Your Tool Box

In Ephesians 6, we are given instruction through divine illustration how to successfully stand up against the devil. It describes putting on God's complete armor with the belt of truth, breastplate of integrity, shodding our feet with the Gospel of peace, lifting up the shield of faith, taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Word of God.

In that same mindset of preparation and application, I want to take you through some tools we've covered previously... tangible steps you have available in your "tool box" to help you save money, reduce unnecessary expenses and pay down your debts, which will assist you in becoming debt-free.

Bring coffee, lunch or drinks with you instead of purchasing from vending machines, convenience stores and restaurants

Groceries: read the sales ads and coupons, buy generic brands and in bulk, shop with a list and stick to it

Check out these shopping apps to save: Checkout 51, iBotta, Coupons.com, Walmart Savings Catcher

Use dining coupons, Groupons and Entertainment books along with signing up on restaurant websites and loyalty clubs

Use an app like GasBuddy to instantly show you the best gas prices nearby

Check out Craiglist and other sites for enormous savings on pre-owned items

Shop for used cars (research for reliable models) instead of buying new or leasing

Track credit card spending in real-time online, before your monthly bill arrives

Reduce premium TV, internet, phone plans

Use your library for entertainment options (movies, books, magazines, CD's)

Set reasonable limits for gifts

Research the savings of raising insurance deductibles for home, auto and medical

Buy end of season items, like Holiday cards & decor, outdoor & lawn items, winter/summer clothing and sports gear

And spiritually there are multitudes of "tools" we can employ to help us with our finances, here are the best ones I suggest for you:

Begin with faithfulness in giving tithes and offerings, including opportunities to bless others, as the Lord promises to meet the needs of those who do so

Stay close in reading and meditating on God's Word. This will help you in overcoming temptation to overspend, being patient and content, and by knowing His voice which will help lead us in making wise choices financially

Work as unto the Lord, it is glory unto Him to do so and it will make you a valuable employee, which in return will bless you

Talk to God in your time with Him about your finances, including any shortcomings with spending and ask Him to provide wisdom

Lean on the Holy Spirit when a sizable purchase decision is before you, He is available 24/7 wherever you are to lead you by His peace, to wait, and be confident in the decision made

There are many options to use the tangible tools first mentioned above, however there is no substitute for the spiritual tools mentioned afterward - especially staying close to reading and meditating on God's Word, because it is The Truth. If this area has been lacking, I encourage you to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34)

Lastly, be strengthened to know you are absolutely not alone in pursuing victory in your finances - "For the Lord your God is He Who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:4)

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

Paul

He Gives and Takes Away

There is a beautiful worship song titled “Blessed Be Your Name”, and part of it goes “You give and take away”. God has given us His greatest gift in His Son Christ Jesus. In addition, there are many scriptures and promises from God to us of how He will give and take away on our behalf for our finances if we trust and obey Him.

How He Gives

For it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18)

God will bless our efforts in our occupation or business, as we work unto him (Colossians 3) doing our best every day. The Lord blessed Isaac, Jacob and Hezekiah to great wealth by His hand.

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you (Deuteronomy 28:2)

We can believe in the God who created Heaven and Earth to send blessings our way, and especially to acknowledge Him in praise and proclaiming to others when blessings overtake us.

The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22)

There are many rich individuals still unsatisfied inside – because Christ Jesus is not in their heart. The Lord blesses us with contentment in Him and to be generous, so there is no sorrow.

How He Takes Away

I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground (Malachi 3:11)

As we are faithful in giving tithes and offerings, we can trust in God’s promise to defend us. God kept the Israelites’ shoes and clothing from wearing out, we can also believe for longevity of our belongings.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)

As we do this, God will mold our desires to become more like His. From this we will seek less and less of fleshly things and purchase commitments that will harm our finances.

You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:24)

By seeking His will and being patient for sizable purchase decisions, God will lead us away from those that would prove to be unfruitful and towards those that are blessed.

God’s Word is full of examples of the Lord giving to us what is good, and taking away what is not good for us. As we yield to Him we will see that truth repeated and our faith will continue to grow. Lastly, remember from Psalms 23:2 of where the Lord is leading us:

He makes me lie down in fresh, tender green pastures; He leads me beside still and restful waters.

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

Paul

What You Don't See

"Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them" (Proverbs 24:1). "For everything that is in the world--the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance--is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:16).

Many ideals communicated from television, movies and music these days promote a drive for the extravagant - in cars, homes, clothing and all the trimmings. Including even taking evil or unscrupulous methods to obtain them. This can leave the common person forming a greed for these things they simply cannot obtain.

