One of the things that we teach here at NHC on a regular basis is God’s perspective on money. There are several reasons, but the biggest one is because so many people who walk through our doors are just out of control in this vital area of their lives, and when this area is out of control it leads to a stress that affects almost everything in your world.
So for years I’ve taught some basic principles of finance that boil it down to two simple ideas…
1. Put God first
God doesn’t want our money, he wants our hearts. However, God knows something about money that we don’t seem to understand – my heart and my wallet have a dynamic connection. It’s like there’s a nerve running from my heart to my back pocket!
Jesus said it this way: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
If he doesn’t have my treasure, he doesn’t have my heart. That means it’s impossible for me to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus without surrendering control of my money to him.
So, how do I do that? It starts with the tithe. Tithing isn’t just some idea that some preacher came up with to get more money, it’s the Biblical principle of the firstfruits offering. It’s putting God first in my finances.
2. Get out of debt
That stats on this one are overwhelming. The average American household today is carrying $9000 of credit card debt, not to mention car payments that average $500 a month, student loans that have been around so long they feel like a family pet and mortgages for too much house.
We’re quick to point a finger at Wall Street fat cats and call them greedy, but we do the same thing when we spend $1.22 for every $1.00 we make – all for lifestyle stuff.
Proverbs 22:7 puts it bluntly - …the borrower is the slave of the lender.
When you’re in debt for your stuff you don’t own your stuff, your stuff owns you! And if there ever was a time to get out of debt, it’s NOW!
We want to help. Monday at 6:30 Leah Rade, NHC’s Community Pastor, will be teaching another session of Finding Financial Freedom and if you’ve never been through a session of FFF, YOU NEED TO BE THERE! (Sign up here.) Childcare and materials are provided FREE OF CHARGE.
In FFF we teach you how to get out of debt, how to find money you didn’t know you had, how to put together a personal budget so you can put your money to work in a positive way, and most of all – HOW TO GET OUT OF THE MONEY STRESS THAT IS KILLING YOU!
So, do whatever it takes to get here Monday night. And if you can’t get here Monday night we’ll be on the web with a live Webcast of the seminar. (Sign up here.) You can sit at home in your gym trunks and dirty t-shirt, learn some solid principles on personal finance and no one will even see you! So now what’s your excuse?
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