Making Ends Meet

Series: Stressed Week 4: Making Ends Meet

HOW DO I FIND GOD’S PEACE in MY BUDGET?

4 reasons why many are stressed because of money:

1. We Have a Lack of Contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6-8. Contentment isn’t based on getting everything we want—it’s based on having our needs met. A need is something that makes life possible; a want is something that makes life easier.
2. We Have a Love of Money. 1 Timothy 6:9-10a. When we pursue a love of money, we choose to heap stress on our own heads. Paul says such people have … 1 Timothy 6:10.
3. We Don’t Manage Our Money by God’s Design. 1 Timothy 6:11. 2 imperatives: (1) Flee—Escape from the lack of contentment & the love of money. (2) Pursue—God has plans for our lives, that we should chase after. 1 Timothy 6:17-19. When we break away from God’s designs for our money—whether intentionally or unintentionally—we bring stress down on ourselves.
4. We’re in Something Beyond Our Control. We all go through financial troubles beyond our control. But … those troubles are not beyond God’s control. He is still sovereign.

MATTHEW 6:25-33.

Main Principle: WHEN I HONOR GOD WITH MY FINANCES, I CAN TRUST HIM TO SATISFY ALL MY NEEDS.

How do I Honor God with My Finances?

1. Give to the Lord. MATTHEW 6:32-33. If you want to take a step toward a stressless life when it comes to money start by actively & intentionally giving to the Lord. Jesus said, “seek first His kingdom.” First: choose what’s best—the choicest part. Honor Him with your first & best, and He will do the rest.
2. Save for the future. PROVERBS 21:20. Scripture shows that if you’re not saving for the future, you’re acting foolishly. You’re inviting stress into your life.
3. Budget to Live. PROVERBS 21:5. Wisdom demands that we manage our money with intentional purpose—& promises that when we do, we’ll be in a favorable financial position. Haste: Hebrew–doing something on the spur of the moment—impulsive.

When we honor God with our finances, we can trust Him to satisfy all our needs. How do we trust that God will satisfy our needs? Jesus showed us several reasons why we can trust God when it comes to money.

1) We can trust God because of His relationship with us. MATTHEW 7:11. Truth: not only is God our Father; He’s our heavenly Father. There’s no problem you could ever fact that’s bigger than God. There’s nothing in the universe bigger than God. You can trust Him to satisfy your needs.

2) We can trust God to satisfy our needs is because of His abundance for us. PHILIPPIANS 4:19. God doesn’t supply for your needs based on your resources. He supplies for you based on His resources. You can trust God to satisfy your needs because He has more than enough.

3) We can trust God to satisfy our needs because of His value for us. MATTHEW 6:26. You’re the crown of God’s creation. You’re incredibly valuable to God. How do I know that? ROMANS 5:8. You’re so important to God that He shed His own blood for you—so that you could know Him and enjoy a relationship with Him, for all eternity. MATTHEW 6:32. God knows you intimately.

Choose to trust God.