Hebrews 13:5Keep 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."
You've probably heard me talk about Dave Ramsey before. Don't worry, it's not hero worship or anything. It's just that he does a great job motivating people to do the smart thing with money. One of his phrases is 'Act your Wage'. Why do most of us have such a tough time doing that?
Proverbs 22:7........... the borrower is servant to the lender.
Who's Your Provider?
Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him* who gives me strength.
* him is not referring to the owner of CapitalOne
For christians, I think acting our wage is especially important. Do we believe that God will truly supply our needs? If we do, then why are we relying on CitiBank? Are we content with what God has given us? Then why are we buying a new tv on a credit card? Honestly, when we buy things on credit, I think it's like telling God, "Hey, I don't like what you've provided so I'm gonna go ahead and buy what I think you oughta give me". Then we wonder where God is when our financial house of cards comes toppling over. Then we ask him to supply our needs when what we really want is to have him shovel up our mess that was made either in defiance or neglect.
Are you doing things God's way financially or waiting until disaster strikes and then claiming his promise of provision over your life(even though you squandered his past provision?) Kind of like trying to blackmail God, isn't it? 'Hey God, how will it look to other people if you don't dig me out of this. You HAVE to. You Promised. Hey!!!'
Over three years ago, Jim and I set out determined to clean up our financial mess. It took us 17 months, but we cleaned up every dime of debt other than our house. Jim lost his job in May of 2007. Emotionally it was tough, brutal even, but financially, we didn't have to sweat. We didn't have to start begging God to please DO SOMETHING because we didn't have financial obligations other than our house payment. If that would have happened four years ago, we would have been sunk. We had two car payments, two credit card payments, and one of our lovely newer cars had an engine blow when it was about two years old (to the tune of about $6,000). I think Jim's job loss would have put me on the floor in the fetal position in a catatonic state had it not been for the Lord prompting us to get our financial house in order three years earlier.
This week is going to be $Money Week$ here at Rambling Ruminations. Tomorrow I'll talk a bit about our financial history(how Jim and I got in a mess) and budgeting(how we got out). Wednesday I'll talk about 'Rich People', Thursday will be "I've Been Stupid Day" (everybody can leave a comment telling about a time when they made a bonehead financial move - big or small- c'mon now, we've ALL done stupid things with money), and Friday.....well.....I guess I'll just have to come up with something now, won't I?
More tomorrow.....
Karen
2 comments:
Fantastic post. We went to a Dave Ramsey conference in Oklahoma City a couple of years ago and bought his book to share with our adult kids.
The Word does tell us to "Owe no man anything except to love him" for a reason. And the debtor does become the slave!!
I look forward to the other posts this week. And yes, I'll be honest in tell one of our blunders. You notice I said one. I wish there were only one :o(
What a testimony of your heeding Gods instruction and moving on you!! Being "Does of the Word and not hearers only".
Susan
Susan
Very good post. Thank you. connie from Texas
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