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Money

The whole issue of money or finances begins with the heart.. .what is mine? What is God's? Deuteronomy says, "Behold, to the Lord your God belong.. .the earth and all that is in it." Psalms 24:1 adds, "The earth is the Lord's and all it contains." In recognizing God ownership of everything, we come to see how important it is to allow Christ to become the Lord of our money and possessions.

The greatest problem with money is that it prompts us to put far to much emphasis on things. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." When I seek things to satisfy, I must have more and more, because things don't satisfy. This condition of wanting more and more is greed. This leads us to answer the question: have we "mastered" our greed or has our greed "mastered" us? Do we have possessions or do our possessions have us? Which of your possessions could you live without? Which would you find hardest to get rid of? We must come to grips with the fact that money, and the things that it buys can easily become idols to us. What is an idol? Something that we put on our mantle and pray to? No. An idol is anything that we use as an object by which we hope to be satisfied. The fact that we would seek things, people, activities, etc. as that which would bring us satisfaction, actually reveals that the true idolatry lies at the very core of our hearts.. .the fulfillment of our personal desires. There should be freedom in our worship. However, idolatry does not set free. It imprisons us to the desires of our hearts, rather than being directed and led by the Spirit of God to use what He has given us for His glory.

Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. [2] And the word of the Lord came to me saying, [3] "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? [4] "Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity. " ( Ezekiel 14:1-5)

Whatever rules our heart will exercise inescapable influence over our lives and behavior. Possessions compete with the Lord for the rulership of our lives. The way that we handle our money impacts our fellowship with the Lord.

"It's absolutely true—and documented, the number one reason couples get divorced is financial disagreement. The very process of establishing a workable budget can help a hurting marriage simply because of the level of communication and cooperation it takes.. The arguments may not appear to be directly about money; ultimately you're fighting about priorities, values, dreams, trust. But it's all linked with finances." The arguments may not appear to be directly about money; ultimately you're fighting about priorities, values, dreams, trust. But it's all linked with finances." —Duve Ramsey

The Lord calls us to be faithful with our responsibilities. 1 Corinthians 4:2, "Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."Children.. .train them Life issues...seek counsel Relationships.. .practice honesty Giving.. .to do so generously Spending.. .to do so wisely Work.. .to do so diligently Investing.. .save consistently Debt.. .avoid it at all costs

Children.. .

train them Life issues...

seek counsel Relationships.. .

practice honesty Giving.. .

to do so generously Spending.. .

to do so wisely Work.. .

to do so diligently Investing.. .

save consistently Debt.. .

avoid it at all costs

Recently, 2,900 married people were surveyed about their finances. Three quarters of our respondents discuss finances together once a month or more. They may not be long, in-depth discussions—maybe just about checks that have been written, ATM transactions, or giving to a.,ministry—but it makes a huge impact. Even tense communication can be fruitful.

Three out of 10 say they argue about finances more than once a month, and 22 percent of those who discuss their finances more than once a month also argue about them more than once a month. Mostly they argue about debt, day-to-day spending, and priorities.

"Our discussions about money can get pretty stressful," says Marlene Coe, a bank clerk. "My husband and I tend to see them totally different; the different perspectives cause tension. I never want to discuss finances because of that; but when we do, I feel better that we did."

When it comes to making large purchases, more than 8 out of 10 of these couples discuss and pray together about the decision. Apparently, healthy financial practices beget healthy financial practices. Ramsey says there is a "huge danger" in one spouse making purchasing decisions independently of the other. "When you got married, the pastor said you were one. So if only one of you is making the purchasing decision, you're using only half your brain, which means you're more likely to make mistakes."

Budget? What is that? What is the purpose for a budget? Is it wrong to enjoy life? Should we feel guilty when we spend money? Should finances be decided jointly or is it the prerogative of only one spouse?

Half of the survey respondents use a budget to manage their household finances, and 80 percent of them say they stick to their budget more often than not. In fact, the presence of a budget and the degree to which it is followed has a more far-reaching impact on financial attitudes and issues than any other factor. Couples who use and adhere to a budget are, typically, more trusting and honest, discuss financial issues more and argue less, are not as likely to spend impulsively, and can live longer on their savings in an emergency. Just the act of putting together a budget is healthy for a marriage, apart from the financial benefits. The very process of establishing a workable budget can help a hurting marriage simply because of the level of communication and cooperation required.

It's never too late to start a budget, but it will take some time to set it up and tweak it until it works. It takes about 90 days to get to the place where your budget is workable. Be patient with it and yourself, and leave yourself some room. If you estimate that groceries will cost X dollars, add 25 percent right off the bat—things always cost more than you estimate. And leave room for many "budget adjustment meetings."

The credit card was a luscious answer to Americans' hunger for convenience and has become a staple of our financial diet. The problem with convenience is that it makes it too easy for us to redefine necessity. Mark Stevens, a systems administrator, says, "My wife and I used to use them for convenience, but lately they feel like more of a necessity to get from one paycheck to the next." Today, according to a 2004 PBS "Frontline" report, "The Secret History of the Credit Card," the average American has eight credit cards and owes more than $8,000 in credit card debt. No wonder countless marriages have fallen apart because of financial tension!

Unfortunately, slightly more than half of the respondents carry credit card debt equal to the national average ($8,000). Ramsey is pretty blunt about credit card use: "It's stupid and not necessary! I've met thousands of millionaires, and not one of them has said to me, 'Dave, I made my money using credit cards.' I don't care how many frequent flyer miles you earn using a credit card—you're not going to get rich off that." Why is credit card use so dangerous to our financial health? "It's tough to budget with credit cards in the picture—there's nothing to limit your spending, and no accountability." In other words, couples can easily make believe they have more money than they actually do.

Six billion of these plastic slave masters are sent out each year, and all they do is keep us in bondage. Marketing has normalized credit card use to the point where people think they can't live without them. But we can. Once you commit to living in accordance with God's principles. He will give you the strength, wisdom and fortitude to live as godly stewards in what He has given you.

One of the best things we can do financially is align our mindset to the biblical perspective: it's not ours anyway. Lay all your desires out before each other—where do you want to end up? Set goals and be willing to compromise at times. Be honest even when it hurts—that's how you learn to trust each other. Budget. Regularly save, no matter how little. And above all, tithe. It's our way of saying to God, "I trust you," and he blesses that.

Almost an equal percentage said they feel loved (45 percent) as concerned about the cost (42 percent). Twice as

many women (11 percent) than men (6 percent) said an expensive gift makes them feel guilty.

Q: How much do you trust your spouse when it comes to money? "Completely" say 58 percent of husbands, and 40 percent of wives.

One third of those who never discuss finances also never argue about finances. Presumably, they aren't talking

Those who stick to their budget very consistently say they argue about money half as many times per year (4.2)

Without self-criticism or self-justification, identify your 0-wn relationship with money. What does money mean to you? Does it make you feel powerful, anxious, guilty, loved, responsible or secure? What assumptions and values about money did you develop while you were growing up?

Avoid labeling your spouse's attitudes as right or wrong. Try to understand one another's money history. Listen for the hurts, fears, wishes and hopes that get funneled into money. Try to empathize rather than criticize. Honoring each other's needs can help you respectfully negotiate your financial decisions. Remember, respect breeds trust.

Learn from each other. Temporarily suspend your own beliefs and see what your spouse has to teach you. A saver can leam a new kind of security when stretched by a spouse who exchanges money for present enjoyment, or who finds satisfaction in giving.

a. Discerning the difference between needs and desires b. Discerning level of enjoyment.. .how much is necessary?

2. Overall stewardship of what God has given.. .there is no word in the Hebrew for ownership of things because nothing that we possess belongs to us. a. Tithe is for the purpose of reminding us b. The residual is for the purpose of reminding us

3. Where does enjoyment come into play with good stewardship? a. Wisdom b. Understanding

4. The way we live life here will, in large part, reveal our perception of eternity.

a. If I live for my pleasure, alone, it reveals that I have put far more emphasis on the here and now. b. If I live as a steward of everything God has given me, it reveals that I have an eye on the eternal,

realizing that I will one day give an accounting for the way I have given stewardship toward all

a. If we waste our possessions, the Lord will remove us as stewards (Luke 16:1,2)

• If you waste your stewardship, you will not be given more. b. Faithfulness is little things is foundational. (Luke 16:10)

Hudson Taylor said, "Small things are small things, but faithfulness with small things is a

big thing." c. Faithfulness with another's possessions will, in some measure, determine how much you are

Proverbs 22:7, "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender."

1 Corinthians 7:23, "You were bought with a price, do not become slaves of men."

James 4:13-15, "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." [14] Yet you do not know what your life will be like

tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. [15] Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that."

1. Pray for wisdom.. .this involves discerning what is necessary and what would be considered wasteful.

2. Establish a written budget. Most people get into debt because they did not have a working budget. A budget helps you plan ahead, analyze your spending patterns and helps most to control impulse spending.

3. What is it that you have that you are not using that could be sold to help you get out of debt more quickly?

a. Pay off the smallest debt with the highest interest rate. b. Then when that one is paid off, use the extra money you have to start paying off the second debt.

6. Consider earning additional income. Use the additional earnings to pay off debts, not buy more stuff. You must be able to do this without harming your relationship with your family and the Lord. Ask God for creativity in this matter.

7. Accumulate no more new debt. This is exceptionally difficult if you use credit cards for more than emergencies. Statistics show that people spend approximately one third more when they use credit cards rather than cash, because they are not truly living in the here-and-now.

8. Be content with what you have. The more TV you watch, the more you look at catalogues and magazines, the more time you spend in stores or on the internet the more you will spend. Paul told Timothy, 1 Tim. 6:6, "godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment."

9. Consider a radical change in your life-style. Many people have sold their homes, bought less expensive automobiles to change.

10. Don't give up. Just do three things consistently.. .put a moratorium on purchases other than essentials;

pay the interest on your debt; pay back what you have borrowed. It is never easy to get out of debt, but the freedom is worth the struggle.