1. shopping
2. gifts

SERMON NOTES
FINANCIAL FREEDOM: HOW TO HONOR GOD WITH MY FINANCES
October 16, 2011
Pastor Bill Chambers
Memory Verse: 2 COR 8:7
But, just as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness
and in your love for us, see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
1. The three stages of Giving on the Generosity Ladder are the __________ level, the
_________________ level, and the ________ level.
2. According to scripture we should give in ways that are A____________________ and
I______________________.
3. Level Two, O________________ or Proportional Giving, is a good place to start but bad
place to S______.
4. In MAL 3:8 God says because you ______ me of tithes & offerings, you are under a
C________, which is R_____________, not Proactive.
5. C______ was cursed, in GEN 4, because he brought God S______ ____ his harvest, not the
F____________________.
6. The T________ C________________ is testing God at His word for 4 months.
7. In MAT 23:23 Jesus said, T________, but don’t leave the M______ I_________________
T__________ undone, either.
8. The Peak Level, or E____________________ giver, gives tithes in excel of 10%, may have
annual giving G________, and typically is moving C__________ to God.
9. Philemon 6 tells us that a person is generous because of their F________. Putting generosity
to work will aid us in understanding A__ t____ G______ T__________ we can do for Christ.
10. The Law of the H____________ says, whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly. Whoever
sows generously will reap generously. Also, God loves a C______________ giver.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:
__ Memorize 2 COR 8:7 today
__ I want to grow in the grace of giving and ask God's help to move up on the ladder of generosity
__ Use an envelope for today's offering to show my commitment to give identifiably and
accountably
__ Commit to obedience by taking the 4 month tithe challenge
Financial Freedom Series
How to Honor God with
My Finances
st
1
Steps
Today’s Memory Verse
2 COR 8:7 But, Just as you excel in everything,
in faith in speech, in knowledge, in complete
earnestness and in your love for us, see that
you also excel in this grace of giving.
Generosity Ladder: 3 Steps
The Generosity Ladder
3 Stages of Giving:
1)
Basic Level – Initial Giver
2)
Obedience Level – Proportional Giver
3)
Peak Level – Sacrificial Giver
The Grace of Giving– Requires God’s grace to enable us
to become generous givers
st
1
Step: Basic
Scripture Giving Instructions
The scripture instructs us to give to God in ways that are
1) Accountable, and 2) Identifiable.
1 COR 16 : about the collection for God’s people, Do
what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first
day of every week each one of you should set aside a
sum of money in keeping with his income
2nd Step: Obedience
Step Two: Obedience Level
– Proportional Giving
– Return the Full Tithe
_ First 10%
_Good Place to Start; Bad Place to Stay
God Challenges Us




MAL 3:8, Will a man rob God? Yet you do rob me. But you
ask, How do we rob you? In tithes and offerings. Because you
rob me you are under a curse .
How do you get out from under this curse? Bring the
whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not
throw open the flood gates of Heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Curse is Reactive, not Proactive
 An absence of God’s Blessings
Real Life Story
God’s Blessing on Tithers
GEN 4– In the course of time Cain brought some of
the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. He
didn’t bring the best.
PRO 3:9,10 Honor the LORD with the firstfruits of all
your crops… then your barns will be filled to overflowing & your vats will brim over with wine… (God
will) throw open the floodgates of heaven & pour out
so much blessing that you will not have room enough
for it.
The Tithe Challenge
Test God at His Word– Tithe for 4 months; See if God
will keep His word and Bless your finances.
MAT 23:23 Jesus says, “Tithe, but don’t leave the more
important things undone either.”
rd
3
Step: Peak
Peak Giving Level
__ Extravagant Giver; > Tithe; 12%, 15%, 20%-- 90%
__ Sacrificial Giver; Annual Giving Goals
__ Spiritually Moving Closer to God
Phmn 6: You are generous because of your faith . And I am
praying that you will really put your generosity to work for in
doing so you will come to an understanding of all the good
things we can do for Christ.
The Law of the Harvest
2 COR 9--…whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly.
Whoever sows generously will reap generously.

Real Life Story—WL Chambers, Sr
2 COR 9:7 You must each make up your own mind as to
how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in
response to pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver.
LK 12:34 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.