As we approach what As we approach what we all hope and pray we all hope and pray will be the end of the will be the end of the

“Great Recession,” “Great Recession,” how can we financially how can we financially prepare ourselves for prepare ourselves for what may lie ahead? what may lie ahead?

Aren’t you ready for a Aren’t you ready for a Fresh Financial Start?Fresh Financial Start?

Message Series OverviewMessage Series Overview

Nov. 7:Nov. 7: “Your Spiritual EKG” “Your Spiritual EKG”Nov. 14: Nov. 14: “To Tithe or Not to Tithe”“To Tithe or Not to Tithe”Nov. 21:Nov. 21: “Giving Thanks in Tough Times” “Giving Thanks in Tough Times”Nov. 28: Nov. 28: “Commitment Sunday”“Commitment Sunday”

Join us for this encouraging look at Join us for this encouraging look at God Word as it relates to your finances!God Word as it relates to your finances!

““Your Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34 Your Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man possessions." And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for

yourself?' yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."for himself but is not rich toward God."

““Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the lilies grow. They do do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, how much more will he clothe you,

““Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34 Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34 O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys… be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys…

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

““Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34Spiritual EKG” Luke 12:13-34

According to Jesus, According to Jesus,

one of the best measures one of the best measures of your spiritual heart health isof your spiritual heart health is

_________ _________

generosity.

What is your current What is your current ““Spiritual Heart Health”Spiritual Heart Health”

status?status?

How can you How can you improve upon it?improve upon it?

Let’s look to God’s Word Let’s look to God’s Word for His plan for a for His plan for a healthier heart. healthier heart.

1. “Act Your _____”1. “Act Your _____”

Proverbs 15:16 Proverbs 15:16 “Better a little with the fear “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with of the LORD than great wealth with

turmoil.”turmoil.”

Proverbs 17:1 Proverbs 17:1 “Better a dry crust with “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of peace and quiet than a house full of

feasting, with strife.”feasting, with strife.”

Wage

1. “Act Your 1. “Act Your WageWage””

1 Timothy 6:6-91 Timothy 6:6-9 “But godliness with “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought contentment is great gain. For we brought

nothing into the world, and we can take nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. … People who want to nothing out of it. … People who want to

get rich fall into temptation and a trap and get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that into many foolish and harmful desires that

plunge men into ruin and destruction. plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds For the love of money is a root of all kinds

of evil.” of evil.”

1. “Act Your 1. “Act Your WageWage””

Sadly, poorly managed finances are Sadly, poorly managed finances are the second leading cause of marital the second leading cause of marital

strife and divorce. strife and divorce.

““If you can’t control your spending well, If you can’t control your spending well, lose the plastic before your marriage goes to… heck!” lose the plastic before your marriage goes to… heck!”

2. “Increase Your 2. “Increase Your Standard of ______”Standard of ______”

Deuteronomy 15:10 “Deuteronomy 15:10 “Give generously to Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God then because of this the LORD your God

will bless you in all your work and in will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” everything you put your hand to.”

Giving

2. “Increase Your 2. “Increase Your Standard of Standard of GivingGiving””

Proverbs 11:24-25Proverbs 11:24-25 “One man gives freely, “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; yet gains even more;

another withholds unduly, another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. but comes to poverty.

A generous man will prosper;A generous man will prosper;he who refreshes others he who refreshes others

will himself be refreshed.” will himself be refreshed.”

3. “Treasure ______ Wealth”3. “Treasure ______ Wealth”

1 Timothy 6:17-191 Timothy 6:17-19 “Command those who are rich “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to everything for our enjoyment. Command them to

do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they generous and willing to share. In this way they

will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may foundation for the coming age, so that they may

take hold of the life that is truly life.”take hold of the life that is truly life.”

Eternal

Heart Healthy ExerciseHeart Healthy Exercise

Find someone Find someone this weekthis weekto anonymously bless to anonymously bless

with an unexpected gift with an unexpected gift or payment of a bill.or payment of a bill.

Rejoice in the feeling it brings you to be Rejoice in the feeling it brings you to be secretly generous toward another person secretly generous toward another person even as God has been generous to you. even as God has been generous to you.

Next Sunday!Next Sunday!

Guest Speaker: Guest Speaker: Pastor Paige Young -Pastor Paige Young -

““To Tithe or Not To Tithe”To Tithe or Not To Tithe”