Promise for Today - No Worries

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

You can be a hero one day and a zero the next day, a millionaire one day and bankrupt the next. No matter how much you make or how much you save, finances are an uncertain part of life.

So you worry. But what does the Bible say about worrying over money?

1. It’s unreasonable. 

Matthew 6:25 says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (NIV). You’re going to have fears in life, but you don’t need to fear a lack of finances. Even bankruptcy does not have to defeat you. Life is more than just the accumulation of things. Be concerned about what’s truly important.

2. It’s unnatural. 

Jesus reminded people that there’s no need for God’s creation to worry: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NIV).

3. It’s unnecessary. 

Financial fears come from a misunderstanding about God and what he’s promised to do for you. He’s assumed responsibility for your needs. Jesus said, “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field . . . will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30 NIV). God is your Father; you are his child. He knows what you need better than you do and will provide for you in ways you may not expect.

When you worry, you’re trying to play God. You’re assuming responsibility for something that God has said he will take care of. Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

God knows what’s going on in your life—and in your wallet. He knows all your needs even before you ask. And you can trust him to take care of you.

Talk It Over

Sometimes money can feel like the most important thing in life. But what things in your life are actually more important than your finances?

How do you balance trusting in God and being a good steward of your finances?

What promises from Scripture encourage you when you start to worry about money?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We come before You with hearts full of the choice to trust You. We know You are our provider, and You care for us and our families. Please lift up Your standard against every worry, fear, and anxiety in our hearts.
       We release and place our financial concerns into Your hands, knowing You will meet all our needs according to the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Help us to focus on Your kingdom and righteousness, and to live with gratitude for what You have already given us. Give us the wisdom to manage our resources in ways that honor You, and to be generous to those in need. We pray that You will open doors of opportunity to serve and to give to others in need. Provide for our needs, and bring peace to our hearts. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Give It Away

Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John 12:24 (NIV)

What does a farmer do when he has a barren field that’s producing no income? He doesn’t complain about it. He doesn’t even have to pray about it! He just goes out and starts planting seed, because nothing is going to happen until he plants the seed. He can pray all he wants, but prayer doesn’t replace planting.

Maybe you think you’re waiting on God. You think you’re waiting on God for that job. You think you’re waiting on God for a spouse. You think you’re waiting on God for the windfall. But God might be saying to you, “You think you’re waiting on me? I’m waiting on you! I’m waiting for you to plant a seed.”

Everything in life starts as a seed: a relationship, a marriage, a business, a church. And nothing happens until the seed is planted. Why does God require you to plant a seed? Because planting is an act of faith. You take what you’ve got, and you give it away. That takes faith, and it brings glory to God.

Jesus described this principle of sowing and reaping when he explained why he came to earth to die on the cross. In John 12:24, Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (NIV). Jesus was saying, “People will be saved and go to heaven because of my death and resurrection. I’m going to plant a seed, and the seed is going to be my life.”

Here’s the principle of sowing and reaping: Whenever you have a need, plant a seed. Whatever you need—more time, more energy, more money, more support, more relationships, more wisdom—just plant a seed. If you need more time, give more time to your kids. If you need more money, give it away to someone who needs it. If you need more wisdom, share what wisdom you have with others. Give yourself away!

It may not make sense to you to give away something that you need more of, but that is exactly the kind of attitude that God wants to bless and that will produce fruit in your life.

Talk It Over

What need have you been waiting on God to provide?

What do you think God might be waiting for you to do about that need? What seed can you plant today?

What kind of results do you see in yourself and others when you plant a seed and give of yourself? How is God building your character through that?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

           We come before You, asking for Your grace to transform us into more generous people. Help us to see that everything we have—time, talents, resources, and love—comes from You and belongs to You. Remove every form of selfishness, fear, or reluctance that holds us back from giving freely .
         Lord, we pray for a cheerful giving heart, one that flows from joy and gratitude rather than obligation. Teach us to give without reservation, whether it’s our time, our words, our encouragement, or our material blessings. Let our generosity reflect Your boundless love and compassion, and may our actions be a beacon of hope and kindness to those around us.
         Help us to overcome the fear of lack and to trust that You are our Provider. Give us wisdom in how, when, and where to give, so that our generosity blesses others and glorifies Your name.
         We ask You to break down the walls of scarcity in our spirit and replace them with a desire to bless. May our lives overflow with generosity, and may we be a vessel of Your grace, pouring out love and compassion to all we meet. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Moving Against Your Fear

Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

Matthew 25:28-29 (NLT)

What keeps you from investing your life? What keeps you from moving toward financial freedom? I’ll tell you what it is: fear.

Many kinds of fear can hold you back. One type of fear is self-doubt, which says: “You’ve failed in the past, so you’re never going to try again.” But just because you fail doesn’t mean you should give up. Everybody fails; it’s the only way you learn what works! God uses ordinary people who choose to keep on going after failure instead of giving up.

Two disciples, Judas and Peter, denied Jesus before his crucifixion. They committed the same sin, but they reacted differently to their failure. Judas focused on his sin and not the forgiveness of God. His remorse overwhelmed him, and he ultimately took his own life. When Peter realized his sin, he repented and asked God for forgiveness. Not long after, Peter preached on Pentecost, and 3,000 people were saved the first day. 

Jesus chose to build the church on the biggest failure in the bunch. What a God! He didn’t choose the superstar. He chose the guy who had blown it the worst.

You may have really messed up financially or in other ways. But it doesn’t matter where you’ve been. What matters is the direction you are going right now.

In the parable of the talents we looked at yesterday in Matthew 25, a rich man entrusted his money to three servants before leaving on a long trip. When he returned, he asked for an account from the servants. Two of them had doubled the master’s money, but the third had been afraid and had hidden his portion instead of working and investing it. His fear disappointed and angered his master, who said, “Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver” (Matthew 25:28 NLT). The master took away everything the servant had been given.

When you try to do things God’s way, you may feel afraid. In fact, Satan will try to get you to ignore God’s principles for money management by making you afraid of failure or making you doubt your ability to be a good steward of God’s money. But if you’re going to be successful in life, you have to move against your fears. You have to do the very thing that you fear the most!

As Matthew 25:29 says, “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away”. When you move forward in faith and follow God’s guidelines for financial peace, you will experience his blessing; like the servant, God may give you even more...

Talk It Over

What financial failure has kept you from moving forward with God’s financial principles for your life?

Do you pray for God to give you more financial responsibility as a steward of his money? Why or why not?

What is it about God’s way of handling money that makes you afraid to be obedient? Talk to God about those fears today.

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for the many blessings You have poured into our lives. Help us to cultivate a heart of contentment and gratitude, even when facing financial challenges or uncertainties. Guard our hearts from feelings of envy or dissatisfaction, and remind us daily of the abundance we have in You. 

        Give us wisdom to manage our finances responsibly and in ways that honor You. Teach us to resist impulsive spending and to embrace discipline in creating and following a budget. Help us prioritize You over material desires and to steward our resources for Your glory. May we be generous with what we have, sharing with others in need and trusting Your provision for our own needs. Inspire us to use our finances as a tool for good and to reflect Your love in all that we do. Thank You for Your unwavering guidance. Strengthen our faith as we trust in Your timing and direction. Help us to remain faithful, patient, and trusting in Your perfect timing. Remind us that Your plans are greater than our own, and that You are always working for our good. Help us remember that all we have and all we are comes from You and is meant to be used for Your glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen