Getting a Foothold on Finances ~ Part 2

In part one of this series, I discussed the why behind our finances and some godly perspectives of giving.  Today I would like to discuss tithing.  If you are a Christian, one of the first areas of proper handling of your finances should be tithing.  The Bible lays out at least 10% of our income.  Now, that should be before taxes are taken out and not on the net income.  Just because our government chooses to take too much of our money every month, does not negate the fact that the Lord requires and more importantly deserves the "first fruits" of everything we bring in.  The fact is, God has given us all things.  Whatever finances that come in are all from His hand and provision.  He only requires a minimal amount from all He has given us.  Now, one thing I would like to say is that 10% should just be the starting point.  If we count our giving to God down to the very penny and then feel we have "checked" the box of our "righteous acts" then we are missing the point altogether.  God deserves to have us give out of gratitude and that should be with an attitude of love and cheerfulness.  "God loves a cheerful giver."  That means praying about areas where God would lead you to give.  That means before you buy that next item that is not a necessity, asking the Lord what He might have you do with that money.  In our western culture we are surrounded by affluence.  Even in these hard economic times, our country is worlds apart from most of the world.  We can get clean water and most of us never know what it is like to go hungry at night.  Most Americans have more than one TV and more than one vehicle.  We have a roof over our heads and clothes in our closets and yet, there are children around the world dying from poverty.  There are a thousand ways to use our finances to advance the love of Christ.  And once you give to your local church, finding ways to give to others would be a way for you to store up treasures in heaven.  Some of the places we give are Voice of the Martyrs (the persecuted church), the Joshua Fund ( helping misplaced Jews and others that have lost their homes in Israel), Compassion International (adopting a child financially with a once a month gift), and there are many others.  Some may say that to talk about tithing when one is in debt is a little misplaced.  After all, how can one tithe when they are already financially strapped?  If it is absolutely impossible to give 10% of your income now, then give what you can.  But, start giving.  Once you do, you will reap the benefits of an obedient heart.  I am not one of these people who go for the "name it and claim it" mentality.  To say that you will get wealth from tithing is just not scriptural.  Remember the widow who gave all she had in the Bible?  The point is not that she became rich monetarily...but that she was rich spiritually.  She gave out of the abundance of her love.  And yes, I do believe God will bless when we do.  It may not be with an influx of money, but it will be something far greater, something that one only experiences when they are obedient to God.  God does not ask us to give because He needs the money.  He owns a cattle on a thousand hills!  God asks us to give for our good.  It causes us to be thankful.  It causes us to shake off some of our selfish attitudes.  It will help us to view money as a tool for the kingdom rather than a means to fulfill our wants.  God's ways are always good.  So, if you don't already, start giving today.  And if you know you do not have a cheerful attitude in it, give anyway.  Pray and ask the Lord to give you a heart transplant in the area of giving and see how He will bless!

Until next time!

Getting a Foothold on Finances - Part 1

Finances are an area that most people struggle with at one time or another in their lives.  Sometimes those struggles are not of their own making:  an unexpected health issue, sudden loss of a job, etc.  But, most of the time, if we would follow our trails back to the very beginning of the management of our finances, we can see how failure to pray, plan and prioritize God's way has taken us down a path of financial heartache.  God has taught me so much in the area of finances.  I have certainly not arrived yet either.  There are matters I still struggle with in this area.  But, I am learning more and more that this area of my life is just as much of a heart issue as controlling my temper.  So, we begin our discussion of finances with the matter of the heart. 

What is the why behind our finances?

You know, there is a lot of discussion about getting finances in order...especially when we have just clicked over into 2010.  The beginning of  a New Year marks new beginnings for most of us and we look for areas in our lives that need improving and set goals to meet those specific areas.  That is not a bad thing.  But often, we forget the "Why" behind those decisions.  What is our motivation to get our finances in line?  Well, certainly debt brings stress to ones life.  Constantly knowing that you "owe" something you are having problems with paying off is not a peaceful existence.  There is something totally freeing in knowing that one is totally debt free.  Is that a bad motivation?  Absolutely not.  But, I don't think that should be the main, or the most important motivation.  At one point in my life, it was for me.  Getting out of debt was first and foremost to restore some "peace" in my life.  I cannot deal with the thought of "owing" something.  Anything could happen...job loss, health issues, economy problems (as we are seeing so clearly now) and then I might not be able to make that automobile payment.  Then what?  Bad credit, loss of vehicle?  Yes, it could definitely happen.  But, what about the stain on the reputation of someone who bears the name of Christian?  As a Christian, that should be one of my first concerns?  What does God say about debt?  Whose money is it really anyway?  These are some of the issues I would like to explore in a series I am going to be doing on finances.  If we didn't have any other book, cultural norm, friends to persuade us, and we only had the Bible, how would that curb our spending and our view of what is debt and what is not?

I would like to leave you with something this morning that has revolutionized my way of looking at money.  I have always known "everything is the Lord's", including my money.  But, I suppose that was one of those mantras we hear from preachers and we know it's true, but do we really grasp the significance of that statement.  IF everything is from the Lord, including my money, then it does matter how I spend it...big amounts or small?  And if God cares how I spend my money, how often do I consult Him before I spend it?  And lastly, how often do you hear this, "I am going to get a budget to get of debt so I can .... (fill in the blank)."  It may be a myriad of things...buy a house, get a new car, go on that vacation, have more money for my hobby, save for my children's education, have some time for myself now...and the list goes on.  How many times have you ever heard a Christian say, "I am going to do all I can to get out of debt so I can GIVE more to God's causes."  Giving...isn't that one of the main reasons He blesses us?  I know God expects us to plan for the future, but I don't believe He wants His children holding on to every single extra dime to put toward their interests.  What kind of Christianity is that?  God's example of giving is radical...not just the "extra" we may have leftover this month.  So, if you are planning to get out of debt this year, how about praying and planning for all the ways you can give when you do.  God loves a cheerful giver...how is your heart toward giving today?  Are you ready to give Him the leftovers, or ready to give Him all?  After all, whose money is it anyway?