Written by Jim Loscheider (Elder) on June 9, 2023.
Like many of you, I feel we are living in a time of great uncertainty. It can be a battle that’s mental, emotional, and spiritual. The Bible admonishes us to “Fear NOT, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). We are to refrain from doubting and worrying about every financial aspect or any other aspect of our lives, both personally and collectively as a church and as a nation.
Seek First the Kingdom of God
Thankfully, there’s an antidote to that worry, and it’s trusting God and seeking after his Kingdom, not our own. When we pursue a life with God, we surrender our desires for Him, and we realize money is just one of the many tools he uses to accomplish His will through us.
Remember: God promises, in His Word, to protect, guide, and provide for those who put their faith and trust in His Son Jesus, and follow after Him.
Cost of Following Jesus
There’s a cost to following Jesus. Our affluent Western lifestyle can make us complacent, blind us to what God wants, bombard us with messaging and ideas from the world, and deadens us to hear God. Complacency can be a real problem for us as Christians living in the most affluent nation in history.
When we talk about living a life of surrender, it all begins with knowing God. And knowing that God is better than everything else in this world, which is passing away.
- Psalm 37 tells us, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
- Proverbs 3: 5-8 says this, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”
So, the point of following God is to find satisfaction in Him, and as you do that, your desire to know Him more grows, and the things of this world (fear, worry, anxiety, etc.) begin to fade. Trust in God ultimately leads you into deeper dependence upon Him. You gain a deeper understanding that through His sovereignty is the only way things happen in your life and in the lives of others.
Trusting God with Everything
While the Bible tells us to give, plan, save, and prepare responsibly, we can easily fall into the trap of trusting in our stuff and the things of this world rather than in God.
It’s important to ask yourself these questions continually:
- Is the way I’m spending money drawing me into a closer relationship with God?
- Is it demonstrating that He is worth everything in my life?
- Is what I have drawing me toward Christ or toward the world?
- As I spend money, how is it moving my heart? Is it drawing me to desire, covet, and want more of what the world says will make me happy? Or is it drawing me to value eternal priorities?
I trust you will take some time to reflect on the Truth in God’s Word and ponder the questions provided above.
Financial Peace University
Recently, we finished Financial Peace University with a very motivated group. Here are some life change results from 90 days of studying, working, and resetting our priorities:
Initial snapshot of the class:
Non-Mortgage Debt Held:
$219,444
Liquid Cash Available:
$165,957
Credit Cards Held:
35
Final snapshot of what God did:
Non-Mortgage Debt Paid Off:
$34,500
Liquid Cash Increase:
$28,562
Credit Cards Held:
8
Charitable giving impact:
10 are giving significantly more now
3 are giving for the first time
We witnessed a lot of transformational behavior in this class. All are now living on a Spending Plan and tracking their progress at least weekly. Couples are now communicating about their finances and arriving at mutually established goals. A huge takeaway is the fact that the entire class is now spending less than their take-home pay. They are now disciplined in discerning between needs and wants. Most of the class has also established spending limits, savings goals, and giving goals versus having none of these goals when they started three months ago.
We praise God for this class! They have overcome uncertainty in their finances and are now moving forward as stewards who serve a God who has them in His grip each and every day.
Wise Financial Resources was launched in August of 2022 and provides curated resources from various trusted Christian authorities/experts at our church. Our prayer is that you find Godly advice and wisdom to make wise financial decisions