Looking Forward

In Hebrews 11 it speaks of the faith of Moses and how he preferred the hardships of following God, saying "For he looked forward and away to the reward." In the area of overcoming debt, have you been looking at your bills and figures or looking forward to your reward?

The photo above is muted on purpose, so you can picture yourself there. It is from my wife Karen and I making final payment on our mortgage in 1999. Can you see yourself there? It may seem like quite the leap of faith. Two of the requirements are to first see yourself in that position and second to take the steps paying off your smaller bills which will allow you to be able to retire your mortgage.

Nothing has ever been accomplished great or small, without first birthing the completion of it in one's mind. Every Olympic medal athlete, doctor, published writer or championship team (like the Broncos) had to first see the vision of their goal. Even for simple tasks - you had to first envision in your mind that you see the church website before turning your computer/device on and clicking to arrive here.

The importance of vision is proclaimed in Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision the people perish." The root word perish in this verse does not mean dying, it refers to loosen and to go back. You know how true it is that if you do not "keep in mind" to do certain things that you will instead allow it to go undone. It is no different here... first envision yourself becoming a debt-free household.

Determine which of your bills has the smallest total balance. Now focus on paying that smallest bill down to zero while paying only the minimum amount required towards the other bills. Next, go after the smallest bill that remains and pay that down to zero while still paying the minimum towards the others (You're paying the same total amount but towards fewer bills). Continuing in this way you gain additional leverage each time because you've freed up more money as each bill is retired.

You will also experience the strength of knowing you have fewer bills to deal with than before. It's a lot like lifting weights, a person does not immediately go after lifting 500 pounds, instead they train and build up gradually gaining strength towards their goal. Continue working through your bills until only the mortgage remains. Once you've reached that stage you should be able to make double or triple payments and will see it erased in 3-5 years typically.

Lastly, consider the example of Jesus envisioning the future, for which we benefited so greatly and for all eternity. "For the joy that was set before him endured the cross." (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus was not focused on his suffering, he was seeing the joy before him knowing how many of us would be saved and his sitting at the right side of God's throne. I encourage you to focus on the joy set before you... it can be done.

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

Paul

Time For Your Money

          “Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil”, is written in Ephesians 5:16 so that we would regard how valuable time is in our lives – to be used wisely towards His purposes.

          The Bible has over 2,000 references to money and resources in its pages. Combined with knowing that God also sees how we spend our time as important, let’s explore how we can put these together to achieve success in our finances.

          In Proverbs 23 it says “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?” Most of us don’t have flocks or herds, however it is speaking to our finances/wealth/possessions.

          If the only serious time you consider your finances is sitting down to pay your bills, you’ve missed the opportunity to plan in a way that will bring benefits far into your future. I’m not speaking towards long-term planning for retirement – that comes later. This is about simple short-term planning that anyone can implement easily.

          If you simply take some time to plan out some purchases or provide for needs which you know of, it can save you money every time. Consider these:

$ - You will minimize eating/drinking out if you bring coffee, lunch or drinks along with you instead of stopping to purchase them from vending machines, convenience stores and restaurants.
$ - You’ll save on groceries by planning ahead with a list (and sticking to it), cutting out coupons, shopping sales and buying in bulk. You can avoid the expensive convenience/drug store trips for small things this way.
$ - You can save automobile expenses, by utilizing an app like GasBuddy that instantly shows you the best prices nearby, and by also handling small things like oil changes and minor repairs yourself (YouTube can help here).
$ - You can avoid credit card interest charges by planning and saving for significant purchases in advance. Check out Craigslist or other sites for bargains on many pre-owned items.

          We can make the most of our time by getting before the Lord about our finances. Be honest and talk with Him about your financial shortcomings – just like any other area. Ask Him for wisdom and for patience in making decisions about spending. He promises to grant wisdom to those who are humble enough to ask for it.

