God's Word on Finances

Knowledge

God's Heart to Bless Us

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." I Timothy 6:17-19

It is God's heart to bless us abundantly! He loves us and is a generous Father. He delights in our enjoyment of His good and perfect gifts. He knows the perfect timing for His blessings. He knows what though seeming to be a gift would actually be harmful.

Wealth is uncertain. God is faithful. Always. All the time. God never changes. God is our Provider! He will meet every need. Always. All the time. God never fails us. He also blesses us with eternal life and we are wealthy as believers in Jesus. We own the life that is truly life. How blessed we are! We serve a God who rejoices over us with singing and gives us the desires of our heart. How blessed we are!

Stewardship

"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it; the world and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:45-51

God owns the world. God owns everything in the world and all the people who live on the earth. We are His servants set in charge of his things, people, and money. We are stewards of the Lord's stuff! We need to take that very seriously. God will honor our faithfulness and discipline our lack of faithfulness now or in the future.

Kingdom Seeking

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."Matthew 6:24

Always seek God and His Kingdom first. Pursuing money may lead to prosperity but trouble will be added to it. And money cannot go with you after death. When we seek after God, his ways, caring for His people, doing His will, spreading His Gospel; then he will add to our lives all that we need. We will find ourselves enjoying an abundant life that we never pursued. However financial blessing will only be icing on the cake!

Giving to the Lord

"But you ask, 'How are we to return?' Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit, says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:8-12

"Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." II Cor.9:6-8

There is a Biblical principle of sowing and reaping. If we are generous to God, he will abundantly bless us. If we are grudging and stingy, we will reap the consequences.

God tells us to test Him by tithing. Amazing! Godly men and women through the ages and all around today can testify that God keeps this promise!!! If we tithe, He will not just supply our needs, but pour out blessing we cannot contain.

Provision for your Household

"In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his won body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church." Ephesians 5:28-29

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." I Thes.4:11-12

"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." I Timothy5:8

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." Titus 3:15

We are to provide for the needs of our family and household. This involves providing food, shelter and clothing; paying all bills on time; taking financial responsibility for medical and other emergencies; saving for the future; and taking care of other practical responsibilities. We do not want to be dependent on generous family members or friends.

Budgeting

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Who, then is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct Him in the way chosen for Him. He will spend His days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land." Psalm 25:9-13

God delights in instructing us how to manage our money. As we seek Him, He will help us prepare a realistic budget and enable us to make wise financial decisions. Even if we have made mistakes (e.g. debt) or sinned (e.g. greed), all we have to do is repent and He will forgive us and help us to make a new financial start.

Work

"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son." Proverbs 10:4-5

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23

"The laborer's appetite works for him, his hunger leads him on." Proverbs 16:26

"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man does not work, he shall not eat." II Thes.3:6-10

"One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." Proverbs 18:9

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23

God commands us to work hard and diligently in our paid and unpaid work. For a homemaker, that means working just as hard at home as her husband does "at work." Hard work always brings a profit. Sometimes the profit is not a direct result of the work itself, but God blesses through another avenue.

Laziness

"I went past the fields of a sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest---and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." Proverbs 24:30-34

We cannot afford to become lazy but must always work diligently. We must also keep our possessions, home and business in good repair. If we neglect basic upkeep, we will find things destroyed and the expense to replace will be significant.

"Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herd; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed your family and to nourish your servant girls." Proverbs 27:23-27

Guard your business skills and abilities. Keep up with your chosen career and do not allow your skills to become rusty. The future is unknown and things could come in handy that you never dreamed possible. Especially hold one to skills and abilities that make you and your family self-sufficient in case of a financial emergency.

Pursuing Wealth

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." I Timothy 6:9-10.

"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." Proverbs 23:4-5

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

Greed or the desire to accumulate wealth is a trap from Satan. Greed, or the love of money, is idolatry. It is serving money, or materialism, as a god. Christians sugar-coat idolatry by saying that God wants us rich. But God never tells us to pursue wealth. We are to pray for our need and desires, all the while seeking the Kingdom first, and look to God to bless in His way, in His time. Do not buy into Satan's lies, even if Christians are speaking them.

We do know that God wants to meet our needs so that we are not dependent on others and to give so that we can give to others. We need to be realistic. What lifestyle is God calling us to? Try asking Him at what level of income He is calling you to. Then work hard and seek Him. He will add wealth in His time and His way.

