With the nation's
unemployment rate approaching ten percent it's
the highest it's been in twenty-six years, and it
appears it's not going to recover quickly, if at
all. With Christmas approaching in less than two
months financial stress will be compounded for
many people who will feel obligated to spend
money they don't have. There are countless television
commercials and well-known personalities advising everyone to buy
gold and silver in these tough financial times as
a hedge against a faulty economy. I've even heard
some so-called 'End Times financial managers'
making these pleas as if they've been given a 'new
revelation' about money management. But if
one believes we're in the End Times, and I do,
and the world's financial system is going to get
worse, not better, what does the Bible say about
such investments? "Your gold and
silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be
a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh
as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together
for the last days." (James 5:3)
We're
not to depend on so-called 'experts' nor
our own financial intuition to see us through
tough times:
"Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves
break through and steal:" (Matthew 6:19)
We're to depend on
God, who will provide our needs:
"Therefore
take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,
What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be
clothed? (For after all these things do the
Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33)
Our
Church, Central Calvary Baptist, has provided
their congregation with "Guidelines
to Managing Your Money." It's a
guide to overseeing your finances according to
Biblical principles. With my Pastor's blessing,
I'm reproducing that here.
1.
Start by spending your money according to God's
priorities. Pay Him His ten percent (tithe)
first, so you won't feel guilty about not doing
so. Disobedience and guilt will plague the
Christian who doesn't tithe:
"And
all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of
the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the
LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD."
(Leviticus 27:30)
2. Pray before you
purchase anything. Ask yourself "Is this
a need, or a want?"
"Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God."
(Philippians 4:6)
3. Stay aware of
your expenditures versus your income:
"For
which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth
not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he
have sufficient to finish it?" (Luke 14:28)
4. Agree with your
spouse regarding the household budget as well as
your short-term and long-term goals. Don't hide
or miscommunicate information regarding your
finances:
"Nevertheless
let every one of you in particular so love his
wife even as himself; and the wife see that she
reverence her husband." (Ephesians 5:33)
5. Commit to being
excellent at work without overdoing your hours:
"Wealth
gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that
gathereth by labour shall increase."
(Proverbs 13:11)
"Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
(Ecclesiastes 9:10)
"Let
your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord
is at hand." (Philippians 4:5)
6. Payoff all
consumer debt, excluding real estate, which is an
investment. If necessary, keep one credit card
for emergency and identification purposes:
"The
rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is
servant to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)
"Render
therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom
tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to
whom fear; honour to whom honour." (Romans
13:7)
7. Save monthly.
If you're already out of consumer debt, ten
percent of your gross pay is a good starting
point:
"Trust
not in oppression, and become not vain in
robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart
upon them." (Psalms 62:10)
8. Don't cosign a
loan for anyone. Don't lend a relative or
personal friend money you can't afford to lose:
"My
son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou
hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art
snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art
taken with the words of thy mouth."
(Proverbs 6:1-2)
9. When you get a
raise, don't adjust your lifestyle to consume the
entire amount. Practice living beneath your
means, not above them:
"Remove
far from me vanity and lies: give me neither
poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient
for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say,
Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal,
and take the name of my God in vain."
(Proverbs 30:8-9)
10. Establish an
emergency cash reserve of at least two month's
living expenses. Six months would be excellent:
"Go
to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and
be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or
ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and
gathereth her food in the harvest."
(Proverbs 6:6-8)
11. Be content
with what you have, don't keep striving for more,
more, more:
"He
that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with
silver; nor he that loveth abundance with
increase: this is also vanity. When goods
increase, they are increased that eat them: and
what good is there to the owners thereof, saving
the beholding of them with their eyes?"
(Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)
If
we utilize these Biblical principles to manage
our money, God will make sure we have what we
need to survive, just as I offered above in Matthew
6:31-33. Thanks again to my Pastor for
providing this much needed and timely material.
Life
today is difficult financially and it's going to
get worse. During the Tribulation a man will work
one day for wages enough to feed only himself (Revelation
6:6). Have you noticed the news lately?
Events taking place in the world right now tell
us the Rapture is imminent and the Tribulation
isn't far behind. Lord Jesus commands us to watch
and know the time is near (Mark
13:37 & Matthew 24:33). Make sure
you have a saving relationship with Jesus and
won't be left behind when the Rapture occurs. If
you're not sure, please start with our page The Truth to know
how to be saved.
You
can trust in God to save you, but you should also
trust Him to manage your life and finances:
"Trust
in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs
3:5)
What
an exciting time to be alive and serving Him!
Keith
11-03-2009
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