YOUR MONEY

COUNTS !

By Howard Dayton

May be

You’ve just received your first salary and you’re not sure how you should go about spending it.

OR

You just can’t make ends meet. There’s never any money at the end of the month.

OR

You’re in a debt trap. There doesn’t seem to be a way out.

Read on!

WHEN MONEY IS NOT SPENT WISELY

Discontentment Troubles

Family Crises Distress

SuicideYOU NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE ABOUT MONEY IF YOU DON’T WANT TO FIND YOURSELF HERE !!

it leads to

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT MONEY ?Did you know ?

16 of the 38 parables of Jesus tallks of money / possessions

2350 verses in the Bible concern money / possessions

WHY DOES THE BIBLE GIVE SUCH

IMPORTANCE TO MONEY ?

Money affects fellowship with God. (Luke 16:11)

Possessions compete with God. (Mathew 6:24)

Much of life revolves around money.

YOUR MONEY COUNTS !

because

DOES THAT MONEY REALLY BELONG TO

YOU ?

God is the sole OWNER of everything (Psalm 24: 1)

God has ultimate CONTROL over everything (Psalm 135;6)

God has promised to PROVIDE our need (Mathew 6;33)

The Bible says

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR ATTITUDE TO MONEY ?

We need to be FAITHFUL

With ALL our resources

REGARDLESS of how much we have (Mathew 25: 14,15)

In LITTLE things (Luke 16:10)

With ANOTHER’S possessions (Luke 16:12)

Builds CHARACTER

Leads to CONTENTMENT (Philippians 4:19)

It then

ALWAYS CUT YOUR COAT

ACCORDING TO YOUR CLOTH

NEVER GET INTO DEBT

Because Debt

Is a CURSE

PRESUMES upon tomorrow (James 4:13-15)

MAY DENY God an opportunity

AND IF YOU’RE ALREADY IN DEBT

GET OUT !!…. by

PrayingWriting a Budget

Listing assets & liabilities

Making debt repayment schedule

Earning additional

income

Entering into no further

debt

Being content

Considering radical change

Not givin

g up !

WHO IS YOUR REAL BOSS ?

If anyone will not work, neither let him eat!

Rest

Let’s remember that …..

Live a balanced life – so…

God gives Job Skills

God gives success God

controls prom-otion

Work Hard

EMPLOYERS remember your responsibility to

….Serve your employees

Be a good commun-icator

Be honest

and…EMPLOYEES remember your responsibility to ….

Hold employee account-able

Be prayerful

Be faithful

Honour employer

Verba-lise Faith

Honour fellow

employees

Pay fair wages promptly

WHEN IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE

SEEK COUNSEL

Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one. Ecclesiastes 4:9

Seek Counsel from

Scripture (Psalm 119:24)

Godly people (Psalm 37:30-

31)

God (Psalm 32:8)

But DO NOT seek counsel from

Fortune Tellers, Mediums (Leviticus 19:31)

OR

Those who are biased

WHEN IT COMES TO HANDLING MONEY

BE HONEST

God demands ABSOLUTE honesty,

since

We cannot practice dishonesty

or neighbour (Romans 13:9-10)

It Creates credibility for telling others about God (Philippians 2:15)

It Confirms God’s direction (Proverbs 4:24-26)

Even small acts of dishonesty are devastating (Luke 16:10)

and love God (Proverbs 14:2)

and…… IF YOU’VE BEEN DISHONEST

Restore fellowship

with God (1 John 1:9)

Restore fellowship with people (James 5:6)

Restore dishonestly acquired property (Leviticus 6:4-5)

leads to

Intimacy with GOD (Proverbs 3:32)

A blessed family (Proverbs 20:7)

Long life (Proverbs 12:9)

Prosperity (Proverbs 15:6)

leads to

Alienation from GOD (Proverbs 3:32)

Family problems (Proverbs 15:27)

Death (Proverbs 21:6)

Poverty (Proverbs 13:11)

DISHONESTY

HONESTY

GIVE AS YOU SPEND !!It is more blessed to give than to receive

(Acts 20:35)To whom should you GIVE ?

Local Church

Family (1 Timothy 5:8)

Christian Workers, Missionaries (Galatians 6:6)

The Poor (Mathew 25:35-45)

GIVE AS YOU SPEND !!It is more blessed to give than to receive

(Acts 20:35)

Why Should we GIVE ?

Increases intimacy with God (Mathew 6:21)

Increases material blessings (Proverbs 11:24-25)

Develops character (1 Timothy 6:18,19)

Invests for

eternity (Philippians 4:17)

GIVE AS YOU SPEND !!It is more blessed to give than to receive

(Acts 20:35)

How should we GIVE? (1 Corinthians 16:2)

Personally

Out of private deposit

Periodically

Premeditated

SAVE AS YOU SPEND !!

While Investing remember

Be a steady plodder (Proverbs 21:5)

Avoid risky investments (Ecclesiastics 5:13-16)

Understand Compound Interest

Consider the hidden cost of investment.

Diversify (Ecclesiastics 11:2)

n A = P(1 + r)

SAVE AS YOU SPEND !!

Good Investment Goals

Provide for family

Become financially free to serve the Lord

Operate own business

BUT Establish maximum amount to save

BUDGET BEFORE YOU SPEND !!

Why Budget ?

How do I budget ?

Begin where you are today.

Forecast your future income and expenditure

The solution is where you want to be.

So that it brings in an attitude of control in spending that is needed for reaching your financial objectives.

Know what is actual income and expenditure today!

BUDGET BEFORE YOU SPEND !!

Budgeting hints

Provide for pay - ments that are not monthly

Reconcile your account every

month

Also make an annual budget

Provide for personal

allowances

Control impulse spending

WHAT SHOULD BE MY STANDARD OF LIVING ?

Think with eternal

perspective (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Do not be confirmed to the world(Romans 12:2)

Be Content

Don’t compare with others

Do not waste (Luke 16:1,2)

Live simply (1 Thessalonians

4:11-12)

Recognize the

enemy (2 Timothy

2;3,4)

Remember you

are a pilgrim (Philippians 3:20)

Does your spend -

ing please God ? (1 Timothy 4:4)

TEACH THE CHILDREN WELL (Proverbs 22:6)

Teach them the guidelines of

spending money (Deuteronomy 6:6,7)

Danger of being misled by advertisements

Remind them of the 3 D’s

Dependence on Prayer

Destruction brought on by over indulgence

Give opportunity to practically apply what

they’ve learnt.

Be a role model to them in

financial matters (1

Corinthians 11:1)

So finally….. WHAT SHOULD BE MY

PERSPECTIVE ABOUT MONEY ?

Money will not bring true happiness

since money can buy

B

ED

no

t

SLEE

P

BO

OKS

no

t

BRAI

NS

AMUSEMENT not HAPPINESS

FOOD

not

APPETITE

HOUSE not HOME

MEDICINE

not

HEALTH

So finally….. WHAT SHOULD BE MY

PERSPECTIVE ABOUT MONEY ?

Money is not evil Yet, the love of

money is a root of all sorts of evil…. 1 Timothy 6:10

Godly people may not always prosper

financially since true prosperity extends far

beyond material possessions !

There must be a conversion of the heart, the mind and also the purse

MARTIN LUTHER