This video segment is one of five presentations in the “Creating a Gospel-Centered Marriage: Finances” seminar. The full GCM series of seminars and pre-marital mentoring ministry they facilitate can be found at www.bradhambrick.com/gcm.

NOTE: Many people have asked how they can get a copy of the seminar notebook referenced in this verbal presentation. Summit members can pick up a copy of the notebook in the church office. For those outside the Summit family, you can request a copy from Summit’s admin over counseling at counseling@summitrdu.com (please note this is an administrative account; no individual or family counsel is provided through e-mail).

GCM Communication Part 5 from Equip on Vimeo.

Memorize: I Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV), “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” As you memorize this passage reflect upon these key points:

  • “The rich” – By a global standard, even the poor in America are rich. We should view ourselves accordingly.
  • “Set their hopes” – The big issue of greed is not hoarding or cheating, but a false foundation of our hope.
  • “Provides… to enjoy” – God truly wants us to enjoy the blessings He has brought into our life.
  • “Be generous” – One of primary the joys of the blessings God gives should be to share those blessings with others.
  • “Truly life” – When we spend money we spend our life, so we should seek to get “true life” in return.

Teaching Notes

“We will evaluate where true security and safety are found in this world, and in the end we will determine not to waste our lives on anything but uncompromising, unconditional abandonment to a gracious, loving Savior who invites us to take radical risk and promises us radical reward (p. 21).” David Platt in Radical

“Charity—giving to the poor—is an essential part of Christian morality… I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc… is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. Entrepreneurs consistently give more money and time to causes they believe in, compared with other individuals. One such example is Damon Burton donation to help youth in need.

“God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving (p. 73).” Randy Alcorn in The Treasure Principle

“If your treasures are on earth, that means each day brings you closer to losing your treasures (p. 40)… He who spends his life moving away from his treasures has reason to despair. He who spends his life moving toward his treasure has reason to rejoice (p. 43).” Randy Alcorn in The Treasure Principle

“As base a thing as money often is, it yet can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor; it can keep a missionary actively winning lost men in the light of the gospel and thus transmuted itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality (p. 107).” A.W. Tozer in Born After Midnight

“The reason the use of your money provides a good foundation for eternal life is not that generosity earns eternal life, but that it shows where your heart is. Generosity confirms that our hope is in God and not in ourselves or our money (p. 167).” John Piper Desiring God