MoneyWalk 216: Budget Your Way To Blessings

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

A budget is necessary for successfully managing your finances. Every person should have a budget to ensure that they're getting the most out of their income. It helps you see exactly how much comes in versus how much goes out over short and long range periods, so you don't blindly float along buying things that cause your expenses to creep above your income.

Without a budget you will likely have no ability to appropriately save and invest for the future. Many people attempt to budget in their heads, but it causes them to fall short on bill payments and other operations of daily life that should be greater priority. Writing out a budget would have forewarned them of the situation and let them know that negative consequences would eventually follow if they do not correct the situation.

A good book that contains budgeting illustrations along with paper and pencil are all that's needed to start writing your budget. A computer spreadsheet or budgeting software makes the job even easier. After your initial few hours setting up your budget, you'll only need about an hour each week to maintain it and revise it if necessary due to changes in income and necessary expenses.

My recommendation is that you pay the tithe as the first line item expense. Then, find out how the rest of your budget works out – do you have a surplus during the pay period or do you have a deficit. Now, look at your expense categories to identify the amounts that can reasonably be eliminated or reduced, so that the extra money can be put toward a $1,000 emergency fund and then repayment of consumer debt (credit cards, car loans, personal loans), especially if your budget showed a deficit. If it showed a surplus and you have consumer debt, use the surplus amount to pay off the consumer debt. Otherwise, use the surplus to build a $10,000 emergency fund and thereafter build it to six-months of expenses.

On average it takes people who are focused two to three years to pay off all their consumer debt, about six months thereafter to build the emergency fund to $10,000 to six-month worth of savings, and about seven years to pay off their mortgage even while putting the minimum amount of money in their 401k that enables them to get the company match. Over the years, budgeting your income and expenses will produce enormous blessings that in the past you never thought could be realized.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Proverbs 13:22-23, 21:20, 27:23-24, Habakkuk 2:2-4, Luke 14:28-31, Romans13:7-8

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 215: The Voice Inside

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

There are many voices in the world and we must listen to what they're saying and discern whether the voice is of almighty / all-knowing, ever present God. When it’s not Him, the voice is either your own, someone else’s, or satan’s (could be through fallen angels – what we call devils / demons). None of the latter voices can be good for you since the Lord is the only one who knows what is absolutely best for you.

This does not mean that other people cannot speak the will of God to you and give you guidance that comes from His wisdom, yet satan will never lead you by God’s wisdom. You should certainly learn to listen to other people and discern whether or not their guidance is in accordance with the Lord’s will. However, you should cut off (bind and cast out) the voice of satan once you know he is trying to impart to you because scripture lets you know all he wants to do to you and everyone else is steal, kill, and destroy on earth so that you like him will not experience the heavenly eternity that God wants for you.

By praying to the Lord and studying the bible to understand the principles and promises almighty God established only for those that choose Jesus Christ as savior, you learn the difference in the voices, why the Lord’s is good for you to obey, that the other voices are bad for you to follow, and to differentiate the voices.

Until you understand the Lord’s voice and the goodness the scripture tell you it points you to, the other voices will sound similar and the emotional appeal they emit and produce in you may appear to be from the Lord because satan and other fallen angels most often try to make you believe they are angels of light. They will communicate half-truths and/or truth with the wrong motive like satan did when he confronted Jesus after He fasted 40 days in the wilderness and was weary, hungry, and thirsty.

Knowing the word of God helps you discern that these unholy spirits are putting on a facade. These enemies of righteousness come to destroy your fellowship with God and the saints, your marriage, career, success, and prosperity. They want to convince you that God hasn't established principles leading to your financial health or that the money management actions they suggest are God's principles. If they can trick you into believing and managing according to their will, then they tighten their grip on you and cause you to operate outside of God's will.

They'll say borrow, spend, and waste as much as possible on your desires because God wants you to have everything you desire and have the finest at all cost, but you must know the voice of God so that you steer clear of satan's plan and do not despise the day of small beginnings, and allow the Lord to bless you in His timing according to His specific purpose for you on this earth. In this way, you will please the Lord who called you and be ever profitable to Him for everyone else’s sake.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

1Kings 13:13-26, 2Kings 13:14-19, Acts 16:6-12, Revelations 3:14-22

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 214: Financial Dexterity

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Christians should learn to be skilled at what God calls us to do. The Holy Ghost gives the understanding necessary for this skillfulness because He stands ready to qualify everyone God has called to a particular ministry.

