Give

 

Give

    "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"

    This cornerstone verse is not only one that believers have memorized, they also know exactly where it is found, in John 3:16. Because the Bible mentions giving over 2,100 times means we should seek to fully understand what it means and how deep it penetrates towards furthering the Kingdom of God. Today we focus on how this looks with our finances, and a little bit beyond.

    Let's rewind the tape to when you can recall being saved. There was likely someone involved who was giving - praying for your salvation, perhaps they invited you to church and spoke of God's goodness. If you accepted Jesus in a church, there was a Pastor who gave of himself towards that monumental moment... in prayer, study, leaning on God, listening to Him and being faithful in what God called him to do. There was also a house full of believers who had given faithfully in tithes and offerings, prayers for souls, and giving of their time supporting the work of the ministry.

    Jesus tells us that the parable of sowing and reaping is the very principle by which all of the other principles of the kingdom work. Simply said, there is very little that happens in the Kingdom of God until there is giving. 

    Moving to our finances, the first way is we give is not in the form of tithes and offerings. It is in giving of ourselves to work unto the Lord in our occupation. If we apply the points of Ephesians 6 to "be obedient to those who are our physical masters, having respect for them and eager concern to please them, in singleness of motive and with all our heart, as service to Christ Himself", including to "do the will of God heartily and with our whole soul... as to the Lord and not to men", we'll be a beacon to others and it will return to bless us.

    Now, that you have earned your wages from working unto the Lord, it is time to give back to Him. It is written in Proverbs 3:9 to "Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income". Your giving is to the Lord, but its flow goes towards reaching the lost in your community, nurturing the church body including our precious youth, and spanning across the country and continents through missions.

    And because giving is so at the heart of God, He in turn promises in Malachi 3 to show Himself greatly on your behalf for faithfully doing so. He states He will "rebuke the devourer and open the windows of heaven" to you.

    Inside and outside of our church body, be sensitive hearing the Holy Spirit to where you can give to others in need. This can be in the form of finances, but also in time and talents you have. Proverbs 19:17 says "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will replay to him". And in Luke 6:38 Jesus said "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over". We do not give to get, but God is restating in these verses how the principle of sowing and reaping is carried out from His point of view above.

    Somewhat in the same manner as the December post titled "What He Said", I want to share verses that Christ Himself spoke in the gospels about giving:

"How much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!" (Matthew 7:11)

"But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." (Luke 11:31)

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever." (John 14:16)

"For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

    To conclude, let's look at Matthew 25, where Jesus speaks of how it was known every... time... you... gave:

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.                                                   

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

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

Paul

2024 - Making The Most Of The Time

 

2024 - Making The Most Of The Time

    "Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, making the very most of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)

    In this chapter Paul was providing encouragement to have a spiritual sensitivity to how we spend our time. As we turn the page into 2024, I want to show how we can apply this verse to being wise stewards with our finances.

    Regarding your finances, think of how each segment - each minute or hour of your time generally fits into one of these slots:

Making money

Spending money

Saving money

There are segments where none of the above are occurring, however technically we are always spending money, because of commitments to certain bills like utilities where the "meter is running" every minute.

    In the first time slot of making money, we can make the most of the time as we work unto the Lord. In Colossians 3, Paul wrote "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily from the soul, as something done for the Lord and not for men." Putting this verse into action will be a witness for others unto God, bring success to your efforts, return to bless you, and will transform how you view your workweek.

    For a deeper look into this topic, click on the Archives section to the September 2021 post titled "For The Lord" or copy and paste the string below to view:

https://broomfieldassemblyfinancialfitness.blogspot.com/2021/09/for-lord.html

    In the second time slot, when we are in the actual act of spending money, this is when it will prove to be fruitful if we take time to listen to the Holy Spirit. As in any area, God's Holy Spirit can provide divine direction for you in a moment. You can lean on Him to ask "should I buy/not buy this?", or "what choice should I make among several options?". 

    The time you are doing this will prove fruitful because it is written "the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit". The flesh desires to move quickly and not consider the consequences. If we listen to the Holy Spirit, He knows exactly what timing is right for you personally along with all of the factors - those seen and unseen. The Word tells us we will be led forth with peace... the Holy Spirit will provide the peace you are making the right decision. If we do not follow the Spirit, we'll be more apt to follow our flesh in the marketplaces.

