A Survival Kit for an Economic Downturn Period
YOUR FINANCES IN TRYING TIMES
(Prov 23:4 NIV) Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
Introduction:
Joe Champion observed: “…for the majority of us, not having enough money causes us much stress and some sleepless nights. All of the statistics show that for the majority of Americans, the cost of everything continues to rise as our incomes remain stagnant. Gas prices are at an all-time high, food prices are climbing, imports are getting more expensive, college costs are going through the roof, and all the while our incomes aren't keeping up and for many of us, they have dropped. And all the signs point to tougher times ahead for the foreseeable future, while the rich are getting richer and obscenely.”
(1 Tim 6:10 NIV) 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.
1. Recognize the Peril of Financial entanglement.
(Prov 22:7 NIV) The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
(Mat 5:25-26 NIV) "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. {26} I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
(Prov 22:7 NIV) The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
(Prov 6:1-3 NIV) My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, {2} if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, {3} then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
(Prov 17:18 NIV) A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
(Prov 20:16 NIV) Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.
(Prov 27:13 NIV) Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.
(Luke 12:15 NIV) Then he 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."
(Prov 21:17 NIV) He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
(Luke 16:12 NIV) And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?
(Psa 50:14-15 NIV) Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, {15} and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
2. Adopt God’s blueprint for money management.
First, realize that everything that you have belong to God. (Psa 50:10 NIV) for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
(Psa 24:1-2 NIV) The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; {2} for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
(1 Chr 29:10-13 NIV) David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. {11} Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. {12} Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. {13} Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
(1 Sam 2:7 NIV) The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
(Job 31:24-28 NIV) "If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security,' {25} if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, {26} if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, {27} so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, {28} then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
(Prov 11:28 NIV) Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
(1 Tim 6:17 NIV) 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.
(Prov 18:15 NIV) The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
(Prov 21:20 NIV) In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.
(Rom 13:8 NIV) Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
3. Adopt an attitude of Contentment.
(Heb 13:5 NIV) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
(1 Tim 6:6-8 NIV) But godliness with contentment is great gain. {7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. {8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Larry Burkett once says: “If money can’t buy it and poverty doesn’t provide it, what is contentment. Contentment, contrary to popular opinion, is not being satisfied where you are. It is knowing God’s plan for your life, having the conviction to live it, and believing that God’s peace is greater than the world’s problems”
(Psa 37:16 NIV) Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
(Prov 15:16 NIV) Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
(Prov 16:8 NIV) Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
(Phil 4:11 NIV) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
(Heb 13:5 NIV) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
4. Have a Budget.
(Prov 16:9 NIV) In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
(Prov 21:5 NIV) The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
(Luke 14:28-30 NIV) "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? {29} For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, {30} saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
(Prov 27:23-24 NIV) Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; {24} for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
ILLUSTRATION: The late Larry Burkett was a Christian financial planner who taught us a lot about financial planning and financial management through his Crown Financial Ministry..
5. Trust in the Lord’s provision
(Psa 37:25 NIV) I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
(Phil 4:19 NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
(Deu 15:11 NIV) There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
6. Seek Helpful Advice.
(Prov 11:14 NIV) For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.
(Prov 19:20 NIV) Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
7. Exercise Self-Control in Your Financial Transactions
(Prov 23:4 NIV) Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
(Prov 27:20 NIV) Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.
(Prov 21:25-26 NIV) The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. {26} All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.
(Prov 21:20 NIV) In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.
(Prov 28:20 NIV) A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
(Prov 13:11 NIV) Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Joe Champion writes, “… we must give thanks for all our blessings… It is imperative if you, or anyone, wants to be able to survive tough times and prosper in the future, that you must begin by first taking time to get by yourself, think of all your blessings, and give thanks for them. No matter how hard things are, if you are alive, you are doing better than 100 per cent of the dead people, so you have something to be thankful for. Each day alive is an opportunity for hope, a chance for a better life, for helping others, for laughing, loving, smelling the flowers, watching the birds, for living. And, as long as we have life, we have a chance, we have an opportunity.”
Joe Champion says “we must always remember that We Are Not Alone, and Our Problems Are Not Unique. When we are going through any difficulty, but especially when that difficulty is something that we think has the stigma of shame or we should be embarrassed by, we want to hide our problems and try to figure it out on our own.”
