Removing The Noise

 

Removing The Noise

       "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)

       Most of us can agree about the prevalence of the enemy in society at this time, in nearly every place and arena, attempting to influence those who know and do not know the Lord to go astray. Today, we will look at where this influence is attempting to sway us away from God's will in our finances and how we can remove that noise.

       Beginning with much of advertising, the goal is to excite you into spending, whether you have the money or not. In freely using sensuality, greed and covetousness, they attempt to lure you in, to indulge beyond your good judgement. They don't care if you even have the money, because they also entice you to simply charge it, or make "easy" monthly payments.

       Upbringing and peer pressure can influence you. Your parents may have freely given into excessive debt, growing up in school with the "crowd" wearing certain brands and having expensive gadgets, and today attempting to keep up with neighbors, friends and coworkers all contribute to the noise attempting to steer you away from what you know is right.

       And of course, our own flesh, which in Galatians 5:17 is stated to be opposed to the Spirit. The flesh tries to veer us away from the correct path, pleading that we will not be happy if we do not buy that "thing". 

       All of the noise above will never mention one thing - what are the consequences of that purchase? The ads do not show the person struggling to make those payments. Your parents probably did not share about the stress of their finances with you, nor are you likely allowed to know about the anxiety of your neighbors and coworkers to make ends meet. And certainly your flesh will never raise the aspect of when that bill becomes due.

       How do we remove the noise? The answers are God, God and God.

God's Word: He holds all wisdom (Daniel 2:20). As we take in His Word as a necessity and meditate on it, the Word becomes a sifter to us when the noise appears, giving us discernment to know what is right and wrong and to discard the influences that are false and lead to destruction, moving forward only in what is right.

God's Presence: Getting alone and quiet before God, thanking Him, confessing shortcomings, meditating on His greatness and especially listening to Him will quickly remove you from the noise, bringing you the words you need to hear. And James 1:5 invites us that if we lack wisdom, to ask of God, who gives generously to all.

God's Holy Spirit: He is called our Counselor in John 14, and is ever present in you. When the noise is audible to buy something sizeable or enter into an agreement, turn your inner ear to the Holy Spirit, who will bring to remembrance all you have learned, will always agree with the Word of God and His trademark is we will be led forth with peace.

       Lastly, in removing the noise, reflect and remember this from Psalm 46:10:

       "Be still, and know that I am God"

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

Paul

         

          

          

2021 - Seek Ye First

 2021 - Seek Ye First

          "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

          As you may be eager to turn the page into 2021 and a new year, I want to direct your focus on the one aspect that will make all the difference... seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.

          In the second portion of this chapter in Matthew, Jesus covers a spectrum of concerns we all have - our thoughts for tomorrow, eating, drinking, clothes, longevity and money. And He shines His glorious light on the one step we can take that He then in turn promises to cover it all - seeking Him first.

          As just mentioned, Jesus is covering a spectrum of our concerns, and here we will translate how it applies to our finances.

          Let's begin with how we should go about earning our wages, in Ephesians 6:5-8 it shows an excellent attitude for us to carry into our workdays as a servant. It starts by being obedient to those above us, showing respect towards them with concern to please them as if we were serving Christ Himself. To operate this way will bring life and energy to your efforts, a positive testimony of the Lord in your workplace, make you a valuable employee and return to bless you.

          Once you've received your wages, then place the Lord at the front of the line - by first setting aside your tithes and offerings to Him, before paying out any other thing. This is seeking first the kingdom of God, as it supports your local church which reaches the lost, strengthens the believers it serves and also supports missionaries and their callings to the unsaved and oppressed throughout the world.

          Seeking Him first with giving does not conclude with tithes and offerings, it extends into being sensitive to hear the needs of others and responding to them. It may be in lending a hand to someone, meeting a need for them financially and praying with them. It also includes serving in your local church, as God has given you unique talents that were placed there by Him to advance His kingdom.

          In our spending, I feel there is one scripture - Proverbs 21:20, which God uses to clearly illuminate the differences in two paths... "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." It simply instructs us to spend less than we make.

          Earlier in Matthew 6, Jesus also made a single-verse statement which cut to the chase of where a person places their focus - "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." This is meant to be a noticeable barometer for us to see where we are at... is our treasure (and heart) being placed at the feet of our Lord and others in need, doing His will and furthering His kingdom, or is it going to what will eventually turn to dust?

         Jesus summed up the chapter by declaring the power and reach of God Almighty to address our concerns and circumstances by stating if we first seek Him, that then "all these things taken together will be given you besides." Because He used the word "given" it states that God is taking the responsibility to supernaturally supply those needs of this promise, so you can trust Him.

          Lastly, I want to encourage you towards one thing which does not involve finances. If we are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, we need to be continuously learning about Him by reading and meditating on the Word of God. Seeking this first means making it a daily priority, planning the time to be set aside... but not in a sense of duty, instead viewing it as an opportunity to learn more and more about our loving Almighty God and His ways.

          We have the thoughts of our loving God written on these precious pages, and as we read them, receive them, love them and obey them we will experience the very life that Christ came to give us abundantly!

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

Paul

          

The Death Pledge

 

The Death Pledge

          

          Jesus called the devil a murderer from the beginning and He also stated "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance."

          Why is this post titled The Death Pledge? Do you know what the origin of the word mortgage is? It comes from the Latin word "mortuus" (dead) and the French word "gage" (pledge).

          If you have entered into one for some time, it may feel like a pledge to the death, but the good news is it does not have to be that way - we'll cover that aspect a little later.

          First, let's focus on the Amortization Table. Many have never seen one or realize that it shows exactly how much of your payment in a given month goes to Principal, how much to Interest, and the Balance remaining. In this example below we are using a $519,000 home with a 3% interest rate at a 30-year term.

          See how nearly $1,300 of the payment is going to Interest, and just under $900 to the Principal? When viewed this way, it feels like you are paying 59% interest and not the 3%. It's really just 3% if you pay it off in one year. This is factoring a historically low interest rate, when traditional rates are applied the table tilts much greater towards the Interest paid.

          At this low interest rate, it takes about 7 years for Principal paid to even equal the Interest paid, and by that time you will have made over $183,000 in payments, but only paid down about $83,000 from the Principal, still owing over $435,000. See the results in black-and-white below.

          For our first mortgage at 6.65%, it was to have taken 20 years for the Principal paid to be greater than the Interest paid.

          

          Now for the good news - you don't have to plod along this traditional way, working hard in "servitude" for 30 years. You can break free and gain your freedom!

          Regarding the methodology in the Debt-Freedom Class my wife Karen and I teach (and steps also found throughout this blog), the first debt to be paid down is that with the smallest monthly payment, and you progress to where your mortgage is the last remaining debt - so here we are covering only the mortgage segment.

          By making an additional payment amount beyond the mandatory monthly amount, that money is applied directly to the Principal - reducing it dollar-for-dollar that is paid. By taking this step you are gaining substantial additional equity every month, will have even more Principal reduced by your normal monthly payments, and rapidly move towards retiring the mortgage. Most households who follow the plan (first paying down other debts) then pay off their mortgage in 3-4 years.

          Remembering that Amortization Table, imagine you are the Mortgage Company... would you ever want a lender to pay down that amount early, or to just send you a check every month? Of course you would say "just send me a check every month."

          If you are considering a refinance option, reflect back on that Amortization Table and realize that they may say they're shaving off a percentage point or two in interest rate, but what they are doing with another 30-year note is plugging you back into the top of the table where you've just seen you're paying the most towards Interest and the least towards Principal.

          If you refinance, request to see what the payments look like at a 20 or 15-year mortgage instead of settling for 30 years. Some lenders allow you to set exactly the number of years you want - so you don't have to go back into that top of the table again.

          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?" His topic was the commitment in following Him, and thus He used a parable all could understand.

          Remember you are not bound to paying a mortgage the traditional way. The Lord will help your cause in this - in our household God blessed us both with unexpected raises shortly after our commitment, which brought us to freedom even sooner, and we have heard testimonies of others who have had similar blessings occur. 

          That mortgage was not scheduled to be paid off until July 2023... had we not decided to go a different way.

          "For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome". (Jeremiah 29:11)

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

Paul

          

          

           

Unless A Seed...

 

Unless A Seed...

          John 12:24 tells us "Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it will only be a seed. If it dies, it will give much grain". Jesus spoke here concerning both His future sacrifice and to us in how to view advancing His kingdom and grow ourselves.