    And lastly, the time slot of saving money. This is really not when you could be physically giving money to a teller to put into your account. This is making valuable use of your time before you make a purchase.

    Consider how when at your work, you make $______ per hour. If you were to take... in some cases just a minute or two, and identify a way to spend less on a purchase you were going to make anyway, that you've saved that money. One quick example of this math: if you utilized the app/website of gasbuddy.com for one minute (which is all it takes) and located a nearby station that sold gas for 10 cents less and you put 10 gallons in your car, you saved $1.00. That one minute translated to the rate of $60/hour for your time. The beauty of this example is because it is a repeat purchase, the knowledge gained and savings realized continues - you can just check on current conditions every so often.

    We live in the greatest era to be informed consumers and not waste money, as it has never been easier to compare pricing, features and reviews, using your phone or computer.

    How about dining out? As you know it is becoming increasingly expensive. One way to use your time is to sign up for rewards online at your preferred restaurants. They will routinely send you offers to save money, with many including birthday meals and desserts (valid for a few weeks) annually. One more calculated real-life example: I took two minutes and signed up at a local restaurant, received a free birthday entree reward valid for a few weeks around the actual birthday and saved $20. That two minutes translated out to a rate of $600/hour for my time!

    Another approach is to use your time to explore pre-owned options for certain items. eBay, Poshmark, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace are among the many sites worth checking out to see if what you're considering buying is available at a much lower price. I can tell you that from my full-time employment working directly with eBay, they utilize their years of experience and take careful measures to make sure the buyer receives exactly what they were expecting, and will remedy any situation that arises to see that you are satisfied. Locally, Craiglist is another viable platform for certain types of items.

    One often neglected area of locating savings is with insurance. Take about one hour to do two things. Look at your deductibles and consider raising them to save on your bill. Insurance is best used to protect against the large and overwhelming event, not for every small occurrence, which makes it expensive. Then contact different providers and see what they can offer for savings while maintaining the coverage you feel is needed. If this one hour nets you a savings of even $100 it will have been very worthwhile and you will see the savings continue year after year. 

    As many ways and places there are today to spend money, there are as many ways available to us to save money on those purchases if we only take the time.

    So bring into 2024 these ways to use our time - working unto the Lord, listening to the Holy Spirit and gaining knowledge for wise purchases. And take with you this encouraging verse also from the fifth chapter of Ephesians:

For once you were darkness, but now you are the light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

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

Paul

What He Said

 

What He Said

"I am the Way and the Truth and the Life"

    Of all the words which Jesus spoke that were recorded, these ten put together most succinctly and clearly expressed the perfection of our Lord, and why we are to follow Him. As we collectively focus on the birth of our Savior this month, let's take a look at what He said (as you know, the words in red if you have that version of the Bible) regarding finances and what we can do walk in The Life which He mentioned.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). In the preceding verses, Jesus acknowledges we have needs such as clothing and food. What He is trying to capture here is our trust, as He knows and promises to us that as we first place our trust in God, He will show Himself faithful. Because He used the word "given", it states that God is taking the responsibility to supernaturally supply your needs of this promise. 

"Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). Jesus masterfully answered those that tried to trap Him, by expanding their sight beyond taxes to reckon with who God is and all He is worthy to receive. In our finances this can bring instruction to us in by placing Him "first in line" to give tithes and offerings before other things.

"For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:28) Jesus was talking of the cost to be His disciple, using a reference grounded in wisdom, which He obviously wants us to follow. Before we accept the next commitment financially - a large purchase with payments, a sizeable purchase without payments, or a monthly subscription, we need to sit down and take the time to review our standing and make sure we can absorb it, ensuring it does not put us into spending more than we make.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). This short verse, if we meditate on it... is certainly "sharper than any two-edged sword". Jesus was lovingly calling us to look back on what our spending and possessions have been towards... because it will speak to us in a way that no person in front of us could. Jesus went on to say we cannot serve two masters - God and money.

"Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities" (Luke 19:17) This principle is shown in several other scriptures as well. In your finances, show God you are trustworthy with whatever amount you have. In the areas of tithes and offerings and being generous, seeking to spend less than you made, even making small payments to reduce debt. God is always viewing our hearts, and in the area of paying off debts if we make even a modest effort towards retiring them I believe God will respond on your behalf... I have seen it happen in our household and many others.

"Gather up now the fragments, so that nothing may be lost and wasted." (John 6:12) Likely the intent of Jesus was to show how much more of the loaves now existed than before feeding the 5,000... however we know that God has a purpose for everything created, and that nothing should be lost or wasted. We can apply this in being prudent with our perishable food purchases, mindful to consume them before they expire. We can regard this concept by ending subscriptions or memberships we are not receiving the value for. If you have items not being used, sell them on craigslist or ebay, or donate them.

"But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20). Jesus warned about gathering treasures on earth in the preceding verse to this one. Here, He is bringing the glorious vision to us of what He knows to be the truth we will one day see - that what we have given on earth in tithes, offerings and giving to others will be lasting eternally. 

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

Paul

Forget Not

 

Forget Not

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits (Psalm 103:2)

    This simple verse of praise and remembrance - coming from a chapter speaking of the enormous, eternal and great ways of the Lord towards us, can also lay a meaningful foundation for us in how we regard our financial condition and giving to others.

    As we are approaching the Thanksgiving season... regardless of your current state of finances, consider these sobering statistics that reflect as an American how you compare to the rest of the those in the world:

-If your household has the U.S. median income of $71,000, it places your family in the top 4% of the richest in the world

-If your household has over $93,000 in wealth (all assets), it is in the top 85% of global wealth

-If you have sufficient food, decent clothes, live in a house or apartment, and have a reasonable reliable means of transportation, you are among the top 15% of the world's wealthy

-In the U.S., the bottom 10% of household income at $15,660 is over 5.5 times the average global income

    Beyond finances, we can be thankful to have access to reasonably good drinking water and basic sanitation, something that 26% and 46% of the world's population is lacking respectively.

    And returning back to our opening verse to "Bless the Lord", according to the U.S. State Department, 74% of the world's population lives in countries with serious restrictions on religious freedom.

    We have very much to be thankful for

    Why parade these statistics out? It is not to make you feel bad, but to understand how much you are blessed. I'll frankly share my three intentions, along with some encouraging verses related to them:

1) To increase your gratefulness to the Lord for His many blessings towards you, including being born in this country

At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father (Ephesians 5:20)

2) To realize that your condition is not likely as poor as you think, and to increase your willingness to humble yourself and make spending changes that will allow you to pay off debts

God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace to the lowly (James 4:6)

3) To have increased compassion towards others in need - especially around the world, and to give to help meet their needs

O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples! (Psalm 105:1)

That last verse encourages us to proclaim what the Lord has done. But also consider how we can "make Him known among the peoples" through our giving, which can reach beyond our physical presence all around the globe.

    To increase your awareness of how your giving is personally regarded by the Lord, read this verse and then the next one...

In Psalms 116:12 it is written "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? (How can I repay Him for all His bountiful dealings?)". According to the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, here is one way:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me".

Your giving becomes thanksgiving in the hearts of those needy others that receive from your giving

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

Paul

The X-Ray

 

The X-Ray

    There is a section of verses found in Haggai 1 that spoke to the people who had put themselves and their own houses above the Lord's. As you read, think about how these same words can also relate to our spending and our awareness of it:

    

"Now there thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you. 

You have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put them in a bag with holes in it. 

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways (your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared."

    Do you feel like despite earning what may be a reasonable wage for some time that you are not moving forward.. that there is little to show for all of your work? Does it seem like there is always more month left than there is money?

    I'm going to share what is the #1 tool you can use immediately that will quickly bring "the truth" to your eyes and help you get to where you want to be.

    Track and define every expense you make

    You probably think, "I know how much I spend on things". I challenge you squarely that you do not. Most people can probably rattle off their car payment, mortgage bill and a few other fixed amount bills - but to speak for the rest of their spending would be a series of assumptions and guesses.

