Day 25 (March 31): Becoming a Disciple of Jesus

Last night was special. We spent time getting to know one another. You cannot have a strong local church without healthy relationships. Tonight @ 7:00 pm, the West Campus will experience “Among Friends”. Come prepared to worship & then fellowship around light refreshments & powerful conversation.

To achieve financial freedom Jesus taught His disciples to: “estimate the cost” (Luke 14:28) before launching into a big project. A couple of weeks ago, a number of people asked The Money Coach—Lynnette Khalfani-Cox: “Do you suggest attempting to take out a business loan to finance a business that you have invested in although credit may not be good?” She gave a very well thought out answer which began with the word: No!

You may access her excellent answer found in this online article containing loads of helpful pointers at AskTheMoneyCoach.com

Becoming a disciple of Jesus requires that we think and look ahead in spiritual and non-spiritual ways. This includes our financial and business decisions. When you become Born Again, you are giving Jesus full leadership of every area of your life even the business area.

Post an example of a person who told you: I wish I had consulted the Lord before I jumped into this business arrangement.

Day 24 (March 30): Let the Bible be Your Guide!

I enjoy hearing and reading about your personal experiences. It encourages me that the ministry of Christ Church is positively influencing and impacting your life.

The Apostle Paul was eager to guide believers in how to live a godly and harmonious life. When he wrote to the folks in Corinth, he taught them how to be disciplined in the area of giving. He said: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made” (1 Cor. 16:2). His goal was to teach them how to benefit from an ongoing financial partnership with God. Living based on God’s word keeps you in partnership with God. You then have the confidence to pray for His provision to come into your life because you are honoring His words and financial guidelines.

Generosity is a learned behavior that becomes habitual when we maintain the discipline Paul exhorted us to adopt. Last Wednesday night and the previous week, a number of people raised the question: Where does it teach tithing in the Bible. There are numerous places (Matt. 23:23-24; Mal. 3:6-12; Lev. 27:30; Neh. 10:37) including the passage I just cited. Although the 1 Cor. 16 passage does not use the word tithe (which means giving one-tenth of your income to God), the principle of “proportional giving” is shown. Proportional giving is when we give money to God’s work, which reflects a specific proportion (or percentage) of our income. The giving is to be regular since Paul used the term “the first day of every week”.

The idea of financial freedom is demonstrated in that we are allowing the Bible to be our guide in all matters of life, even the financial areas. Through budgeting, we are able to dictate where our monies go. Avoiding “budget busters” such as excessive dining out will help us maintain discipline in tithing. Here’s a great form that helps you monitor and destroy the common budget busters you may come up against www.christchurchusa.org/doc/Budget_Busters_Form.pdf.

What budget buster(s) do you have to constantly monitor? Why is it so hard to avoid it?

Tonight @ 7:00 p.m. at Midweek at the East Campus is when we worship and then fellowship with one another. We call it “Among Friends”. The goal is to establish healthy friendships through meaningful conversation.

Day 23 (March 29): Look Ahead!

This past weekend I taught about how one can end the financial war which rages in the heart of the unsuspecting soul. Positioning yourself for a prosperous future requires that you look ahead constantly.

Solomon puts it this way: “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it” (Prov. 22:3). This verse seems almost like the one I examined yesterday—Proverbs 27:12. This is probably the case because making hard financial decisions is often one of the most frequent things we procrastinate about. The delay may result in the decision being made for us by someone who cares little or nothing about our personal circumstance or financial future.

Several years ago I started using this question to help me make many financial and non-financial decisions: “Is this sustainable?” In other words: “Are my actions sustainable as it relates to this particular project, activity, or whatever?” “Can I keep up with the payments or the time it takes to address the activity I’m thinking about starting?” If the answer is “no”, I then begin immediately to transition myself out of the situation because it is not sustainable.

Sustainability is a great way to sift through the complexities of life. The ability to sustain something is like the ability to stay on a moving treadmill. If you don’t have the stamina, passion, or the peace of mind that you’re in the will of God, you cannot maintain the present or anticipated course of action indefinitely.

Apply this question to some of your financial issues and see where it takes you. Share your answers with us. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Day 22 (March 28): What’s My Credit Score?

We had powerful meetings this weekend! I’m amazed at how the Holy Spirit moves when we make Christ the focus of our worship experience. We are a few days beyond the halfway point in our 40-day journey to Financial Empowerment.

