No matter where we live in the world or whatever generation God has chosen to place us, we will experience financial uncertainty. Thank goodness for timeless divinely inspired Scriptures that tell us how to live.
No matter where we live in the world or whatever generation God has chosen to place us, we will experience financial uncertainty. Thank goodness for timeless divinely inspired Scriptures that tell us how to live.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The following seven Biblical financial insights will help you navigate today’s—and tomorrow’s—financial turmoil.
1. Understand God Owns It All
Understand God owns it all—we are only stewards. When this message sinks from our mind to our heart, it is a relief. God really owns everything and gives time, talent and treasure to us for the season of our short life to manage for the glory of His Kingdom.
2. Determine your Kingdom Allegiance
Remember Jesus’ Words in the Sermon on the Mount:
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
I wonder if Jesus had the words of Joshua in mind as he gave His message? Joshua challenges Israel in the same way.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
— Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
The challenge is to decide whom we will serve. It’s the exact same challenge for us today. God or money. God or possessions. When opposed to each other, God or country? Who will you serve? Many times the result of losing money or even the threat of losing money is a revelation that MONEY was really your god. Choose wisely, my friends. We cannot serve both.
3. Practice Generosity
Practice generosity—God is a generous God. “For God so love the world he gave…” (John 3:16). It is His nature to be generous. An open hand that gives is available to receive. Generosity shaped our heart to be more like God. In the midst of financial uncertainty, is the Lord challenging you to also grow in generosity?
The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
— Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV)
4. Avoid the Use of Debt
Debt limits future opportunities because of previous decisions. Debt also places us in a servant/lender relationship.
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
— Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV)
With economic uncertainty around the corner I believe it is downright foolish to be in debt. I know this sounds harsh, but I mean to motivate, not condemn. Get out of debt as quickly as possible while preparing for the future.
5. Create Margin By Living Under Your Income
My family has been on a quest to create maximum margin in our finances. The more margin, the more options. Systematically analyze every monthly expenditure. Is it a need, want, or desire? Many of the items, like the cable bill, we cut and have not been missed. Every situation is different. God will guide you with specific wisdom in the creation of margin.
6. Save
I like the way the Amplified Bible translates the following verse:
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.
— Proverbs 21:20 (Amplified Bible)
The financial order of using money should be to give first, then save, then spend. Creating a lifestyle of saving will yield margin for today and security for tomorrow. What vehicle do I recommend for saving? That is another article for another time, but I leave you with this. Practice Solomon-style investing, the richest man in the world’s advice is found here. Diversify, diversify.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
— Ecclesiastes 11:2 (KJV)
7. Build Your Eternal Investment Portfolio
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because The Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though as one escaping through the flames.
The way we live today determines our eternal rewards and treasure in heaven. No matter what we do financially, make it the top priority to walk down the middle of God’s Will for your life. To build a man-centered big kingdom of sand is still just a temporal kingdom of sand. As a seasoned eternal investor, keep focused on the true return in the Kingdom of God.
There are days of economic uncertainty ahead, just as there always have been. The severity of the turmoil is in the hands of our loving Father. No matter the future, join me in seeking the Kingdom of GOD and loving the lost and reaching them with the Good News of our Lord Christ Jesus.
For background on my spiritual and financial journey, see my book, Generous Life Journey.
In it I recount how at 23 years old, even though I was a new Christian, I thought I knew everything and set out to prove the Bible wrong about tithing. “I’ll prove this tithing doesn’t work. I’ll tithe my way into bankruptcy. God does not work in our finances in this modern day and age.” Find out how my encounter with God forever changed my life course and taught me that the way one handles finances is an issue of the heart.