Ministry is any full-time or part-time work / service you engage where the input conforms to biblical principles for living and where the output produces godly fruit and/or income that will support the great commission that Jesus gave the church. You also have this mission individually because you are a member of the body of Christ. When you work as unto the Lord, recognizing Him as Creator, King, and Lord of all then your work in any legitimate industry qualifies as ministry (politics, business, sports, government regulation, pastoral care, evangelism, etc.).

No matter how many vocations you have at one time, your God-given priority is to make sure that you input godliness and output good fruit into that work. This is also true in your vocation as manager over God's possessions. Everything you have is really His and you are simply a steward over a portion of His estate. Therefore, you want to be clever about managing His belongings in order to get the most out of them.

Never say you don't have enough money to manage (tithe, eliminate debt, save, invest, and diversify), otherwise your mind will then focus on spending all the income you receive. This will lead to a life of debt bondage where you recklessly take out loans to finance purchase unrealistic present desires that won't allow you to properly tithe, save, and invest for greater future returns.

It takes spiritual dexterity in order maintain a positive outlook and follow the Lord instructions for managing finances in both good times and bad times. The Holy Spirit resides in you and gives you needed dexterity to throw touchdown passes with either hand so that, throughout life, you are profitable, blessed, and prosperous to the Kingdom, yourself, and other people.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Judges 20:16, 1Chronicles 12:2, 2Timothy 2:15-16, Titus 1:9

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MoneyWalk 213: Arrogance & Riches

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

You can be rich without being arrogant! There are many who are not respecters-of-persons. They do not look down their noses at other people because of their station in life and they genuinely try to help lift others up to the spiritual and natural state of blessedness that Christ wants each person to experience.

Yet, there are times when people will call you arrogant because they've mistaken it for godly confidence. We must certainly allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate areas of our life where we may be thinking or acting in an arrogant manner and make practical changes to be more Christ-like because greater natural stature (riches, power, position, fame, etc.) brings bigger demons that tempt you to put off Christ-likeness and believe that self-sufficiency advanced you to the stature you have.

One demon that attacks naturally rich people to a greater degree than the general populace is the spirit of arrogance (especially in the area of dealing interpersonally with others). This spirit tempts the unwary person to become haughty about himself and his accomplishments and leads him to think that he is better than everyone who has not attained a level of wealth set in his mind as the level necessary to be recognized by God and/or man as a prosperous achiever.

No doubt, people who are naturally poor can be arrogant as well. Their arrogance generally initiates from the idea that their poverty makes them more acceptable to God than other people because of their naturally low position. Thus, everyone must recognize the evil intentions of the spirit of arrogance by regularly reading the bible and daily fellowship with the LORD and the church via a local expression of His body in order to understand that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female.

Christ’s way is for you to recognize your lowly position in life no matter how tall you stand before men, yet recognize your high position in Him where you and others that are saved, no matter their natural station, are seated with Him in Heavenly places.

By all means, you should practically, according to God’s wisdom, do all you can to increase the blessings and rewards God gives you so that you can be a greater blessing to others. And, you should be an example to others in this endeavor in the same manner as the first two servants in the Parables of the Talents that traded the money entrusted to them and doubled it. They received the encouraging words “Well done my good and faithful servant. Now, enter into the joy of your Lord!”

Do not believe the lie that another person is less desirable to God than you are because of their earthly material wealth or lack thereof. As you prosper in the earth by managing money according to biblical principles, don't accept the spirit of arrogance in your life or else it will ultimately bring negative results into your life.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Proverbs 16:18-20, Luke 12:15-34, James 2:1-9, Revelations 2:8-11, 3:14-22

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 212: Greater Ministry Ability Via Proper Money Management

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

We’ve all heard someone say, “It takes money to minister at home and abroad.” Those who tell us this realize that much of the ministry performed directly and indirectly comes from volunteer efforts provided by parishioners and other well wishers. These are resources each church does not pay for that is necessary for its survival and for vital ministry.

Yet, it is important to note that even Jesus maintained a treasury for ministry and training of the disciples. The bible shows various women and other people gave money to Jesus in order to help spread the gospel, meet ministry needs, and engage good works among the people.

When money is necessary you can be sure that Almighty God will provide it through faithful tithers, offerers, and supernatural occurrences. This truth exists for the worldwide Church as a whole and each individual church with regard to the mission God desires that they pursue. It also holds true for you.

Yet, you must eliminate in your heart and mind the belief that you cannot currently minister because you have no money. There are plenty of things you can do to deliver the gospel to other people without great monetary expense to you, such as one-on-one witnessing and discipleship, visiting nursing homes and hospitals to pray for the sick, establishing bible study groups in your home, giving unused clothing and utility items with a scripture verse to people in need, as well as volunteering / serving within your local church (usher, alter minister, choir member, or other needed tasks).

So, if you do not currently have great income or assets, do not despise the day of small beginnings. Rather, begin to serve in these ways or many others that are available to you while recognizing that God will bring revenue to you and/or show you how to ask for donations prior to your ministry needing money to pay for resources to help you move to the next phase. In addition, began right where you are to positively manage the income and assets He entrusts to you. This will augment the exterior harvest from other people and will produce an inner harvest from which to tap money and resources for the service to which you’re called. Positive money management will also give people the confidence to donate to you and help you fulfill what God progressively calls you to do.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Exodus 4, Nehemiah 2:1-9, Matthew 6:33-34, 2Corinthians 8:11-12

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MoneyWalk 211: The Most Important Thing

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Though I teach people how to manage money management according to biblical principles using present day methods that please God, I understand that the result you should seek is not wealth for wealth’s sake or prominence in other peoples’ eyes.

Many people want to succeed in having big incomes, expensive homes, and cars in order to show other people or prove to themselves that they’re somebody. Others want to do it because societal teaching and influence says this is what you should aim for otherwise you’re not successful.

However, these are wrong reasons to pursue careers and ministry that may allow large incomes that can provide expensive homes and cars. The careers and ministry are not the problem, as long as they are not in and of themselves unholy by nature. The large incomes, homes, and cars are also not the problem. The problem is any person’s or societies attitude that makes God’s will secondary or less is the problem.

Many people through immaturity or unbelief have chosen what they perceive to be the better part. Yet, we know the better part is sitting at the feet of Jesus, spending time with Him, getting filled up so that we can go out and do what He created us for including the good works He assigns us throughout our lives. Yet, in the society we live in its pretty natural for the overwhelming majority of people to seek fortune or fame that they believe will bring riches.

Another sizeable segment of society seeks self-expression through artistic or utilitarian endeavors, supposedly not caring anything about making a decent living on which to provide for themselves and family, but also not caring about staying within the bounds of decency in God’s Word as they walk out their lives, professions, and endeavors.

You must realize that it’s natural for hard work at a legitimate job or business to prosper you over the long haul through raises, promotions, greater opportunities, and good management of your income. This situation provides for increased comforts and flexibility throughout your life. Yet, in order to know whether or not you have a proper perspective on prospering and being successful, you should continually ask if things get real tight and my income is drastically reduced and some expenses need to be cut in the short-term so I can continue moving into long-term financial health and vitality will I still claim Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, manage my life by His principles, and give up anything that is central to my life in Him and focus upon Him and what He called me to do and be?

I certainly hope your answer is Lord as we move into the future I am ready, willing, and able to sacrifice things and positions in order to be blessed by You so I can be a blessing to many others.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Exodus 20:3-17, Ecclesiastes 9:8-12, Matthew 7:16-23, Revelations 2:8-11, 3:7-13

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 210: Avoid Scams In Order To Build Wealth

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

One of the most important ways to build wealth is to avoid scams that deplete your finances. People who pull these tricks to separate you from your money are not often the gruff, dirty, uneducated type. Many of the scam artists who get people to hand over their money and then misappropriate it are very educated, have professional credentials after their names, appear clean cut and respectable, are charismatic, and have great ability to convince people to do what they want them to do. Of course, all of these traits help them get people’s money under false pretenses.

They run scams that range from failure to invest in the manner they told you they would to illegal pyramid schemes to selling expensive advice that will do you no good. Often such scams work because those being scammed are deceitful, greedy, too lazy to research backgrounds of the scammers, or too ignorant to understand the parameters in which good investments operate.

Many of the scammers count on the victim’s greed and desire to be somebody special to motivate the victim to swing at the pitch thinking they will quickly hit a home run out of the ballpark. That is why the scammers communicate in ways that make you think you will be part of an exclusive group of people when you invest through them and they also tout results that everyone else is achieving via their investment prowess like guaranteed high-interest earnings and other get rich quick scenarios.

The old adage is true, when an offer or solicitation sounds too good to be true, it usually is and you will pay dearly for getting caught up in it. So, don’t allow tempters and money-grubbing scam artists to ruin your life.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Ezekiel 34:1-10, Malachi 2:7-12, Matthew 23:1-14, John 15:4-8, Jude 1:10-12

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 209: Wisdom Concerning Money

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

When you conform to worldly standards you will engage money management methods that displease God. Such methods hold back your full potential, yet many people use them because they believe a few people have become rich using them.

Worldly methods generally begin with spending all your income, borrowing as much as you can, and getting additional loans as soon as you get your hands on them in order to partake of the American dream of owning fine houses, cars, furniture, and the perceived good life.

