given?” (Ellen G. White, Review & Herald,
Nov. 2, 1886)
*So here we are, trying to balance our
faith and our finances. Often it seems
that when our finances and blessings go
up, our faith goes down. But then when
our bank balance goes down, we get back
on our knees, pleading with God for help.
Money up, faith down. Money down,
faith up. Is there a balance? Does God
give us a solution?
*Let’s turn to Jesus’ words in Matthew
6:19-21. “Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys and where thieves do not break
in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also” (NKJV).
That's very simple teaching God
wants us to take our material blessings
here on earth and upgrade them to an
eternally safe investment in heaven. God
wants to upgrade your investments! Je-
sus invites us to invest His blessings into
His work and to trust God to continue to
provide our earthly needs.
Yes, we need to keep working hard
and earning money to provide food,
shelter, and clothing for our families, but
we are not to trust in that money. We
are to trust in God. And we are called
to invest some of our material blessings
in the work of heaven, winning souls for
the kingdom.
*Let’s look at Matthew 6:24: “No one
can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or
else he will be loyal to the one and de-
spise the other. You cannot serve God
and mammon” (NKJV).
What is mammon? Yes, that’s right,
mammon refers to money and invest-
ments, material blessings. Jesus is telling
DYNAMIC STEWARD
od HEC [i
us that it’s impossible to serve money
while also serving God.
*Did you know that even Jesus was
tempted to focus on material blessings and
worldly riches? While He was in the wilder-
ness, Satan tried to tempt Him into sin.
Let’s read about it in Matthew 4:8-11,
“Again, the devil took Him up on an ex-
ceedingly high mountain, and showed
Him all the kingdoms of the world and
their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these
things | will give You if You will fall down
and worship me’ Then Jesus said to him,
‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written,
“You shall worship the Lord your God,
and Him only you shall serve” Then the
devil left Him, and behold, angels came
and ministered to Him” (NKJV).
So, what is the solution? It’s actually
very simple and easy to remember.
*As our blessings go UP our
must go DOWN. Can you guess the miss-
ing word?
*As our blessings go UP our knees
must go DOWN. And the more our bless-
ings go UP the more our knees must go
DOWN.
*Let’s read that John Wesley quote
again.
spreads, *it must cause diligence *and
“Wherever true Christianity
frugality, which, in the natural course of
things, *must beget riches! *And riches
naturally beget pride, *love of the world,
and every temper that is *destructive of
Christianity.”
But look what happens when our
blessings go up and our knees go down in
prayer and thanksgiving We can change
this quote to say:
*Wherever true Christianity spreads,
*it must cause diligence and frugality,
which, in the natural course of things,
must beget riches! But now we put
Christ at the center of our lives. *And
riches lead us to prayer and thanksgiving,
*and humble, sacrificial generosity which
is part of *true Christianity”
May God continue to bless us all. Let's
keep our eyes on Jesus and use His bless-
ings for His glory.
Julian Archer is the Stewardship
director for the South Pacific
Division. He is the founder of the
ministry Faith vs Finance and author
of the E book, HELP! I've Been Blessed: How to stop
God's blessings from becoming curses.
Access the PowerPoint presentation of this
sermon here: https;/stewardship. adventist.org/
april-june-2023 Or
Astericks indicate where the paragraph is found in
the PowerPoint presentation.
APRIL-JUNE 2023
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