Not July 2023

 

Not July 2023

    In Psalm 124 it begins "If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side..." with the chapter then speaking of the defeats Israel would have suffered had this not been the case.

    The picture above is from July 1993, when my wife Karen and I bought our first home... and signed those dozens of documents everyone does, including the main one (the mortgage) that we promised to make monthly payments over the next 30 years. Like most young couples it was a happy and exciting time, but regarding this home we did not realize that the Lord was going to bring a much happier and much more exciting time to us.

    At this time we also carried credit card debt. The first step the Lord led us to for victories in handling finances occurred in 1995, when on New Year's Day I felt the leading that we should make an effort in paying off our credit cards in this calendar year. We moved forward together in this and before that year was out those debts were paid off. That would help set the foundation for what came next.

    In February 1998 we attended a community education class titled "Debt-Free & Prosperous Living", where Dan Wieczorek taught a 3-hour class from a textbook of the same name authored by John Commutta. In this class it exposed the real problems with credit and borrowing, supported by sound mathematics. It also showed a proven strategy for attacking debts to pay them off one-by-one. When we left the class the calculations from the materials estimated it would take us about 4 years to be debt-free. (This was better than average, as most households are closer to 7 years)

    The materials were great, but what really "clicked" for us was the realization and connection that being free of debt was something spoken of in God's Word - "keep out of debt and owe no man any thing" (Romans 13:8), "the borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverbs 22:7), and many others. I recall saying this in a positive tone to Karen, "we really have to do this" and "this is God's will".

    We then chose to fully commit - by taking out all our savings to the last $200 to put towards the mortgage, accepting additional part-time work, and near the end even utilizing 401K savings by taking out our own loan for half of the balance to pay back later. That last action was not mentioned in the textbook, but something we realized was available to us, as we would just take some months off from saving and investing and apply that into the removal of debt.

    A few months into it, God chose to suddenly and unexpectedly move on our behalf, unto each of us. Karen worked for the county government, and you probably can guess how structured their pay scale is. Her job classification and pay was instantly changed, resulting in a 15% increase. The owner of our company called me into her office, and she mistakenly wondered if I was happy there (I genuinely was) and seemed concerned, and after assigning me some very minor duties she had given me more than a 10% raise.

    That wind of the additional funds blew into our sails, moving us more rapidly through the process each month when our standard mortgage payment was due. As in addition to the required amount we would be paying several extra months of principal and even a year of principal in some payments.

    We had challenges too, including the need for a new furnace, but God continued to bless our efforts. The rapidity of removing debt continued and in November 1999 we were within reach. We had a cashier's check cut for the final remaining balance of the mortgage, and since the mortgage company was local, we had the privilege, excitement and testimony to share with them of being able to come in person and present the last check to them.

    This was a tremendous victory, but it would not have occurred without the continued encouragement of God's Word and Him blessing us and moving on our behalf.

    In the middle verses of Ephesians 5 it speaks of walking in wisdom, understanding the will of the Lord and redeeming the time, and it was meant to cover a broad range of areas. I have felt more connected to those verses after seeing what God did for us. Karen and I feel as though we had 23 years given back to us... 23 years that we did not have to make those payments, as this month - July 2023, would have been the date of the final payment had we gone about it the "traditional" way.

    If this topic gets you thinking "I would like this to happen for our household" or "I want to experience this too", I encourage you to take your next step and to contact the church and attend a future Debt-Free & Prosperous Living class that Karen and I teach. The class is free.

    Let's conclude with what was written in the last two verses of that first scripture reference at the beginning of this post - Psalm 124, as that is how Karen and I have felt God's blessing, and you can too:

We are like a bird escaped from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

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

Paul

    

Good Soil

 

Good Soil

    "As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in once case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty."

    This verse from Matthew 13, spoken by Jesus, came at the conclusion of his thoughts regarding how people respond to hearing about the kingdom of God and the Word of God. Today, let's see how this relates to our finances.

    Jesus described the person with good soil as one who grasped and comprehended the Word. 

    It shows the reaction of one who realized that the Word was of great value - and something of more value than what they currently believed, so they grasped it. Think of how people will flock to purchase a new technology or wear a new fashion... but for these people who grasped the Word of God, they knew it carried much greater importance, including eternal salvation.

    He also said they comprehended the Word. The root of the word used includes to consider, understand and to put together. It shows a desire to dig deeper, to meditate, to ask "how can I apply this to my life?" In living this out there is certainly more time devoted to it than simply hearing it at the onset.

    I'll share briefly what my wife Karen and I did when we received the revelation that God wanted us to be debt-free, that He was on our side 100%, and how we grasped and comprehended the Word. This was after we went to a debt-freedom class and realized the concepts lined up with God's Word.

    We took all of our savings down to the last $200 and put it towards our mortgage. Karen said she felt more peace at that time than ever before, because she had hope. I chose to take a second and third part-time job, and Karen a second part-time job to help pay down our debts even faster.

    You may not choose to push as hard as we did, however you can still grasp and comprehend the Word, and move towards becoming debt-free.

    The second portion of the verse mentions yielding fruit - thirty, sixty and even a hundred times as much. You can and are achieving that yielding of fruit as you give to the Lord in your tithes and offerings. 

    First, looking at our home church, your giving partners in proclaiming the gospel out to not only our community, but on our web broadcasts to reach those in other areas. Our church sows seed into numerous missionaries across the globe - to places you have not seen, but your giving has reached the people of those lands, having an impact on their lives eternally. And looking ahead, your giving helps nurture and establish Godly foundations in our children in their teachings each Sunday, with that bringing forth fruit now and in the generation to come.

    Even in our recent giving to provide food to the kids of a nearby elementary school, it conveys the love of Jesus towards those parents and their children, something that shines even brighter in this time of the world trying to remove God from its mindset.

    I'll share briefly again how God has shown His truth to us in this verse of yielding fruit. After we became debt-free, our pastor heard of it and said "you have to teach us what you learned". So we studied the class materials, acquired textbooks and added to the teaching many scriptures related to debt and finances which inspired us, kept our focus and encouraged us. We included these scriptures in the materials for all to take home, so everyone could have that support available going forward.

    After that first class at our home church, our pastor said "you have to teach this to other churches". So we contacted other pastors and taught the class at dozens of churches in Minnesota, Colorado and Wyoming. We received numerous testimonies back from households that paid off their credit cards, cars, and even retired their mortgages. We firmly believe that beyond the concepts of the class, it is in the supporting scriptures that have led and sustained many to follow-through and achieve victories in their finances. 

    God and God's Word are very, very good. However, it requires our soil to be right for that seed to perform its work.

    Lastly, be encouraged that in making the right choice to have good soil (grasping and comprehending God's Word), that its value is permanent and lasting - "But few things are needed--or indeed only, one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42)

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

Paul

In Everything

 

In Everything

    "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God."

    This familiar verse from Philippians 4, if followed, will literally take us and carry us from our current condition - perhaps on a winding and unpredictable road as shown above, through to the "other side" in every matter including with our finances.

    . Are you experiencing anxiety with your finances? Come to the Lord with your cares, for God dearly cares about you and He is listening. Paul states that we come "with thanksgiving". If it is a struggle currently, it may be a challenge for you to find things to be thankful for, but pause and think and locate some area(s) to bring thanks to God for - and you can always refer to what Jesus said in Luke 10:20, "...but rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven."

    Just as Paul conveyed here, "in every circumstance and in everything", he meant exactly that. Regardless if it is a large need or small - bring it before the Lord. It may begin with your occupation, asking God to provide wisdom for solving a problem or helping grow your company - which can lead to your being rewarded, or it could be deciding whether to pursue a new position at your employer or elsewhere.

    After you've earned your wages, lean on the Lord and His Holy Spirit to bring wisdom in making wise purchases... or in not making certain purchases at all. When it is something substantial or requires a lengthy commitment, those are the most important times to bring the situation before Him, and wait until you receive peace to go in a certain direction. Taking that time you can test if your desire continues for the purchase or if it drifts away. Waiting also may allow the Lord to open a different door in His timing, but we'll lose that opportunity if we do not wait upon Him.

--On the topic of waiting, I encourage you to click on the Archives section at the right side of this page to the March 2017 post, titled "Wait and Move".--

    For moving towards freedom from debts, humbly ask God to bring you wisdom for what areas of spending that changes can be made. Be open to His leading, as it may be in categories you had not considered before, or may require you to do something your pride and your flesh will resist, but in the end God's wisdom will triumph and show its enormous value.

    Paul also used the word "wants", as in "making your wants known to God". This word is significant in showing God's overflowing and abundant generosity - as the word chosen was not "needs", it was "wants". The Greek word relates to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require, in addition to request. God is inviting us to bring our desires before Him... beyond our needs. The key then is for our desires to be for right things that agree with God's will. That is the progression of the promise found in Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

    It is written that God desires us to be free of debts, so we know we can bring this before the Lord to lead us towards freedom from them, and He will do so. Make this part of your petition and "definite requests" to Him. 

    Lastly, in your time of waiting for God to answer your prayers, keep close to these encouraging verses from Lamentations 3:25-26:

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

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

Paul

    

    

Don't Play The Fool

 

Don't Play The Fool

    "Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly." (1 Samuel 26:21)

    

    With this post beginning on April 1st, I felt we could gain much wisdom if we look at what God's Word says about what He calls the fool, their actions and thoughts... so we can avoid those ways, mainly focusing on our finances.

    The first reference to a fool in the Psalms appears in 14:1 - "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God...".  So how does that look regarding finances? The fool, who feels God does not exist, does not regard Him as their source and that their own strength has brought them their wealth. This fool obviously will not honor the Lord in tithes and offerings, which then leaves them ineligible from God's promised blessings for doing so including opening the windows of heaven for them (Malachi 3:10-11).

    This next concept is the most important, which is why it is displayed in multiple verses:

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes... (Proverbs 12:15)

A fool despises his father's instruction and correction... (Proverbs 15:5)

A fool has no delight in understanding... (Proverbs 18:2)

But fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7)

Do you see the theme? The fool sees no need of gaining wisdom, because they feel they know it all, even when his own father tries to help him. We can learn from this and grow, by recognizing our need for wisdom. This first comes from feeding on God's Word daily to bring us the constant nourishment we need for that day's challenges, and to store up for use at the appropriate time to be applied. Second, we can increase our understanding in our finances, applying the foundations from the Financial Fitness Page (I encourage you to check out the Archives section), and from others who provide sound, biblical financial knowledge.

    In gaining personal financial wisdom, I will again make mention of a fundamental truth. You need to know where you are currently at. Therefore it is critical to log your expenses for one to two months, then go over your findings. Everyone who does so finds areas they were spending more than they assumed once they laid it out. That knowledge then shows where you can make choices to reduce spending and use those funds lower your debts.

    In the opening of Matthew 25, Jesus spoke of ten virgins and referred to five of them being foolish, because they took their lamps without any extra oil with them. This lack of forethought is also brought up in Proverbs 21:20 where it is written "the foolish man spends whatever he gets." We are also charged in 1 Timothy 5:8 to provide for our relatives and own family - however, look at the root word of provide (pronoeo), and it shows "to consider in advance, look out beforehand".

    

    God wants us to be wise and part of doing so is making reasonable and thoughtful provision for the future. This is not to attempt to accumulate such enormous wealth in a driven manner that the person then falls into the other trap of trusting in their riches, rather than in God.

    With this, think of an analogy of making a moderate length car trip. The fool will not even look at the gas gauge, the wise person will consider the length of the trip and have enough in the tank plus some more in case of detour, and the greedy gasping person will employ a gas tanker to drive behind them in case they run out of gas on their own.

    Consider this next verse from Proverbs 14:16 in regards to a questionable purchase, either because it sounds too good to be true or has aspects that warrant further study... "A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool is arrogant and careless." If we look back on some buys we have made and regretted shortly afterwards, an application of this verse may have steered us clear from making it in the first place.

    If you identified yourself as having "played the fool" in some of the examples above (I have done so) and regret doing so... take courage! Because having that regret already shows you are in a better state of mind than the fool we mentioned, who has no delight in understanding (Proverbs 18:2).

    Lastly, be encouraged with these verses from Ephesians 5:15-17, and what I share beneath them:

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

I will share briefly how these words spoke to my wife Karen and I when we were in our infancy of getting out of debt. Once we knew it was God's will for us to be debt-free, these words were a source of strength - speaking to grasping onto the will of the Lord and living wisely. Once we paid off our mortgage and saw how that action saved 23 years of future payments, it brought a sobering thought to the portion of "making the very most of the time", as we then felt we had 23 years given back to us from the Lord by His wisdom. 

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

Paul

 

    

    

Defend

 

Defend

"Forsake not (Wisdom), and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you."

