Finance Lesson #11

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September 21, 2015

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Syllabus

February 12, 2010

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Bible Perspectives
FINANCIAL TRUTHS FROM THE BIBLE
Lesson #11
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER—#2 The concept of anopen hand

• Memory verse: Galatians 2:10

• We have already discussed giving to God and to the church. However, there is another aspect of giving that is not related to offerings that we give to God by means of giving to the church.
  • This concept is more in the attitude of the heart that affects the way that we give to other people that have needs.
• In the world there are many needs. The problem is how to make a decision to help a person.
  • In the concept of an open hand, we are going to consider 4 aspects:

 

• =1=

 

Attitudes

 

• =2=

 

Advantages

 

• =3=

 

Quantity

 

• =4=

 

Focus

 

• =1=

 

The aspect of attitudes of giving with an open hand:
• In the Christian life, God examines our attitudes of giving in all areas of our life.
  • God establishes the correct attitude of giving for us.
    • Read Joh 3:16
    • Read 1Cor 13:3
    • Read 2Cor 8:1-2
    • Read 2Cor 9:7
• In the economy of God, the attitude is more important than the quantity.
• An appropriate attitude is based on a commitment to God.
  • Read 2Cor 8:5
• Giving must be without pride.
  • Read Mat 6:1-4
  • Read Mat 23:23
    • If the majority of giving is done in secret, the believer can avoid the attitude of spiritual pride.

 

• =2=

 

The aspect of the advantages of giving with an open hand:
• Read Act 20;35
  • God notices the acts of giving from a Christian in all areas of his life and God rewards the believer in many ways.
    • The believer will have the increase of a deeper intimacy with the Lord.
      • Read Mat 6:21
        • The heart of the believer will be attracted to where he puts his money.
      • Read Jer 22:16
    • The believer will have the increase of Christian character.
      • Giving is not God’s way of raising money. Instead, money is the way that God uses to mature the believers in the ways of God to conform us to His Son, Jesus Christ.
    • The believer will have the increase in heaven.
      • Read Mat 6;20
      • Read Phi 4:17
      • Read 1Tim 6:18-19
        • The believer will enjoy for and eternity what he has invested in heaven during his life on earth. Some Christians have not invested anything in the heavenly bank and for that they will not have anything to enjoy for eternity.
    • The believer will have the increase on the earth.
      • There is a false doctrine that encourages people to give and the purpose is to receive. This doctrine preaches riches to all people. While the scriptures teach us that the believer receives when he gives, the purpose and the motive are different. We have already studied the appropriate attitude for giving is the attitude of love and the motive is to glorify God. The false doctrine of prosperity has as its motive, selfishness to receive material blessings so that the person can be rich.
      • Read Pro 11:24-25
        • God promises blessings to the believer that gives with an open hand and does not anticipate anything in return. These blessings are spiritual and material in this life and in eternity.
      • Read 2Cor 9:6-11
        • Giving makes available to you more resources so that you can give more. In this cycle of giving and receiving and giving, God makes the believer know that He is sovereign and for that it is a cycle of faith. By this method, the believer experiences the reality of the presence of God in his life.

 

• =3=

 

The aspect of the quantity of giving with an open hand:
• Already we have examined the discussion of tithing from the Old Testament and the good-will offering to the church from the New Testament.
  • The tithe represents the level of infancy of the life of a Christian.
    • Because many Christians focus on the tithe as the super spiritual level and do not give any money inside or outside of the church, it tells us they do not understand these principles of God that cover all areas of the Christian life that we have discussed in this course.
      • The tithe is the beginning of giving and is not the limit of giving.
• Read Deu 15:7-8
• Read Gal 2:10
  • Through all the Old Testament it speaks of His care and His affection for the poor. If the poor are near the heart of God, then our care for the poor touch the heart of God. Jesus Christ identified himself with the poor.
    • Read Mat 25:34-45
      • For that the believer will give to the poor to meet their needs. This aspect of giving must be beyond the quantity that believer gives to God in his church. (Gal 2:10)
  • In the aspect of giving to the poor, the believer needs to give with an open hand. The significance of this is that there is no formula to decide the quantity that he must give.
    • The believer must permit the Holy Spirit to guide him to give the quantity that God decides. In this aspect, the believer can see the miraculous hand of God fulfill the specific needs of someone by means of his own hands
  • You can open a special account for the Lord. Periodically put in this account the quantity that you have determined to give to the poor. Then when the Lord shows you where you should give, the money already is available, and you can withdraw the quantity that God shows you.

 

• =4=

 

The aspect of focus in giving with an open hand:
• Giving must be a priority in our lives with the pre-meditation in prayer.
  • Read Pro 3:9
  • Read 2Cor 9:7
    • If the believer wants God to guide him in the quantities and the places to give, the believer must pray and ask for God’s direction.
• A lack of giving to the poor can affect the answers of the believer’s prayers.
  • Read Isa 58:6-11
  • Read Pro 21:13
• A lack of giving to the poor can affect our own provision.
  • Read Pro 28:27
• The places where the believer must give:
  • We have already discussed in a previous lesson giving to the church and to other ministries.
  • In this lesson we have seen that the believer must give to the poor.
  • Also the believer must help the members of his own family.
    • Read 1Tim 5:8
• God rebukes the devourer in favor of the believer that gives.
  • Read Mal 3:10-12
    • Of course this scripture comes from an age of law. However, the principles are the same through the entire bible. God makes a difference between the believer and the non-believer.
  • Read Deu 29:5
    • For 40 years in the desert their clothing remained as new.

HOMEWORK
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Evaluate your activities of giving and the places where you give your money.
  • What things do you need to do to conform your way of giving to the heart of God?
  • Consider which people are the poor among you. Always there is someone that is poorer than you.
    • Pray and ask God to send a poor person into your life.

 

• Memory verse: Col 3:23