Diligent To Know

Diligent To Know

       "Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds; for riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?" (Proverbs 27-23:24)

       The wonderful book of Proverbs will so often take simple aspects of life and provide deep lessons to apply for our daily lives in other areas. In viewing commentaries for these verses, I have seen it include the application to church and family ministry, running a business as well as the obvious parallel to know the state of your finances and investing. Today, we will mainly look at applying it towards debt freedom.

       The key word in this scripture is diligent... we see it in many verses. Its definition includes "having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties", it implies to be industrious, attentive, thorough and having continuous action.

       So how would that look in reducing our debts? The first step is to know where you are at, both in the overall picture and what is happening currently. Write down all of your debts, the total amounts and the minimum monthly payments. In one place you can now see what is in front of you - and later we will go over a proven plan to reduce those debts.

       Next, for one to two months, keep your receipts and record every dollar you spend and what it was for. This is critical, as it will show exactly where your spending is occurring that you may gloss over repeatedly and not know just how much is going to that category. Many years ago I did this exercise with sticky notes and it worked just like an X-Ray, showing me where spending was occurring and how much was underneath my daily conscience, which prompted changes to occur.

       This is a trickier age to curb spending, because of how credit cards are used in the majority of purchases. It is an ideal setup for the card companies to make money - allow the card holder to build up charges throughout the month without their direct knowledge of the total amount, and then slap them with the big, accumulating bill at the end... complete with exorbitant interest charges should the amount not be paid in full.

       You can be diligent in this area. Go to your card website and view your accumulating charges at least once per week. That will prevent a "sticker-shock" moment from happening when the monthly bill comes in to pay, and will help keep you in line throughout the month.

       Having recorded all your spending and keeping tabs on that credit card balance during the month should help reduce some excess spending, and now we can look towards paying off those debts.

       On the sheet you made with all your debts and minimum monthly payments, take the one with the lowest monthly payment and aim to pay up to 10% of your monthly income in addition to that minimum payment - while for the other debts, only pay that minimum monthly amount.  Continue to do so until that first debt is paid off... then the next month you now have freed up the monthly payment you were making to the first debt, and have that entire amount to roll into the next debt with the lowest minimum monthly payment, and so on. 

       From paying off that first bill, you will feel strengthened that you have a level of control over these debts and optimism for the future as you are seeing a plan moving forward to be debt-free. And by being excited from the results, you will find other areas to curb excess spending. If you are diligent, you can be encouraged that the average household will pay off all their debts in 3-4 years, and can then pay off their mortgage in another 3 years!

       My wife Karen and I teach a free 3-hour comprehensive class on how to gain back control of your finances and be debt-free. The class also focuses on the supporting scriptures that it is God's will, which I believe makes all of the difference in remaining diligent and encouraged to becoming debt-free. Consider it this way - going to the class will give you more ammunition to work with then you have currently. Please contact Broomfield Assembly if you are interested in attending a future class.

       Lastly, if you believe it is God's will for your household to be free of debt, then be encouraged to pursue that goal by what is written in Romans 8:31 - "What then shall we say to all of this? If God is for us, who can be against is?

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

Paul

       

       

 

Grow

 

Grow

       "Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land." (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2). 

       This time we will change gears - to looking at how to successfully manage and grow what you have after your household has achieved a level of freedom from debt

       . To be clear, if you still have debt outside of your mortgage (or perhaps any debt including your mortgage), investing long term should only be done within a 401K where your employer is matching your contribution - because you cannot get a greater guaranteed return. Persons trying to invest while carrying debt have a "hole in their bucket", because they may make some return on their investment, but the certain drain of interest charges from consumer debt will overcome that return.

       Referring back to the scripture above, encouraging us to be diversified, we live in a advantageous time, where it is easy to have investment diversification. Mutual funds can be a good vehicle, however I will focus on one method that has proven very well - index funds.

