How to Manage your Money and Grow your Soul
“How to Manage your Money and Grow your Soul”
“How to Manage your Money and Grow your Soul”
1 Corinthians 16:1-10
One of the core characteristics of God is His generosity. God is a giver. He delights to give. He gives joyfully, graciously, indiscriminately, sacrificially even extravagantly. Without the generosity of God, there would be no salvation . . . “For God so loved the world that he GAVE his one and only son . . . .” Giving is a discipline of the spiritual life. There is no ministry without giving; there is no growth without giving; there is no joy without giving. There are many promises in the Bible that are reserved for givers; that are predicated on giving. Such as Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you.” Giving is one of the ways that helps us align our lives and our values with God and eternity. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-10, Paul zeroes in on the important matter of financial investment in the Kingdom of Heaven through faithful giving. Paul leaves them with a practical call to put their money where their mouth is and to prioritize the financial support of the work of the ministry and the outreach of the church. He outlines the dimensions of financial stewardship and generosity that can bless and preserve a heavenly orientation and eternal perspective for faithful disciples.
1 Corinthians 16:1-10
Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. 5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you-- for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. 10 When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.
In this Bible passage, the apostle Paul, teaches us that faithful disciples give in the following ways:
Regularly (verse 2a)
Methodically (verse 2b)
Proportionately (verse 2c)
Sacrificially (verse 2d)
Joyfully (verse 2e)
Wisely (verses 3-4)
Let’s close with the following statements:
#1: You can’t outgive God. Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given
to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
#2: You can’t give to God anything that He didn’t first give to you. David
said in 1 Chronicles 29:14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that
we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from
you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”