          So why is this familiar picture above from The Wizard Of Oz shown? Remember how the three characters Dorothy encountered all sought something they felt lacking - a brain, a heart, and courage?

          Now also recall how when they left their places, had compassion for Dorothy, and journeyed towards the Wizard Of Oz that in the end it was not the Wizard who gave them what they sought - as they had previously believed. It was as a result of moving forward and especially when they risked their lives in rescuing Dorothy from the castle that the qualities they already unknowingly possessed came out and made a difference.

          Just as the characters from the movie, you already have all the supreme qualities God desires to come out inside of you, placed there by His Holy Spirit. As believers in Christ, we have sown into our hearts God's Word, which centers around love, compassion and giving. As you continue to read and meditate on God's Word, you learn more about how this love is expressed by yielding to the Holy Spirit. 

          Our flesh will resist dying in areas and reaching out in faith to help others, but it is when this reaching out and dying occurs that the "much grain" which was proclaimed by Jesus will appear. I feel the Amplified Bible brings it out best in Ephesians 3:19 to say "That you may really come to know practically, through experience for yourselves the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience". It is by experiencing, practicing, walking towards others that we will come know the love of Christ.

          So how can we "die" in the area of finances? One way is to consider where our treasures are (see Matthew 6:19-21). If we are consumed with spending on ourselves and ignore the needs of others and the Lord's work it will show in our spending. Even beginning with the tithe, as through our church people are reached and ministered to both locally and around the globe through missionary support, affecting their eternal destiny.

          If tithing and giving offerings is a struggle, the first place to look is at your discretionary spending. Consider what is the end result of those "things" that were purchased... they turn to dust. Now consider what Matthew 6:20 says - to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, which lasts forever. If we "die" to inflated discretionary spending habits, we will then have sufficient means to tithe, give offerings and give to others, which will yield "much grain".

          Certainly, there are many areas we can apply the "dying" that Jesus spoke of and see a harvest. Lastly, be encouraged by what is written in Galatians 6:9:

"And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart."

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

Paul

          

Like A Thief

Like A Thief 

          "If the owner of a house had known when the robber was coming, he would have watched. He would not have allowed his house to have been broken into."

          In this portion of Matthew 24, Jesus is speaking in a parable about the suddenness of when He will come again, and to be ready. Let's draw from this concept about being prepared in our finances.

          The definition of thief states, "a person who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or violence."

          How do we allow "stealing" to occur in our finances? One way is by giving into our flesh. James 1:14 says "each person is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire". 

          

          When we do not check ourselves in the marketplace or in front of the computer, and let our desire for things run rampant, the result is that many purchases later show to be for things which were not needed, frivolous or extravagant. If you peek into your closet, garage or basement, you probably can identify several items that fit this description.

          To improve in this area, seek The Helper that Jesus sent for us - His Holy Spirit. The Word says the Spirit will guide us into all truth and will provide us with peace. If you sense that uneasiness inside considering a purchase, wait and seek God's will and timing before moving forward. 

          Additional "stealing" happens when we fail to plan. From small matters, like having to stop at an expensive convenience store or vending machine, to the estimated 40% of household food that is wasted. Planning ahead and bringing lunch or coffee to work on occasion can reduce some of this theft in our finances.

          Then onto larger areas, the cost of our not having prepared for a known future purchase - by saving the money for it, results in either borrowing or charging on credit cards, which currently average over a 14% interest rate.

          The Living Bible version speaks it well of how Proverbs 21:20 encourages us to make provision for what is ahead - "The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets." 

  

          Look at your subscriptions, memberships and monthly automated charges to your credit card, if you are not using them or receiving the value for them you should, break off that theft and you will see the positive result repeat each month.

          To help precisely locate the thief in your finances, I strongly encourage you to write down every expense for the next month or two. Most people are stunned when they realize exactly the real amounts they're spending in areas versus their perception. It is like an X-Ray at work, showing what is beneath the surface. 

          We also must make sure WE are not a thief. In Malachi 3:8, God declares "Will a man rob God? Surely not!  And yet you have robbed me. "What do you mean? When did we ever rob you?'  "You have robbed me of the tithes and offerings due me."