          Another best way to use time is with patience… when confronted with a sizeable purchase take two weeks to mull it over, see what the Lord provides with direction and also to test your heart if you really want that item. There will be times which given that pause you will select to either wait and save up for it or to not buy it at all.

          The verse that preceded our opening scripture in Ephesians gives a clear direction to proceed, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).” God’s blessings will follow your finances as you practice His ways in them.

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

Paul

Choose This Day

    Choose This Day

         Soon, most of us will choose and elect leaders in government.  It should be valued - as many have given their lives for us to have this right, and also given importance as believers in Christ should weigh the attributes of godly leaders written in scripture, seek His face for wisdom and choose accordingly. 

      There is a choice we make each day that is written in Joshua 24, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."  This verse is meant to encompass every area of our lives, now consider how it relates to the way you manage your finances.

        Just like the statistics published of your favorite sport, test scores received, or even your device monitoring steps taken each day, your finances are easily measurable and show where your choices are being made and if you are successful reaching your goals.

        Every time you spend money, you are making a choice.  You're choosing what you have "traded" or exchanged for the hours you have worked to earn that money.  You should weigh whether what you're acquiring is worth the ____ hours you've worked to purchase it. Also think about when paying interest that you're trading hours worked just for having something sooner, not for the item itself.

       Each day we can make choices that will allow us spend less than we make (illustrated in Proverbs 21:20), providing the opportunity to reduce our debt load.  We can choose to...

        Reduce or cut out the trips to the expensive coffee shop, even brew some at home

        Spend less going out to lunch by occasionally taking a few minutes to pack a meal

        Seek out a less costly phone/internet/cable plan, capturing the savings every month

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

        Ask God for wisdom when considering any substantial purchase

        Monitor our credit card spending in real time, not just when the bill arrives

        Give tithes and offerings to the Lord, which blesses us now and in heaven

        These are just a few examples, you can think of more specific one for your household.

      Lastly, in Matthew 6 verse 21 Jesus said "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  Christ was illuminating the difference between placing our affection on this world and on God's Kingdom.  The two preceding verses clarify where our aim should be - "Do not gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.  But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven."

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

Paul

He Knows You Can

“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)

Because God knows all things… past, present and future – He knows what exactly wonderful blessings are awaiting you if you are obedient to Him. God will only call you to do what you are capable of, and He knows you are capable of being a good steward of your finances.

That ability to overcome – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), comes as you abide in Him. Take some time to consider on the awesome power available to you by yielding to the Holy Spirit which God placed inside of you. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). In the area of finances, self-discipline is the key to breaking through.

God says “Yes you can”

Take that step in faith in giving tithes and offerings to the Lord

Cut back on impulse and unnecessary spending, allowing you to pay down your debts

You can be encouraged and inspired that He knows you can succeed because He sees you as a new creation in Him. “You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

And if you have a setback, it is God’s Word there once again ready to restore you - “For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). God knows you are not perfect, what He is saying here is that those who follow after Him rise up each time after they fall, it is He who gives you the power and support to do so.

Finally, be strengthened in thinking on this verse of the rewards that are promised in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him”

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

Paul

Called Into His Light

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9)

This light of His shows itself among believers in Christ in many ways – our love for one another, a desire to give, to see the lost saved and pursuing righteousness are a few. To be called into His light as a special people includes managing our finances.

Take a look at the contrasts below of the world’s viewpoint and what is written in God’s Word:

The world’s mentality is to work as little as possible to get by… God’s Word urges us that “Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.” It continues on to say we will receive an inheritance of a real reward from the Lord. (Colossians 3)

Most people believe to get all you can for yourself… but God says to first honor Him with tithes and offerings, in Proverbs 3:9 it is written to “Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income”. Then we also give gifts unto others (Luke 6:38), and in return gifts will be given back unto us.

The mindset of many is to live and spend for today… however the Bible instructs us to consider well the state of our finances (Proverbs 27:23-24), and that we should spend less than we make – found in Proverbs 21:20, “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.”

And finally, the world feels the need to use all of your credit available… instead the Word has enlightened us to “Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another” (Romans 13:8).

If you find it a struggle to follow God’s Word for your finances, consider how you trust the Lord to be true to His Word regarding your salvation. Now realize that all of this wisdom came from one source – the Word spoken from God who created the universe and has always existed. He is able to see everything as it truly is and sheds His light on it to us.

Psalms 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

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

Paul

Your Independence Day

This month marks our nation’s Independence Day, a time to remember and be thankful for the vision of a free country, the struggles overcome and lives given in battle by our founders so that we could enjoy the liberty and freedom of becoming an independent nation.

You are living in a free country, but how much freedom do you have in your finances? Is there a tyranny of debt looming over you this day? The Word of God provides a description of this oppression in Proverbs 22:7 - “the borrower is servant to the lender”. We know this to be true in that it can feel like a slave to work all week and have so many bills left to address.

The good news is we can regain our freedom.

Just like our forefathers acquired independence one resolution, one action, and one battle at a time – we can move forward towards debt-freedom taking individual steps that when combined will add up and enable us to take significant strides.

Here is a list of some rapid-fire techniques and areas to look at changing that can create the room needed to reduce your debt load:

Caulk & insulate	Eat at home
Use coupons when dining out	Buy in bulk
Shop with a grocery list and stick with it	Buy the store brands
Never buy a new car or lease one	Reduce premium TV, internet, phone plans
Bring your lunch to work some days	Use your library (movies, books, magazines, CD’s)
Buy an Entertainment Book	Raise insurance deductibles
Host a garage sale	Set reasonable limits for gifts

The list does not cover everything, but it should get you started and have you thinking about what areas could be changed. What you have to ask is “how much do I want to get ahead and have freedom back in my finances, do I want it more than I want to possess these things”? You need to answer that yourself.

The fact is that when you make a few changes and have the new found money available to apply to debts (take your smallest balance bill first – pay it down and then move to the next smallest) and then see the result and the empowerment you feel, you will find more areas to change and freedom to take back in your life. By staying the course you will progress towards your Independence Day.

We sometimes think that doing without or reducing spending in areas will feel too confining. Yet, it is the monthly onslaught of bills and overspending that actually is confining us, and that is why we need to break free.

Matthew 6 brings things into perspective when in verse 25 it asks “Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing”? The answer is yes and the chapter later shares about the proper mindset – “But seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness, and then all these things taken together will be given you besides”.

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

Paul

As It Is In Heaven

Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven… (Matthew 6:9-10)

These verses begin a guide to prayer that Jesus provided. Now reflect upon what He said about “on earth as it is in heaven”.

Can you imagine there being any debt or lack in Heaven? Of course not… there will be only abundance and giving, as that is consistent with the loving character of our Lord. Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. In agreement to the promises in God’s Word and what exists in heaven, we can pray for those same things - healing, provision, deliverance, forgiveness -- and to be free of debts.

The book of 2 Peter speaks about the divine nature that He desires we become partakers of, it is described as coming through the full personal knowledge of Him Who called us. God desires for our lives to be fulfilled in Him, partaking in the divine nature in every way – joy, love, freedom from fears and sin are just a few.

I encourage you to get on your knees before God. Count your blessings and thank Him with a grateful heart for all He has done for you. Be honest before Him and ask for forgiveness if errors have been made with finances and ask for wisdom from Him for the future. In James 1:5 He promises to aid us - “If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God Who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly…”

God desires that each of us have freedom from debt. It may take a significant amount of time to fully achieve, but we can move forward taking steps each day that will lead towards reducing debts one by one. One of those steps is to recognize that the Holy Spirit is our Counselor (read John 14:26). Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when you are considering a purchase decision, He will lead you forth correctly by peace for that decision and peace with the results afterward.

Be comforted in knowing that God has a promise related to heaven for you to experience now – in response to our faith by first giving to Him in tithes and offerings… “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” (Malachi 3:10).

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

Paul