Investing in Trust

Introduction:

• We’ve been called to belong to Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
• But you never belonged to yourself. We were born into captivity, enslaved by sin. We knew nothing but bondage. Like living with gravity. So, bondage felt normal.

And then Christ came and freed us.  And through His word and by His Spirit He is teaching us what true freedom is and how to live in it.

One of the greatest sources of bondage in this world is the love of and the trust in money.  This bondage is rooted in several things: the illusion of security and happiness.

• Jesus: “Even when a man has an abundance His life doesn’t consist of His possessions” (Luke 12:15).

We live in this world that reinforces the illusion.  We could argue that nothing challenges our freedom in Christ more than our finances.

On the other hand, there is faith.  There is genuine trust in God. This is where the real treasures are hidden!

Affirmations of faith.

• Matthew 6:24 You are my Master, Lord, not money.
• Matthew 13:22 I want Your word to have full impact in my life.
• 1 Timothy 6:10 I don’t want the love of money to impede my faith in You.
• Luke 6:38 Lord, I believe You are overwhelmingly generous.
• 1 Timothy 6:17 Lord, I believe everything I have comes from You.
• Philippians 4:19 Lord I do not have to be afraid of my needs not being met.

 Hebrews 13:5  “Don’t trust in money because you’ve got Me.”

• Giving is a way to invest our trust in God as the Provider of our future financial security.

2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9

1.  What is the difference between Old Testament tithing and New Testament giving?

• In the Old Testament, tithing was giving 10% of one’s income. In the New Testament, giving is guided by setting aside an amount in accordance with one’s income, but no specific percentage is assigned. The New Testament encourages giving based on one’s ability and cheerfulness. (2 Corinthians 8).

 2.  God loves cheerful giving.

• God is more concerned about how we are doing than what we are doing. That goes for our finances, too.
• Give to the boundaries of your cheerfulness and trust God to expand them.

3.  Giving results in praise to God

• Our generosity causes others to thank and praise God for what they receive through us, making us instruments of His blessings.

 4.  Giving is a practical way for us to invest in Trust.

• • Generous giving is a practical way to agree with God’s instruction on what brings security, significance, and happiness. It fortifies our faith by stretching our trust in Him.

What are The Dividends of Trust?

• Psalm 37:3-5 (NIV)“He will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.
• Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) They will be like a tree planted by the water. You won’t fear when the heat comes.  No worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
• Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct your path.
• Psalm 28:7 (NIV) “My heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”

The Palace of Trust

Imagine “Trust in the Lord” as a magnificent palace, hidden from view but as real as the invisible air that surrounds us. Inside this palace, scintillating treasures abound. Here, soul-level peace reigns—not as the world gives, but a supernatural peace that surpasses human understanding. The joy of the Lord fills the halls, a joy greater than any earthly delight. Rest resides here for all who are weary and burdened.

Inside, there is unshakeable security. Perspective, like that spoken by Joseph to his brothers upon their reunion many years after they had sold him into slavery and then found themselves at his mercy: “You meant it for evil,” he said, “but God meant it for good.” This perspective is a cornerstone of the palace.

So much more awaits within this Palace of Trust: the Lord’s strength, His comfort, and an awareness of His presence. All the unsearchable riches of Christ reside here. These priceless treasures await us in the Palace of Trust. In this palace, the most precious treasures lie in trusting in the Lord, not merely trusting the Lord for something.

Let all things point us to this palace. Whether it is money matters, relationship issues, workplace dynamics, or health concerns; whether the circumstances are pleasant or painful, successful or disappointing—let everything be a prompt to look to Him and ask Him to lower the drawbridge that we may enter the Palace of Trust.

May God bless our giving and the attitude behind our giving as an investment in trust in Him and may the dividends of that trust be a blessing to us and those around us.