       Briefly, index funds buy and sell stocks from a segment of the market, or even the entire market - the S&P 500 companies, the 30 Dow Jones companies, and the Russell 2000 are a few examples. The two best reasons why these indexes perform consistently well is summed up in (1) very few professional investors outperform the market, and (2) indexes are a low-cost way to invest, because their fees are minimal, allowing more of your returns to grow.

       Over the past 15 years, a study showed nearly 90% of actively managed investment funds failed to beat the market. Meanwhile, a 30-year return of indexes shows the following:

S&P 500 gained 10.7%          Dow Jones gained 10.99%          Russell 2000 gained 9.29%          

In addition to the cost savings from small management fees, index funds offer a tax advantage. Since very few stocks are sold during the year, the fund generates fewer capital gains than an actively managed fund would.

       Some people try to "play" the stock market, seeking an extravagant return, however I would point the way to Proverbs 13:11 that says "Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it." Choosing index funds provides you with a reliable low-cost method to diversification and a confidence that you will never underperform the market.

       The most important aspect in this is to monitor your heart regarding money, as it is written in Ecclesiastes 5:10 - "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless."

       Lastly, consider the ultimate investment you can make, converting earthly dollars into heavenly dollars... treasures in heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 6:20 for us to "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."

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

Paul

Without Walls

 

Without Walls

       He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. (Proverbs 25:28)

       God is speaking to us very personally here, and we all should easily be able to relate - whether assessing our own responses to situations when we've allowed our flesh to dictate our actions, or seeing the results of others whose demonstration of this verse became clearly visible.

    

       In biblical times, the sturdy walls of a city as the one above were the main protection against foes, which would otherwise come in to steal and overthrow them. It is not much different with each of us, if we do not rule over own spirit, the enemy and our flesh will attempt to steal from and overthrow us.

       As it relates to our finances and debt, it has never been easier to get into trouble and more challenging to maintain a distance from overspending than today. This is due to the ease of obtaining credit cards, their acceptance in every corner of the marketplace, how monthly subscriptions and payments are loaded onto cards, and especially our ability to purchase nearly anything online 24/7 - including online gambling.

       Whether it is ourselves or others we've observed, those who repeatedly give in to impulse spending have their "walls" broken through, usually resulting in heavy credit card debt, a multitude of things not needed, along with the constant burden and stress of how to pay for it all.

       That is why to have a purposeful "rule over our own spirit" is of such importance. And the best "rule" to employ so that we will rule over our spirit is to always look to God's Word for direction. Psalm 119:130 tells us "The unfolding of your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple." We all need the light from the Lord to see plainly... both inside and outside ourselves.

       This light comes in multiple ways, one is the obvious direction that comes from a verse such as Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." You know this to be true if you've reached a sizeable level of debt to where it feels like you go to work and labor as a slave week after week just to turn over that money to your lenders.

       Another way that light from the Word benefits the believer is how it increases our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. If we are listening, the Holy Spirit will disclose to us if an action we are considering is not God's will, and also will lead us with His peace if we are to go a certain way, and thus we can go in perfect confidence. As mentioned, with so many opportunities available to overspend in this day, we all the more need the Holy Spirit's direction.

       I encourage you to set for your household a goal, a setting in place of a "wall" that in one month from now your credit card balance will be less than it is today. Then build upon that "wall" that in the next month following it will also be less than the previous month. Ask the Lord to help you be inflexible to overspending in this effort, and He will certainly answer that prayer.

       Remember in your prayers that it is a glory to God for our finances to be in order, so take with you these words from Jesus - "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:13-14)

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

Paul

Older Than The Hills

 

Older Than The Hills

       "The Lord formed and brought me (Wisdom) forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old."

       This verse and others from Proverbs 8 give us a glimpse into the longevity and importance of Wisdom as well as the omnipotence of our God.

