"And the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that he may be able to steer his course rightly]." (Proverbs 1:5)
With the numerous traps out there and our own fleshly nature to overcome, acquiring skill to steer our course rightly with our finances requires a determined effort on our part. To make it easy to remember, I've named five keys to help which all begin with the letter P; Proverbs, Psalms, Prayer, Planning and Put (into action).
The book of Proverbs is credited to Solomon, who in 1 Kings 3 was asked by God what He could give him. Solomon asked for and received a wise and discerning mind, which pleased the Lord and it was granted to him. This book is filled with truths and descriptions by way of comparison, it provides a powerful way to receive great instruction - even in small portions of reading.
One example is in 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor and borrower is servant to the lender." In one verse a clear picture is drawn and we are cautioned to avoid borrowing. Other verses show the distinct contrast between acting wise and foolishly... "There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it." (21:20)
The Psalms have many categories, however frequently we find praise unto God, describing His attributes and beautiful loving illustrations of who we are in relation to Him, both of which provide great encouragement to us.
In 147:5 it proclaims "Great is our Lord and of great power; His understanding is inexaustible and boundless." Knowing this combined with verse 118:6 imparts great confidence to our faith - "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
I personally rotate and read through both books nearly every morning, and can assure you it will put you in the right frame of mind to begin your day.
In addition to our normal times of Prayer, we need to speak and listen to the Lord about our finances - and not merely in the way of "Lord, I need this ______". Being transparent before God about our financial shortcomings will help us to view the issue for what it is, and will enable the Lord to instruct us how to overcome. Psalms 25:9 says "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way."
Our prayers should include asking for wisdom in substantial financial matters. He knows all and He knows what is right for you, we just need to come to Him seeking to know His will. It can even be in the marketplace or at the computer... take a pause and ask the Holy Spirit to give you direction about making/not making that purchase, you will not regret doing so.
It is essential to establish a Plan for our finances - specifically a plan to eliminate debt. If you click on the Archives section of this page to December 2016, the post titled "Looking Forward" contains more detail in setting up a solid plan you can begin today to eliminate all debt in your household, generally paying it off in 5-7 years including your mortgage. You can also learn completely about this debt-elimination plan in a free 3-hour class available at Broomfield Assembly, contact the church or myself to learn more.
With all the chaos and wrinkles that can come up, also having smaller plans will keep you on the path. Whether it is having a list (and sticking to it) at the grocery store, setting limits for gifts and certain discretionary spending, to doing research prior to making large purchases-(Proverbs 15:22 says "Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.") All will assist you to stay to staying in bounds of what you can afford.
Most importantly, there is Put into action. Because all of the knowledge you gain means zero if you do not step forward with it. If you're carrying balances on credit cards and have interest-bearing loans in place, that interest is multiplying and counting against you everyday that you delay taking action to reduce and eliminate those debts.
When you accepted Christ as your Savior, the words of scripture were transformed from being on a page to something real in your life that you experienced, because you believed it in your heart and acted upon it. It is the same with what you've read here about becoming debt-free - thousands of people have turned around their financial futures, showing it to be true by putting it into action.
Lastly, be encouraged from what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13 that the Lord is with you, working in you and will see you through - "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."
God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,
Paul