The journey has four 10-day phases to it, as referenced in the small brochure I wrote detailing the nuances of our journey. You can access the brochure online www.christchurchusa.org/doc/Financial_Empowerment_Journey_Brochure.pdf. This third phase captures Day 21 through 30 and focuses on our attaining financial freedom. Solomon says, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it” (Prov. 27:12).

Financial freedom requires that we anticipate things that may rear its head in the future. This includes both good and bad things. One of the steps we can all take, which costs absolutely nothing, is to get a copy of all three credit reports. The three main credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—are the reporting agencies that apprise people of our credit scores every time someone does a credit check on us. To preserve our financial future as Solomon advises, we need to ensure that everything in our file is accurate.

To access your free credit report every 12 months, go to the federally mandated website www.annualcreditreport.com. The website also has a lot of great answers to frequently asked credit reporting questions.

How has this Journey helped you so far to experience financial freedom? Do you feel more empowered? Do you feel a greater sense of peace because you’ve been equipped with answers to financial questions? Share your experience with us.

Day 19 (March 25): Success Comes from Obedience

The West Campus is really coming along. People are hungry to grow…to learn…to walk with God. At last night’s Midweek session, there was a strong presence of God as we delved into the Scriptures.

One of the spiritual principles surrounding success is obedience. In 1 Chron. 22:13, we learn that success comes to those who are obedient to God’s laws and decrees. That makes sense!

Success is not just about having your financial needs met. It’s about having a life that is in total alignment with God’s word. I don’t mean that we should be going down a checklist to ensure we check-off all of the things the Bible tells us we should be doing. Rather, our relationship with God is so important to us that we just want to please Him in all of our ways. This perspective is a healthy perspective.

I strive to meet God’s expectations of me no matter what the category simply because He loves me. I tithe because God loves me. I walk in integrity not because I’m supposed to but because I love God and I want to please Him. Do you see the difference in motivation? One person may see Christianity as a list of do’s and don’ts, even though the Bible paints a totally different picture.

What area of your life has God been challenging you to trust Him? Do you think obedience is hard or easy? Post a funny story where you walked away saying: I’m gonna start being obedient to God.

I will resume blogging on Monday, March 28th. See you at the weekend services. Come prepared to receive a powerful word that will inspire you to successfully continue our Financial Empowerment Journey!

Day 18 (March 24): Don’t Ignore the Lord!

Last night was special. We spent some time in prayer before the start of the instructional classes. Already I’ve been hearing great news of how The Road to Financial Empowerment class and the Leadership Class has been helpful to people. Post your testimony so that others can be encouraged about God’s working in your life.

Tonight at the West Campus @ 7:00 p.m., we will offer them the experience of those two classes.

In Psalm 37:4 we learn: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This is a powerful insight that David received about God’s ways. It is as if God gives us a blank check when we delight ourselves in Him.

To delight in the Lord means to find joy and excitement in serving Him. This is very possible if you start praying something like this before you start your day: “God, help me to go on a spiritual adventure today. I want to experience your supernatural leading today.” Start praying that and then be open. Excitement is about to take place. Aspects of your life will be unpredictable, yet delightful.

As your relationship with God begins to grow in excitement, you will find your times of prayer will be more effective. Make up in your mind that today begins the rest of your life. Choose to delight yourself in the Lord. And, remember: it’s His responsibility to give you the desires of your heart. Your inner most desires are important to God. He promises to fulfill your desires as you make Him your joy.

Post an example of a person who has unique encounters with God. Why are they unique?

Day 17 (March 23): The Freedom to be Generous

It’s amazing how much you can learn about someone from their post. Keep up the conversation and our online community will grow in strength and connectedness.

Would you consider yourself to be generous? For many, the answer would be: It depends on what you mean by generous. Let’s get on the same page then with a standard definition. Paul defines generous when he wrote: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:6-7).

Generosity is seen here to have a threefold meaning. First, generous means “What do you want to receive as a reward of your investment?” If you sow generously, you’ll reap generously. What do you want to reap? That defines your interpretation of generosity.

Second, generous means “giving from the heart.” If you can give a gift without feeling obligated, reluctant, or any other weird sense of awkwardness then your gift is a generous one.

Third, the word generous means “to give in a way that pleases God”. Since God loves a cheerful giver, generous people tend to want to always please God by living out the character traits that God enjoys. Generosity is one of them.

Based on these definitions, who are some of the generous people in your life?

See you tonight @ 7:00 p.m. at Midweek at the East Campus! I’ll be teaching a leadership class while the financial empowerment class is going on.

Day 16 (March 22): Stop Worrying!

In our journey we built in the spiritual components like fasting, praying, and Scripture reading. There are some things knowledge alone cannot solve. For instance, a person who worries needs a revelation from God and solid coaching from the Bible in order to stop worrying about things outside of their control. Jesus said it this way: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32).

Praying and fasting about your circumstance will cause you to experience a powerful revelation from God. He will quiet your heart and help you to trust Him. This will free you from worrying.

In order to stay free, you must then take advantage of the truth being presented about money in the weekend teachings and Midweek classes we offer. For example, tomorrow night @ 7:00 p.m. at the East Campus we will continue to explore The Road to Financial Empowerment with The Money Coach, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox (www.TheMoneyCoach.net). She will answer financial questions ranging from the basic to the complex about personal finances. You’ll be sure to take away a wealth of practical knowledge and advice.

How do you coach others who worry a lot? What about that friend or family member that does really weird things because they’re worried. What do you say to someone like that? Tell us.

Day 15 (March 21): The Financial Plan

Solomon was onto something when he wrote: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act” (Prov. 3:27). He was sharing that debt elimination happens first in the heart. In our heart we must always desire to payoff those we owe.

In addressing the whole debt scene, we learn that old debts must be paid off before new debts are incurred. If this principle becomes a life principle then the verse becomes a guide for our behavior. The statement “when it is in your power to act” means that when you have money, give it to the ones who deserve it. That references the ones you owe.

I have seen people freely incur new debts while ignoring the old ones. Their behavior shirks a responsibility toward the creditor and God’s word. Over the course of this journey, you should establish a debt reduction plan. This plan outlines all of your creditors, amount of monies owe, interest rate, etc. More importantly, you should write down on this plan when you anticipate paying off the creditor. By doing this little homework assignment, you are honoring Prov. 3:27-28.

Checkout the Financial Forms we put together and made available for you and your friends to use www.christchurchusa.org/index.php?id=events. The Debt Summary form is the one that you can use to generate a payoff plan for each creditor.

Post a testimony of what God has done for you through this 40-day journey.

Day 12 (March 18): Are You a Slave?

Well, are you a slave? Before you answer the question, let me share this verse with you: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Prov. 22:7). Solomon used the strong word picture of slave to describe how one feels when there is a hefty financial obligation hanging over their head.

Our 40-day journey has taken us into the second 10-day phase, which is aimed at helping us break free from financial bondage. The passion to break free from financial slavery begins when you hate the fact that you’re being viewed as a slave.

This past weekend Pastor Brian Jacks and I preached on Gaining Control of Your Finances. The teaching brought out several important points including: Freedom from debt cannot occur if you are lazy with money matters. This point may be a zinger but it’s true.

To get out of debt, you have to have a crazy-like perspective concerning debt. You actually view debt as a dangerous enemy that has the capacity to destroy everything that’s precious to you including your family. You can’t play with an enemy! Sometimes to get out of debt you have to take a second job for a couple of months or a year or two. You have to view this new source of income as a “restricted fund.” It’s not for any other use than paying off bills. It is restricted! You can’t use it to go on vacation or buy that new sofa you’ve been longing for. That salary is to pay off bills. Period!

Paying down debt requires patience, persistence, and passion. These three qualities combat laziness while conquering debt. As you maintain patience and an attitude of persistence, your passion to get out of debt will see you through.

How do you motivate yourself to stay patient, persistent, and passionate about getting out of debt? Your post will encourage someone else to stay the course toward achieving debt-free living!

I will resume new postings to my blog on Monday, March 21st. See you at the weekend services. Come prepared to receive a powerful word that will inspire you to successfully complete our Financial Empowerment Journey!

Day 11 (March 17): Trust God To Pay It Off!

Last night at the East Campus was powerful! Debt-smashing principles were shared in the Midweek class entitled: The Road to Financial Empowerment. My class on: How to Effectively Influence Others was eye-opening for many as they learned how people within their sphere of influence are seeing them. Tonight @ 7:00 p.m., there will be a repeat performance at the West Campus. Don’t come on time, come early! We’ll spend a few minutes in prayer before we jump into the word.

Learning about God’s views on money is exciting and at the same time quite challenging. David speaks in a pretty strong tone when he writes: “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously” (Psalm 37:21).

The tone is rough if you are in the habit of not repaying your debts. I don’t believe David is speaking about the inability to repay your debts. He’s speaking of the unwillingness to repay your debts because of a lack of proper money management habits or of a person who just wants to get over on others. The contrast we see is the good practices of the righteous person as it pertains to financial matters. These individuals are able to bless others because of how well they have learned to manage their monies.

Generosity is shown here to be a trait of godliness. How generous are you? Or, maybe I should ask: How godly are you? If someone had to write an article about your character and the only data source was your checkbook, will they conclude that you are godly?

Post an example of a godly person whom you know and why you say they are godly. What role does generosity play in that description?

Day 10 (March 16): What Does God Want From Me?

I love reading your posts. It reveals personal information that connects us heart to heart. That’s what the psalmist was doing when he wrote Psalm 1. He was posting an experience he had with God. The psalmist tells us that there is a cause and effect to spiritual and natural things.

In this instance verse one tells us what to avoid doing while verse two declares the things we ought to do. The effect of our action is communicated in verse three: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

How would you like that to be you? Whatever you do prospers. That’s one of my goals. I want the Lord to prosper whatever I do. The key is to avoid what He warns us to avoid. Read Psalm One verses one and two. We are also instructed by verse two to delight ourselves in God’s word and meditate on it day and night. These actions trigger the prosperity effect.

This is not magic! I believe that God is saying: When you immerse yourself in Me, I will give you creative ideas that are lucrative. A tree which is planted by streams of water is a tree that’s constantly being nourished by the life contained in the water. Such a tree is fruitful in its season regardless of the weather or the atmosphere.

We must become confident that regardless of the economic weather or the business atmosphere, God can cause us to experience fruitfulness. What do you think of that? If you’re not careful the economists and social pundits can sow doubt and fear into your mind about the state of our economy. And, unknowingly you will be refuting the ability of God to make you fruitful in this season of the national or global recession.

During this journey ask God to help you rise about the chatter of the economic prophets. This way His word reigns in your life. In fact pray this prayer: “God show me how to be planted by the streams of water so that I can be fruitful in season and not experience financial loss, in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

See you tonight at Midweek at the East Campus!

Day 9 (March 15): You Can't Out Give God!

To get the most out of our journey, you should set aside one day of fasting each week. During that day, eat one meal and turn the other meal times into prayer times. I encouraged the people at the East Campus to choose Wednesdays as their fast days. This way their spiritual lives will be fueled by the Wednesday night Bible Study and corporate prayer time.

Similarly, I asked the guys at the West Campus to choose Thursdays as their fast days because Midweek is on Thursday nights for them.

During Midweek this week @ 7:00 p.m., we are going to explore The Road to Financial Empowerment with The Money Coach — Lynnette Khalfani-Cox (www.TheMoneyCoach.net). She is an expert in the area of personal finances and you’ll be sure to take away a wealth of practical knowledge and advice. There will also be time for questions and answers. Simultaneously, I will be teaching a relevant lesson from The Leader’s Tool Box on How to Effectively Influence Others. Try to get there a few minutes before 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday in Montclair or Thursday night in Rockaway.

Jesus said: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matt. 19:29). The journey of faith is an investment into eternal life. The more you become totally obedient to God even with the management of your money, the more impact your life will have on others in this lifetime…and the one to come.

Think about how much more impacting the gospel would become globally if every Christ-follower became totally sold out to Him. This journey is about maximizing your impact by honing your money management practices. What Jesus is calling for in Matthew 19:29 is totally commitment to God’s word. And, when that occurs, God can trust us with tons of money because money doesn’t own us. Our heart’s devotion to God is should be so great that everything else pales in comparison, even money and earthly relationships.

How do you know that you’re sold out to God? If I asked your money this question, what would be the answer? I’m assuming money can talk.

Day 8 (March 14): What Have You seen?

I love being around people who are well traveled or those who have loads of life experience. They can give firsthand accounts of what they have experienced. It’s not theory. It’s hard cold reality they have personally lived.

