How To Avoid A Financial Crash Series

(powerpoint available)

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A recent poll revealed that only 26% of the people surveyed are satisfied with their finances. That means 74% of the people are not satisfied with their finances. It seems that no matter how much you make it’s never enough. Gallup released a poll recently that said 64% of all couples argue over money. It is a major issue of concern in marriages – finances. In fact, they’ve discovered that it’s the number one cause of divorce – 54% of marriages divorce over money. It’s almost as if the vows have been changed – “Till debt do us part.” So today I want to continue to discuss this topic related to “Getting a Grip on My Finances.”

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Jesus said this in Luke 16:11 “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches.” Circle “handling wordily wealth”. He’s talking there about money management.

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As you know, the economy has taken a downturn in the past year. Some of you cannot control how that might effect your finances.

However, there are some common sense precautions that you can take for avoiding financial crash. That’s what I want to talk about this morning – some financial precautions. Things that you should normally do no matter what happens whether there is an floods or fire or other unforeseeable disasters. These are common sense, Biblical, financial principles that you should be following regardless of what happens

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Solomon wrote a book called Proverbs and wrote down the wisdom of God. Solomon was not only the wisest man; the Bible tells us he was the wealthiest man. He’d put Bill Gates to shame! The Bible says that he drank his drinks out of gold goblets and he ate on gold and silver plates. Not only did they have to wash them after each meal, they had to polish them. This is indulgently rich. Pure gold plates. Here is the wisest man whoever lived who also knows the most about wealth more than anybody else. He wrote it down in Proverbs. Today I want us to look at God’s five financial principles for financial stability.

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1. KEEP GOOD RECORDS

This is the first principle, the Principle of Accounting.

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Proverbs 27:23-24 says “Riches can disappear fast so watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks and herds.” Obviously in those days everybody was a rancher or shepherd. Their assets were tied up in sheep. God says “Know the condition of your flocks.” Today, God would say, “Know the condition of your stocks.”

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People say money talks. It doesn’t talk, it just sneaks away quietly. It doesn’t tell you it’s leaving either!

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Proverbs 23:23 says “Get the facts at any price.” In other words, be realistic.

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Formula: Ignorance + Easy Credit = Disaster.

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There are four facts that you need to know.

1. I need to know what I own. Keep an inventory of your possessions.

2. I need to know what I owe. Your debts, your liabilities.

3. I need to keep records on what I earn.

4. I need to know where it goes.

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Do you have time to worry? If you have time to worry about your finances, you have time to write it down. In fact, if you wrote it down, if you kept better records, you’d have a lot less to worry about. The Bible says riches disappear fast.

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Know the condition of your flocks. Know the state of your financial being. The principle of accounting.

2. PLAN YOUR SPENDING

This is the Principle of Budgeting. You have to set some financial goals and stick with them.

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Proverbs 1:5 “Plan carefully and you’ll have plenty. But if you act too quickly you will never have enough.”

It comes from spending less. This is the Principle of Budgeting. Planning your spending.

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The average American spends six hours a week in shopping related activities. Many of you are way above average.

Some of you cannot resist a sale. You cannot resist it. “But look how much I saved!” You don’t need it. You can’t afford it. You don’t have the money to buy it. But “Look how much I saved!” It is almost impossible for you to resist a sale.

Impulse buying.

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Proverbs 21:20 “Stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.” We could just close the Bible and go home. We’ve had our lesson for today.

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Listen to this magazine article “Are you a shopaholic?” It said, “Compulsive spending is a full fledged addiction just like gambling, alcoholism and taking drugs.” In fact it’s become such a prevalent addiction in our society that there are a couple of national organizations called Debtor’s Anonymous and Shopper Stopper.