I Choose Peace - In Financial Uncertainty, Part 2

Few things upset our stomach were thrown wrenches into our relationship like money.

Did you know that 40% of all divorces occur around disagreements and pressure the grotto financial problems.

Overspending at misplaced priorities. So how do we choose peace when you're experiencing financial turmoil stay with that's today living on the price for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with Living on the Edge is international discipleship ministry maturing the Bible to this program continues a series I were in the middle of the series from chapter 4, so if you've missed any of the previous program website on the lesson from now let's get going and join chip or part two of his message. I choose peace in financial insert. What would it look like for you to develop a heart compassion. Where could you take some of your wants and turn them into genuine needs C. Giving is the proof of our love. You can give without loving someone you know you can pretend, but you can never love without giving Kenya, so the first step of breaking greed as you develop personal compassion. The second step is to develop a generous spirit see what money does it not only hardens my heart but it starts making me protective and somewhat as I am asking as I get you the only way I can get more as I can protect what I have. So when people or thoughts, or even sermon start to mess around with my money.

Then all the sudden we put the walls up you know I'll be back next week will not listen to much more. This and so the only way you know it's like a muscle. What we need to do is we need to get that muscle of our heart not only tender toward God. But we need to get it flowing. We need to develop a generous spirit and the Philippians will teach us here you develop a generous spirit by releasing the very thing that has power to consume you the very thing that has power to consume or choke out God's life in you. You need to release you need to become generous in your attitude, so notice what he says in verse 16 for even rise in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.

There is a systematic time and Paul says you know this.

The Thessalonica church. I mean, that's a pretty ritzy area compared you felt Libyans and he said even though they could've supported me, but they didn't have the spiritual maturity. They just didn't get it you out of your need. You gave in the phrases again and again. In other words, they systematically regularly gave to help Paul fulfill what God called him to do now turn to first Corinthians 16 wanted to I could ask everyone. Are you setting aside the first portion to the Lord, because you need to give it to release on like I do that I was thinking how can we get this by just praying us in God. But you give me a picture would you show me how can I help people see this because I don't know any's you know sit there quietly and this is how God speaks to me and he brings ideas. Is that asking this question is okay. Some ask this question. And by the way you relax only some of your thinking is you cut anew on the phone to raise my hands.

They don't have to. But that is just a question, how many people when you go to a restaurant, leave a tip. Now if it was really really bad mean it. If the service was good organ of general relief to get how many people leave 5%.

Okay, not too many county people used to be 10% only people leave 10% but to me okay how many people you go to restaurant the services is good. Leave 15%.

As a general regular more, almost everybody and here's a question God brought to my mind what has occurred in American culture.

What is the deception that is occurred where the peer pressure and the sociological aspects of why you would never think of leaving less than 15% that you don't have to on a table for a waitress or waiter. And yet about 2.7% of American Christians give even 10% of their income to God systematically affect, think, think this through. Think of how powerful our foe is I'm not quite sure, but I don't think my life my breath. I wasn't created by the waiter. They didn't create the food they just served and yet over here, the creator of the world, who sent his son, who died for me who raise from the dead, who covered my sin, who implanted his spirit within me who has sealed me forever and ever deposited spiritual gifts and has commanded me to remember it all belongs to him was as a beginning point on it is a net a beginning point would be a tide and then learn proportionally as he blesses and the average American believer, about 97% of them are disobedient to this and yet obedient to the cultural norm. If in the illustration where I talked about our foe in the scouting report if you had any sense in which this really doesn't apply to you if there was any sense in your heart. Reeves said I'm not really greedy but I bet there are some people that really need to hear this in this room than the only thing I would ask you is today at this moment are you more faithful to give 15% to a waiter or waitress who serves food that they didn't create then you are to give a minimum amount of the first portion of say 10% or more to the God who created the food and you and purchased your salvation and if you look at your own life and say I'm very consistent here and is a real hit and miss here. Can I tell you something that fellow Gloria has you by the neck and the problem is not that this church or some church or ministry need your money. The problem is when I turned to the front page it says that it is a lure. It says that it will plunge.

It'll say there's destruction it'll say that you are in the process of wandering from the truth because according to Jesus wherever your treasure is, that's where your heart really is. And the only way to address this is first to get your heart soft through becoming compassionate and the second is by coming generous and of course it's generosity in this way, but I think it's down to little things. I think it's a lifestyle I just I just tend to think about me. Sorry, I just am I'm working through it. I'm growing, but I think about me. I was in the airport you had two hours without will study little bit and I was, tired. I spoke about three or four times and I was at this coffee shop and this guy it can't take this long to make a mocha whoever this lady was in front of you. I mean it's just like on and on all and I just want to regular coffee and understand their need another guy came in. He waited and waited knock you got fed up he just laughed and I'm just thinking you know and I'm tired and so my impatience and my focus on me is rising, my lack of generosity, patience and understanding is diminishing and thickened buddy buddy buddy and I'm thinking it's not like where I normally order coffee, so it's not can be quite as good. So I finally get a cup and I go over and you know sometimes how they have the cream real loose so I just want to put a little integral brother now is not very strong. It looks like white male can.