          The Lord goes on to state there is a curse for committing this robbery, but also promises His provincial blessing for being faithful in this area - including opening up the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing so great it cannot be contained, and He will rebuke the devourer for our sakes.

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

Paul

          

          

My Prayer, Your Prayer

 

My Prayer, Your Prayer

          "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

          This month I would like to share with you an example of a prayer of mine for our families and members of our church body regarding finances, and for you to consider these areas in your prayers to the Lord.

          Thank you Lord, for this is the day that you have made. We, your people, will rejoice and be glad in it.  I ask that you provide us with strength, wisdom, efficiency and accuracy to do a good work this day - that we would work unto You. That our communications, conversations and cooperation would be beneficial and encouraging to our coworkers, and would bring glory to Your Name.

          That potential customers would favor the companies we work for in their hearts and minds, and that they would be pleased with their purchases. Give us direction regarding new work opportunities - encouragement to pursue doors that you have opened, and acceptance of doors that you have kept closed to us.

          Once we received our wages, that we would be mindful to first set aside the tithe unto You, and offerings as well. That we would give from a heart of honoring and loving You, and not a feeling of compulsion. That we would be sensitive to the needs of others inside and outside our church body, and give towards those needs.

          That we would be diligent to know that state of our finances, so we would not be surprised as bills arrive and be prepared to pay them. That we would be mindful to follow your Word and spend less than we make. That You would guide us to use prudence and patience in our financial commitments, obtaining all the facts while seeking your will first and waiting for your direction before acting. 

          Lead us towards finding, relishing and being content in You, and not seeking contentment in the things of this world. When we are in the marketplace and at our computers, give us wisdom and promptings from your Holy Spirit that we would purchase only what is needed. 

          In Jesus name... Amen.

          Certainly there will be very specific and personal matters to you, I hope this may help illuminate some areas to include, or spark some others in your prayers to God. If you would like me to agree with you in prayer, please feel free to seek me out and we can agree together.

          Lastly, be encouraged by what is written in Psalms 145:18 - "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth".

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

Paul

          

          

   

          

It's Already Happened

It's Already Happened

          "Remember the former things, which I did of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose." (Isaiah 46:10)

          There simply is no one else who can make that statement than the Lord God Almighty. As in our church body currently, Pastor Aaron has been teaching us in the book of Revelation, and we can see the alignment of things - which overwhelmed the comprehension of those from the past, all pointing towards what has been written for so long.

          With His omniscience, just as He'd seen all of these future events coming, He also knows exactly what will be your future as you obey Him.

          God declares in Malachi 3 that we "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground."

          This promise is tremendous, but the Lord also spoke in a rare way here - He said "Test me in this". The Hebrew word used is bachan, which means to prove. The Lord is emphasizing His ability and willingness to respond to our faith in this area, even going to the degree of challenging us to test him.

          If tithing has been an area you've yet to yield to the Lord, I invite you to set aside those funds to do so with your next paycheck - even if you have to do without something or pay a bill short. Give the Lord the opportunity to show Himself faithful to you, I know it is His personal pleasure to do so, to make Himself be more real to you and strengthen your faith in Him.

          The same God who wrote these words of what is to come on Earth and all of His creation, is the One who will personally fulfill His promise to you in scripture.

          Likewise, in the area of giving to others and being generous, it is written in Proverbs 19:17 "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him." And in Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over..."

          God can confidently state here what will follow the believer who obeys, because He is the One who will see to it those events occur that cause that person who gives to be enriched - with the premise that believer will then be all the more generous in seeing the Lord continue the cycle of sowing and reaping.

          I'll share something very personal to you... after my wife Karen and I became debt-free, during a time of prayer I heard the Holy Spirit in a clear voice say regarding getting free of debt that "it was done for you in Heaven because it was settled in your heart and mind." And we did experience unexpected and generous blessings overtaking us as we progressed (see the October 2014 post "The Wind In Our Sails").

          What we read about on these pages of scripture are spiritual truths, spiritually these are already realities. These all become actual truths to us here on Earth as we step out in faith and obedience, because the One who wrote them all will see to it - as to the Lord, who sees from the beginning to the end, it's already happened.

          Lastly, let your faith be encouraged in these words spoken by Jesus in Luke 11:24 - "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

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

Paul