Faith And Finances

King Solomon is known for being the wisest person who ever lived. The fame of his wisdom spread across the known world. That's no small feat considering how slow information travelled without the internet! In 1 Kings 9 and 10 we read that King Solomon had a navy and "shipmen that knew the sea." What comes to your mind when you read, “a navy of ships?” For me, I start hearing “Anchors Aweigh” in my head, along with images of battleships of all sizes. Go Navy!   In This Episode, We Look At: Solomon taught reducing risk through diversification This background helps us understand the practical application of Ecclesiastes 11:1-2  "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." Increase expected growth There are investment categories that have a higher expected rate of return than individual stocks. Diversification in the stock market today Owning investment categories with diss

Entering into the investing world with a healthy, realistic view of the various  risks is vital to a successful experience. Without some risk, there is no respectable growth. If you search online for the word risk, you’ll find: –verb. “to expose to the chance of loss.”  So, why take any risk at all? For the investor there is an expected reward for the risk taken—the growth of an investment.   In This Episode, We Look At: Some risks can be eliminated, some mitigated, and others can be taken on with confidence Liquidity Risk (not having access to your money) – can be eliminated Inflation Risk – can be mitigated Single Company Risk – can be eliminated through diversification Capital Risk – can be mitigated through: Proper Diversification Owning many asset classes that are dissimilar Including fixed income in the portfolio to decrease market volatility Volatility – Prices and values tending to fluctuate sharply and regularly   One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Faith and Finances: Remember that the inv

Matthew 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.   In This Episode, We Look At: Let's put ourselves in the sandals of these servants: Your boss just handed you a life's fortune and expects you to use it to make more money…. What do you do? What did the servants do? We can safely assume that the faithful servants sought guidance. What sources of wisdom did they have access to in the 1st century? Scripture. In the first century they had access to the law of Moses, the Psalms, the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets. Godly Counsellors It is both wise and profitable to seek counsel from godly men or woman whom you respect. Proverbs 15:22 reminds us, “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” Professionals who have a good name (reputation) Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favour rather than silver and gold.  

Without a clearly defined personal purpose for investing, enough will never seem to be enough. Without clear goals, the answer to the question, “How much is enough?” will always be, “More.”    In This Episode, We Look At: Many get nervous or anxious when they do not know if they are on track to have enough money for their future. It is not God's plan for His children to worry. Phil. 4:6 Be careful for nothing There are those who have more than enough now and for their future, but are still driven to have more. Solomon warned, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this also is vanity.” Ecc. 5:10 Most investors have a general idea as to why they want to invest. How much money will that goal require?  Knowing the future dollar amount needed (roughly) will help you know how much to invest each month to reach your goal. Begin with the end in mind.  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: Ecc. 7:8 Consider your future re

Matthew 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.   In This Episode, We Look At: The lord of these servants knew their work ethic very well. We see that their lord distributed to each servant his wealth according to the faithfulness they have previously displayed. We see that he displayed grace by giving a portion to his servant that perhaps had not previously displayed faithfulness while in his presence—yet he gave him an opportunity to be faithful in his absence. God has called all of His children to be faithful stewards in every area that He has entrusted us with. God knows our individual hearts and He knows if we are faithful or unfaithful. He gives to each of us according to our varying levels of faithfulness and trustworthiness. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10 Are we curre

In this episode, we'll join Tim as he teaches one of several sessions in his Faith and Finances Series.   In This Episode, We Look At: Why are there so many verses in Scripture on the subject of money? The majority are aimed at our heart. Our actions come from our beliefs. Our beliefs come from our hearts. If we desire to improve our Faith and Finances, we need to address what we believe about money. Who is the true Owner, what does stewardship mean, and, what does stewardship look like in our world today? There are financial promises in God's Word that are contingent upon our faith and action. Understanding our true citizenship As Christians, we are primarily citizens of Heaven. Real treasure is what we lay up in Heaven; through both giving (Matt. 6:20) and in whatsoever we do unto the Lord. "Without a doubt, the single greatest contributor to our inability to see money and possessions in their true light is our persistent failure to see our present lives through the lens of eternity." - Randy Alco

We naturally look around and view many things as "ours." Our house, our car, our dog, our kids… We regard money as a private matter and perceive ourselves as the absolute owner of all we possess. In reality, God is the absolute owner of all things.   In This Episode, We Look At: Your view of who owns the money you manage greatly impacts how you handle that money. If we look and operate through the temporal lens; we are going to experience temporal results: Worry over having enough money to take care of ourselves and our families. Trusting in the balance of our savings or investments. Having more than enough with seemingly no needs, which may lead us (even unsuspectingly) to “…be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord?” (Proverbs 30:9). Loving money and the things that money brings more than we love God. Pain for ourselves and our families. “But they that will (to desire) be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition”

