“Dollars & Sense – Keeping Money in Its Place, Pt. 1 – Generosity”
I recently finished a series titled “Lord Teach Us to Pray”, using the Lord’s prayer as a model for prayer.
Jesus encourages us in the Lord’s prayer to ask for our “… daily bread.”
Question: Does God want to provide for us? Yes!
Absolutely, the Lord truly longs to bless us. As Jesus wonderfully expressed, He came to give us a life that overflows with abundance—especially for those who follow Him (John 10:27). Experiencing abundant life isn’t just about finances and material needs; it also means having our deeper needs fulfilled and our hearts satisfied.
Nevertheless, God aims to meet our daily needs and provide us with sufficient financial resources to live a fulfilling life, with extra to fulfill the work He has assigned to us.
Jesus frequently spoke about money. Roughly one-third of His parables focus on wealth or possessions. In the Gospel of Luke, roughly one in seven verses discusses this subject. The topic Jesus addressed more frequently than money was the Kingdom of God.
Why? Because money can misguide us if we lose sight of its purpose. We need to talk about it — not because the church is after your money, but because Jesus cares about your heart. Money is a tool that, when used wisely, can be a great blessing!
Our Finances Often Take Priority Over Our Devotion
Jesus equates money with worship,
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matt. 6:24 NLT
Jesus doesn’t contrast God with Satan, but He does compare God to money. Why? Because money is one of the biggest competitors for our devotion and worship. Is your worship misdirected?
He continues in Matthew six, discussing provision, worry, and God’s promise to provide.
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matt. 6:25-34 NLT
Why do we worry? We’re not confident God will provide.
How we spend, give, and worry all reveal who we serve. Jesus spoke about money to set us free, not to bind us.
The New Testament Standard for Giving – A Cheerful Giver
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Cor. 9:6–7 NLT
Two things we can glean from this passage.
First, the planting of seeds. The Law of Seed Time and Harvest, as well as the Law of Sowing and Reaping.
The scripture reminds us that as long as the earth exists, there will always be seasons of seed time and harvest (Gen. 8:22). This principle teaches that when you plant a seed—by offering what you have—at God’s perfect timing, you will see a harvest from that seed, often multiplied. It applies both spiritually and physically—whether positive or negative. Sow good things, and you will reap benefits; give generously, and it will be returned to you.
Secondly, one must give willingly and cheerfully.
Giving isn’t about guilt or pressure — it’s about joy, freedom, and generosity. It’s about trusting God to provide all our needs and recognizing that our finances are seeds to help reap a Kingdom harvest. People!
At Passion, we want you to feel comfortable when making an offering. If you share our vision — helping people encounter Jesus — giving will come naturally to you.
When we fail to give, we put a cap on all that we have. We repress our increase. We deduct blessings from ourselves.
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Prov. 11:25 NIV
God loves to fund benevolence!
Question: Are we required to tithe?
Malachi three discusses tithing and curses (‘you have robbed Me—tithes, cursed with a curse’), but Galatians 3:13 NLT reminds us that Christ took the curse upon Himself on the cross. The blessings remain ours, but the obligation is no longer in effect.
Before the Law, we learn about the Patriarchs Abraham (Gen. 14:19-20) and Jacob (Gen. 28:20-22), who give a tenth (or tithe) back to God. This demonstrates a principle of honoring and trusting the Lord.
Tithing reflects Lordship. Remember, we can’t serve two masters—who is Lord?
The NT standard:
2 Cor. 9:7 “You must each decide in your heart how much to give.”
I’ll expand on this in the series, but the 10-10-80 principle is excellent. Give God 10%, save 10%, and live on 80%.
That said, you are not obligated to tithe your income, but there is biblical backing for the principle. Additionally, generosity opens the door to God’s blessings in our lives.
Managing Our Relationship with Money
Money itself isn’t the problem; it’s just a tool or object. However, when we begin loving money and possessions more than God and others, our outlook changes entirely.
Paul declared,
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Tim. 6:1 NLT
The love of money shows itself as greed and covetousness. Examples include manufacturing, transporting, or dealing drugs, white-collar crime, embezzlement, and issues related to social media that might threaten biblical values, for example.
“Love God… love your neighbor…” Money can subtly affect both of these loves.
30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:30–31 NLT
Money competes for the space in our hearts that should be reserved for God, and it distorts our treatment of others.
Areas where this distorted love grows:
Heart (Matt 6:21) — Where your treasure is, your heart follows. Our affections attach.
Soul — Our priorities shift, and decisions begin to focus on money.
Mind — We obsess. “How can I get more? Keep more? Use more?”
Strength — Our actions and energy are often directed toward earning money, sometimes at the cost of relationships and God.
What is the result of loving money? Sometimes, we find ourselves feeling distant from God and beginning to see others as objects.
The Cure: Contentment and Generosity
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Heb. 13:5 NIV
Contentment isn’t about lacking ambition — it’s about trusting that Christ is enough.
Remember, Paul warned Timothy: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim 6:10). It pierces us with grief and pulls us away from faith.
But Hebrews provides the antidote: contentment rooted in God’s promise — He will never leave us or forsake us. Trust in God, and don’t give in to fear!
How can we eliminate the love of money?
Focus our affections on God.
Make gratitude a daily habit.
Be thankful for what God has blessed you with.
Practice generosity — giving releases money’s grip on our hearts.
Final Thoughts
As this new season starts, let’s do a spiritual inventory. Ask yourself:
Are there any signs that the love of money is starting to take over?
Am I prioritizing possessions over people?
Am I putting more trust in money than in God?
How can I nurture contentment and generosity?
The solution isn’t to stop working, planning, or providing. The solution is to keep money in its proper place — as a tool to serve God and people, not as a master to control us.
Generosity replaces greed. Contentment replaces anxiety. Together, they help keep money in its rightful place — under God’s authority, used for God’s glory.
Next week, I will resume this series by exploring the stewardship of money.
