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Equipping people worldwide to learn, apply, and teach God's financial principles so they may know Christ more intimately, be free to serve Him, and help fund the Great Commission.
Today on MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sharon Epps: Making Money in God’s Economy
Sharon Epps, our VP of Content and Media will join us again today. God’s economy is a divine integration of the mystery of God’s lordship, our stewardship and generosity. Those three elements make God's economy completely from man’s economy. Divine integration refers to the fact that you can’t separate God from His principles. Some people try to practice the principles without acknowledging God, but the more you live by God’s principles, the more you get to know Him. The more you get to know Him, the more you live by His principles. But God isn’t a financial principle; He’s much bigger than that. The ultimate goal is to know God, walk with Him. His principles are true and as we apply them, we know God better. It is a lifelong journey. When you commit to discover God and live in His economy you discover deeper and deeper truths as you submit to His lordship and practice stewardship and generosity. We want to be free of the grip of the world and man’s economy. So today we’re going to talk about being financially transformed.
Some people get on the journey late in life, that’s ok. It's important to start taking steps to finish well. Many young people and couples are on this journey too. It's exciting to hear about what happens when people start living in God’s economy early. Again, God’s economy is the divine integration of the mystery of God’s lordship, our stewardship and generosity. Spiritual transformation isn’t a formula; it’s a transaction of faith between you and the Lord. God often intervenes in our finances and does miraculous things. We don’t know if He will every time, but we have seen Him do it. It takes faith to go on this journey as it did for Israel to leave Egypt and cross the Red Sea. We don’t know when and how God will provide for us, but He shows up in unexpected ways. So, have faith and begin your journey with us. Living in God’s economy begins with being spiritually renewed. We must change what we believe and loosen the grip the world has on us. Then we must put the principles of God’s economy into practice. God designed His economy so that when we apply His principles we become faithful stewards. Being a steward means making wise decisions with all God has given you. Stewardship is using God’s resources to accomplish God’s mission. It covers how you make money, manage it, and use it to fulfill God’s purposes. We shouldn’t feel guilty about making money; we should seek to grow in our ability to produce resources to benefit mankind and advance God’s kingdom. A lot in Scripture about making money. God is very practical. He tells us to work, produce income, take care of our families, and help others. We need to learn how to make money in any economic circumstance. Christians need to be innovative. We have a supernatural advantage and need to ask God for ideas. He will show us how to remake our careers. It starts with understanding how He wired you and the work He uniquely equipped you to do. It's important to match skills, interests, and experiences with work to maximize income. No one but God knows what the future holds. If we are in an economic recovery right now, it is a jobless recovery. We need to use the creativity God has given us to make a living. It's great to see people reach their God-given potential. God gives us all unique abilities and we should discover them. The first thing to being a wise steward is to look at how you make money, how you match your God-given abilities with your work. It's also learning to be innovative and asking the Lord to remake your career if necessary to get you in the place you can have maximum impact. The next step in stewardship is to evaluate whether you need to earn more or adjust your lifestyle. You can earn more instead of spending less. It's important for people to have multiple ways to earn a living; you can’t be a job slave that’s stuck if you get laid off. We need to have diversified income. God endorses moonlighting. Entrepreneurship is a major skill set for the future. People will have to learn to make a living with whatever they have. Work must be balanced with relational and emotional needs. Next step in stewarding wisely is to learn to be content with God’s level of provision. God doesn’t want us to work all the time. He instituted times of rest so people wouldn’t overwork. We have to ask ourselves how much is enough. The next step in stewarding wisely is to sell items you don’t need. Lighten your backpack and be ready to go where God needs you. Things can own us, and be hindrances to God’s plan for your life. If certain possessions are holding you back, it's best to free yourselves from them. The next step in that is considering your investments. You need to be diversified and invested in assets you understand. Many people have been hurt recently by their investments. Don’t put more than 15% of your invested money in a single class of assets. The dollar is getting weaker, so we need to invest in things that hedge against it. An example is investing in rental houses. Tomorrow will focus on managing money in God’s economy. |
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The Plans of TomorrowLife is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. |
Teaching God's People God's PrinciplesGod calls each of us to fill the gap in order to spread His Gospel to all parts of the world. |
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Finances and Your Relationship with GodThis generation’s greatest need is for God’s Word to be taught clearly and undiluted. The next greatest is for Christians to demonstrate that it works. |
God and MoneyOnce we understand how God uses money and why He chooses to use it in a particular way, we can better understand His directives regarding finances. |
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Other Resources: |
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We're continuing our series this week on God’s economy. If you missed the previous programs in the series, here are the links:
Sharon says that choosing to live in God’s economy isn’t a one-time decision, it is a lifetime journey.
We’re on the journey at Crown and we want our listeners to go with us.
