This program will help you undo financial bondage.
The Holy Spirit shared that faithful tithing and offering were indeed a cornerstone of good Christian stewardship but not the only cornerstone. We know that Christ is the only cornerstone for the faith!!! Yet, in our earthly stewardship of money there are eight cornerstones that practically need to be put in place from which the rest of the building can be rightly built.
Work in a legitimate field and ministry. Man shall live by the sweat of his brow (caused by the work of his hands). If a man does not work, he also should not eat. Work exercises Christ's command to serve others and properly care for yourself, family, others in need, and the church (local and global). It also gives you a vital mission field in which you can glorify Jesus Christ, find witty ways to evangelize the lost, and disciple (build up) other believers in the workplace. Of all the get-rich-quick schemes this is the only sure-fire method to start and continue making money!!!
Tithe and give abundant offerings. This honors God and opens the door for Him to move mightily to rebuke the devourer on your behalf and to pour blessings you don't have room to receive. Even though His authorities (churches/church leaders) receive your tithes and offering on earth, it is witness that the One Who lives receives them in heaven. This means not only will you receive an abundant supply but others will receive many benefits through you as well. In addition, faithfully adhering to this cornerstone teaches you to live beneath your income and helps discipline you so you can adhere to the other cornerstones.
Budget your income and spending. What man would first build a house without counting the cost! You must know the state of your flocks and herds otherwise you wealth will not last through your generation. This is a very important principle that most people do not want to follow. However, all sound businesses and wealthy people (most have grown to such abundance over many years) adhere to a budget. There are several different method used but they all amount to the same thing - live well beneath your income. As your income grows your comforts grow.
Sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term financial soundness. Delayed gratification now (because you need to employ it) results in great benefits accruing to you in the long-run. I buffet (beat my body into submission) lest having told others about the way I myself become a castaway (do not get to receive the benefits of following the principles I've told others about). And Barnabas sold land that he owned and gave it to the Apostles for the work of the ministry!!!
Stay out of debt and eliminate the debt you have. God desires that you prosper and that you be in the position of a lender and not a borrower. He does not desire that you be a slave. But you will be if your eyes and heart are on borrowing to get what you think you need and want. I'm convinced He desires that we live debt-free lives and only use credit as a short-term convenience that we can immediately pay off next month and that He is prepared to guide us to live that way and make it happen. However, you must plan to live this way and budget income and spending to make it happen.
Save a reasonable portion of your income each pay period. There is much tillage in field of a poor man, but it is all wasted for lack of judgment. There's oil and wine in the dwelling of the wise but a foolish man spends all his income. I believe saving 10% and growing from there is a reasonable starting point. However, start wherever you can immediately (2%, 5%, etc.) by building an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of income (longer if you're self-employed or your job is not stable). God will help you do this as you adhere to the cornerstones above.
Diversifying your money and resources. Give a portion to seven or eight for you do not know what troubles you'll face. There is safety in a multitude of counselors. This means you don't have to be an expert at picking the right stock, bond, or other investment. While you should educate yourself to how these asset building/wealth management tools work, you only have to remember not to put all your eggs into one basket but over time into seven or eight types as well as seven or eight brokers/financial institutions as well as learn short and long-term investing basics for these tools as well as the histories of the types of returns they have produced over short (1-3 year), medium(4-10 years), and long (11-30 year) periods of time. Putting all your eggs in one basket results in all or a huge portion of your assets getting spoiled in market downturns, whereas putting your eggs in seven baskets results in a very small portion of your assets getting spoiled when the market dives or people attempt to snare you in fraudulent investment schemes.
Invest your excess savings. The Master gave His servants talents. The one He gave five talents went about trading (investing) and increased the talents to ten. The one He gave two traded and produced four. The lazy/wicked servant who received one talent hid it in the ground and brought no increase for the Master. On another occasion the Master gave each servant one mina. One of them traded and produced ten minas. Another traded and produced five. The lazy/wicked servant hid it in a napkin and brought no increase for the Master. The Master gave the wicked servants’ talent and mina to others who produced using kingdom principles and cast the wicked servant into outer darkness. God through the discipline of His financial plan and guidance of the Holy Spirit brings you to the point of investing when you use the above principles as the cornerstone of your finances.
I hope these eight cornerstones (principles) help you get on the road that God prepared for His people that together we may do His will and serve His people!!!
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Deuteronomy 28:12, Proverbs 21:20, 22:7, Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 6:38, 14:28-30, Hebrews 7:8, Acts 4:36
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
MoneyWalk 28: Debt Elimination Methods
This program will help you undo financial bondage.
This strategy seeks to minimize the amount of finance charges you pay during the process of eliminating debt. Before using this approach it's best to close all retail store charge cards and cut them up, so you won't be tempted to use them again because they charge you nearly twenty-five cents on the dollar in interest. At most, keep a low-interest visa type account for extreme emergencies, if you can truly be responsible by not charging anything more unless an extreme emergency occurs for which you simply have no cash to cover. However, after a year or so of disciplined debt repayment and saving in an emergency fund you should not be in this type of situation.
You should consolidate as much higher interest debt as possible onto this card so you can more quickly pay off your debts if the visa type card allows you to transfer other card balances and pay interest on them at rates lower than what you are currently paying on the retail store charge cards. If you’re prone to undisciplined spending and charging purchases you should apply for a low-interest closed-ended consolidation loan instead so whatever amount is paid off is not re-chargeable.
If you have equity in your house you may be able to consolidate credit card and other debt into a mortgage or home equity loan. Such loans usually charge much lower interest rates than would be charged by credit card companies. The interest you pay on these loans can generally be deducted on your federal tax returns to reduce the amount of taxes you would otherwise owe. If you decide to use these methods to help pay down your debt beware that the financial institution can start foreclosure proceedings on your home if you miss a payment. This could result in the loss of your home and equity that you’ve built up over many years. That is why it is not good in many instances to use home loans to pay off other consumer debt.