    This verse number 6 along with all of what was written in Proverbs 4 shed divine light on the enormous impact of embracing, gaining and walking in wisdom. And what fruit it brings to the believer who practices it. 

    Today, we will focus on a few places we can apply wisdom to our finances to "defend" us from spending more than necessary... think about what you earn as "offense" and what you spend as "defense", and we always want to end up with more than we spend - this concept is always important, and even more challenging today with the rising prices we see.

    As you likely experienced much higher gas bills this winter, a good way to "defend" yourself from paying more in the future is to invest now in caulking, weather-stripping, insulation and energy-efficient devices. You probably are set with the temperatures you keep your home at, so a little DIY project to make these changes can help reduce your bills while keeping the same comfort level.

    For food and supplies, give the store brand items a try if you have not done so, or expand your selection by sampling something new. Many are made in the same factories alongside the name-brand items, and all retailers will refund your purchase if it was not acceptable, so you have nothing to lose.

    For dining out (or carry-out), check out your restaurants website or apps. More and more establishments from fast-food to fine dining are offering substantial discounts if you sign up. In our household, we have received many discounted or free entrees throughout the year and it is very easy to receive the savings.

    Insurance is one of the neglected areas of expense control for most. Many households begin with one company and never compare coverage and cost, while continuing to pay hundreds or thousands per year. Take the time to do two things - first, look at your deductibles and consider raising them to save on your bill. Insurance is best used for the large and over-whelming event, not every small occurrence, which is what makes it so expensive. Second, invest an hour and contact providers to see what they can offer for savings while maintaining coverage you feel is needed. You will see the savings from both efforts continue year after year.

    When you are set on buying something, consider pre-owned options. It takes just a few minutes to check out Craigslist, eBay or a growing number of online clothing and product outlets. You may be able to find exactly what you are seeking - at a fraction of what it would have cost to buy brand new. You could even sell some of your excess and add to your "offense" of earnings.

You cannot succeed at this or any other "game" if you do not know the score, right?

    That is why you have to keep tabs on where your spending is in real time. As most of us use credit or debit cards frequently, it is imperative to go online and view your account frequently. That is the only way you will be aware of exactly how much you have cumulatively spent during the period of time before your bill arrives. This brief step allows you to make "half time adjustments", so that you are not behind when the bill comes.

    One other way a good defender plays is to wait... not committing too early and getting out of position. It works the same way with us and spending. If you are encountering a sizeable purchase decision, I encourage you to wait overnight before committing. Allow this time to think it through clearly, see if the Lord is impressing upon you a certain direction, and also to "sift" how much you actually want that item.

    Look up at the picture we began with. Identify the shooter with the ball as one trying to score and get you to spend more money. See how there are two defenders guarding closely? You are one of the defenders and you are not alone:

    In Malachi 3:10-11 it is written, "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, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts."

    Our Lord has promised specifically to be there at your defense. It may be in the form of a discount on something you were not expecting, Him keeping your cars, appliances running and other items lasting (like the clothing and sandals in Deuteronomy 29), or even preventing an accident that would have been costly. Our God is limitless in ways to both bless and prevent calamity as He sees fit.

    Lastly, be encouraged by what is written a little later in Proverbs 4, in verse 22 it describes what is to be received for keeping His word and wisdom - "For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh."

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

Paul

Boards of Faith

 

Boards of Faith

    "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, took heed and constructed an ark for the saving of his household..." (Hebrews 11:7)

    Our Pastor Aaron recently reflected on Noah's faith in his message, speaking about the human-ness Noah would have dealt with in working decades constructing an ark on dry land that had never seen rain. How he dwelt alongside a wicked generation that had no interest in the things of God, yet Noah persevered... board by board, in faith unto the Lord. Every day that Noah woke up and began work by measuring and cutting those boards - each of those completed boards showed a completed step of faith. 

    It can be visualized the same way with us in our obedience to God in our finances.

    Like Noah, we have been given specific instruction from the Lord. First, to honor, love and give to Him in tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10-11). Then to be wise stewards who spend less than we make (Proverbs 21:20), and to be generous towards others in need (1 John 3:16-18).

    Each time you make the wise choice in these areas, it is finishing another "board" of faith, which goes against the grain of the world around us. Most in the world view what believers do in obedience with their finances with the same disinterest they did with Noah and his ark and following God.

    Unlike Noah, we are not fashioning boards and assembling them together for one horrific event... we are having the daily mindset to humble ourselves before our God, submitting to Him in reverence. Bringing our first fruits to Him, denying ourselves to the excesses of this age, and when giving to others doing so in the name of Jesus Christ. However, like Noah, each of these is being done in faith.

    Each of those three areas (tithes/offerings, avoiding debt, generous giving) will have an impact on this lost generation around us. Our tithes and offerings support the good news being spread out in our community and also to our missionaries around the globe. Our avoidance and reduction of debt can be an open door when others see such a different approach. And our giving in Christ's name will always bring glory to God, as it has the capacity to reshape that person's view of God and that they are loved by Him.

    In regards to the unbeliever, those "boards" we are assembling do work towards an ark for them in the form of Jesus Christ, who is the Savior, Redeemer, Counselor, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Rock, True Vine, The Way, the Truth and the Life.

    So be encouraged in your daily faith with how you handle your finances, knowing how each positive step in this area strengthens your faith in God, and with the power of the incorruptible seed has the ability to make an eternal impact for others.

    Lastly, take with you these two faith-filled verses, which have the power to support you in times of need:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29)

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

Paul

2023 - In God We Trust

 
                               

2023 - In God We Trust

"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

    As we cross over into a new year of 2023, let us dig into God's Word about trusting Him, reinforce what that looks like and endeavor to abide in Him.

    First, let me comment on the top half of the picture above - the photographer made a wonderful capture of the nickel coin showing Thomas Jefferson's gaze straight up, towards the heavens and not to the right or left. It should be in that same manner with us, not looking to the supposed wisdom of others but only to God.

    In 1 Corinthians 2:14 it is written "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him..." Those of this world and who instruct others out of this world will direct you to a different way than God's Word shows, because it is folly to them.

    Let's begin with our giving to the Lord in tithes and offerings. With the world this is folly, they see it as giving unto "religion" or to an "institution", but in His Word God makes it clear this is unto Him personally (bringing food into His house)... even to the degree that He promises in Malachi 3 to personally respond, by Him "opening the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing" and "rebuking the devourer for our sakes".

    Think about how you already trust the Lord with your eternal salvation.

    Compare that to trusting Him with just 10 percent of the money you've earned.

    Looking at debt, many "financial experts" instruct you to not pay off your mortgage for the tax break. The truth is your interest rate is not really the 3-7% advertised in the large print (unless you pay it off in one year) - for most it is actually in the 60-80% range. Just look at your amortization schedule, there you'll see how much is paid to interest (well over half) and how much to principal reduction each month (much less than half). Click on the archives section of this page to December 2020 "The Death Pledge" to see this in detail.

    These "financial experts" also advise you to simultaneously purchase their stocks and mutual funds while continuing to pay high interest rates in debt. Remember this, you will not receive a guaranteed rate of return for investing to outgain what you are paying in debt interest rates.  Think of it like having a hole in your bucket draining out faster than you can put in. The "expert", who receives a commission when you buy stocks and mutual funds from them will not get paid for that advice, will they?

    I am not trying to sell you anything... just presenting God's Word and the sound fundamentals that are evident from what is written there. And what is written there in Romans 13:8 encourages us to "owe no man any thing but to love one another", and also warns us in Proverbs 22:7 that "the borrower is slave to the lender". 

    This is another area we place our trust in God, following His Word rather than the world around us. It requires trust in Him to put down our flesh that wants to buy everything placed before it immediately. It requires trust in Him to have a more reasonable and modest home, cars, clothing or other things for a time rather than attempt to "keep up with the Joneses" or to try and impress those around us. The fact is most of those you may be trying to impress are deep in debt dealing with financial stress and trying to impress those around them.

    Looking to others in need, there may be times to trust in God, when giving generously. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah came upon a widow and her son, down to their last morsel and asked her to make a small portion for him. The widow obliged, and the Lord supernaturally multiplied their provisions until rain came to their land, and later restored life to her son, who had stopped breathing.

    We are also encouraged in Psalms 126:6 - "He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping (at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing) shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." God promises to respond to those who trust Him, whether it is in giving to Him, following His ways for our finances, or in giving to others.

    Lastly, for 2023 carry with you this simple verse like you would a bill in your wallet to spend at the time needed:

    "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act" (Psalm 37:5)

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

Paul