 Matthew 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. While most of us would hesitate to align our thinking with the unfaithful steward, there are still many hindrances that we allow to keep us from saving and investing for the future.   In This Episode, We Look At: Obstacles that keep us from investing: Time Time seems to be the most prominent deterrent. I don’t have spare time to try and learn about investing; there are more important matters that require my full attention. {editor's note from Troy: This was my problem for decades. I'm a smart guy who simply didn't bother to put much thought into personal finance.} Money  Many believe they do not have the resources to start investing, or they view the amount they are able to invest as too insignificant to make an impact. That belief can lead to putting off action, resulting in the thought that they will start investing when they are making more money. Misconceptions Some people struggle with the belief that

Matthew 25:14  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. In the parable of the talents we read that the faithful servants doubled their master's money by trading. As we seek to increase the wealth God has entrusted us with today, where should we look?   In This Episode, We Look At: Interest rates are very low in recent years and we certainly wouldn't turn the banks seeking to grow our money. With the best savings account interest rates of around 1% and long-term inflation rates averaging 3%; the math is simple. An attempt to grow wealth through bank interest rates will result in the rapid reduction of buying power. The Equities Markets When planni

Experts estimate that you will need 70% of your pre-retirement income to maintain your standard of living. Do you expect your standard of living to be 30% less expensive than your current standard? According to the US Dept. of Labor, fewer than half of Americans have calculated how much they need to save for retirement. Yet, the average American will spend 20 years in retirement. Also consider that you could be physically unable to work earlier than your current planned date of retirement.   In This Episode, We Look At: Planning your future source of income More than 21 million American workers expect to rely on Social Security in retirement. Unfortunately, 56% admit to not having a good understanding of social security benefits. Many who reach retirement age will continue to work, utilizing their years of experience and wisdom in a capacity that they may enjoy more than having to work for someone else. Who is saving for Retirement? 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The majority c

Ah, marriage! It's that moment when two hearts become one and each one instantly understands the other and agree on all matters… Now back to reality.   In This Episode, We Look At: We all have our individual beliefs Destructive Beliefs lead to: Stress, shame, guilt, fear, pain, selfishness, worry, doubt, suffering; potential sins such as covetousness, greed and idolatry. Healthy Beliefs lead to: Love, joy, peace, energy, passion, fun, accomplishments Paying the personal price There is a personal price we pay when we do not identify and resolve conflicting beliefs about money. These include: Income, savings, giving, helping others, confidence, satisfaction, relationships, communication, personal happiness, health, well-being Replace the destructive belief with a true, healthy belief Example: I could replace a destructive belief of “There's no point in having a savings; something always comes up." With: “Praise God I have an income and can find some extra dollars to save for when things come up.

As Christians we live in the world, but are not of the world. This means that we must use discernment regarding the world's view of money, riches, and success. As Christians, we have the ONE resource with the guidance we need—The Bible.   In This Episode, We Look At: What is the Purpose of Money?  The World says “To pursue happiness and acquire power.”  God’s Word teaches that it is to equip us for every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: If you give to God, church, or missionaries…..  The World says you will have less for you and your family. God’s Word teaches that we will “increase”.  Proverbs 11:24-25  There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth;  and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.  The liberal soul shall be made fat:  and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.  If you want something…..  The world says,

Newsflash—we live in a materialistic world. While Troy and I enjoy our share of "things" in this life, we realize that we are not immune to pull of materialism.   In This Episode, We Look At: The world measures you by what you have And it's answer to abundance is, "More!" Materialism is finding fulfillment in anything or anyone rather than God And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15 Materialism is trusting in money, instead of trusting in the Lord Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 1 Timothy 6:17 The unintended consequences of materialism We are drawn to idolatry: Colossians 3:5 Self-destruction: 1 Timothy 6:9-10 Loss of opportunity to impact eternity Escaping the trap of materialism Stop and think: Luke 15:17 Remember the Lord's ownership: 1 Cor

If you have a Pastor that preaches the Word of God without compromise, that is something to be thankful for and to rejoice over. Pastors face many challenges, temptations, and bear burdens that the average church member may be unaware of.   In This Episode, We Look At: A Pastor's Calling: Preach the Word—this of course requires hours of study, prayer, and preparation Nurture the body of Christ—through discipleship and personal investment in their lives. Common Challenges for Pastors: An "extra helping" of temptations and spiritual attacks Critical church members: complaints, gossip, and a wrong view of financial support The need to compartmentalize; often preaching moments after counselling others over a sin issue Carrying extra burdens Supporting Your Pastor: Pray regularly for his protection as well as a guarded heart and mind Be in your place: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day appr

