Saturday, March 28, 2009

MoneyWalk 442: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

The word “slothfulness” is normally used as a synonym for “laziness” however it was used to translate original biblical thought that was in some instances aimed at “busyness doing things that should not be a person’s priority.” Though present language does not use the word in this manner, it is an important distinction to note because it helps us know that laziness is not the only enemy of productivity. Failure to maintain godly priorities in what you do is also an enemy of productivity because it does not profit you to gain the world, yet lose your soul!

The command to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy is the Lord’s guidance to help us overcome these enemies so that we can mature spiritually and be truly blessed on earth including in the financial arena of our lives. He does not want you to be lazy but hard working so that you can have consistent productive cycles in your life. With this in mind He exhorts you and encourages you to labor using your mind and hands in order to provide that which is good so you and others may be blessed by your productivity. He recognizes that the command to labor could develop in you a tendency to always be at work doing something believing that your worth is based on what you do, who you become, or how much you earn in this life. Thus, He also exhorts you to remember the Sabbath which means to spend time worshipping Him instead of engaging in the other work to which you are employed the remainder of the week.

This focuses you on rest from normal labors where you take time to develop a more intimate relationship with Him and on helping you understanding His will better and better so that during the remainder of the week you are not spending time doing things that are not His priority for your life. Most people think that continual busyness working at their trade is the key to success and it has moved society away from spending time with the Lord resting in His presence. We tend to think that if we start a business it must be open seven days a week or else it will fail and we think that there are so many things to do at home that we must spend every evening and the entire weekend trying to complete our “To Do List.”

Yet, biblical principles let us know that we can be successful working less than seven days per week and that we will be refreshed and have correct and renewed vision and energy as we take appropriate time each week to worship the Lord and rest our bodies and minds. There’s a entrepreneur who has operated a fast food restaurant chain for four decades who does not open his stores on Sundays so that he can honor the Lord and both he and his employees can rest from their normal labors, spend time with family, and hopefully choose to fellowship with other believers in order to mature spiritually so they can continue doing good on earth. Despite advice that he could not prosper unless his stores were open every day to compete against other fast food chains, he has become a multi-billionaire and his business has allowed many others to become multi-millionaires or take great care of themselves and their families. He operates over 1700 stores and 80,000 employees and his restaurants have by far the lowest rate of employee attrition (people leaving his employ) than any other fast food chain and most other businesses. In addition,

There are many more real life stories of businesses and individuals who have experienced great success while keeping the Sabbath. The Sabbath principle benefits you as much no matter whether you’re an entrepreneur or employee. This weekly time of rest with the Lord will help:

1. Invigorate you mentally and physically
2. Give you renewed focus
3. Produce as much mental and physical health as is possible for you
4. Re-energize you to engage in required activities in the most productive manner
5. Produce good family and friend relationships
6. Engage you in priorities that please the Lord and help you do good deeds that benefit you and other people.

Constant busyness places and keeps you in bondage whereas observing the Sabbath through weekly rest and focus eliminates bondage by providing the mechanism for freedom that you need to truly be fulfilled and prosperous in this life and prepared for eternity.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Exodus 20:8, Isaiah 56:6, Matthew 12:12, Mark 2:27
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

MoneyWalk 441: Don’t misuse God’s name

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

The many financial problems this world is experiencing at the moment are a result of people’s failure to honor God’s name. We have misused His name and as a result we’re having problems in the housing sector, the banking sector, the investment sector, the personal finance sector, the family unit, and other areas of life. Many people believe they can do anything they want, fail to uphold moral standards, and choose to believe something other than what the Creator said is truth. Inevitably, they invite hardship and trouble into their earthly and maybe eternal existence.

God’s name is synonymous with truth and righteousness or right living. Each time we believe and act in a way that is opposite the principles of God we are misusing His name by in effect saying that His name is not really what He says it is, it does not produce what He says it does, and it does not bring the reward to believers that He says it does. This is why we should be careful to reverence His name by learning and applying biblical principles in the financial realm and otherwise. You will reap enormous blessings and rewards as a result and will find that hard times for others are simply opportunities for you to serve and produce to an even greater degree.

By living out biblical principles, you will find immunity from economic calamity because you are securely abiding under the shadow of the Most High God. You won’t be swayed and pull into risks that are not worthwhile because you will be guided by the Holy Spirit as He helps you understand what is practical for you to invest time, energies, and money into. Yet, you will take worthwhile risks as guided by practical learning and wisdom. Throughout your life and in very short order after you start you’ll begin to reap the blessings and rewards that come to those who truly follow Him.

When you accept man’s financial advice without measuring it by the Word of God you will misuse His name and bring negative consequence into your life. However, you cannot go wrong:

1. Working diligently at a moral trade
2. Serving in your local church and otherwise in a capacity that helps spread the gospel
3. Budgeting (planning by setting goals acceptable to God)
4. Living within your means
5. Tithing and offering
6. Eliminating debt
7. Eliminating cosigning
8. Saving
9. Investing
10. Diversifying your assets
11. Teaching others to do the same when opportunities arise

These practical actions are spoken of in God’s word in numerous instances and form the foundation for how to build a financial future that is strong and solid. They help mature you to use wisdom so that you’re not influenced to make stupid choices as some would encourage you to do, like pay down debts of deceased family members for whom you have no moral or financial responsibility. You will not be moved by emotion when making financial decisions, rather by the Holy Spirit as He enlightens your understanding and use of practical information and tools. In this way, you will rightly use the name of the Lord in a manner that will help draw other people to Him instead of repelling them by bad financial habits.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Exodus 20:7, Psalm 91:1-3, Luke 18:18-30, Galatians 3:3, Hebrews 6:6
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!

Saturday, February 28, 2009

MoneyWalk 440: Have no other god, not even money

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Four of the Ten Commandments are directly related to our vertical responsibility to God. It is very important for our peace, health, and well-being throughout life that we allow the Holy Spirit to mold us into people who adhere to these commands. We should be encouraged to apply these commands in the financial arena of our lives as well as other arenas. When we don’t allow our lives to follow this path we receive the earthly and eternal consequences of the other path we have chosen. The first of these commands is to have no other God.

This should be really easy as there really is no other God. Your Creator is the maker of heaven and earth, who existed before time in the person of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The bible explains that our Triune God is one God and beside Him there is no other. In His perfect counsel, He chose to cloth the Son in flesh to live upon the earth as a man named Jesus Christ who put down his glory and power. He was sinless in all that He did on earth just as in heaven. He is our example of how we can hear and obey God’s instruction. He was crucified with his blood pour out so that we could be redeemed from the sinful path that we have chosen. Then, He was resurrected by the Father as firstborn of many brother/sisters as a guarantee that all who believe Him to be Savior and Lord will receive the same resurrection from the dead and eternal life.

There is no other name in heaven given among men whereby we can be saved. This principle of having no other God should emanate throughout our lives even into the financial arena. You put nothing else in the place of God when you recognize that He owns everything even all of the money and resources that come into your hands at any point in your life. In fact, He owns you and has the right to direct your steps: to tell you the principles that He wants you to live by and the methods that He wants you to use to manage the resources He has bestowed upon you. Thank God He does so for your good. You will be better off on earth and in eternity when you follow His principles and obey methods He has specifically directed you to use.

You make nothing else a god when you find out what His Word has to say about how you live and manage finances, when you pray asking Him to help you understand what His Word directs you to do, and when you obey His instructions and make plans to help solidify them in your life. Money does not become your god when you utilize the following biblical principles to do His will and direct your steps:

1. Work as unto the Lord in your chosen career path.
2. Work as unto the Lord in ministry doing good inside and outside the church walls.
3. Don’t be fooled into pursuing get-rich- quick and more-money-at-all-cost schemes.
4. Regularly tithe of your income.
5. Regularly give an offering from your income.
6. Regularly help the poor and oppressed including widows and orphans.
7. Consistently budget your income so you are keenly aware of how much comes in each pay period and how much you are expending each pay period for six months to one year in the future.
8. Eliminate debt and resist future debt that is not tied to appreciating assets and a level of income on which you can afford the debt payment if your economic climate does not turn out like you expect.
9. Refuse to cosign for others. Instead, give those who are trustworthy what you can afford to give them in cash to help them when they are truly in need.
10. Diligently save a portion of your income advancing to a point where down the road you are saving at least 10% to 15% of your gross income.
11. After you have built a substantial emergency fund, invest additional savings into assets that have a normal history of appreciation over 10-20 year periods (stocks, real estate, etc.).
12. Always believe that God has His best in mind for you and that He will bless you regardless of all the obstacles that confront you in order to help you carry out His will for your life on earth. This mindset may help you move into an entrepreneurial endeavor that really blows your socks off with regard to the income it produces and blessing it allows you to be in the lives of other people.

When you do these things you will have money and a guarantee that money will not have you and thus money will not be in a position to become your god.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Exodus 20:3, Isaiah 43:10-11, Mark 12:30, Luke 16:13, Acts 4:12
Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

MoneyWalk 439: Love your neighbor as yourself

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Many people have been socialized by their family, neighbors, and society to believe that a person must take care of himself/herself first and only when he/she are self-sufficient can he/she then possibly help someone else. This man-made made belief has touched each one of us in some way. However, it is contrary to the law of God and we must remember that what God said is what is truly for our benefit. Things that we think and what others say that have no foundation in God’s Word can wind up ruining our lives on earth and possibly throughout eternity.

The plan of God is that we will love Him by way of Jesus Christ with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength and because His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit we will love our neighbors as ourselves. Each one of us can do this and have an obligation to do this and is better off for doing it as directed by God. Such love does not mean that you simply do anything that a person asks of you or requires of you. Rather, it means you study scripture to find out the types of things that the Lord commands you to do and what it shows is good for you to do. Also, that you ask him daily and throughout the day what He would like you to do and listen intently to the Lord’s voice to direct you. Then, simply obey his guidance received from scriptural understanding and His voice speaking inside you.

Ways in which you carry this out are:

1. Being respectful, kind, and cordial to everyone around you making sure that you are not a respecter of persons based on people’s position or power in the workplace, politics, society, etc.

2. Having an attitude of heart that desires and seeks opportunities that connect people with the Lord, recognizing that they need His loving guidance, correction, and blessing just as you do.

3. Being responsible to live according to biblical principles so that you are focused on doing the will of God personally and among your family, neighbors, co-workers, and other relationships.

How you handle the financial part of your life plays a great role in your ability to accomplish these three goals to the greatest degree possible. It’s not about “he who has the most money and toys win the game.” You can accomplish these three goals without having much money in your possession on earth at any given time. First, you must remember that those whose lives are hid in Christ through salvation have the heavenly treasures at their disposal when truly needed. Isn’t it great to know you have a Father who has everything you’ll ever need and that nothing is impossible with Him. Second, you must understand that God never judges you on the basis of what you do with what you don’t have but rather on the basis of what you do with what you do have.

So, the question you must ask yourself is am I doing what I should be with the income and resources that I have so that I am able to bear much fruit in accordance with God’s will? This should lead you to begin or continue to manage your finances in such a way that you budget income and expenses, that you eliminate debt and refuse to enter new debt situations, that you refuse to co-sign on debts, that you save and ultimately invest a reasonable portion of your income, and that you treat other people in the manner that you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes, having mercy on many who don’t even deserve it based on your skewed view of what they should or shouldn’t be doing (working hard, producing at breakneck speed, rising up the corporate ladder, being responsible with their finances, etc.).

Remember, we are created and called by God to be helpers one of another and only to be judges when we have had such trust and authority put in us by ordained authorities (God thru parents, churches thru elders, businesses thru owners and managers, and government (we the people) through elected/appointed positions and managers they appoint). Adhering to these principles of spiritual authority and managing money will allow you to carry out the goals through:

1. Living in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ.

2. Fellowshipping with His saints (those who have confessed Him as Lord and Savior) in a local bible believing church.

3. Tithing and offering in the local church and through para-church ministries that spread the gospel and practical help in your community and around the world.

4. Putting your hands to the ministry work plow showing that your faith has action behind it which means it is not dead. This is done not only in the church but in your home, neighborhood, and employment.

5. A greater ability to directly help some who are truly in need. Taking into account that money and resources that you do have that can help others is for the needy and not the greedy.

Never be ashamed of the income, possessions, and influence God has allowed you to obtain when you have sought to do the will of God and have not greedily grafted after gain, power, position, and fame and/or torn and pulled others down to get there. Simply continue to learn more about biblical principles, use them, and use the fruit of His blessings and your labor to meet the goals and produce the results mentioned above. Whether you are a business owner, executive, politician, or manager you should refuse to think more highly of yourself than you do of other people You should always refuse to oppress people and work them like slaves and you should pay them fair wages based on God’s standards whenever it is in your power to do so. Also, when sacrifices need to be made you should make deep and sometimes greater sacrifices than you ask of those under your authority.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Leviticus 19:18, Proverbs 21:13, Mark 12:31, Romans 13:8, Galatians 6:2

Saturday, February 14, 2009

MONEYWALK 136: PATIENCE BUILDS WEALTH

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Reaching financial goals doesn't come overnight. You must start the wealth building process in order for your efforts to bear fruit later. Your situation will get better much sooner than anticipated the sooner you consistently use biblical money management principles. This process will help you progressively get rid of negative money management habits that have previously been formed.

The godly seed you'll sow by budgeting your expenses, living within your income, giving to the church, and helping others will be multiplied back to you many times over. You'll experience prosperity blooming in your life even as financial struggles and difficult situations present themselves. Satan and his demonic forces don't want you to prosper, because prosperity allows you to properly minister to yourself, your family, others, and spread the gospel. Patiently use God's money management principles, especially tithing, when trials come and go and Daddy God will rebuke the devourer of your finances and pour you out a blessing that you won't have room enough to receive.

An abundant financial harvest awaits you when you diligently use biblical money management principles. Don't be weary in doing what God said is right because in due season you shall reap if you continue doing what’s right no matter the circumstances!

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Proverbs 20:21, Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 5:3, Galatians 6:9, James 1:1-3
PLEASE FORWARD THESE BONDAGE BREAKING ARTICLES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN USE HELPFUL INSIGHT!!!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

MONEYWALK 135: WAR AGAINST DISHONOR

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Getting yourself in debt, failing to tithe, and spending more than your income are all ways that you dishonor God. Not to mention you dishonor yourself because you’re not operating in accordance with who God made you to become: a lender not a borrower; a giver not stingy; a leader and example not a follower being led by the blind!

You must make war against these poor money management habits because they rob you of the potential to fulfill God's purpose and have financial peace in your life. When you fail to follow godly money management habits such as eliminating debt, tithing, and living within your means you are being set up by satan for a great fall. He cannot take God’s throne and become God and is destined to live out eternity in the pit of hell, so he is intent on taking as many people with him as possible through deceit, lies, trickery. Others who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, he wants to influence them to halt Christ’s lordship in their lives so they fail to be an influence for Christ on earth to other men, women, and children around them.

One avenue he has used as a negative influence in a great way in finances. By convincing Christians that God has no money management standards and instructions, nor special blessings for those who adhere to them. In such Christians, giving to spread the gospel is almost null and void when measured against the income they receive. Not only are they not spreading the gospel with their mouths, they’re also not involved in giving to a local church and missionary endeavors. This is an all out war and we must recognize it in order to have victory over the enemy!

You must commit to following God's money management plan and let the Lord shape your prayers to take on a warlike tone to overcome negative habits. Potentially costly situations will face you in the early stages of this war because the enemy wants to try to turn you to his side by influencing you to choose money over God. Once you’ve overcome mammon and recognize that God can richly provide you with all things that you need as you seek His kingdom and righteousness, complacency, pride, and arrogance will face you in the later stages because the enemy wants to strip you of humility to make you think it was God who blessed you but solely the work of your own hands. He believes he might be able to convince you to come back to his side.

