These are but a few of the Scriptures that show us very clearly what God's will is for us concerning financial wealth. God's financial attitude is very positive for us, as long as we acquire the material wealth in an honest way and use it wisely for His glory. God's will for us is to achieve financial freedom so that we may be able to serve Him and the needy around us.
Recognizing Financial Bondage
Financial bondage is a hindrance to all Believers. We can tell when there is financial bondage stopping us from accomplishing all God wants us to do.
1) We are stormed and bound by excessive debts that are overdue, and we have no way of paying them.
2) Our thoughts are dominated by schemes of how to get rich quickly.
3) We cannot supply our needs or those of our family.
4) We are getting ahead of the Lord's plan.
4) We are not living within our means. We spend more than we earn.
5) We have sleepless nights thinking about money.
6) We are dishonest in financial matters.
Causes of Financial Bondage
1) We are not trusting God for our finances.
2) We are trying to keep up with the neighbors and peers.
3) There is misuse of finances and lack of planning for our finances.
4) We are making unwise business decisions and getting involved in illegal deals.
5) We are driven by greediness and lavish living.
6) There is a lack of tithing, and we are robbing God.
7) There is a spirit of ungratefulness about us, and we have a stingy attitude.
8) We are spending' excessively, buying on impulse, and misusing credit
cards.
9) There is slothfulness about us.
10) We are having the wrong job, making too little to meet the needs.
Achieving Financial Freedom
It is possible for anyone to achieve financial freedom if he sincerely follows and practices the financial principles found in God's Word. One thing we have to know is that financial freedom is not measured by how much money we have or the abundance of our material possessions. We may have a lot of possessions and still be in financial bondage; we may have less, and have financial freedom. Some people can easily create wealth no matter where they are put, but others find it hard. We must realize that God, who is the giver of wealth, will only entrust us with what is within our ability to handle. He expects us to take steps forward and enlarge our ability to handle finances. If we desire to achieve financial freedom, then there are some things we must do.
1. We must put God first by building a good foundation (Mt.6.33).
a. This includes being faithful to the giver who owns everything.
b. This includes understanding and transferring the ownership of all our possessions into God's hands. We are to be his steward (Jos.1:8; Mt.25:23).
2. We must stay away from debts.
It is necessary to keep away from debt as much as possible (Pr.22:7; Ps.37:21; De.28:1, 12). Debt can cause us headaches. We are to do all we can to keep out of debt.
3. It is necessary to think before we spend.
Always think before spending. Avoid indulgence and have an accurate written plan for our money. We must develop a budget that will guide us in using our money wisely. Planning ahead will help us know what to expect out of our money.
4. We must work hard.
We need to start out early in life with a good work ethic, learning to be a good worker. Do not expect something for nothing. For true and lasting success, we must be willing to pay the right price (Pr.22:29; 31:13-17). This includes:
a. We are to work with delight.
b. We are to learn to rise earlier in the morning.
c. We are to shop around and be on the lookout for good buys,
before we make major purchases.
d. We are to learn to be creative.
e. Do not be lazy.
5. Giving to God's work guarantees financial help from God.
God will bless us more as we learn to share our blessings with others (Lk.6:38; Pr.3:27-28). We are to be ready to help our neighbors or those who are hurting.
6. We are to trust God with the finances we receive.
Learn to trust God for finances (1Jn.5:14; Phil.4:19). Some Christians think that poverty is the gateway to true spirituality. This is not true. Both wealth and poverty have the potential to take us closer to God or away from Him, depending on our attitude. We can view wealth as a tool to be used by God to further the Gospel. We can view poverty as a reason to cry out to God, get into His methods of building wealth, and follow His financial plan. Wealth by itself is not evil. In fact, God desires our prosperity (3Jn:2).
7. We must learn to manage money well.
If we do not manage our money well, we will soon have money problems. We should not spend more money just because we are making more. Learn to invest it into God's work and for future use. Do not buy things impulsively. Work things into our budget (Pr. 13:23; 21:17; 27:23-24; 6:6-11; Ec.5:8).
8. It is good to pay yourself first.
Every month, set aside some money to be put in some kind of saving or investment program. It does not matter how small this amount is, just do it (Pr.21:20). God wants us to have wealth so that we may accomplish certain things.
· It is to be used to serve Him in spreading the Good News.
· We are to generously help the needy. It will be seen as a way of witnessing to them the goodness of our Lord.
· We are to meet our own needs, our family's needs, and the needs of God's family.
· We are to learn how to share with others.
Dangers to Avoid
1. Gaining wealth unjustly is condemned by the Lord (Ja.5:4; Ps.62:10)."For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some, by longing for it, have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang" (1Ti.6:10-NASB).
2. When we love wealth and accumulate it, rather than putting it where it belongs in serving God and our fellow neighbors, we can easily ruin our spiritual lives and destroy our health and families. We should never let our possessions dominate our lives, but rather seek to find contentment in our families, friends, and in our faith in the Lord. Money should be our servant in every aspect. Let us reach out and bless other Christians with the blessing that the Lord has put under our care.
3. We should think before we buy things.This is especially true about expensive things. We must not allow our excitement or our desire to block our judgment.
4. Always think long-term. It is necessary to plan ahead. Do not allow the present situations to control our lives.
5. It is necessary to be patient. Many people try to become rich quickly. This can lead to illegal and hurtful schemes that will bring much harm to a person and the Body of Christ.
Tithes and Offerings
When we tithe ten percent (10%) of our income, we are in essence expressing our gratitude to God, and at the same time, recognizing Him as the Giver, the Provider, and the Owner of all we have. Tithing was instituted in the Old Testament, before the Law, and was reaffirmed by Jesus (Mt.23:23) and by Paul (1Co.16:2). We find three (3) types of tithes in the Old Testament:
- There is the worship tithe, used for religious activities only (Le.27:30)
- There is the festival tithe, used during the feasts of the Jews (Le.27:22-27).
- There is also the charity tithe, given every third (3rd) year, used for the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow (De. 14:28-29).
Tithing is to teach us the fear of the Lord (De. 14:22-23). We are to tithe all of the income of our seed. God will not bless our income if we do not give Him His share (Ma.3.9-10). Remember, God owns it all and He blesses us. When we do not give unto the Lord, we are robbing Him and our income will be cursed. When we do not help the poor, we are keeping them in their need, and robbing them of an opportunity to prosper.
It is a way to honor the Lord (Pr.3:9-10). When we honor God with our substance, He will do the same for us. He will honor us by taking care of us. When we give our tithes and offerings, we should do it gladly with an open and glad heart. Our offerings and tithes are our seed faith. Every time we give cheerfully, we are planting seeds. We are to put our money where it is needed most. We are to make our giving a ministry and a form of worship (2 Cor.9:12-14).
Giving to God
Giving to God causes certain things to happen in His Kingdom:-
1. He opens the windows of heaven. God pours out His special blessing upon us and our household when we put tithes and offerings in a proper perspective. Our work will be blessed and our business will prosper.
2. He rebukes the devourer for us.
3. We all can use some good advice and wisdom, so before we make big decisions or steps, seek counsel (Pr.20:13).
4. Much sleep and laziness go together. The outcome is usually procrastination, which leads to poverty (Pr.20: 4; 20:13; 10:4).
5. Let our hand be strong in the Lord, and fight poverty not only in our lives,
but also in the lives of others (Pr.10:22).
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