance in return for the work which they perform,the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

2. We are to bring the whole tithe to church

Do Not Rob God

Malachi 3:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)

8“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Eventhis whole nation. 10Bring all the tithes into thestorehouse, That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,” Says theLordof hosts, “If I will not open for you thewindows of heaven Andpour out for yousuchblessing Thatthere willnotbe roomenoughto receive it.

• It says, “Will a man rob God?” I admit I robbed God before and I paid the consequences. I went broke and lost every material thing God entrusted to me. Thereafter, I learned my lesson, I asked God for forgiveness and He forgave me. From that time on, I faithfully returned my tithes to God and receive God’s blessings spiritually as well as peace of mind, knowing that I am at peace with HIM. (Personal testimony)

• I caution you, based on my experience, I can attest that God’s words are always true. If you are robbing God now, you need to stop doing it, and do not wait for God’s discipline for the passage clearly says – a curse is upon unfaithful stewards.

There are so many financial planners who could provide you good advice to accumulate wealth. However, if their counsels are not in accordance with God’s principles as above discussed, you may be wealthy materially but you could not attain peace of mind for material wealth could not buy happiness, but pleasure. Material wealth could not buy health, but medicine and material wealth could not provide contentment and satisfaction. The only way to manage our finances with satisfaction and contentment is God’s way, for God created us primarily to worship Him, that we can claim His promise of eternal life, not to accumulate material wealth.