GODLY ADVICE ON MONEY MANAGEMENT: There are scores of secular money-management gurus out there, but God warned us against consulting them on how to manage the assets He has entrusted to us. Furthermore, how the children of God define success is not the same as how the world commonly defines success. How should we, as people of God, look at success?

In our previous lessons, we have examined the idea of success from the perspective of managing God’s resources, especially regarding money and finance.

We have also looked at some practical steps for managing money wisely.

We now examine some of the common pitfalls that come with earning money and how to avoid them.

In terms of success, we have established that we must place God first on our list and make a financial commitment to him. But it does not stop there. We must be productive. This requires that we become independent adults who work to earn a living.

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Inviting God’s Presence

Father, we put our trust in you and your guidance; give us spiritual insight to know whom we should consult when we need advice. In Jesus’ Name, Amen 

There are many so-called experts today out there today. But if these experts are ungodly, we are warned in Psalms 1:1-3 not to trust their advice.

1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalms 1:1-3)

You see, when our pleasure is in the law of the Lord (when the Word of God becomes our driving force), we shall have great success.

Now, how simple can that be? The Word of God is filled with guidance and counsel.  When we seek its counsel, we have the promise from God that we will prosper. We will be successful.

God is our creator; he knows what is best for us; thus, as it relates to managing the resources God has given us, Proverbs 3:5–8 advises us to:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

The point is that when we follow God’s counsel, we have a guarantee that we will not fail.  

With that in mind, let’s look at seven Bible principles on money and financial management.  

1. Get yourself organized. Develop a spending plan. Jesus in Luke 14:28–32 helps us understand the value of planning when He talks about the need to count the cost before starting a project.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—

29 lest, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. (Luke 14:28-32) 

Planning is essential for everything we do. Someone once said that if we fail to plan, we plan to fail.

Many families don’t have a spending plan. They live from paycheck to paycheck. Without a simple plan on how you will save and spend your earnings, life is far more stressful, and it strains the family. So before you decide to have that next gathering or buy that next car, count the cost.

2. Spend less than you earn; that is the point that Proverbs 15:16 makes when it says:

16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble. (Proverbs 15:16)

Many families, especially in our Western culture, spend more than they earn because they own credit cards. And if they don’t own credit cards, they still spend more than they earn because they rely on borrowing from family and friends. Consequently, these families find themselves in a constant struggle because they owe money to a debtor. The point is that the more money you owe, the less money you have to spend when your next paycheck comes. The more money you owe, the less money you have to spend. When the next paycheck comes, the more money you owe, the less money you have available to spend. It is a revolving cycle that becomes more difficult for you to get out of. Debt is a monster regardless of whom you owe, and it causes many problems. So, determine to spend less than you earn.

Spending less than what you earn leads to number 3.

3. Save a portion of your earnings from every paycheck. Proverbs 6:6–8 presents this in the simple term of what insects do to prepare for times when there is a shortage. We can learn from them.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,

7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,

8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8) (Split)

Rather than spend what you don’t have or borrow to have, it is best to save to buy larger and more expensive things. This goes back to deferred gratification.  We must learn to do without until we can afford it. Another reason to save is so that you can take care of unplanned expenses, such as an illness, accidents, or the need for some unexpected cost. Moreover, some saving is needed to plan for when we have aged and can no longer be employed. Saving is a cushion for keeping us out of debt. 

4. So, we try to avoid debt. Proverbs 22:7 tells us that when we become a debtor, we become a slave to the lender. In other words, whatever work you do to earn a living goes not to you but to the lender. 

7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is a servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7). (Split)

Debt is borrowed money. When we borrow money, we really are living today on the money we expect to earn in the future. So, borrowed money is money we really don’t own. It is future money that is not ours to spend. The problem with borrowed money is that if something happens and we lose our stream of income, we also lose the ability to pay off our debts. Then you face repossession, foreclosures, utilities turned off, and other issues that come because the money we expect to have in the future is not available.  

5. Be a diligent worker. That is put off laziness. Laziness is a sure road to poverty, according to Proverbs 13:4.

4 The soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. (Proverbs 13:4) (Split)

6. Return a faithful tithe. Remember to put God first. Deuteronomy 28:1–14 pronounces the blessing we receive when we put God first. And as we have discovered in previous lessons, the tithe is 10% of all the money we get. For instance, for every 100 dollars, 10 dollars belong to God. When we return tithe and give a liberal offering, God blesses us. No family can afford to be without God’s blessings.
7. Finally, remember that this earth is not our real home. How we manage our money and the other resources that God gives us demonstrates where our priorities are. This is the point that Jesus makes in Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34)

We are advised in the book Education to think about the future whenever we make business or other life plans. Moreover, we must not only plan for our lives now, but we must also put our treasures in heaven, and by so doing, God will make our lives on this earth better and far richer.”—Ellen G. White, Education, page 145, adapted.

Remember, “Real success in business comes from our understanding that everything we have comes from God. God made everything. So, God is the Ruler and Owner of everything. As His children, we are God’s managers. He gave us everything we possess. He has trusted us with His resources and counsels us to use them as He commands.”—Education, page 137, adapted.

As children of God, we do not define success in the same manner as those who do not have a relationship with him. Success for many is found in fame, fortune, riches, and possession. But, when we look at it, from God’s perspective, as in the case of John the Baptist, who died in prison, success is found in fulfilling the plan that God has for us. He says: in Jeremiah 29:11

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. ‘” — Jeremiah 29:11. Ultimately, that hope and a future is eternal life with Him in His heavenly kingdom. That is how we define success.

 If you wish to return tithe or give an offering consider giving online,

@ Adventistgiving.org

my local Church:

Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

 7902 Wheatly Street

Houston, TX 77088

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