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How to Ask God for More

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. MATTHEW 25:14-15 ESV

A good life starts with gratefulness to God

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. *MATTHEW 25:16-17 ESV *

I honor God by leveraging what he gives me

To leverage my money:
• Fight for margin
• Set a wise plan
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. PROVERBS 21:5 NIV
• Live a wartime lifestyle
But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. MATTHEW 25:18-19 ESV

Don’t let fear drive my finances

And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ MATTHEW 25:20-23 ESV

I honor God by giving back to his work

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. PROVERBS 3:9-10 ESV
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ MATTHEW 25:24-30 ESV

Leave nothing buried

For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 TIMOTHY 6:7 ESV

We want to help!

Learn more about our finance classes at move.sc/realfinance

Community Group Discussion Guide

  1. If you could ask God for one real thing for your life today, what would you ask him for?
  2. In what ways can a focus on what you don’t have, or a comparison to others rob you of your gratitude for what God has given to you?
  3. What are some of the things that God has currently given you to oversee (finances, family, property, leadership, responsibilities, etc.)?
  4. If God were to ask you to make an accounting of what he has given to you today, what do you think he would say to you?
  5. Read Proverbs 3:9-10. What does God promise in this passage and how can we use this promise to overcome fear in our finances?
  6. What is one practical step you can take this week to live a life free of fear and full of financial investment in God’s kingdom?

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place where you can be alone with God. Read through Matthew 25:14-30 several times slowly, paying attention to the emotions that come up as you read. Which of the stewards do you find yourself agreeing with? Allow yourself to reflect for a few moments on what you are feeling. Ask God to reveal to you what it means about your relationship with him. Does that part of you view God as generous and trusting? Does that part of you treat God as though he is hard and exacting? Spend a few moments sharing these thoughts with God, who already knows the depths of your heart, and ask him to share the truth of who he is with you. As you move through your week, pause each time you open your wallet and ask God to teach you how to steward his money well.

My Notes