David discovered through his lifetime this reality: “I was young and now I’m old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Imagine that. David’s testimony of God is that He always provides for righteous people. A debt reduction method is living a righteous life by God’s standards. Think about it. It costs money to sin...lots of money. Life outside of the will of God is also quite expensive.

During the journey, ask God to get you totally aligned with His will for your life. While you’re praying about that try to shed all of the unrighteous habits you may be engaged in.

The cost for a pack of Malibu Lights in Montclair is approximately $6.22. Although some would debate the sinfulness or lack thereof of cigarette smoking, we can all agree that smoking will get you to heaven a lot quicker than you’d like to be there. This assumption—the getting into heaven part—presumes that you are a believer in Christ.

My life experience tells me that a number of wonderful believers have a problem puffing on Malibu Lights or some other brand of smokes. I can’t see Jesus smoking cigarettes or another kind of substance even if He was able to get a medical prescription for marijuana. So I conclude that smoking is an unrighteous act…and an expensive one. During this 40-day journey ask God to deliver you from smoking if you’re in the habit of such.

This deliverance will save you a ton of money. If you smoke two packs a day, that translates to a savings of $4,503 per year. Take the savings and pay off a debt. Then you can join King David in singing, “I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.”

What’s the most expensive sin that you have seen? And, have you seen God deliver anyone from it?

Day 5 (March 11): God Protects the Little People!

Have you ever gotten ripped off simply because you did not know any better? We learn in Exodus 22:25 that under the old covenant God wanted His people to live by this rule: “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like the moneylender; charge him no interest.”

Please don’t misinterpret this verse. It’s not saying it is unethical to charge someone interest if you extend a loan to them. Rather, God is saying don’t get take advantage of them or their unfortunate situation. This verse captured a moment in the history of the Jewish people when less fortunate Jews were being taken advantage of by wealthier Jews. The wealthier people were charging an ungodly interest rate on loans to their less fortunate brothers.

Because justice is a big deal to God, He intervened to protect the poor from the unscrupulous behavior of the rich. It’s almost like the modern credit card companies who charge predatory interest rates. The 2009 Credit Card Act was designed by the federal government to protect consumers from unfair credit card practices, eliminate predatory credit card lending tactics, and increase transparency of the credit card companies. The new credit card law helps consumers in many ways including restricting the issuance and marketing of credit cards to young adults and on college campuses. Now, anyone under 21 must get an adult to co-sign on the account if they want to open their own credit card account. Or, they must show proof that they have an income stream to repay any debts they incur.

Justice is needed to free people from unrealistic financial expectations and lift the overwhelming burdens off their shoulders.

What would happen if you applied faith as it pertains to the justice of God? I mean after spending some time in prayer and reflection make a list of some of your creditors that you can approach with the thought of their reducing your debt. Many creditors (and credit card companies) are willing to lower the payoff amount if you can be consistent with paying off a lesser amount within a certain period of time. You have to demonstrate good faith however in following through with the agreement.

Post your story of how you were able to secure a lower payoff amount because you professionally approached a creditor.

Our journey continues this weekend -- we'll see you at Christ Church for worship and I'll be back here on the blog on Monday!

Day 4 (March 10): Is Your Middle Name MONEY?

Is your middle name “money”? My question is a silly one but it points to a perspective that many people struggle with unknowingly. King Solomon waxes eloquent by stating: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Eccl. 5:10).

We all know that money is necessary. We need it to meet our financial obligations, take care of our families, and the list goes on and on. The problem God is trying to point out is that of the heart. God is always dealing with our heart…our values, and our priorities. The verse infers that loving money is wrong and meaningless.

But, how do you know if you love money? Solomon gives us one answer when he says: The person who loves money always thinks that they don’t have enough money. The angle of his observation is directed to the person who wants to hoard money. This person sees money as something to be accumulated selfishly. Do you feel that way about money? If you do, then I must lay guilt at your feet by labeling you as one who loves money.

You can also determine if you are a lover of money by checking the color of your palms. Are they green? Does the green dye from the money rub off into your hands when it comes time to tithe? I’ve noticed some people when they raise their hands in worship, their palms are green. God had to pry His offering out of their hands because of their death grip on the cash. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that I’m being a bit facetious. But, the point has been made. Money is to be used for a higher purpose than simply hoarding it for selfish reasons.

Money is to be your servant and not the other way around. Post one of your experiences that demonstrated your change of heart towards money. Or, share with us how you were able to have a conversation with someone who loved money and didn’t know it until you pointed it out.

Day 3 (March 9): Honor Your Word!

One of the beautiful things about reading God’s word is that we gain a ton of free advice that can be applied to our daily lives. For example, Solomon says: “It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it” (Eccl. 5:5). Honoring our word as it relates to keeping financial commitments is extremely important. Apart from the obvious reasons of integrity, ethics, and morality that are associated with keeping your word, we learn that there are also financial implications.

After this Sunday’s sermon on The Enemy Called DEBT, a lady approached me exuding with excitement. She announced: “Pastor, this word is so timely. I just got a job after a year of being unemployed. I can now pay my bills. In fact, one of my creditors is threatening to sue me.” I congratulated her on the new job and quickly offered this advice. "Write a letter to your creditor indicating that you were unemployed but recently landed a job. Indicate your intention to resume payment by such and such date. I believe that this action will avoid the expense battle of a lawsuit and keep your credit from any further damage.”

Just because you owe a bill is no reason to throw away or suspend your integrity. Contact your creditor providing them with clear instructions as to the minimum you can make given your financial situation. This practice recognizes that Ecclesiastes 5:5 must be honored.

Some financial advisors even counsel that you should contact your creditor if you know you are going to lose your job due to a layoff, etc. At that time you can even press them for a lower interest rate or a better payment plan in order to ensure there’s no disruption in your making the payment.

Post your story of how you were able to reduce your debt because you honored your vow. Or, tell us how you felt because you honored your financial commitment. It’s neat to hear how God backs His word when we dare to believe Him.

Day 2 (March 8): Patrol Your Heart!

Jesus warns us: “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). The verse provides warning on two different levels.

First, we are to be on the lookout for greed. The basic meaning of greed is “excessive, extreme desire for something, and often more than one’s proper share.” The greed Jesus is speaking about is not something external or outside of our person. It’s internal. It’s a change in our heart, our desires, and our appetite. When greed is lurking in our souls, we start mulling over and over in our minds a justification for an excessive amount of something in particular. That something varies from person to person. Jesus’ warning must be further heeded because He notes that there are many kinds of greed.

Some people get into debt over greed for clothes while others sink into money problems over greed for status. So, the excessive amount of money they pour into a status automobile becomes a symptom of the problem of greed.

Second, we are told that life is more than the amount of stuff we own. I have never buried someone whose family wrote an obituary that listed all of the possessions of the deceased. When we face the end of life, we get sober as to the real meaning of life. It’s not about the stuff we’ve accumulated over the years. It’s about the relationships we’ve built and the people we’ve impacted.

As you look over your life to really establish a satisfying life, what stuff can you get rid of? I mean, if you were to put some things on eBay or hold a garage sale before the end of this 40-day journey, could the proceeds help you inch further away from debt?

Look around your house or in your closet and make a quick post of things you bought because you thought they were going to make you happy, more content? But now, it’s sitting in the closet or collecting dust. What have you learned about yourself and the abundance of possessions? If truth be told: We all have stuff around the house that we had no business buying. Now, it’s collecting dust.

Day 1 (March 7): Are You Content with What You Have?

Congratulations! You’ve started the journey. The first ten days will focus on the perspective God has and wants us to have towards money. In Hebrews 13:5, the writer says: “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.’”

To avoid debt God tells us to be content with what we have. Can you do that? In other words, if you were not able to get any more stuff—no more new cars, no new furniture, etc.—could you be cool with that? Before you answer, realize what God is trying to get us to understand. God is saying: Be content with what you have…because you have Me.

Factoring that dimension of meaning into being content with what you have, can you now answer my question about being content?

Can you see the logic behind this approach to controlling debt? God is challenging us to see that we should not let stuff fill up our lives. Rather, we should see how His love and presence is all satisfying.

What financial decisions is this interpretation of Heb. 13:5 challenging you to rethink?

In what way does this meaning of this verse get you to reduce the emotional pressure for acquiring more stuff?

Let’s talk about how you can establish a list of stuff that you NO longer need to buy if you got a revelation of God’s promise to never leave you.