It can be exciting to earn money and scary to lose it. But in the Bible, God calls us to honor Him with our finances. In this week’s message, find out what it means to honor God with your finances and how trusting God with your money becomes a great blessing for your life.

--------------------------

DOES GOD CARE ABOUT MY FINANCES?

Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. (10) Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Matthew 6:21 AMP

for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.

GOD WANTS OUR HEART

Luke 19:1-2 NLT

Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. (2) There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.

Luke 19:5-9 NLT

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today." (6) Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. (7) But the people were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled. (8) Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" (9) Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.

Matthew 6:24 NLT

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.

Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

So don't worry about these things, saying, “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” (32) These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. (33) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

HONOR GOD WITH WISE STEWARDSHIP

Proverbs 21:5 NLT

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

HONOR GOD WITH DILIGENT TITHING

Malachi 3:10 NLT

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

Hebrews 7:8 NKJV

Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

HONOR GOD WITH VISIONARY OFFERINGS

PUT YOUR TRUST IN JESUS TO SUPPLY (NOT YOUR FINANCIAL CAPACITY)!

Philippians 4:19 NLT

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

--------------------------

CONNECT GROUP QUESTIONS:

• Why do you think God cares about our finances?
• What can we learn from Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus?
• How can we honor God with the money and resources we have?
• What does it mean to trust God more than money?
• This week, what is one practical way you can put God first in your finances?

--------------------------

Web: mylifehouse.com

Instagram:

Japan has a long-standing culture of honor. In the Bible, God also talks about honor. We are called to honor God, and in return He honors us as well. But what can we do to honor God? Discover the answer in this week’s message from Pastor Masashi.

---------------------------------

HONORING GOD

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE HEART OF A SAMURAI?

1. 義 (Gi) - Rectitude or Justice: This is the most important virtue. It's about doing what is right and just, and having the moral courage to act on that knowledge without hesitation. It's the ability to make a rational, ethical decision and follow through, even if it means dying.
2. 勇 (Yū) - Courage: This is not just a lack of fear, but the bravery to do what is right. True courage, according to Bushido, is only virtuous when it is exercised in the cause of righteousness and justice.
3. 仁 (Jin) - Benevolence or Compassion: A warrior with the power to command and kill was expected to demonstrate a high degree of benevolence and mercy. This value emphasizes the importance of love, sympathy, and magnanimity toward others, especially the less fortunate.
4. 礼 (Rei) - Respect or Politeness: Samurai were expected to be polite and courteous to everyone, including their enemies. This virtue is rooted in a benevolent regard for the feelings of others and is a sign of inner strength and self-control.
5. 誠 (Makoto) - Honesty and Sincerity: A samurai's word was their bond. To make a promise was considered a serious and absolute truth. Dishonesty, deception, and lying were considered shameful and unworthy of a true warrior.
6. 名誉 (Meiyo) - Honor: This is the vivid consciousness of one's personal dignity and worth. For a samurai, honor was the most important thing, and a life without it was not worth living. The fear of disgrace was a powerful motivator, and in the face of dishonor, a samurai might choose ritual suicide (seppuku) to restore their name.
7. 忠義 (Chūgi) - Loyalty: This was a supreme virtue, especially in the feudal era. A samurai's loyalty to their master (daimyō) was paramount, and they were expected to serve them with unwavering devotion, even to the point of death.

“Every foreign visitor notices the politeness and refinement of the Japanese people. If courtesy were practiced merely out of a fear of losing one’s good name, it would be a poor kind of virtue. True courtesy is the visible expression of consideration for the feelings of others. In its highest form, courtesy approaches almost to love.” ~ Inazo Nitobe

(Matthew 22:37-40 ERV)

Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and most important command. (39) And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’ (40) All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands.”

(Matthew 8:5-10 NLT)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer[b] came and pleaded with him, (6) “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” (7) Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” (8) But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. (9) I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” (10) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!

(Matthew 8:13...

Part of our mission at Lifehouse is to honor God. But what does it really mean to honor Him? Find out in this week’s message from Senior Pastor Rod Plummer.

------------------------------

STRONG IN LOVE & STRONG IN HONOR

OUR FIRST MISSION: "TO HONOR GOD"

(Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (37) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and greatest commandment. (39) And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (40) All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(Romans 12:9-10 NIV)

" Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (10) Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

To love someone is often expressed by showing honor.

“Honor your father and mother”

(Matthew 15:4 NIV)

“love your neighbor as yourself”

(Matthew 22:39)

LOVE MOTIVATES HONOR, AND HONOR EXPRESSES LOVE

LOVE IS THE ATTITUDE, HONOR IS THE RESPONSE

JESUS' PARABLE OF HONOR AND DISHONOR

(Matthew 22:1-3 NIV)

"Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: (2) “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. (3) He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come."

(Matthew 22:4-5 NIV)

"Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ (5) “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business."

(Matthew 22:8-10 NIV)

"Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. (9) So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ (10) So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests."

(Mathew 22:11-14 NIV)

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. (12) He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. (13) “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (14) “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

(Revelation 4:11 NIV) “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

------------------------------

CONNECT GROUP QUESTIONS:

• What is the first and second greatest commandments according to the Bible? (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)
• How is love described in: (Romans 12:9-10 NIV)?
• How are love and honor connected?
• In Jesus’ story of the wedding banquet, what do we learn about honoring God’s invitation?
• Why does God deserve our honor and love? (Revelation 4:11 NIV)
• This week, what is one practical way you can show love and honor to someone around you?

------------------------------

Web: