Mutual Finance

Our materialistic society promotes a model of the lifestyle that we are seemingly expected to achieve and maintain. Advertising in every form imaginable keeps our desire for things peaked causing us to become master consumers. Striving to acquire the things that help us live up to these worldly expectations most people spend all that they earn then borrow to obtain even more possessions. As a result we have become our possessions and MONEY has become the measure of man. Sadly even Christians evaluate others by how much they have and how successful they are in worldly terms.

The endless stream of marketing around us preys on our emotions. Pitching to us that we just don’t stack up unless we drive a certain kind of car, wear a particular pair of shoes, buy a special brand of soap, or take a dream vacation even if we have to mortgage the house to do it.

Little by little a pack of lies slip in. Over a period of time those lies are accepted as truth. Because of that we begin to develop money habits that conform to lies and we become a product of our environment. We develop a self-serving financial attitude. The world controls our thoughts therefore the world controls our finances.

Every day many good people with very good intentions suffer through financial problems. On the surface those problems may appear unexpected. But are they really? Usually a closer look reveals that current circumstances are a result of actions over an extended period of time. Our financial condition whether favorable or unfavorable is created slowly. If our condition is favorable then we should do a check up to make sure we are not headed some place that we don’t want to go in the future. If our circumstances are unfavorable we should not expect to change a situation overnight that took years to create.

Sometimes we have to look in the mirror and ask some tough questions. Is a job loss to blame for a financial struggle or has the job loss just magnified the much deeper problem that we didn’t establish a savings? Is a huge medical bill causing the problem or is it that instead of purchasing health insurance we directed our money toward something less important? Is our employer to blame because we are not paid enough or are we the problem because we don’t follow a budget?

Unless we want to spend our entire life repeating our current circumstances we have to work to solve problems instead of just continuously treating the symptoms of those problems. Symptoms of financial problems can be treated by a variety of quick fixes that society has to offer. Those quick fixes may provide temporary relief but they rarely offer a lasting cure. The permanent cure comes through having the right financial attitude.

What is the right financial attitude? The truth is that we are not the owners of our money or possessions. It all belongs to God. That is the attitude we should have toward money and things. We need to relinquish ownership of everything to its rightful owner, God.

We are only stewards of God’s property while we are here on the earth. He has entrusted us to use and manage His assets but we will never own them. It is God’s right to determine how our finances are used. It is our responsibility to be obedient and become good stewards of what has been entrusted to us.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).

This understanding puts money and material things in their proper perspective. It causes us to be open to receiving guidance from the timeless financial principles found in scripture. There are many programs available that teach technique and show us ways to accomplish what scriptures say is good for us. Making use of them helps us shift our attitude and realign our values.

Shifting our attitude and reeducating ourselves about money is the key to freeing us from the stress of an adverse financial situation now and in the future. Simply put money naturally flows toward those that can manage it and away from those who can’t.

Kevin Farrar is the author of the Wisdom For Your Wallet personal financial program. Go to http://www.wisdomforyourwallet.com to learn more about this life changing program.

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“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”1 John 2:15 (NAS). “Then he [Jesus] said to them, “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 (NIV). Christ has no time for those that are simply trying to store up treasures here on earth. Wealth can be lost instantly. In the end, it does not matter if you die a billionaire or a pauperonly how you answer “THE QUESTION” from Jesus ” who do you say I am?”Matthew 16:15 and whether or not you’ve done your best to fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

Rick Warren states, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.” You are to live your life to honor and worship God. Worship God by doing everything in your life “for” and “with” Jesus. We are saved to serve. Serve out of gratitude for what Christ did for you on the cross. Through Christian serving, we make an investment in eternity.

Being good stewards of your finances is just one aspect of worshiping God. God will entrust more spiritual blessings to those who are responsible with their worldly wealth. Worldly wealth is left behind upon your death. Spiritual blessings are the true wealth. Spiritual blessings last forever. There will be no financial accounts in heaven; however, there will be an accounting of your life and the use of the time, talents, and treasure God has entrusted to you. We were put on this earth to serve like Jesus served, to give more than you receive. Do good because God is good. Do good to bring glory to God by pouring love into all of your service. Live with Jesus in every thought, habit, and expression. The Rev. John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) said, “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

A Christian should be alive to the pain and suffering prevalent in this world today–a Christian should have a willing heart and desire to do something about it. ” his mother called him Jabez because, as she said, she had borne him in pain. Jabez called upon the God of Israel and said, ‘I pray thee, bless me and grant me wide territories. May thy hand be with me, and do me no harm, I pray thee, and let me be free from pain’; and God granted his petition”1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The Apostle Paul states, “This is in accord with his [God’s] age-long purpose, which he achieved in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have access to God with freedom, in the confidence born of trust in him”Ephesians 3:11-12.

As a Christian, God’s purpose for your life is to share the love of Christ. A purpose without a plan is useless. A plan without a strategy is futile. “I alone know my purpose for you, says the LORD: prosperity and not misfortune”Jeremiah 29:11. God has a plan for you and you alone. Jesus Christ is the accomplishment of God’s work uniquely planned just for you. God wants to richly bless you, so that you in turn can be a blessing to others.

This article is adapted from Making Money Work: A Christian Guide For Personal Finance with permission of Willie Glenn Page, Inc. copyright 2005.

Bill G. Page is the author of Making Money Work: A Christian Guide For Personal Finance. It is a book and CD ROM (ISBN 0-9764905-0-1) that combines the power of Biblical principles with modern day technology to empower people to become better stewards of God’s resources. The CD ROM helps you to easily calculate complicated personal financial formulas. It also helps you analyze, plan, track and achieve your financial goals. The book may be obtained through your local bookstore or it can be ordered online at http://www.MakingMoneyWork.us

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