Remember, you aren't wrestling against people, banks, and creditors, rather you're wrestling against satanic principalities and powers that want to keep you from fulfilling God's awesome plan for your life. Place your attitude under submission, agreement, and obedience to God's money management standards and your eternal and financial burdens will be relieved because God will rebuke the devourer for your sake. Keep the word of God in your mouth and He’ll give you the ability to use it to bind the devourers of your money to loose prosperity for the pursuit of your vision and goals. Also, He’ll protect you with spiritual armor that will allow you to face the enemy head on and defeat the enemy in every battle. So wage war against the dishonor the enemy has or is trying to bring into your life. Only then can you win the war being waged against you.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Malachi 3:8-12, Matthew 6:33, 16:18-19, 2Corinthians 10:3-6, Ephesians 6:10-18
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Thursday, January 29, 2009

MONEYWALK #134: MONEY MANAGEMENT PRAYER

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

You must commit to daily prayer in order to be successful at any worthwhile endeavor. Such humility is important to God, you, your family, and other people. The arena of money management is no exception.

Offer praise and prayer while at work and plan for longer conversation with the LORD during your time at home and church. Cultivating such relationship with God will cause the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind so you can take necessary actions to allow prosperity to flow in your situation. He’ll give you knowledge and understanding of money management principles in the bible and supernaturally reveal other moves you should make to bring blessings upon your life and loved ones.

Don't leave prayer out of your day-to-day, week-to-week, or month-to-month budgeting of money and resources. When you’re willing to find out what God wants you to do, He provides (according to His riches in glory) all the understanding, spiritual strength, and supernatural help you need to complete the work during your lifetime. However, when you don't manage money and resources according to God's will, you're headed for financial failure and all of its negative consequences.

The bible contains mighty principles that help you pull down debt strongholds, change spending habits, and place ungodly desires into captivity. These principles bathed in prayer will help you get your financial house in order. The praying person (one who communicates with God regularly) is the only one who is truly successful!

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Psalms 37:4, Matthew 18:18, 2Corinthians 10:3-4
PLEASE FORWARD THESE BONDAGE BREAKING ARTICLES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN USE HELPFUL INSIGHT!!!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

MoneyWalk 133: See the vision and plan for it

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

God will give you a vision of what He wants you to do on the earth. If you don’t know your vision yet, ask God to reveal it to you and He will. He will likely reveal it as a picture in your mind of an outcome He desires or a feeling in your heart of something that you’re supposed to do or a path you’re supposed to take. Sometimes, it may be pursuing something you already enjoy doing (music, art, sports, youth ministry, speaking, etc.). Often the mind picture and heart feeling will confirm one another. God does not often identify each and every step it takes to get there, but will give you important promptings and opportunities that will, if obeyed, lead to where He wants you to go and what He wants you to do.

Once you begin to see the vision, no matter how complete or incomplete, write down where you see the vision taking you in 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, 3 years, and 1 year. Then, plan for it to happen. You must keep the belief alive in your heart and mind no matter what setbacks, catastrophes, or other obstacles present themselves over the years of pursuing the vision. These things will come, many times from satan, however God will direct you in such a way that they will be used to strengthen you and make your victories sweet along the way while giving greater glory to God because of the adversity that was endured.

In prayer, set goals that you'll pursue in reaching the vision. Your goals are actions that you'll take with an end date in mind (one-year, five-years, etc.) to fulfill a part of your vision. Usually, people set goals to identify what they want to accomplish by the date certain, which also entail what they expect the situation to present for them. For example, a goal could be to write 1,000 radio stations within the next year with the result of speaking on 10 new stations. So a goal has two aspects, what you can do and what others have to help you do. Your part helps influence the outcome that you cannot control: actually being able to speak on 10 new stations.

As a Christian we should expect that our vision and goals are greater than what we alone can accomplish. First, we need almighty God, for whom all things are possible, to make a way and provide opportunities for us to achieve them. Secondly, we need other people (Christians and unbelievers) to help us along the way because God always makes the pathway to accomplishment through other people. Another significant point to remember is that during the course of our life journey to fulfill the vision, we will engage other jobs and sometimes without pay. Some will not seem to be along the path to our vision and we will wonder why we’re doing them or in a position that we have to do them. Of course, we need to be careful of letting others (Christians and unbelievers) beguile us into doing things outside of God’s will, whether it be a particular job at a given time or engaging in an unholy motive or process to achieve the vision or goal. However, we must be mindful that some CEO’s, pastors, and great evangelists came from the rank and file on the assembly line or lower bowels of the ministry. They did not understand in the early days that they would lead a company, church, or worldwide ministry. They simply remained faithful to the leaders and organizations they served under by completing assignments they were given.

Finally, the road to pursuing your vision will be less rocky when you keep an eye on your budget several months in advance, so it can quickly let you know how much disposable income you'll have available to spend or invest in carrying out your goals and how much you need from other people. Budgeting will help you control your urge to spend money you don't have on things you don't need and will help you trust God to provide through other people the resources you cannot purchase. When you allow your budget to help you stay out of debt as God has directed in the bible, you will see your bill entries eliminated and your disposable income grow and others miraculously come to your aid to help fund portions of the vision that you cannot fund.

As you go about fulfilling your god-given vision, count the cost before making purchases, so unnecessary purchases don't negatively affect your plans. Employing such wisdom moves God's hand and people’s hearts to help you achieve the vision. Over time, you’ll see your goals achieved and life comforts increased as you continue in the work God gave you. This brings you ever closer to the fulfillment of your vision.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Proverbs 3:5-6, 6:6-11, 16:9, 29:18, Luke 14:28-32, James 4:1-3
PLEASE FORWARD THESE BONDAGE BREAKING ARTICLES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN USE HELPFUL INSIGHT!!!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

MoneyWalk 132: Good Money Managers Maintain A Budget

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Worldly financial experts have said paying yourself first is the solution to all your financial woes. However, that method doesn't work, unless you know what your net income is and you spend less than your net income minus what you paid yourself first during each pay period. This is called budgeting. If you don't budget, you'll eventually stop paying yourself first and you'll spend all that you previously saved to obtain needed cash to meet your unaffordable living standard.

I certainly believe that you should pay yourself as close to first as legally possible. However, unless your employer pays you under the table (which is generally not godly and can land employers and employees in legal trouble and prison), other entities will receive a good chunk of money you earn (the IRS, social security and Medicare administrations, union dues, health care deductions, etc.) before you receive and are able to save some for yourself. Even independent contractors and business owners have obligations that must be paid before they can legally put money away for their own savings and investment. For instance, if you don’t pay quarterly taxes due, then all that you’ve paid yourself and more could be required of you in taxes, interest, and penalties. Failure to pay the right amount over a prolonged period of time could be considered tax evasion and land you in prison.

Therefore, a budget is necessary because it helps you know how much you earn over given periods of time which in turn helps you understand amounts that you are obligated to pay in taxes and other requirements. Also, it helps define the amount of income that is disposable to spend on other desired products and services that are not needs. The only true need most people have is giving a proportionate amount of income to honor God to allow the biblical law of reciprocity to supernaturally grow your prosperity. Secondly, food and shelter are needs. Thirdly, transportation may be a need. Most other expenditures are for desires. A budget allows you to place all things in their proper priority. Regular planned giving to the church and to others needs as God directs (alms) assures that God will provide your need according to His riches in glory. When He provides you must understand that giving a portion back to perpetuate the gospel and growing God’s kingdom in the hearts of men is the first priority, then shelter, then food, then clothing, then other things in lesser priority.

Many times people don’t have a budget and also don’t prioritize in the right manner. They act as if they cannot get food and clothing free of charge from many different sources. Also, many people try to hold onto houses and rentals at a certain socio-economic status instead of looking for and accepting a less costly alternative (maybe even staying with family and friends) over the short or long haul in order to make ends meet during tough financial times. These options appear for everyone when their need over the short and long-term is not based on perpetual irresponsibility, rather it’s based on emergency need (acute surgery and recovery), local employment conditions (immediate loss of manufacturing jobs, etc.), or catastrophic events (death of a bread winner, etc.). Looking for, asking for, and utilizing these options when necessary along with properly prioritizing and budgeting your spending help you weather the financial storm and grow wealth over the course of your life, so at some point you never have to be in the same situation again.

