GIVING GOD CONTROL OF YOUR LIFESTYLE

Some practical ideas to consider:

40. Give the "Master" charge of your life instead of giving your life to your "Master Charge" (i.e. - the continued use of growing debt and credit).

41. Seek to de-clutter, simplify, and scale down your lifestyle.

42. Learn to practice godly hospitality by opening your meal times and home to others.

43. Actively pray about needs you feel you have and see if God won't meet your needs according to His "FAITH SHOPPING" principle (see Prov.. 13:22b). This life changing practice is learning to allow God to creatively provide for your needs (not your greeds!) through classified ads, the help of others, special sales, garage sales, second hand shops, etc..

44. Don't set your lifestyle based on your income, set your lifestyle based on how you believe God wants you to live. If God provides you with extra funds, pray about what He wants for this excess.

45. Faithfully monitor your finances and actively pursue becoming 100% debt-free (note: most people can eliminate all short-term debt within two to four years and can even have their home paid off within seven to fifteen years)! Resource materials by Larry Burkett or Ron Blue are available through local Christian bookstores to help you in this area.

Scripture references:

46. Ecc. 5:10 The way to recognize if the "love of money" is creeping or storming its way into your life. (Also see Heb 13:5-6, I Tim. 6:10, Luke 3:14)

47. Luke 12:14 Realize that the important thing in life is NOT how much you can accumulate or possess.

48. Matt. 6:19-21 Actively "de-accumulate" those things which you no longer use or need.

49. Matt. 6:19-21 Be cautious and careful about spending too much money on clothes, luxury items, electronic goods, items made out of metal, etc. (also see James 5:1-6)

50. II Kings 4:8-10 Opening your home to God's servants.

51. Acts 2:44,45 Selling things you have so that you can give to help meet some special needs.

52. Acts 4:32 Sharing what you have with others in need.

53. Rom. 12:13 Feeding, helping, and lodging people in your home.

54. Luke 19:28-40 Freely use your possessions for the Lord's work and to be of help to others.

55. Prov 13:22b Giving items you no longer have use for to the Lord's work or to a Christian in need.

56. I Cor. 16:2 Instructions on the first day of EACH WEEK to look back over the last seven days to count your material and financial blessings. Once you've identified these blessings, lay aside offerings that you can give to the Lord's work as He directs you.

57. I Tim. 6:17-19 Using your wealth to do good and benefit others.

58. Romans 13:8 Owing no man anything.

59. Prov. 15:16, 20:17, 20:21, 20:23, 21:6, 22:1, 25:16 Warnings against gaining anything dishonestly.

60. Num. 5:7,8 Need for confession and restitution for things you've taken dishonestly in the past.

61. Exodus 22:3 Instructions for those who have stolen things in the past.

62. Ecc 2:26 Giving what you have to God's servants.

63. Luke 6:38 Learn to give and see God give back.

64. Matt. 6:33 Seek God FIRST, and then watch and experience His Father's care in your life.

65. Proverbs 11:25 Hold back on your giving and you'll experience loss.

66. Mark 12:41-44 A poor woman who gave to God all she had.

67. I Kings 17:15,16 A poor widow who gives her "last meal" to feed God's servant before meeting her own family's needs.

68. II Cor. 8 People in poverty who still gave generously.

USING YOUR INFLUENCE IN A BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION

Some practical ideas to consider:

69. Give of your personal time and skills.

70. Underwrite the cost of your employee's time when assigning them to help with a Christian ministry you care about.

71. Help provide your company's products or services on a donated or discounted basis to Christian ministries.

72. Help pass along items your company no longer needs to Christian ministries.

73. Earmark certain proceeds, sales, or earnings for God's work.

74. Establish a company tithing or benevolence fund.

75. Lev. 19:9,10 A plan to have and to give "leftovers" to the needy who would work to receive them.

76. II Kings 4:42-44 God multiplying the quantity of food a man was willing to give.

77. Gen. 44:1 A top leader giving a needed product at no charge.

78. Ezra 7:21-23 A top leader instructing all of his employees to help God's man with a specific project.

79. Neh. 1:7,8 A top leader approving major expenditures of resources under his control for a special project for God's people.

80. Esther 1-10 A person that used her important position and influence for God's people.

GIVING OF YOUR WEALTH

(i.e. - investments, real estate, profits, holdings, inheritances, luxury items, etc.)

Some practical ideas to consider:

81. Give at least a tenth of any gain or profit from any investment to the Lord's work.

82. Earmark proceeds from a specific investment to the Lord's work.

83. Give a specific item entirely to the Lord's work.

Scripture references:

84. Hebrews 6:10 God will remember all the giving you did in this life because of your love for Him.

85. Luke 8:2,3 Women giving to support Jesus' ministry out of their own resources.

86. II Cor. 9:11 Part of the reason why God may have given you more income than you formerly had.

87. John 12:3 Someone who gave a costly, luxury item.

88. Matt. 19:21-24 A rich man that was unwilling to give.

89. I Kings 19:19-21 A rich man that was willing to let go of his business to go and serve God full-time.

90. Exodus 35:5 People that gave to a building project.

91. I Chron. 29:2-19 Someone who gave a great deal of their wealth in order to help build God's temple.

92. II Chron. 24:8-14 People that gave generously to help accomplish needed building renovations.

93. Mark 12:41-44 Jesus notices and expects rich people to give generously to the Lord's work.

94. Luke 12:16-20 The story of a man who tried to keep his riches for himself instead of being rich towards the Lord's work.

95. Mark 12:41-44 Giving up houses and property in this life for the work of the kingdom of God.

96. II Kings 4:8-10 Preparing your home so it could be used by God's servant(s) when they are in the area.

97. Acts 4:34-36 Selling lands and houses to help meet some of the needs that God shows you.

98. Luke 12:13-15 Someone who was overly concerned about their inheritance.

99. Luke 15:11-32 Misuse of an inheritance.

100. Prov. 20:21 The type of an inheritance that can cause more harm than good.

CLOSING CHALLENGE

Go through this flyer and find at least 5-10 Scriptural passages and look them up. Prayerfully consider how God would want to use these truths in your life. Ask yourself: "If what these Bible verses say are true, what difference should it make in my life?"

If you are presently NOT faithfully giving to the Lord at least 10% of your income, I would encourage you to read Haggai 1:4-11 and Malachi 3:8-10. Then immediately begin to give to God at least 10% for the next 30-90 days and see if the Lord will not work in your life in creative ways. You'll never regret this decision!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian Kluth is a national and international speaker and writer on Biblical generosity and financial matters.  He is also a church pastor and the founder of MAXIMUM Generosity, a public ministry dedicated to advancing Biblical generosity through inspirational preaching, leadership training seminars, writing, resources and the media.  Brian’s written materials have been distributed to more than 350,000 Christian leaders in more than 100 countries .For additional materials or to contact Brian, email: bk@kluth.org or visit: www.kluth.org