But beyond the Hollywood portrayals, people also get roped into trying to keep up with or trying to impress those around them. What they don't see beneath the surface is all of the stress and hardship those others are having trying to pay their bills by keeping up with the people they are looking at. You may see the nice things another person has and think that it's good, but you may not want to trade places with them if you could see their monthly bills.

This hardship has brought down many who are the ones originally being glorified. The numbers of professional athletes, movie stars, musicians and the previously wealthy that have declared bankruptcy are amazing. It is because they never learned to manage what they had before and then became subject to their own greedy desire. Ecclesiastes 5 sums it up well - "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income."

It is written in Proverbs 29:25 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." We may have grown up concerned we won't be accepted if our clothes didn't measure up, then we may carry that into adult life with all the other things that follow.

We have been a debt-free household for many years, but I will share with you that my wife and I bought used cars that are still in use and beyond 10 years old, we occasionally buy quality second-hand clothing, and we frequently use coupons when dining out. It can be the snare referred to in Proverbs 29 above, or our own pride that prevents us from making certain choices that can keep us from overspending.

Take with you these beautiful excerpts from Psalms 37 to be an encouragement in staying on the right path that God has for you:

-I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken

-Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him

-Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land

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

Paul

Avoiding The Traps

"Keep me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge." (Psalms 31:4) One of the key ways to avoid a trap is to be aware and looking out for it. This is so true when it comes to our finances.

One trap is that we have been trained to think only in terms of monthly payments - not how much the purchase is costing us. We assume because everyone else is buying with monthly payments, it must be the right thing to do. Your Dad probably bought his cars and the house you grew up in this way, so you likely just followed in his footsteps.

These common practices around us can be challenging to overcome, however Romans 12:2 encourages us "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." That renewing comes by reading God's Word and putting it into practice. With our finances it means to move away from debts and overextending.

How often do we focus on the large print of the monthly payment shown in the ad, and ignore what is shown in the small type farther down with our real cost of the purchase? Consider what that 18% or more interest rate is really costing you, or how much it is to pay nearly 3 times for your home during the time of the mortgage.

Jesus said in Luke 14:28 "For which of you, wishing to build a farm building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost [to see] whether he has sufficient means to finish it?" It is best not to be bound by monthly payments, but when assessing any purchase with them the wise thing to do is to follow Jesus - sit down and see if you will really have the future funds required while also accounting for savings and emergencies.

Another trap that has evolved is the constant use of credit cards, now accepted everywhere including for the very smallest of purchases, even vending machines. The trap is that it is painless to use them, because you're not aware of how much you've spent until the monthly statement arrives, which makes this trap very effective.

Two ways to miss this trap are to use a debit card instead of a credit card, because you can only spend money you actually have - or to keep track of your card spending by recording each purchase and by checking your card statement online at least once per week. This keeping a "pulse" of your spending in real time will prove to be valuable and eliminate the shock when the monthly statement arrives..

2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power and love and self-discipline." In making wise choices, stay away from timid thoughts of self-pity that you are deprived by not having a particular item right now, but instead focus that you are moving towards something - ownership of your finances rather than being a slave to them, being in step with God's will with your money, and the rewards that will come.

Finally, in persevering with your finances be encouraged by what Paul wrote to the Galatians in chapter 6 - "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

May God Bless you and show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

Walk In Love

But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself [and given distinction to] him who is godly [the man of loving-kindness]. The Lord listens and heeds when I call to Him. (Psalms 4:3)

What quickened me when I recently read this verse in the Amplified Version was the insight, or amplification that described an attribute of being godly as loving-kindness. And I thought, "how does walking in loving-kindness translate to our finances?"

Let's first look at our work, Colossians 3:23 encourages us "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men." If we strive to do our best, be obedient to those in authority (see Ephesians 6:5) and not seek to just get by, God will be honored in our work and we can expect to be blessed.

Now that we've earned our income, the next step to walking in loving-kindness is to honor the One who first loved us by giving of tithes and offerings. It is written in Proverbs 3:9 "Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income".

Because of our faithfulness in giving tithes, God promises in Malachi 3 to open the windows of heaven for us to such an extent there will not be room enough to receive it, and also to rebuke the devourer for our sakes. That is the loving response from our Father to our faith in Him, for it is written in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love".

Next, our walk in love financially includes being a blessing to others, that we should follow in the way of the Lord - "For God so loved the world the he gave". That can be towards individuals and families your see in need, or ministries. It can also be of your time.

And know in Hebrews 6:10 it says "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."

Walking in love applies to your spending as well. 1 Corinthians 16:14 states "Let everything you do be done in love." You might be thinking "how does that apply to my spending?" It is very important that we carefully consider how much we value something before we buy it. Many people have basements, garages and closets holding numerous items they felt they had to have at the time, but ended up rarely used.

The best test for this is to take our time and wait a couple of days or longer, so we can weigh whether this item really meets our hearts desire, or is something that just grabbed our attention and excitement from the advertisement or seeing it in the store. If you take this step your money will go further, you will have less clutter and you will feel more confident in your purchases.

Lastly, remember this small excerpt from 1 Corinthians 13:8:

Love never fails.

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

Paul

Treasure In Heaven

“But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal.” (Matthew 6:20). In this passage Jesus was describing to us what He had seen to be the truth of what occurs when we give of our finances… our treasures are transferred up to heaven.

He also was accurately illustrating of what happens in that everything we gather on earth is eventually destroyed… and conversely, everything that we gather (give) towards heaven will last eternally.

tithes, offerings or financial blessings to individuals? We are taking what were originally earthly dollars and they are being converted into heavenly dollars, by our loving Father who knows all.

Read in Mark 12 the account of the widow’s mite. There were many rich persons casting large amounts, but it was the widow offering two mites who captured the attention of Jesus. It was because He knew she gave all that she had, which is why He said “she has put in more than all those contributing to the treasury.” That response from Jesus tells us how He looks upon our hearts and not at the surface.

Recently our church completed an annual special offering to help feed the people of Haiti, who are still continuing to recover from a devastating earthquake in 2010. Those funds helped to feed those in great need, and our Father promises to remember it as being unto Him – “Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least of these My brethren, you did it for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

This scripture also refers to rewards that come from giving outside of finances. It speaks of welcoming and lodging a stranger, visiting and ministering to the sick and coming to see one in prison.

As we consider the unseen penetrations of our giving - financial and otherwise, we will be more eager to help and cheerful in the process, which in 2 Corinthians 9 is shown to be the attitude that God loves… “He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without a cheerful, joyous, “prompt to do it” giver, whose heart is in his giving.”

Lastly, be encouraged to exercise your faith and your “spiritual eyes” to the vastness that is God’s Kingdom, which we can experience from reading His Word and obeying – “Consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.”

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

Paul

Settled In Your Heart

Settled In Your Heart

          Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6)

          The most important aspect in our efforts to become free from debt is to settle in our minds and hearts that we are committed to following through.

          Sometime after our household achieved debt-freedom including our mortgage, I heard a voice of encouragement from the Holy Spirit about this chapter of our lives, saying clearly "Because it was settled in your mind, it was done in Heaven."  That short word expanded my perspective on the value of commitment and the spiritual implications.

          Understanding first that what we set our minds and hearts to are to be things based in scripture.  Psalms 37:5 reads "Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass."  The key words in this verse are our commitment and trust in the Lord, and He will bring it to pass.

          We should know that the Lord instructs us to be free of debt, Romans 13:8 says "Owe no man anything, except to love one another."  So we can be confident that our commitment is in something good, which will be blessed.

          The last time we covered procrastinating and overcoming our "lions", we also must be mindful to not put simple excuses in the way - "He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap."   (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

          Your flesh will suggest a thousand excuses to delay this effort, from "just wait until ______ , or you can't start now because ______."  If you put it off, something else will come along to delay you further, getting you deeper in debt. 

          You may think if paying off your debts like trying to build a 100-story building.  But I know from our experience and from others who shared their testimony that all you have to do is to start and commit to it... and it will happen for your household.

          Why am I so sure? Read 1 John 5:4 - "For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith."  You will be victorious in this endeavor, as it is born of God and you will overcome any obstacles, He will see to it because His word has been spoken over it.

          While we were paying down our debts, our furnace went out.  It was February and very cold so we had to move quickly on a replacement and it was very expensive at the time.  God not only saw us through that bump in the road, but He blessed my wife and I with unexpected raises which propelled us towards debt-freedom even faster, to His glory.

          Have you planned a vacation to go someplace nice, and spent the next months and weeks thinking about how great it will be?  Wasn't that pre-vacation experience similar to exercising your faith?  As opposed to a vacation we have little control over, our God promises to bless our efforts aligning with His will, so think on what it will feel like to be rid of those debts and the freedom you'll have.

          Lastly, when settling in your heart about commitment, consider another blessing from the Lord... but it is just for those who are committed - "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those who hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)

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

Paul