A Good Return
Week 3: Rich Toward God

We are blessed to be a blessing. 

(Psalm 23) The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

(Luke 12:15-21) Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “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 yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

The Overflow Life

1. for Increase.

(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number …

(Genesis 12:2-3) “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 

(Deuteronomy 30:16) For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

Biblical prosperity:  Having more than you need so you can make an eternal difference in the lives of others.

2. for Increase.

(Luke 16:10) “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much … 

(Ecclesiastes 5:10) Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income …

3. the Increase 

(Ecclesiastes 5:19 NLT) And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.

How to be Rich Toward God

Rich in .

(2 Corinthians 9:11) You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Rich in .

(Mark 10:45) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

My purpose in life is to serve by serving . 

(1 Timothy 6:18-19 NLT) Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

Rich in .

(John 13:35)  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

(1 Thessalonians 3:12) May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.