    The first step is to track, this means logging every expense, no matter the size, as you make it. You can keep a notebook, index card or "write" it into your phone - it does not matter how, only that it is faithfully and accurately done. As you begin doing so, you will discover there were many more smaller purchases made than you first believed.

    As you are tracking your expenses, you will need to break them down into some groups and define them. Just knowing you spent $57 at Walmart is not sufficient, it is in knowing what items you bought that is equally important. This segmenting and defining is going to assist you into making judgments on those purchases.

  While you define your categories and slot those expenses into them, you will begin to see which ones you would call a necessity and which others were not... which ones were proper and which ones were extravagant.

    Once you embrace this concept and put it into action for one month you will see what was meant about not knowing exactly how much you spend on things. It will be illuminated perfectly like the picture above of the X-Ray. On the left side, you can see the skin, the form and some wrinkles - that is your current perception of your spending. On the right, you now see everything hidden and underneath the surface - that is after being armed with the knowledge of having tracked and defined your actual spending.

    Once you have the advantage of knowing exactly where your money is going, along with your defining of what is a necessity, it becomes much clearer what spending is not aligning with your real intentions in life. With this information you can make some changes to not only balance your spending, but to pay down debts and move towards freedom from them altogether.

    Years ago, I was frustrated at how little money I was ending up with. I began writing down my expenses on sticky notes. It was the most important step I took, because like an X-Ray it showed what was going on underneath my daily conscience and how much of a bite certain categories were taking. It was only then that I could make some choices to get where I really wanted to be... and you can too.

    Lastly, in encouragement to be diligent about recording every small purchase and to be good stewards of the resources God has provided to you, dwell on these verses from Luke 16 and Matthew 25:

"He who is faithful in a very little (thing) is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little (thing) is dishonest and unjust also in much". 

"His master said to him, Well done, you upright and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy which your master enjoys."

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

Paul

    

The Diligent and The Sluggard

 

The Diligent and The Sluggard

    

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!

Which, having no chief, overseer or ruler, 

Provides her food in summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep -

So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels with slowly but surely approaching steps and your want like an armed man.

    These verses, beginning in Proverbs 6:6, are meant to be confrontational to the reader (see the exclamation point?), as here and in several examples we'll cover how God is illuminating the difference between being diligent and a sluggard. As we're exploring this today, think in terms beyond your occupation to include the care and handling of your finances.

    There are seven call-outs in Proverbs mentioning one who is diligent, and six referencing the sluggard - nearly all these verses list both individuals into each verse to illustrate the stark differences observed in the two, both in their present state and in what their future holds.

    Let's first break down the meaning of each. The definition of diligent says "having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties", and it also implies continuous action. The Hebrew translation and root words include "having determination, being eager, alert, to decide and to move". While for sluggard the definition conveys "a habitually lazy person", with the Hebrew translation saying to "lean idly, being slack and slothful".

    Next, we'll dig into these verses and what we can do towards obedience in them:

He becomes poor who works with a slack and idle hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. (Proverbs 10:4)

The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor. (Proverbs 12:24)

Both verses declare that the sluggard will see poverty. And if you consider the weight and commitment of large debts in our current society, it is nearly the same as being put to forced labor. Alternatively, we are encouraged that diligent work will eventually bring wealth and promotion.

Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:29) 

This verse relates closely to the most recent one, bringing encouragement that God will reward your obedience of being diligent with success. He has placed within you the ability to succeed in your vocation, and one of the great "thrusters" to doing great work is to work unto the Lord - read Colossians 3 and also reference in the Archives section the post from September 2021 titled "For The Lord".

As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are sluggards to those who send them. (Proverbs 10:26)

This verse illustrates matters from the viewpoint of the owner or supervisor, how they will come to regret giving a sluggard a task... as the result will be bitter for them and sore to their eyes.

A lazy man won't even dress the game he gets while hunting, but the diligent man makes good use of everything he finds. (Proverbs 12:27) TLB

This is referencing how even after obtaining wages or material possessions, the slothful one will be unresponsible with them. For the diligent one, it speaks of how the possessions are precious to them and that they will not be wasted.

