Is this True or False? Giving money to the cause of Christ is the most productive way to witness. Join us as we discuss Lesson 10, Giving Back.

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What principles can we take from the following texts regarding how we should deal with money?

1 Timothy 6:17

2 Corinthians 4:18

Proverbs 30:8

Eccles. 5:10

Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com

Money can have a powerful hold on human beings, a hold that has led to the ruin of many. Who has not heard of people who have done terrible things because of money — even when they already had a lot of it to begin with?

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. By God’s power, we can overcome the enemy’s attempt to take what was meant to be a blessing (material possessions) and turn them into a curse.

In the context of being a good steward in planning for death, one danger that people face is the temptation to hoard assets now, justifying that hoarding with the idea that, well, “When I die, I can give it all away then.” Though better than just spending it all now (one billionaire had said that he knew that he would be living right only if the check for his funeral bounced), we can and should do better than that.

“I saw that many withhold from the cause while they live, quieting their consciences that they will be charitable at death; they hardly dare exercise faith and trust in God to give anything while living. But this deathbed charity is not what Christ requires of His followers; it cannot excuse the selfishness of the living. Those who hold fast their property till the last moment surrender it to death rather than to the cause. Losses are occurring continually. Banks fail, and property is consumed in very many ways. Many purpose to do something, but they delay the matter, and Satan works to prevent the means from coming into the treasury at all. It is lost before it is returned to God, and Satan exults that it is so.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 154.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Key Thought: This week we want to review God’s counsel for our later years. What should we do, avoid doing, and what principles are involved.
March 11, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Luke 12:16-21..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the relevant message to us here?
3. Personal Application: What does the message to the foolish man say to us regarding our attitude toward what we own? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “I’ve worked hard all my life and saved up for retirement so I can kick back and travel and enjoy life in ease and luxury. That’s my reward for working hard.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Proverbs 27:23-27, Proverbs 30:8, and I Timothy 6:17.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why must we be very careful how we justify our use of our material goods?
3. Personal Application: Though we can lay up treasure in heaven, why is that not the same as buying or earning salvation? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What plans have you made for God and family if you died suddenly? What would happen to your property? Would it go where you wanted it to?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalm 24:1, Hebrews 3:4, Psalm 50:10, and Colossians 1:15-17.

1. Ask class members to share a short
2. What is the central point of the texts and how it impacts what we do with the material goods God has given us??
3. Personal Application: How do you balance what you spend your money on that shows you are faithful in managing God’s money? In what ways could your spending be better? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Why does money have such a strong hold on people, rich and poor, who do many terrible things for money and because of money?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 34:11, Psalm 49:17, James 4:14, and I Timothy 6:6,7.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How are good works and generous offerings related to faith?
3. Personal Application: Why is it important and a duty to draw up a will to designate where your goods go? Share your thoughts?
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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People have told me that, if it came down to it, they would be afraid to die for Jesus. But you know what? We are going to die anyway, so we might as well be willing to die for Jesus. At least that way we have the hope of eternal life after dying. After all, either way we still die. 

Photo by William Earnhardt

At the same time, some people don’t want to make a will because they don’t want to think about dying, but you know what? You are going to die anyway. And not making a will won’t make you live any longer. What making a will will do for you, though, is make sure your assets go where you want. 

If you wish, your local Adventist conference can assist you in making a legal will. This is a service local Adventist conferences do for their members, and while you certainly may, you don’t have to leave anything to the church, to get them to perform this service. However, I am all for leaving a legacy when I die. I hope that, when I die, people will still read my blog posts, and remember my sermons and kind words. To me, leaving such a legacy is just being a good steward of my life. Just like I want my writings and sermons to live well beyond me, I also want my resources to keep working for Jesus well beyond my days. 

When I was a child, my mother would tell me all kinds of interesting stories about her life before I was born. Now that she is resting in Jesus, I am living my life in a way to make  sure I will have all kinds of interesting stories to share with her after she awakes in the resurrection. If I fall asleep before Jesus comes, I know I will love to hear in heaven all the wonderful stories about how my money kept working for Jesus while I was sleeping. Possibly you feel the same. If you would like your local Adventist conference to help you make your will, with or without giving anything to the conference, let me help you get started by sharing a link. Again, not making a will won’t make you live any longer. Making a will makes sure your money goes where you want it to. When you are ready, just click on this link to find a local Adventist estate planning representative. The sooner you get this taken care of, the sooner you can just go back to enjoying the rest of your life, with peace of mind. 

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In Old Testament times, many of the children of Israel were farmers and shepherds. Thus some of God’s promised blessings were couched in farm language. For example, in Proverbs 3:9-10, , God says that if we are financially faithful with Him, our “barns will be filled with plenty” (NKJV). It is likely that many Christians don’t have a barn today. So, we understand that God will bless our work or business if we are willing to follow and obey Him.

Read Proverbs 27:23-27. How would you interpret “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks” (NKJV) for Christians living today?

Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com

However much the Bible warns against the rich trampling on the poor, or being greedy with their wealth, Scripture never condemns wealth or people’s efforts to acquire wealth, provided of course they don’t do it dishonestly or through oppressing others. In fact, the texts for today, in Proverbs, indicate that we should be diligent in our financial affairs in order that we may have enough for ourselves and our family. “You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants” (Proverbs 27:27, NKJV).

How would we rephrase that verse for today? Maybe we would suggest, “Review your financial records and determine the state of your affairs.” Or “Do a balance sheet and understand your debt-to-equity ratio.” From time to time during your earning years, it would be appropriate to review your will or other documents and your present assets and update them as necessary. Documents such as wills and trusts are put in place early in the estate planning process in order to be a protection against untimely death, or of not being able for health reasons to decide about where your assets should go. The idea is to plan ahead for what will happen to your possessions once they are no longer yours.

In short, good stewardship of what God has blessed us with doesn’t deal only with what we have while alive but also with what happens after we are gone — because, unless the Lord returns in our lifetime, we will one day be gone while our material possessions, whether a little or a lot, will remain behind. Hence, it is up to us now to make provisions so that what we have been blessed with can be a blessing to others and for the furtherance of God’s work.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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