Godly Principles For Financial Money Management

Godly principles for financial money management

Acknowledgements, thanks and resources:

• Thanks to the Holy Spirit for His inspiration and guidance.

• Sermon series from Rick Warren on “Getting of the debt trap”

• Hope for Today Study Bible – NLT – Commentary by Joel Osteen

• Book “I dare you” – Joyce Meyers

• TD Jakes

• Stats sourced from various websites

Introduction

If you read the newspapers, or listen to the radio or watch the news on TV, it is clear that the cost of living is on the increase. South Africans are feeling the financial strain as we are hit with increase after increase.

• Petrol, electricity, water, health care, education, transportation, clothing, food

With all the hikes it would be best for us to focus on some biblical principles on how to get out and stay out of debt.

• Statistics show that 64% of all couples argue over money.

• 54% of divorce is a result of money issues

• As Rick Warren once said, we should change the wedding vow from - Till death do us part – to - Till debt do us part.

Good money management actually has eternal implications. It’s not just about relieving the stress in your life.

Did you know that the Bible says:

• God measures your spiritual maturity by how you handle money?

• God measures and evaluates how much He can trust you with spiritual blessing according how you handle money?

• The assignments and rewards and responsibilities you’re given in heaven – are in direct relationship to how wise a manager you are of your finances and possessions while you’re here on earth?

Luke 16:11.

Jesus said “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth who will trust you with true riches?”

The way you manage your money influences:

• How much God blesses you spiritually,

• How much God trusts you with spiritual blessings.

God says if you’re not responsible with your rands and your cents you’re not very responsible with the things He gives you.

How you manage your money has eternal implications.

Fortunately the Bible provides some good advice. The wealthiest man who ever lived actually wrote a book of the Bible. His name was Solomon. He was the king of Israel and he was incredibly rich. He would put Bill Gates from Microsoft to shame.

This guy, it says, ate on plates of solid gold. That’s how wealthy he was. So when he finished dinner they didn’t just have to wash them. They had to polish the plates.

But not only was he the wealthiest man who ever lived the Bible says he also was the wisest man who ever lived. Fortunately he put his principles for financial money management down in a book called the Proverbs.

Based on Solomon’s biblical advice on, we are going to look at some of God’s principles of financial freedom.

1. Keep good records.

You need to know where your money comes from and where it goes.

This is the Principle of Accounting.

In Proverbs 27:23-24 - “Riches can disappear fast. So watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks and herds.”

Obviously when Solomon wrote this several thousand years ago most people’s assets were tied up in either sheep or goats or both. He says we must know the condition of your flocks. Today he’d say, know the condition of your stocks.

Today knowing the condition of our flock requires good record keeping. We need to keep track of where we are financially with a ledger or computer or whatever system you come up with. Personally I use a computer program because it keeps all of this information in one place.

Begin by answering these questions:

• How much money do you bring in? Salary, wages, rental income etc etc

• What are your assets? House, car, investments, pension, anything worth something.

• How much do I owe? – These are your credit loans, student loans, car finance, or bonds.

• Where am I spending it all? Add up all the bills you have and figure where it’s going.

We’ve all heard people say, “Money talks!”

• It doesn’t talk.

• It just slips away quietly.

• It doesn’t tell you where it’s going.

• How many times have you said “I just don’t know where the money goes?”

If you’re in the dark about how much you make and where it’s all going you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Proverbs 23:23 says “Get the facts at any price.”

You say, “I don’t have time to do this.” Nobody has time to do this. I can’t think of anything less interesting to do than keeping financial records.

Do you have time to worry about your finances? If you did more keeping of good records you’d have a lot less to worry about.