The Ten Financial Commandments

1. Put God first.

God sent Elijah to the widow to take care of the widow, and not the other way around. We give to church for the same reason.   

Exodus 20:3 NKJV

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

I Kings 17:10-14 NKJV

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”

2. Don't worship material things.

Have you ever put a material thing before God?  

Have you ever spent God's money without His consent?

Exodus 20:4 NKJV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

3. Don't use God's name selfishly.

Don't cross the line and pray from your own perspective.

Exodus 20:7 NKJV

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

4. Be a good steward.

Believe that God can do more in six days than we can do in seven days. Tithing is believing that God can do more with 90% than we can do with 100%.  

Exodus 20:8-10 NKJV

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Luke 16:10-11 NLT

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

Spend wisely.

Save diligently.

Give generously.

5. Teach your children.

We honor our parents because from them is where we learn about God and money.  

Exodus 20:12 NKJV

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Luke 16:13 NLT

13 “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.”

You can't serve God and be enslaved to money. If you honor money over God, you are training your children to despise God.   

6. Live on a budget.

If you're not living on a budget, you are killing yourself. 

We plan to fail if we fail to plan. If you don't have a goal, you'll probably reach it. 

A budget helps you to make financial decisions without the emotions.

A budget is like a map. If you're financially lost, you're not using your map. 

Exodus 20:13 NKJV

13 “You shall not murder.

7. Live below your means.

You're not content with what God provides if you live above them.      

Exodus 20:14 NKJV

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

I Timothy 6:6-8 NKJV

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Philippians 4:11 NKJV

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

Luke 14:28 NKJV

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—

They don't use math to keep up with what they have.

  

8. Don't buy now and pay later.

It's spending money that you don't have.  That's stealing.  

Exodus 20:15 NKJV

15 “You shall not steal.

God wired us to hope.  God wired us to wait for things, so that when we get things it fills us with joy. Depression is a symptom of losing hope.

  

God provides supernaturally when we decide to do things His ways.   

Romans 8:24 NKJV

24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

9. Be a good witness.

The way we handle our finances is a witness to our faith in God.  

Exodus 20:16 NKJV

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Acts 20:35 NKJV

35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

10. Be content.

Exodus 20:17 NKJV

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

When you're content, you don't covet. 

Colossians 3:5 NKJV

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

You make your neighbor god when you buy something when your neighbor does.  Don't let someone spend your money.  Let God tell you how to spend His money.  

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message? 

Robert Morris, Gateway Church

Video

http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/life/events/beyond-blessed-a-gateway-series/session/2019/02/02/the-ten-financial