Such methods continue through giving very little to spread the gospel and do good works by faith. This is selfishness whether or not acknowledged. Its goal is to maintain your dream throughout life rather than God’s dream for you.

In addition, worldly methods are usually augmented by failure to plan via budgeting income and expenses. You operate out of guesswork which gets you in trouble at various points in your life by forcing you to pay bills late, avoid creditors you owe, and file for bankruptcy.

Jesus Christ, who is wiser than Solomon, said ‘the abundance of life isn’t contained in the things that you possess’ and His word also confirms that it’s best that you refuse to borrow. He also identified that you must give in support of ministry work in order to be truly blessed eternally (which includes the measure of natural blessing that shows up in your earthly life). Do not complain when you’re asked to give to ministry to a greater degree than you have in the past. Simply, seek the Holy Spirit in your time of prayer to find out God’s will for your giving.

Scripture shows that a godly person plans the spending of his or her income and seeks to constantly know the exact state of his or her finances. When you do these things, you’re able to successfully carry out the ministry He’s given you (glorifying God in every way possible while caring for immediate family, other people He assigned you to serve, and evangelizing & discipling other people in the marketplace of your life).

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Proverbs 13:7, Haggai 1:1-10, Luke 12:20-21, James 1:5-10

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 208: Ministry Pay

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

The humanistic world system teaches and displays in their examples that everyone should think me first and everybody else last. Too many present day gospel ministers are worried and complain about pay and benefits and constantly try to embarrass their followers into sending more into their personal coffers. Much of the additional money that comes into their hands through the church goes toward bigger houses, more expensive cars, finer clothes, and more toys so they can look like the CEO’s of today and hang out with the high and mighty in society. God certainly will show favor to his servants and there is nothing particularly wrong with any these things as long as your motivation in ministry is not based upon getting them and you would minister the gospel of Christ with the same fervency even when you do not receive such things.

The bible shows that a hireling demands specific compensation. Whereas a true servant does not make such demands because He understands that God owns everything, all promotion comes from Him, and all things work together for good for believers. The biblical account of Jesus and the Apostles shows the proper attitude about service; it is important to God that you worship Him and fulfill your part of the great commission to preach the good news to every race, creed, and culture and to teach them how to live according to His commands.

Scriptures show you how to approach the compensation portion of your ministry service to others; do not be greedy for filthy lucre. This example applies whether you’re a pastor, para-church ministry executive, or ministry worker and you should imbed it in your heart even when you are employed by secular enterprises. God is please with ministers who recognize that He will increase their stature before God and man at the appropriate time and bless them to have all their needs met and to receive many material things as a reward for the labor of love they have undertaken in spreading the gospel.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Acts 20:33-35, 2Corinthians 11:3-15, 2Thessalonians 3:6-15, James 4:17, 1Peter 5:1-4

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You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com

MoneyWalk 207: Do Not Oppress People In Order To Prosper

This program will help you undo financial bondage.

Most people would probably say they’re not prejudice against others regardless of skin color. However, actions speak louder than words. If you do not currently have actions that support your non-prejudice claims, you must make a change in order to please the King of Kings who instructs us not to be respecters of persons and to not oppress other people.

Start by declaring each day going forward that you are not racist or prejudice because this helps change your mindset and rid you of discriminatory actions. You must be sincere about your claim and want to change areas of your life where the Holy Ghost convicts you of beliefs, words, and actions that are unlike His character.

Common forms of prejudice that could show up but often are overlooked:

**Overwhelmingly hiring people within your race because no matter the background and experience of someone of another race.

**Using criteria that does not specifically show how well one can perform a job in order to deny a person of another or culture.

**Overwhelmingly using people within your race as financial advisors after passing up others who had great experience, shared your financial stewardship philosophy, and had a character / personality that could work well with you.

**Using biased tests and criteria to determine who gets higher level educational opportunities within your company.

**Almost never mingling with and building close relationships outside of work and ministry with people of other nationalities, races, and backgrounds.

When you show such prejudice it is easy to be convinced that you are only measuring necessary criteria. However, God knows when you are unrighteously denying other people opportunities for relationship, work, and play that should be afforded to them. Certainly, you should use biblically based criteria as the measuring stick for environments you will be in and actions you will take in getting to know other people and hanging out with them in more intimate settings.

Yet, you must realize that your life of ministry requires you to be around people you might not otherwise choose to be around because you understand their soul is very important to the Lord. Now, go forth into all the world preaching the gospel and discipling other people.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Galatians 2:11-14, Ephesians 3:3-8, Philemon 1:10-17, James 5:1-6

Please forward these bondage breaking articles to other people who can use helpful insight!!!

You can find books authored by Randy Parlor and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com