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THE WARM-UP:
This is the last lesson in our series on “The Blessed Life”. So we warm up with the question:
Why do we give?
READ John 2:5
The context of this verse is the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. His mother tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. As soon as we hear God telling us to do something, we should do it! When we give just to give, then God works through our gifts. Remember though, the trap that Satan wants us to fall into is worshiping the blessings rather than the Blessor. When we come to the Lord with a heart to simply Give to Him rather than worrying about what we will receive, the Lord chooses to bless us in great ways! What are some ways that you and your family have been richly blessed by God?
THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
1. Why is God searching for hearts that are completely His?
2. How can you keep from seeking after the blessings that come from God’s hand rather than seeking God’s face?
3. What do I identify as the key to guaranteed financial results?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Blessed Life: God Rewards Generosity
THE WARM-UP:
Who is the most generous person you know?
Do you think you are a selfish person or a generous person?
READ John 12: 1-8
Was Judas selfish or generous? Did he really want to give the money to the poor? Judas was the money keeper for the disciples. Why do you think Jesus would ask someone to lead in their area of weakness? We are frequently temped in our area of weakness. When we successfully defeat the temptation, God helps us to grow stronger!
We also see in these verses, an act of true outlandish generosity here. Mary doused Jesus’ feet with very, very expensive perfume. A year’s wages for a bottle of perfume seems like a lot of money and it was! She poured it out on Jesus! This is much more than a simple tithe or even a normal offering. She was giving an extravagant offering to Jesus! If you can, give an example from your life, or from the life of someone you know, of a gift to the church or to someone else that fulfilled a specific need unknown to the giver.
Points to Ponder:
• A selfish person will always find good reasons not to be generous.
• Selfishness always looks after self by pointing at someone else.
• Wherever you find generosity, you will find selfishness battling for control
• God wants to help us turn our area of greatest weakness and potential defeat into our area of greatest victory.
• True riches are souls!
• Generosity is extravagant.
• It’s not the amount; it’s the heart.
• God has a purpose for every gift.
THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
1. Is it harder for selfishness or generosity to have the upper hand in our lives?
2. Think of areas over which you have responsibility…are any of them in areas of weakness?
3. Define these three levels of giving: Tithes, Offerings, Extravagant offerings.
Who is the most generous person you know?
Do you think you are a selfish person or a generous person?
READ John 12: 1-8
Was Judas selfish or generous? Did he really want to give the money to the poor? Judas was the money keeper for the disciples. Why do you think Jesus would ask someone to lead in their area of weakness? We are frequently temped in our area of weakness. When we successfully defeat the temptation, God helps us to grow stronger!
We also see in these verses, an act of true outlandish generosity here. Mary doused Jesus’ feet with very, very expensive perfume. A year’s wages for a bottle of perfume seems like a lot of money and it was! She poured it out on Jesus! This is much more than a simple tithe or even a normal offering. She was giving an extravagant offering to Jesus! If you can, give an example from your life, or from the life of someone you know, of a gift to the church or to someone else that fulfilled a specific need unknown to the giver.
Points to Ponder:
• A selfish person will always find good reasons not to be generous.
• Selfishness always looks after self by pointing at someone else.
• Wherever you find generosity, you will find selfishness battling for control
• God wants to help us turn our area of greatest weakness and potential defeat into our area of greatest victory.
• True riches are souls!
• Generosity is extravagant.
• It’s not the amount; it’s the heart.
• God has a purpose for every gift.
THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
1. Is it harder for selfishness or generosity to have the upper hand in our lives?
2. Think of areas over which you have responsibility…are any of them in areas of weakness?
3. Define these three levels of giving: Tithes, Offerings, Extravagant offerings.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Blessed Life: Need, Greed or Seed
THE WARM-UP:
Just an interesting point. The two biggest philanthropists in the world are also the two richest men in the world. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Do you think this is just a coincidence? Or do you think God blesses those who bless others? Gates and Buffet don’t claim to be Christians, but they have embraced the idea that God has given us to be generous with their money and help others with what they have been blessed with.
READ 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11
This scripture passage suggests a relationship between sowing seed and bearing the fruit of righteousness. Do you believe our ability to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit is tied to our stewardship?
Some Points to Ponder:
• It all comes down to the heart.
• God is able.
• All grace, abundance and sufficiency are a direct result of sowing bountifully from a cheerful heart.
• It is at the level of sufficiency and abundance that we are all tested.
• Financial growth is a by-product of bountiful sowing.
• You reap after you sow.
• You have to start where you are.
What do these points make you think? Do we often sow sparingly and yet expect God to give us a plentiful harvest?
THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
2. Do you want to be rich? What does “rich” mean to you?
3. What does “rich” mean to you?
4. How do you think that fits into God’s plan for your life?
Just an interesting point. The two biggest philanthropists in the world are also the two richest men in the world. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Do you think this is just a coincidence? Or do you think God blesses those who bless others? Gates and Buffet don’t claim to be Christians, but they have embraced the idea that God has given us to be generous with their money and help others with what they have been blessed with.
READ 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11
This scripture passage suggests a relationship between sowing seed and bearing the fruit of righteousness. Do you believe our ability to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit is tied to our stewardship?
Some Points to Ponder:
• It all comes down to the heart.
• God is able.
• All grace, abundance and sufficiency are a direct result of sowing bountifully from a cheerful heart.
• It is at the level of sufficiency and abundance that we are all tested.
• Financial growth is a by-product of bountiful sowing.
• You reap after you sow.
• You have to start where you are.
What do these points make you think? Do we often sow sparingly and yet expect God to give us a plentiful harvest?
THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
2. Do you want to be rich? What does “rich” mean to you?
3. What does “rich” mean to you?
4. How do you think that fits into God’s plan for your life?
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