       There is a segment of people who feel God's Word is "old fashioned", "out of touch with today" or "not relevant in this age". The truth is it continues through the centuries to be proven as fruitful and blessed to the Believer, while pointing out (in advance) the calamities and stumblings which will occur to those who disregard it. That ultimate longevity and accuracy proves who authored it... Almighty God.

       As it relates to debt and finances, consider that regardless of how mechanisms for borrowing have changed throughout the ages... at the time the Bible was written there were not yet credit cards, online transactions available 24/7 and the ease to get into debt that now exists - it was pledges and basic contracts, yet the principles of God's Wisdom continues to precisely show the right way 2,000 years later.

       That is the beauty of this Book, it matters not what the topic is or what point of time is involved - because every single word shows itself to be true.

       Our first area to see God prove the truth in His Word is in giving to Him in tithes and offerings. He literally issues a "challenge" to us in Malachi 3 to put Him to the test, in return for our faithfulness He declares to "open the windows of heaven and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need". How about that! We first acknowledge Him as our source by giving, and He gives back to us, confirming who He is. I can tell you that He has always proven faithful to us in this area, as will other Believers if you ask them.

       This continues in giving and being generous to others as well - "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:24-25). God is showing how He watches over all our actions of generosity and giving, not just those honoring Him directly through the church, and will respond.

       In considering larger financial matters and especially borrowing for them, Jesus said "For which one of you, wishing to build a building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost whether he has sufficient means to finish it?" Being prudent in our assessment of the situation is important here, as we have seen many who did not and as a result lost homes, cars and more.

       When it comes to discretionary and impulse purchases, look to Proverbs 12:5 that says "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty surely comes to poverty". This can cover larger things as well. Think back to when you've made hasty or uninformed buying decisions and how many of those proved to be wasteful. We can avoid many of those mistakes by pausing and planning instead of simply buying something on the spot.

       To properly lay a foundation of wisdom, look to verse 34 of Proverbs 8: "Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." Part of "watching daily" is to be reading God's Word daily, listening to Him for wisdom and eager to apply it to the situation that arises.

       Lastly, take with you what is written in Proverbs 4:6 - "Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you."

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

Paul

        

       

       

       

He Guides the Humble

 He Guides the Humble

       In Proverbs 25:9 it is written, "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." Today, we'll look at what I feel is the single most important aspect within to achieving freedom from debt... being humble.

       When presented with the concept of making significant change, as in making a plan, adhering to a budget and becoming debt-free, many will initially turn away from the idea just because of their pride. They consider how it would feel or appear to others if certain changes were made and then decide it is not for them. Those swayed by pride will take on deeper debt, convinced they will make enough money down the road to cover it. Later however, a number of those same persons become forced into making the drastic changes just to stay afloat when they reach their credit limits, incur a drop in income or suffer a hardship.

       In Proverbs 6, starting in verse 16, it lists things the Lord hates with the first stated to be a proud look (the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others). This carries such weight because God knows this attitude includes underestimating God Himself and the wisdom He proclaims, which includes owing no man anything except to love one another (Romans 13:8).

    

       The pride of a person and fear of what others will think, cuts them off from turning in the direction of prudence - to curtail or remove certain excesses in their spending. In contrast, one who reveres the Lord acknowledges with a mindset of "this is Your will for me, I can step forth in faith knowing You are with me in this, regardless of what others may think."

       At times here, it's been listed certain areas of spending to address that will make a difference. The beauty of pursuing being humble is that the Lord has promised in our first verse above to "guide the humble... and teach them his way". That makes our part much simpler, to place our focus on being humble and with the Lord - which opens the gateway to receiving from Him, including specific instruction on what step is right to take and what to avoid.

       God also speaks of His approval towards those walking humbly, stated in these and other scriptures:

Those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11)

But this is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word (Isaiah 66:2)

True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor and long life (Proverbs 22:4)

       Lastly, know that the Lord is on your side as you choose the humility He desires...

God opposed the proud but shows favor to the humble (James 4:6)

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

Paul

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