BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

1. BEFORE GOD … GIVES YOU $$$ … He’s GOT to be ABLE to TRUST YOU with it!

GOD’S NOT… going to GIVE YOU SOMETHING… That’ll DESTROY YOU!

There’s only ONE GROUP of people… IN THE WORLD… that PROSPERITY DESTROYS: (Anybody remember who that is?)

THE FOOL. (If you’re not a fool… you can be blessed.)

2.) DEFINED PROSPERITY! (EXTREME TEACHING … Not saying you’ll be a millionaire…)

That’s God’s Will for EVERYBODY.

3.) I SAID… SOMETIMES (as preachers) … we’ve been LEFT WITH THE IMPRESSION… ALL YOU HAVE TO DO to PROSPER… IS GIVE in the OFFERING.

There’s actually … 7 MAJOR THEMES … in the Bible… regarding MONEY.

1.) MINDSET – What do you Believe you can have? (According to your faith…)

2.) MASTERY – God Only Blesses What He Is Master Of! (Seek 1st.)

3.) MAKE-UP – Flowing With Your Giftings – (Something / DEVELOP!)

4.) MARKETABLE SKILLS – What Can You Do… People Will Pay For?

5.) MONEY MANAGEMENT – Some have never heard of a budget! (Poor)

6.) MAXIMUM WORK ETHIC – Tromos - “with maximum exertion & effort”!

7.) MINISTRY - Sowing & Reaping

I can’t VIOLATE THOSE PRINCIPLES … and say … “NOT GOD’S WILL!!

We STARTED LOOKING AT OUR:

WE DISCOVERED:

IF YOUR INTERNAL PICTURE … IS “YOU BEING POOR” … you’ll NEVER rise above that… no matter what you do! (LID!)

PRAY As MUCH … As You Want!

WORK As HARD … As You Want!

INHERIT A FORTUNE! (Doesn’t Matter HOW MUCH someone gives you!)

(DEFAULT TO … that picture!) Won $100,000 (649) - Worse Off! More debt, less money…

That INTERNAL PICTURE … puts a LID on your life…

Where’s your lid? Can you see yourself:

With Thousands of Dollars in the Bank? Driving a Decent Car? Giving Substantially to God?

(A lot of us couldn’t!)

The ONLY WAY… to change things… EXTERNALLY… is TAKE THE WORD… and CHANGE THINGS INTERNALLY.

CHANGE … WHAT YOU SEE … IN YOUR HEART!

Today… I want to LOOK … we need to ADOPT as our OWN.

We Saw Last Time: When God created the world, He did it in abundance!

There was an abundance THEN; and there’s an abundance NOW!

DID YOU KNOW:

(45 People Have Become Millionaires, since you walked in here, this morning… and ANOTHER 45 … will Become Millionaires…BEFORE YOU LEAVE!)

If you TOOK THE WEALTH of the world, and DIVIDED IT EQUALLY …

(16 million!)

All it WOULD TAKE … is one GOD-IDEA, to make you rich? (Hula Hoop!)

Mom : Had a hoop… push it with a stick. BRIGHT IDEA: Put it around their waist

Not a lack of available funds!

The devil… HAS SOLD THE CHURCH… a BILL OF GOODS!

(Wants you poor!)

FAVORITE: “You Don’t want money!” – Money’s the Root of All Evil -

(Anybody quote that verse … properly?)

“For the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil…” LISTEN: You can commit THAT SIN … and NOT HAVE A DIME!”

In fact… I THINK… there’s MORE … POOR PEOPLE… LOVING MONEY … than there are RICH PEOPLE!

True!

THINK: Who SPENDS MORE TIME… THINKING ABOUT FOOD…

… A MAN who eats REGULARLY … or SOMEONE WHO’S STARVING?

The FELLA WITH … HIS NEEDS MET… EATS … & GOES ON WITH LIFE!

When you’re STARVING … that’s ALL … you can THINK ABOUT!

You KNOW THAT … if you’ve DIETED!

You think a LOT MORE… about food … when you’re doing without!

WHEN YOU’RE BROKE… AND THE CREDITORS ARE BREATHING DOWN YOUR THROAT…

… and you’re ABOUT TO BE EVICTED… and THEY’RE ABOUT TO TAKE YOUR KIDS …

Do you CRAVE RICHES … at that point?

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE?

POVERTY DOESN’T HELP YOU SERVE GOD! (HINDERS!)

“I thought money turns people away from God… only if you’re a fool!”

PROMISES:

IF GOD WANTS ME TO PROSPER… HOW DO I TAP INTO IT?

1.) PUT GOD FIRST

Seek ye FIRST… the kingdom of God… and His Righteousness… THINGS ADDED!

INTERESTING: No mention of faith … in this verse! (NOT: “If you believe…”)

ONLY PRE-REQUISITE: He’s FIRST

PLACES THIS MANIFESTS: IF HE’S FIRST… IT SHOWS IN:

(a) MY TIME: Particularly: Bible reading, prayer, working for God!

(b) WHAT I DO … WITH THE MONEY I HAVE: What does the Bible say to do with it? (Purpose of Tithing? Budgeting? Praying About It? Working?)

(c) WHAT I LOVE / DO FOR ENTERTAINMENT: You can’t have Jesus first, and love sin!

(d) MY PRIORITIES: Most Christians … pick where they live… on the basis of their job! Very few… find out… where God wants them to go to Church… move there!

2.) OBEY HIS WORD

Isaiah 1:19 – If ye be WILLING & OBEDIENT… you’ll eat the good of the land.3.) HEAR GOD’S VOICE

a.) Elijah – “I’ve commanded a widow woman to sustain you THERE!” BROOK: “The ravens will feed thee THERE!”

God has a place for you … called “THERE”!

Not so much … a PHYSICAL LOCATION: As it is FOLLOWING GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS!