By Kim
(This is post no 4 in our series ‘Seeking the Heart of God For Your Finances’. If you have any questions on this topic, please feel free to mail it to us at: [email protected] )
Now you can listen to the detailed audio teaching of this message on SoundCloud here:
1. Be a wise steward of your desires
2. Pursue a vision, and not fantasies
There is a huge difference between a vision and fantasy. A vision is what inspires you, whereas a fantasy will lead you astray.
Proverbs 28:19 says, Those who work their land will have abundant food. But those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
Live a purpose driven life and don’t be like a wave of sea that is tossed up and down. Ask yourself: What am I created for? What am I called to do? What are the things I like to do? What are my strengths? The more focused you are on your calling, the better steward of your financial resources you will be!
3. Work. And work with a spirit of excellence!
God promises in His word that He will bless the work of your hands (Psalms 1:3). But for God to bless, we need to put our hands to something! Sadly many Christians are simply lazy – ‘all noise and no action’, and a big disgrace to the family of God.
Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labour (Proverbs 12: 24)
God doesn’t want us to be lazy. In fact He ordained work. When He made Adam, He put him in the garden to work (Genesis 2:15). We ought to be diligent and excellent in our work. An excellent spirit brings promotion and God is not the one who determines whether you have an excellent spirit or not!
Do you see someone skilled in work, they will serve before kings (Proverbs 22:29).
So, work as if you are working for the Lord ( Colossians 3:23)
4. Be disciplined in your spending
Have a budget for what you earn and be disciplined in your spending and saving. Statistics reveal that discretionary spending is on an all time high. People are spending on things they want and not need. Frivolous online shopping, spending on luxuries, vacation, etc has become the hallmark of the day, whereas one’s house is not in order!
Whoever loves pleasure will become poor, whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich (Proverbs 21:17).
It sounds crazy to me – Women (especially) first you spend on eating junk and satisfying your flesh, and then you end up spending money on the gym to reduce your weight! That’s a sheer waste of your money!!
Well, the Bible says, A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is a like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Proverbs 11:22), whereas a virtuous woman is rarer than rubies (Proverbs 31:10).
5. Do not covet
Covetousness (a strong desire to poses worldly things) is a sin.
For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of the world. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the kingdom of God. (Ephesians 5:5).
Remember the story of Achan, the Israelite in Joshua 7, who coveted some precious things of Jericho and hid them, whereas God had clearly instructed them to destroy everything? Or the incident of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5? Covetousness can drag you away from the plans of God for your life.
So never covet. And never compare yourself with others.
Keep your lives form the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
6. Plan your cost of living
Go to the ant you sluggard and consider her ways and be wise. It has no commander, no ruler – yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers food at the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6)
Like the wise ants, we need to plan in advance for our future needs and from time to time evaluate where we are standing financially. (Luke 14:28,29). Look at your long term and short term financial goals. The Bible says, Do your planning and prepare your free, before building your house (Proverbs 24:27). Youngsters, establish your career before you think of getting married – now that’s a basic!
If you have not already, start saving now! If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done (Ecclesiastes 11:4).
Spend your money on assets ( property, gold, mutual funds etc) and not on liabilities (cars, gadgets, apparel etc).
Think of owning businesses. Think of changing lives and manifesting his kingdom instead of simply settling for a job. You and I have the mind of Christ – the wisdom of God that no amount of money in this world can buy. How much more should we excelling in our finances?
7. Flee from debts
Debt is not a part of God’s plan for your life. Just as rich rule the poor, so the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). It’s like declaring- I am willing to be a bond slave for the sake of _________ ( car, phone? Fill the gap).
Everything you are prompted to take a loan or credit for something, ask yourself- is this really what I need? Can my need wait? Is there a better way to pay for my need?
Taking loan for the sake of liabilities? That’s the worse thing you can do. Don’t buy things that you cannot afford. Avoid the credit card trap that makes you overspend.
And above all, trust God to be your provider and not banks or people or loans (Philippians 4:19).
If you are already in debt, your first financial goal should be to get out of it. Psalms 37:21 in the Living Bible reads – Evil men borrow and “cannot pay it back”. But the good man returns what he owes with some extra besides.
Stay tuned for the next post in the series…