Unfortunately, succumbing to modern day credit arrangement hampers your prioritizing, budgeting, and pay yourself first strategy. When you spend all you make and continually get loans to buy everything you want, the day will come when you'll have a mountain of bills you can't pay. Don't be fooled, whether you're considered rich or poor you can get into a habit of overspending your net income and end up in financial ruin. A budget helps measure all your expenses, so you know when you're living above your means. It will help you see which expenditures to eliminate or reduce to allow you to live less stressed, more joyfully, and more peacefully. When you mix budgeting with honoring God first through tithing and offering, you have a potent combination that is supernaturally charged to prosper you to take care of your needs, others needs, and growth of God’s kingdom.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Proverbs 30:24-25, Ecclesiastes 10:18-19, Habakkuk 2:2-4, Luke 16:9
PLEASE FORWARD THESE BONDAGE BREAKING ARTICLES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN USE HELPFUL INSIGHT!!!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

MoneyWalk 131: What's The State Of Your Finances?

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

You are committing financial suicide if you don’t regularly save for a rainy day. This destructive tendency can be caused and enhanced by regularly taking on loans to purchase things you don’t have cash to pay cash for. It is further exacerbated by your failure to subtract account withdrawals from your checkbook. Finally, when you don't reconcile your bank account(s) monthly such destructive tendencies compound the problem over and over, month after month, and year after year until they finally result in some type of ruin (unbearable debt, repossession, foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce, homelessness, loss of belief and trust in Jesus Christ, etc.).

When you consistently walk out such tendencies, you're a financial kamikaze who will inevitably crash and burn and your irresponsibility will damage the ship (your spouse, children, church family, friends, etc.). The bible instructs you to monitor the state of your income versus your expenditures, so you do not become such a reckless tool of the enemy and begin to think you’re justified in acting irresponsibly. In order to let peace and joy overcome financial destruction, you must keep the amount of your expenses well below the amount of your income. For example, you must budget in such a way that you spend no more than 70% of your after tax income on necessities and desires and you should establish a habit of regularly tithing ten percent of your income, so that you open the window of heaven over your life to receive tremendous blessing to carry out your purpose and help others. If you don't like to hear the word "budget," would you rather hear the phrase "trapped in debt?"

When you don't budget, you inevitably overspend your income and get trapped in debt. Financial and spiritual ruin silently overcome most people who are held in its grip, just like carbon monoxide silently and without odor overtakes people in closed buildings. No one knows until they see you lying limp and lifeless. All because the enemy of your soul, satan, convinced you that you are wiser than God when you forsake God’s instructions. But, just like Adam and Eve you’ll lose far more than you imagine when you take the enemies word and continue to walk according to his instructions. Destruction will come and it doesn’t matter who reaches out to help you, you’ll continue to be in a place of natural, financial, and eternal torment.

This is not the future God planned for you! If you want to grow financially healthy, wealthy, and wise, you must keep your expenses below your income by staying out of debt. Also, you must do the other things that allow you to stay focused on God’s will and His instructions: get saved, worship Christ daily, pray daily, read the scriptures daily, join a local church, fellowship with believers every week, and be committed on a long-term basis to a ministry sanctioned by your church. This pattern will serve you in the natural, financial, and eternal arenas of your life. The road to prosperity is not hard to navigate, but it requires setting your face like flint to obey biblical instruction and disciplining yourself to heed the words of our Lord Jesus, who asked what man would attempt to erect a building without first counting the cost. You can only build His building, one that glorifies Him, when you follow His instructions. For if the Lord does not build the house (through you following His guidance), the workmen (you) labor in vain!!!

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Proverbs 27:23-24, Habakkuk 2:2-3, Luke 14:28-30
PLEASE FORWARD THESE BONDAGE BREAKING ARTICLES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN USE HELPFUL INSIGHT!!!