I think a sampler that you know something and myself you know I poor little out on think I can pour too much out. He may not fill it back up because I don't know him like a note to guide the corner so I go over and I say this is a phrase is it you think I can get little grace he said what you mean. I said buddy I put too much cream in it. If I if I liked just dump some out could could you pour some more coffee and soak, turn the right color exit now do that for you as he goes over he pours into gets the right color and Anna's and as I got it. I just thought to myself, you know something attitude change so I reached in my pocket I said hey here's a buck. I just want to tell you it's so great to be people with people that such a good attitude and he went from this stoic pressure everyone doing that and from being to being he grinned thanks man. I said no thanks I really appreciate two things for a dollars worth of generosity for a dollars worth of generosity. This guy's attitude changed and I got a cup of coffee and instead of my critical spirit. It was transformed to pretty good about get the blessing you understand when was speaking of greed and generosity is not just about money is not this little compartment called the church and what you give for not giving is about a complete mindset about how you live and if you want if you want contentment you have to beat greed and the only beet greens you got develop personal compassion. The I care about people and then you have to develop a generous spirit, and then third. You've got to develop a eternal perspective you got to begin to live in such a way as though you actually believe there's a heaven and there's a hell in there certain good things that happen in heaven to people who live in a certain way and it's really wise to live life God's way of exactly what Paul's gonna say follow along now and step three. He says develop an eternal perspective, how by understanding the inseparable relationship between our money and authentic worship of businesses all throughout the Scripture. But here's what you get your money is here. Worship is here. We tend to have money in this category and worship in this category. And God says you can ever separate. Every financial decision you make ends up being a warship decision of some kind. Money is about worship.

There's a link between the two. And once you see that Mendoza from the words of Jesus.

We've done a terrible terrible job.

The only time you hear money church is not what you ought to give in some big need instead of this is what it means. Here's how to be grateful. Here's how to use it. Here's how to align your family care to protect your marriage. Here's how to use money as a tool to develop your kids. But how does this happen watching this passage. This is an amazing thing. The apostle Paul is going to talk through and is going to use financial and business terms to describe the gift that he gave them and then watch how he'll put a twist on it that the end and you say, business, business, business, business money money money and then it's like worship God spiritual terms. Notice what he says. He says okay I can do all things through Christ. It was good of you appreciated me even when I was in Thessalonica and that kind of wealthy place you gave systematically but but I want you know my motives. Not that I'm looking for the gift but this thank you note is not like you know the thing with you tariff on the bottom and so you can give your next gift. Not but I'm looking for the gift I'm looking for what may be credited to your account. The phrase credited your account is an accounting term of debit and credit he saying I'm looking for what of the spiritual P&L statement in heaven, so that tablets credits. I want you to know that this gift isn't about the gift that I got.

I'm happy because in heaven. It's getting a credit your account knows what he says I have received full payment.

The phrase means literally. It's like I've got the receipt. My hand I received in full payment, and even more, I'm amply supplied. No words.

You know the Pepperdine is when he gave plenty of money, that's not the issue now that I received from a path for God is the gift you sent me. They are now. Notice the shift. What happened to the financial gift. How does he describe the financial gift. They are underlined fragrant offering, underlined and acceptable sacrifice, underlined, pleasing to God.

You gave the gift is accredited spiritually to your account and the literal phrase when you did that was like a burnt offering a fragrant sweet smell that went up into the nostrils of God. He looked at it, not as money but as a sacrifice unto him and it brought joy or pleasure to his heart. You see, the apostle Paul is teaching them and teaching us that an eternal perspective requires that you gotta see this relationship between your finances and your money and that when we give. It's an act of worship and what we do with our money is an act of worship and and God wants you to know that every financial decision you make becomes spiritual decision you're listening to living on the shipping room chips message today is from his series, I choose.

For more information about this series or the ministry of Living on the Edge, please visit our website LivingontheEdge.org without her strip with the rest of today's talk see the Bible says that when I give my time, my energy, my talent that there is a spiritual transaction occurs that accredits to me in heaven and I believe I've got a come to believe that accumulating and getting and impressing and having now is not the end of the line as long as I believe that lie, I will never ever become a generous person and therefore I will never ever beat greed and therefore I will never be content the horizon will just keep moving while scouting report has two things right scouting report tells you about the other team or the photo, their strengths, their weaknesses, but what does a good scouting for new it gives you recommendations type they run this kind of defense you need to run this cut offense or hey hey what that girl she dropped the last seven guys and this is the way did he say I look. I asked her out, and so Paul is now get to get some scouting recommendations. He's going to give for specific commands about how you can allocate you know how formidable a foe is out of the same chapter. He's gonna give for specific commands to start you on a journey so that you can beat the green monster and I think this can be a lot lifelong process for you and for me command number one commandos are rich in this present world. That's us not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain seems to protect you but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy yes were to be sacrificial but were to enjoy what he's given us. You can't enjoy it. If you always worried about the payments that are so he says. First of all, it's a focus put your hope on God for contentment and fulfillment, not on stuff second verse 18 command them to do good is a second man-to-man to be rich in good deeds third command and to be generous and willing to share.