   

Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. (Proverbs 20:4)

Here we see that the sluggard is impervious to the obvious times to be doing required tasks, and how they are lacking in the end as a result. We can head this off by planning ahead and taking decisive action at the appropriate times and seasons.

The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied. (Proverbs 13:4)

My opinion here is that biggest difference between the two is that the diligent one understands the relationship between their work and supplying their needs, while the sluggard has yet to consciously make that connection. There is also a hint here that the diligent has their "appetite" within reasonable parameters.

The thoughts of the steadily diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want. (Proverbs 21:5)

The productive mindset of the diligent one leads to their abundance, while the other person "chases" things (money-making schemes, deals too good to be true and impulse purchases without thought) that leaves them unsatisfied and only wanting more of them.

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)

To fulfill this, keep a close eye on your work and your finances. Review where your spending is occurring and what can be improved towards the goal of reducing and removing debts. Regularly assess your savings and retirement account performance that they are productive.

The sluggard is wiser in his own opinion than seven people who respond with good sense. (Proverbs 26:16) NET

This person is in the same path of The Fool (see the April 2023 post). They have so much lofty pride and belief in their own wisdom, there is no entry point for anyone else - or the Word of God to penetrate. We combat this by being open, to receiving what is good... that comes from the Word of God, His servants like Pastor Aaron, and other sound sources like this post.

    Looking back to our opening verses from Proverbs 6 of considering the ant, and how it continued with solid instruction... think about how the real Author of all Scripture is God, who created the ant, and obviously built into that creation the diligent characteristics spoken of, so He could teach us from that little insect even until this day. He is also the One who will move on your behalf to fulfill the rewards spoken of for being diligent.

God Bless you may He show Himself greatly to you,

Paul

The Secret

 

The Secret

    Paul the Apostle wrote in Philippians 4:12 – “I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.”

    Paul faced many “straitened circumstances”, which translated means he did not have enough at times for necessities and had few possessions. This was in addition to the persecution he endured faithfully through.

    In the next verse, Paul explains the secret… “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency).”

    Paul’s clear grasp of this strength is amazing, when you consider he was not among the original disciples that were taught personally by Jesus. Those persons received direct daily impressions and observed how Christ handled each situation and persecution to perfection – all the way to the cross, to glorify His Father. Paul received his strength the same way we can, by faith.

    It was Paul’s faith in Christ, that began after being struck down on the road to Damascus, which emboldened him to fearlessly and tirelessly proclaim the gospel to all, challenge the religious establishment, and write so much of the New Testament. This was despite being flogged, lashed, beaten, in dangers, going without food and sleep, and exposed to death.

So how does this relate to our finances?

    Going back to verse 11 in that chapter, Paul stated “I have learned to be content in whatever state I am.”

    If Paul could be content throughout his extreme trials by strength received from Christ, the question then is... how much more so can we be content and “endure” the relatively minor circumstances that may come from obedience to the following in our finances?

-Being faithful in giving tithes and offerings to the Lord

-Spending less than we make

-Reaching out to help others in need

          

This is not meant to be a hard message, but to simply demonstrate that in these two living examples in God’s Word – the life of Christ and the life of Paul, they personified contentment.

 -Being content to trust in the Lord with your tithe will overcome any fears of not having enough. 

-Being content is one of the main keys to reduce over-spending and to then reduce debts.

-Being content will release you to give generously in love to others. 

    And to do these actions, the strength comes from Christ, knowing it is His will and He is with you and will bless you for being obedient. He is on your side.

    To nurture that strength from Christ, receive from Him daily in the form of reading and meditating on His Word. In 1 Corinthians 2:16 it is written "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ". This mind of Christ comes to us from the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit will always agree with what is written in the Word of God. That is why it is foundational to be in the Word - to be able to confirm and then run with confidence what we perceive to be from the Spirit.

    Lastly, for instruction in finances and a remembrance of trusting God's hand holding closely to ours, let's remember these encouraging words from Hebrews 13:5:

"Let your character be free from love of money and satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have; for He God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support, I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you!) (Assuredly not!).”

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

Paul