Making Financial & Business Decisions

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5

"Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow." Proverbs 13:11

"He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." Proverbs 12:11

"He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished." Proverbs 28:19-20

Test your heart when you encounter opportunities. Are you hoping to get rich quick without hard work? That is not the godly path to wealth. If an investment or business opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do not be led by greed. Satan is a hard task master and he will disappoint you.

Debt

"The blessing of the Lord brings wealth and He adds no trouble to it." Proverbs 10:22

"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue, if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another." Romans 13:7-8

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7

"The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously." Psalm 37:21

Greed leads to self-indulgence and the inability to delay gratification. We have to have it and we have to have it NOW! Sometimes greed leads to debt.

Sometimes a lack of faith leads to debt. We are in a tight financial spot and rather than pray, fast, and stand on the promises of God, we go into debt.

Debt is not sin. It is just wisdom to be debt-free if at all possible. If debt is the result of sin, the sin that led to debt must be repented of. Debt must always be paid back so that we can maintain integrity.

Learn to live a little below your means so that you can save and give away. When you have lots of debt, others actually own your stuff!

Hoarding/Stinginess

"Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies; for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. 'Eat and drink,' he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments." Proverbs 23:6-8

"A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him." Proverbs 28:23

Just as greed can lead to over-indulgence and debt, greed can also lead to hoarding and stinginess. When we are unwilling (or have great difficulty) to share and be generous, we need God to change our hearts. It is good to be frugal; it is bad to be tightfisted. There is a balance.

Generosity/Giving

"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:24-25

"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs what good is it?" James 2:15

"You will be made rich in every way SO THAT you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." II Cor.9:11

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

God will give it to you if He can get it through you. It honors God when we are generous because He is a Generous and Loving Father. He has given to the undeserving so beautifully. When we imitate Him, others are blessed and we please Him!

Contentment

"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Philippians 4:12

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." I Timothy 5:6-8

Contentment is what we all long for--that happy, pleased, peaceful feeling. The secret to contentment is thankfulness: focusing on what we have rather than on what we don't have. As we thank God over and over for His many blessings of people, things, and circumstances, our hearts become filled with joy and real contentment.

Financial Trials

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall. Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." Proverbs 28:10-12

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." I Peter 5:6-10

"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothes.....For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:22,23,29-32

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock" Matthew 7:24-25.

Most of us face financial trials at various times in our lives. Financial trials come to the godly and ungodly. The difference is that if we have managed our money according to God's Word, our house will not fall.

Financial trials are not without end. God promises that after we have suffered a little while, he will restore us.

God can use financial trials to take away our trust and security in our wealth, bank account or possible inheritance. He wants us to look to Him for provision. He wants us to trust Him to meet all our needs.

When trials come, pray and fast. Stand on the promises in God's Word (II Cor. 9; Psalm 112; Deuteronomy 28) and remind God and yourself of these promises on a daily basis. Have others hold you up in prayer and stand with you. Endure faithfully always obeying God's Word and seeking the Kingdom first.

God will come through! He is awesome and faithful!!!!

Understanding:

Delayed gratification: The ability to wait for what you want. It is a mark of maturity. Sexually, it is waiting until the wedding night. Financially, it is waiting until you have saved up enough money to buy it.

Self-indulgence: Giving in to your own whims and desires rather than taking them to the Lord and asking Him to meet them in His timing and in His way.

Self-indulgence often leads to financial bondage because we purchase things we don't have the money saved for (debt) or we spend money we really need for other things.

Stewardship: God owns it and we manage it.

A good steward is careful to care for the owner's money and possessions exactly according to his wishes. He is trustworthy, obedient, responsible, hard working and faithful.

Budgeting: Budgeting is critical. Ten dollars here and twenty there add up quickly and cause a leak in your financial ship.

If you are under-employed make two budgets. Make a realistic budget for your current income. Then prayerfully make a budget for your needs, asking God to somehow increase you income.

Wisdom:

Have you discussed an after-wedding budget for your married life? Do either of you have debt? How much? Discuss financial situation.

Budget Worksheet 

Click on the link above to fill out a buget worksheet.

Subtract TOTAL EXPENSES from NET INCOME to find unallocated surplus income. This can be used to pay off debt. If debt-free, it can be given away or whatever else the Lord would lead you to do.

©2005 Mike and Meredith Curtis. (Taken from Premarital Counseling Workbook)
All rights reserved.

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