You Can't Win, Until...

 

You Can't Win, Until...

    Recently, the seven-time champion and new TV analyst Tom Brady uttered a quote that instantly got my attention. He said "You can't win until you keep from losing". He attributed the words to his coach Bill Belichick, that they were stressed to his players about the critical importance of avoiding mistakes that derail you from winning.

    I knew there was a nugget of wisdom there that could be applied to how we handle our finances according to scripture. Today, we'll cover some key fundamentals from God's Word about our finances, and how avoiding the thoughts, behaviors and actions which can keep us from being where we want to be.

    "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house..." (Malachi 3:10). In many households that are not bringing the tithes to His house, it is because of neglecting to place God at the front of the line after they are paid. Then Sunday arrives and they say "I don't have enough to tithe." The way we keep from falling short in this area is to put God first. When you're paid, write out that check or click to give online that same day. 

    It may be a struggle to begin, but we'll learn so much from it - the peace that comes from aligning our hearts properly, we will reduce or remove some discretionary spending to accommodate giving to the Lord first, and we'll see God fulfill what he promised later in that verse... that He will open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to contain it. That sounds like winning.

    "I have learned to be content in whatever state I am" (Philippians 4:11). What is it that "drives" us to purchase the unnecessary or the extravagant and beyond reasonable things which end up plunging us into debt? If we look back on some of our past purchases, we'd have to agree the thoughts then were "I won't be happy unless I have this, or have a better, newer version of this, or subscribe to that service".

    Included in this chapter, Paul shared how he was able to be content despite humble and straitened circumstances - which were much more challenging than nearly all of us experience. He said "I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me." He leaned and trusted on Christ constantly, and we can also... to say NO to that temptation to overspend. He also eluded to a desirable result in 1 Timothy 6:6, that "Godliness accompanied with contentment is great and abundant gain." That sounds like winning.

    "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:16). What may cause us to "forget", or choose not to be generous toward others? If we are honest, it can come from having a singular focus on ourselves, and from cultivating a fear that if we give, we will then not have enough.

    However, God chooses in His Word to squash that type of thinking. He does so in the beauty of connecting the promises of His care towards those who give:

Luke 6:38 - give and it will be given to you

Proverbs 22:9 - the generous will themselves be blessed

Proverbs 28:27 - those who give to the poor will lack nothing

2 Corinthians 9:7 - for God loves a person who gives cheerfully

That sounds like winning.

    "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another." (Romans 13:8). What are two factors of being in debt? I would point to first the obvious of spending more than we make, and second the effects of compound interest. We make the choices, sometimes bit-by-bit in accumulating smaller purchases that stack up on our credit card. Also, in accepting large and long-lasting commitments resulting in monthly payments.

    One of the best tools to help here is time... use time to your advantage. Before making a sizeable purchase, take time to assess if you really need the item at all, or need to be considering that level of the purchase (brand, features, type). Take time to view your credit card statement online regularly, so you can monitor where you are at and make adjustments to your spending during the month before your bill arrives. Before taking on monthly payments, take plenty of time to review how the future payments can fit in (or not) to your larger financial goals.

    It is the effect of compound interest that makes it challenging to extricate from being in debt and being behind every month... to emerging into not only being able to pay for most purchases as they arise, but save and invest and receive the benefits of compound interest working in your favor. That sounds like winning.

    To get in a little deeper on this topic, I encourage you to utilize the Archives section of this blog and view the post titled "Paying For Things" from August 2015. In it, we covered the three ways you can pay for things: borrowing, money on hand, and saving. I liken those three stages very much towards the concept of how we cannot win in our finances until we keep from losing.

    Lastly, be encouraged that you can win, by this short, simple and powerful verse from Matthew 19:26:

"But with God all things are possible"

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

    

    

2025 - Experience Wisdom

 2025 - Experience Wisdom

    "I instructed you in the way of wisdom. I have guided you along straight paths. When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble."

    These verses from Proverbs 4:11-12 , likely written by King Solomon, share about what his father said in pursuing wisdom. As we embark on a new year in 2025, let's look into some parts of Proverbs 4 and how they can help us with our finances.

    But first, let's try to address an area that may hinder us from receiving wisdom in the first place... our pride. To combat this, we must place value on the source of where proper wisdom is coming from. In Solomon's case, he humbled himself and regarded what came from his father's lips to be worthy of applying to his life, in great measure.

    In Proverbs 20:29 it is written, "The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head (suggesting wisdom and experience)". The definition of experience includes practical contact with and observation of facts or events, and those mature men and women, if they have a Godly perspective, are worth listening to, to gain from their experiences that we have not yet encountered.  

    And of course, we look with reverence to the One who knows everything that has ever existed and knows all things to come, the Lord. In Proverbs 2:6 it says "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." And Jesus plainly stated "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

    Going back into Proverbs 4, verse 6 instructs us with "Forsake not [Wisdom], and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you." These words can relate to our avoiding large debts and commitments, where we know by looking carefully and soberly at them, that all it takes is one expensive unforeseen circumstance to put us in a place where we cannot make those payments and cause additional burdens financially.

    Verse 8 has "Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her." As we bring a true effort in our occupation and work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23) and not to men, we will stand out from the crowd, becoming a valuable employee that in time will bring us promotion and honor to the Lord.

    Returning to our first verse number 12: "When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered [your path will be clear and open]; and when you run, you shall not stumble." I liken this to achieving a point in the freedom from debts - even partially, like in paying off a car, credit card, or even a small debt. Our steps are then not hampered and that feeling of constraint is gone. I can speak from experience how freeing it is to have a path that is clear and open, without the stress from those bills arriving each month.

    Next in verse 13 of "Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life." If you have planned certain things out financially, even something as routine as your grocery list, stick to what your plans were and maintain to stay within your budget. If you calculated what you can afford for a car or other large purchase, guard yourself against the salesperson attempting to increase the sale for their purposes... they will not be around to help you when it is time to make that payment every month after you sign.

    Down to verse 23 it is written "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." When we are in stores and at their websites online, this is when we need to keep and guard our heart. To stay within what we know is our means to pay and not get carried away by advertising, sales, new items or the salesperson. Also keep in mind verse 25 - "Let your eyes look right on, and let your gaze be straight before you." One tool to combat this tendency by our flesh to react and buy is to instead wait 24 hours... in many instances you will find that desire is not really in line with your heart and you will choose not to make that purchase. 

    Lastly, remember what was from the definition of experience (includes practical contact with and observation of facts or events). In the verse below the author was speaking about a sluggard that had an unkept vineyard with walls broken down. But we can also apply this layer of wisdom to when our own choices did not prove fruitful, learn from them and move onto the right path"

"Then I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction." (Proverbs 24:32)

God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you in 2025,

Paul