Each of these methods requires you to become and remain disciplined in spending and saving in order for them to work to benefit you. They are not for the faint of heart, rather they are for those who are resolute in their desire to be a godly steward of their money, eliminate their debt, and become debt-free. Such people are willing to make necessary sacrifices to help themselves reach this financial position. They will engage biblical financial principles such as tracking income and expenses, cutting spending, reading financial literature to learn more about how to properly manage, honoring God by giving to help spread the gospel and help others, and saving for rainy days and future purposes.
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Deuteronomy 28:12-14 and 43-45, Proverbs 22:7, Luke 16:8-9, Romans 13:8
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!
This strategy seeks to minimize the amount of finance charges you pay during the process of eliminating debt. Before using this approach it's best to close all retail store charge cards and cut them up, so you won't be tempted to use them again because they charge you nearly twenty-five cents on the dollar in interest. At most, keep a low-interest visa type account for extreme emergencies, if you can truly be responsible by not charging anything more unless an extreme emergency occurs for which you simply have no cash to cover. However, after a year or so of disciplined debt repayment and saving in an emergency fund you should not be in this type of situation.
You should consolidate as much higher interest debt as possible onto this card so you can more quickly pay off your debts if the visa type card allows you to transfer other card balances and pay interest on them at rates lower than what you are currently paying on the retail store charge cards. If you’re prone to undisciplined spending and charging purchases you should apply for a low-interest closed-ended consolidation loan instead so whatever amount is paid off is not re-chargeable.
If you have equity in your house you may be able to consolidate credit card and other debt into a mortgage or home equity loan. Such loans usually charge much lower interest rates than would be charged by credit card companies. The interest you pay on these loans can generally be deducted on your federal tax returns to reduce the amount of taxes you would otherwise owe. If you decide to use these methods to help pay down your debt beware that the financial institution can start foreclosure proceedings on your home if you miss a payment. This could result in the loss of your home and equity that you’ve built up over many years. That is why it is not good in many instances to use home loans to pay off other consumer debt.
Each of these methods requires you to become and remain disciplined in spending and saving in order for them to work to benefit you. They are not for the faint of heart, rather they are for those who are resolute in their desire to be a godly steward of their money, eliminate their debt, and become debt-free. Such people are willing to make necessary sacrifices to help themselves reach this financial position. They will engage biblical financial principles such as tracking income and expenses, cutting spending, reading financial literature to learn more about how to properly manage, honoring God by giving to help spread the gospel and help others, and saving for rainy days and future purposes.
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Deuteronomy 28:12-14 and 43-45, Proverbs 22:7, Luke 16:8-9, Romans 13:8
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!
Monday, September 7, 2009
MoneyWalk 27: You choose the reward
This program will help you undo financial bondage.
The bible is full of promises and rewards that can be obtained by faithfully honoring Jesus Christ. This means following the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit in order to obey Christ’s commandments. Each time you stumble or sin or by immaturity make a wrong decision, be quick to repent of it and turn to God asking Him to help you and resolve to never do it again.
When reading the bible, you'll find numerous Old Testament scriptures in which God promised Israel blessings in return for loving Him by living holy. He made similar promises in the New Testament to born again believers and identified that many blessing contained in the Old Testament still apply to present day believers. Rewards that faithful followers can count on:
1. Being given a positive future, a worthwhile earthly purposes, and sure eternal destiny in heaven upon confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead to provide your salvation, eternal life, and fulfill His purposes throughout eternity.
2. Being made the head and not the tail.
3. Being in the wealthy position of lenders instead of the poor position of borrowers.
4. Being prosperous and having good success.
5. Having your storehouse filled with increase and overflowing.
6. Having more blessings poured out from the windows of heaven than you can use on yourself.
Simply put, it's been God's plan all along that mankind would respect and worship His son Jesus Christ and live in a way that's pleasing to Him. These blessings have been available throughout the ages to any race, culture, or nationality of people that would honor God and kiss His Son. If you want a blessed, peaceful, and joyous life financially and otherwise with treasures in heaven awaiting you, honor God by using His biblical money management principles.
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Psalm 2, Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:8-12, Matthew 6:33, Luke 6:38
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!
The bible is full of promises and rewards that can be obtained by faithfully honoring Jesus Christ. This means following the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit in order to obey Christ’s commandments. Each time you stumble or sin or by immaturity make a wrong decision, be quick to repent of it and turn to God asking Him to help you and resolve to never do it again.
When reading the bible, you'll find numerous Old Testament scriptures in which God promised Israel blessings in return for loving Him by living holy. He made similar promises in the New Testament to born again believers and identified that many blessing contained in the Old Testament still apply to present day believers. Rewards that faithful followers can count on:
1. Being given a positive future, a worthwhile earthly purposes, and sure eternal destiny in heaven upon confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead to provide your salvation, eternal life, and fulfill His purposes throughout eternity.
2. Being made the head and not the tail.
3. Being in the wealthy position of lenders instead of the poor position of borrowers.
4. Being prosperous and having good success.
5. Having your storehouse filled with increase and overflowing.
6. Having more blessings poured out from the windows of heaven than you can use on yourself.
Simply put, it's been God's plan all along that mankind would respect and worship His son Jesus Christ and live in a way that's pleasing to Him. These blessings have been available throughout the ages to any race, culture, or nationality of people that would honor God and kiss His Son. If you want a blessed, peaceful, and joyous life financially and otherwise with treasures in heaven awaiting you, honor God by using His biblical money management principles.
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Psalm 2, Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:8-12, Matthew 6:33, Luke 6:38
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!
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