So says look you don't, you need to get your focus on God, then you need to have a lifestyle of doing good. Instead of getting and then you need good deeds give away your time and they said be willing to share give away your money and your possessions, so it's very general command not hope on stuff hope on God do good be a giver instead of a getter, then begin to share your time. Good deeds and then begin to share your stuff be willing to share in the what I love is that he says if you do this you know when the game you'll beat the competitor look at the very last line in this way they will lay up treasure you circle the phrase for themselves.

We get this idea that old you were just doing this for Sunday. Someway somehow God wants us to learn to be generous because in eternity. He says there's a forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and you can increase the quality of that experience he says in this way, the land for themselves.

Treasure has a firm foundation for the coming age, so that in this present life. Here it is. They may take hold of the life that is truly life. What does life is truly life kinda sound like does that sound like a life where relationships work. A life where you have it and got give You on the shoulder and you can give it or keep it you have it and instead of telling everyone how you got it on sale and feeling guilty about it.

You could say thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you I can't believe I get to live in a house like this. You let me be generous.

I don't have that I've done this. Lori, who might you be so good to me life that is really life a life without creditors calling a life not believing the next thing or the biggest thing to the next will fulfill but a life that knows in plenty or in want, I can do all things through Christ. I like it asked the Lord a question is will close in the question I want you to ask him is this father will you show me the extent to which greed has infiltrated my heart and my life just sit quietly asking to help you.

Be honest. The goal here is to help you and then as you think about that as you listen to his voice and then ask him, Lord, will you show me just the first step. Don't try and solve all your problems and all your dad and I'll just say Lord you show me the first step to move toward developing a heart of compassion, generous spirit he will speak just ask just Joseph joining us you're listening to Living on the Edge with shipping chips message today is from his series, I choose I choose peace directly addresses issues like relational conflict, anxious moments, difficult circumstances, financial uncertainty and tests of faith. So if you or someone you know is struggling in any of these areas. This is a resource you may want to listen to more than once because I choose peace provides practical biblical answers to what you're dealing with. To order your copy or to set us up to her friend.

Just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org. Another easy way to assure this program is with the chip and remap or if you'd like to talk with someone over the phone. Just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003. That's 1-888-333-6003 will trip developing a heart of compassion, generous spirit is something that seems to be learn best when we watch others who do it well. It's a perfect example of what we mean by doing life in community but it's tough, especially now we know there's need but were well some of us literally isolated.

The fact of the matter is we are living in a time of crisis. We feel alienated and alone. Many of us are quarantined in our homes. We don't see people at work.

Hopefully you have some ability to face time or get online with some people. But that larger sense of what is God doing across America what's happening with the Living on the Edge family. We have a weekly face book live where were taking questions. Our goal is to help Christians live like Christians every day in every way and everywhere and part of that is pulling you together and inviting your friends were. We can process out loud. This is where were at. These are the challenges here's the resources.

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How do we encourage one another and how do we make a difference everywhere in every way as followers of Jesus that states book live and Dave will give you all the information about when and how to log on. I'll see you there fixture for all the updates on our Facebook live events.

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We can't wait to meet you there. You'll find load at home@livingontheedge.org or on the chipping remap as we close today I want to be gentle but here's the deal. We all struggle with greed. Okay, it's the human condition. So resist the temptation that I'm talking someone else all right is just you and me right now and I'm talking to you. So take a deep breath and say okay God, would you please show me show me personally where greed still has a hold of my life would you show me where my fingers need to let go and my heart needs to get soft God we you show me, would you give me would you grant me the courage to trust you. You know, we learn to specific steps that God has given us in this passage that allow us to say no to greed and and created generous spirit and compassionate heart.

Step number one is compassion is cultivated when we put others needs ahead of our wants. What would it look like for you to do that today. And second, we really can't. Today is a generous spirit grows when we give away the very thing that can absolutely strangle our soul. I don't know how to say this to you but unless you start giving your money away. Let me encourage you to do something regular and some percentage but give first to your local church. You need to begin to be that person that releases your money because you recognize it's not yours.

It's God's. And as you begin to release your money. I will tell you your heart will get softer and softer. Your joy will be greater and it will force you. It will literally force you to get priorities in line that will bless you for the rest of your life. Can I encourage you, just from my pastor's heart, there isn't a demand there isn't a get with the program.

This is for your good release your finances to the Lord.

Be compassionate and you will find a God who will provide for every need will just before we close.

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