Before Christ ascended into Heaven, He used parables to teach and prepare us for His departure from earth. In Luke 19 verse 12's parable, the nobleman (representing Christ) tells his servants, "Occupy till I come", as he is about to depart. What is occupying in the 21st century defined for us?   In This Episode, We Look At: Beginning with the end in mind: In both parables of the faithful stewards (Luke 19 and Matthew 25), they were all required to give an account of their stewardship upon their master's return. They were either rewarded for their faithfulness or lost what they were entrusted with because of their unfaithfulness. Redeeming the Time, for the days are evil: Time is a valuable and finite resource. We each have a fixed amount. How will we steward the time gifted to us? Walk in the Spirit. Then we will be led by the Spirit to do God's will–not ours. What is in Your Hand? What have we been entrusted with, to Occupy with, until the Lord returns? The gospel Your calling Your testimo

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s." 1 Cor. 6:19-20 Scripture teaches us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost and that our bodies belong to God. His Word says that we are to glorify Him in our body and in our spirit.   In This Episode We Look At: Are we taking care of the temple? Are we doing our part to attain and/or maintain health so that we can better serve the Lord? What kind of rationalizations do we tell ourselves when we consume food that should not enter our bodies? As Christians, we are not exempt to the consequences of neglecting our health.   Our Actions are going to come from our closely-held beliefs If we believe that we can eat unhealthily "a little bit here, a little bit there"–we will reap the consequences. If we believe that we should be faithful stewards of our health;

This time of year is crowded with lists, ambitions, goals, and resolutions. I’m a huge advocate for written goals. I’ve also witnessed far too many individuals abandoning their New Year's resolutions and commitments simply from being overwhelmed in the enormity of new tasks to tackle.   In This Episode We Look At: Financial goals are great to have and we should have them. They need to be specific and measurable; we can't strive for "I want to better with my money this year." I advise against too many financials goals for one period - you are more likely to get frustrated and quit when attempting to tackle "7 new ways to handle your money".   The One activity that can impact your entire financial picture: Have a clear picture of where every dollar is going. Write it out or print it out. Have a clear listing of where all your dollars are going.   This one activity is very eye-opening and will lead you to the starting point of taking control over your money versus your money controlling you.   A

Tim and Troy take liberty in this episode to read to you, our beloved listener, the classic poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas".   Since Troy is from New Orleans, he has to add a Cajun flavor to this iconic tome.   In This Episode We Look At: Cajun Troy reading Louisiana's beloved, "Cajun Night Before Christmas" in a Cajun accent. Tim rescues this classic piece of literature with an English interpretation!     Today's Resources and Links: Cajun Night Before Christmas - words on the Web Twas the Night Before Christmas - Clement Clark Moore   One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Faith and Finances: Have a wonderful Christmas. Celebrate Christ's birth. Love God and one another!   What Are Your Thoughts? If you have a question or comment about today's topic, we invite you to share your thoughts.

Giving gifts has been an internal part of celebrating Christmas around the world for over two thousand years. The Magi brought their physical gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, to Jesus as an act of worship. They were valuable gifts, and the recipient was more than worthy of their worship. Where are we in our worship of Christ today?   In This Episode We Look At: Gift-giving is an expression of our love and thoughtfulness. Do we include Jesus in our annual gift-giving?   What is worship? Worship defined: the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity: the acts or rites that make up a formal expression of reverence for a deity; a religious ceremony or ceremonies: adoration or devotion comparable to religious homage, shown toward a person or principle:   Giving to the Lord is an act of worship: We give something we value (money, time), to whom we value. It is an expression of our love and adoration. The Gift has a cost (money, time, skill). 2 Samuel 24:22,24   The su

Sleep… Who doesn't enjoy a good night's sleep? Research shows us that many people do not. But, what does this have to do with Finances? It has a lot to do with stewardship. The lack of sleep can definitely impact your stewardship.   In This Episode We Look At: The adverse effects of poor sleep habits on our health. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.—Psalm 127:1–2 We discuss real-world health crises due to sleep deprivation; it's more common than you may think. God is the Provider of sleep; Psalm 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Troy and I share practical methods you can use to help improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Sleep is a reward for "…he who labors." Ecc. 5:12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat