Faith And Finances

The Christmas Season is upon us and is a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior. When it comes to buying gifts for loved ones, even the well-intended can find themselves succumbing to the pressure to go beyond their means in the purchasing of Christmas presents for others. Is there a practical and God-honoring approach to buying presents? We submit that there is.   In This Episode We Look At: Honoring the Lord by: 1. Carefully considering the financial resources we have. 2. Knowing how much we can comfortably spend on gifts. (Luke 14:28) 3. Talking and praying together about a budget; then asking for God’s guidance in staying mindful of the reason we celebrate Christmas.   Looking for ways of being creatively frugal. Some money-saving yet thoughtful gifts we have personally purchased in the past were: A digital “Slide show” portraying a memorable time in the life of your loved one–perhaps with their favorite song playing. You can check out wondershare or Slidely through the link below (not affili

We hope you all had a wonderful and memorable Thanksgiving. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to dedicate an episode to this subject–please enjoy!   In This Episode We: Put our microphones in the faces of some friends and ask what they are thankful for. Troy and Tim share a memorable Thanksgiving from their lives.   Today's Resources and Links: Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving Special on YouTube   One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Faith and Finances: Prayerfully approach this Christmas season with thanksgiving and ask the Lord for guidance and provision to purchase gifts in a manner that honors Him. Keep Christ in the forefront of all you do.   What Are Your Thoughts? If you have a question or comment about today's topic, we invite you to share your thoughts.

Why is it that so many Christians live without financial peace? Peace may often seem to be just beyond arms' reach if you find yourself asking the following questions: Do I make enough money? Why doesn't my money seem to stretch far enough? Am I burdened with too many bills? Does it seem that misfortune only happens to only me?   In This Episode We Look At: Discontentment–we may believe the word means "not content." The Hebrew word mãr (discontentment) actually means: bitter, chafed, great bitterness, angry. It's so easy to be discontent. We live in a culture whose recipe for happiness is "More!" The Elusive Key: Gratitude The phrase "give thanks" or "giving thanks" appears 98 times Scripture. "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thes. 5:18 CONTENTMENT: Internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances Paul taught that he learned  to be content: Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I

It should be no surprise to us that the Bible states, "the love of money  is the root of all evil." 1 Timothy 6:10   In This Episode We Look At: People do crazy things when they love money. Both in modern times as well as in biblical times, people have done crazy and foolish things in the pursuit of money.   Money is not a big deal to God. Our attitude toward money IS. With over 2,300 scriptures written on the subject of money, riches and possessions; we have plenty of wisdom and truth to teach us how to have the right attitude toward money. The sooner we learn God's plan for money in our life, the sooner we can avoid these pitfalls and enjoy more peace and joy. Our own money attitude may not be as being as extreme as the examples mentioned,  but materialism and covetousness can be very subtle. It can slowly grow in the heart of the Christian.   The Healthy, Biblical view of Money It is just a temporary tool to be used to God's glory. All that we do not use for His glory will perish–we take nothing to Heav

Black Friday falls on November 25 this year. This shopping tradition is so named to reflect the day retailers become profitable the day after shoppers eat a bunch of turkey.   In This Episode We Look At: A battle plan to divide and conquer on Black Friday: Make a list (check it twice) for those you will buy presents for. Don't let family pressure or comparisons cause you to spend more on anyone than you can afford Make a rough list of gift ideas for each recipient Without this focus, you are more likely to overspend   Determine the maximum amount of money (cash/debit) you will spend on Christmas presents. Resolve beforehand not to exceed that amount. Remember that going over your budget may lead to the inability to pay other bills, creating, or adding to DEBT.   Utilize online services to save time, get lower prices, and find free shipping. US News and World Report last year posted "The 7 Best Websites to Find Black Friday Deals". We list them below quoted from that article.   Today's Resources and Links:

October is harvest time here in the United States. As an alternative to Halloween, many of our churches plan Harvest Festivals for family fun. There are three seasonal conditions of the harvest: when the crop is green (not ripe), when it is white (ideal for harvesting), and when it rots. Jesus said, in John 4:35, Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.   In This Episode We Look At: Today is the day to reach the lost What holds us back from having an urgency to reach the Lost? A failure to consider their eternal condition/fate The temporal outlook   Using our finances to impact eternity The Tithe–God uses the tithe for many things: Supporting the Pastor who dedicates his life to study, preaching the Word, reaching the Lost, and disciplining new believers. Meeting the financial needs of the church; property, utilities, benevolence, and outreach.   Supporting missi

"God wants you rich!" "Live like a child of the King–healthy and wealthy!" Sounds appealing, right? Wikipedia describes Prosperity Theology as "…a religious belief among some Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being is always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth." There are many proponents of this health and wealth gospel; from international TV evangelists to neighborhood church pastors. The problem is… The Bible disagrees.   In This Episode We Look At: Scripture is inerrant. It is without error and it does not contradict itself.   The prosperity gospel is man-focused rather than God-focused. It can only be justified by isolating portions and fragments of Scripture.   The love of wealth (the desire for wealth) can drive both man and nations to idolatry. Reference 1 Timothy 6:9-10 and Hosea 13:6   Jesus humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant.   Paul counted all the rich

In this episode we share an interview with Dr. Don Sisk. Dr. Sisk is the President/General Director Emeritus of BIMI and joined Lancaster Baptist Church as the chairman of the missions department of West Coast Baptist College in 2003. He has preached at over 1,700 Missions Conferences in over 60 countries. Dr. Sisk and his wife, Virginia, travel to churches around the world to encourage and train missionaries.   In This Episode We Look At: How Dr. Sisk heard God's clear calling into ministry in 1954. We learn of Dr. Sisk's part in establishing what is now the oldest and longest running Baptist church in Okinawa, Japan–The Senri New Town Baptist Church. We learn the meaning and benefits of Faith Promise Giving. "If I had not been obedient to the tithe, I would not have been obedient to the faith promise giving. If I had not been obedient to faith promise giving, I could not have preached it to other people." - Dr. Don Sisk Dr. Sisk responds to the questions: "Do you see a disconnect with the body of Christ

Missionaries are men, women, and children who have obeyed God's specific and clear call on their lives to go and reach the lost with Gospel of Christ. They often leave behind family, friends, and comforts. We should not view them as "those poor missionaries". We should hold them In high esteem. It is biblical that we support them and view them as champions of the Gospel! In This Episode We Look At: The Lost are reached, Eternity is impacted "We were made for only one person and one place.  Jesus is the person and heaven is the place."- Randy Alcorn I find that of all of God's promises related to our finances, the majority are related to giving in support of the gospel. "Fruit" is added to your account Phil 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. We experience God's greatness is supplying our need even as we give Phil 4:19, taken in proper context; But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Paul writes this to a

Finding a balance in managing time in our lives is often a daunting task. Earning a living requires a good number of hours in our day, including a commute for some. We should be getting about 7-9 hours of sleep We need to have quality time with our families. We have errands to run, bills to pay, and the pursuit of some form of exercise or sports. We would also like to enjoy some vacation time. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming trying to "squeeze it all in".   In This Episode We Look At: Identifying three time frames to plan for: past, present, and future. Having an understanding of these time frames allows you to strike a financial balance.   Without a plan, many will find themselves out of balance. A few biblical examples are: The Prodigal Son–Luke 15 12:13 The Rich Fool–Luke 12:19-20 The Unjust Steward–Luke  16:2-5   We can and should strike a balance. It is possible to pay down yesterday's debts, save for today's expenses, and invest for the future. Identify your disposable income (income minus expe

Many of us start out our adult lives in financial reactive mode. Needing their own place to live, many young adults will naturally rent a place, bringing with it a slew of new bills: electricity, gas, water, internet, groceries. It is easy to understand how we can get to the point where it feels like we are working just to pay bills. For many it may feel as if money controls us, instead of us controlling our money. The good news is that we can turn this around. We can get to the position of controlling money matters, rather than letting money matters control us.   In This Episode We Look At: Two Financial Muscles to Train: The Proactive Muscle The First Step: Assess  You need a clear picture of your current financial system. [fitness illustration: What do beginners need to do?"] Everyone has a financial system; although many of us are uncertain as to what it really looks like. Write out a list of your monthly totals for everything. The second Step: Choose to reduce/eliminate The wonderful news is that as a

Our lives are driven by habits. We may have healthy habits or we may have negative and destructive habits. What you do is habit and what you do not do is a habit.   In This Episode We Look At: Identifying your own money habits What is the first financial transaction you make on payday? Are you addicted to receiving those Amazon boxes on your doorstep? Not saving or investing–is a habit.   Many habits cannot be eliminated, but they can be changed Establish an "anchor" habit. One habit that creates other supportive habits. An example would be the habit of logging everything that you eat to develop the habit of avoiding M&M's and other sweets; because it is not motivating to report that you ate a bag of M&M's.   A financial anchor habit for the Christian could be honoring the Lord first with your paycheck. This strengthens your dependence upon God and causes you to consider how you spend the remaining income. This can develop into other supporting habits like budgeting and adding to saving

We love sweets and deserts just as much as the next guy, but even common sense says that that one's diet shouldn't be mostly Snickers and ice cream. Wanting to be faithful stewards in finances, we dive into a discussion of the cost of unhealthy eating versus the cost of healthy eating.   In This Episode We Look At: The cost of junk food How much of our hard-earned income goes to purchasing food with little or no nutritional value? The personal and national cost of obesity Poor food choices create many unneeded costs: over-the-counter medications, prescriptions, doctor visit co-pays, and medical treatments. The personal and national cost of treating diabetes In addition to out-of-pocket expenses, loss of wages due to diabetes can be devastating. Also consider the personal and emotional price of missing important life events due to illness or premature death. The savings created by eating responsibly, and practical tips for identifying delicious and nutritious foods It's amazing what happens when we start ea

There are some things in this life that we desire more than others. People often desire such things as attention, fame, wealth and the accumulation of possessions. Those all have a common factor: we can physically see them. I submit that Christians tend to overlook the most valuable riches–the ones that are normally not seen or felt. How often do we focus on fleeting riches, when all along we have Christ's power within us to live boldly and victoriously for Him.   In This Episode We Look At:  The riches of Christ's power within us "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." Eph 1:19   The Riches of Redemption We were once condemned while still living and the wrath of God abode on us. We were children of the Devil. "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:"  Eph. 2:2   The Riches of our Inherita

There are countless books on the subject of money management and many more web articles on the subject. While many can be of practical help; as Christians, we have the most valuable resource–God's Word.   In This Episode We Look At: Eight steps to biblical money management and how to apply biblical principles to today's financial needs.   Some of the topics we work through: Honoring the Lord with our substance, Paying Ourselves, Avoiding Assumptions, and the inevitable "Writing a Budget"   Tim expounds on Scripture that is focused on helping to have victory in the area of finances. That further enables us to experience peace, joy and a godly testimony.   Today's Resources and Links: The Faith and Finances Cash Flow Worksheet [Follow the link and then either download or make a Google Docs copy for yourself]   One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Faith and Finances: Download our Cash Flow Management Worksheet and work together to fill in your own dollar amounts. Having a visual helps in

Children love to be rewarded with treats or candy for learning Bible verses. Teens love to be rewarded with cash or privileges like driving Dad's car. Adults love being rewarded with bonuses from work, gifts, or even a trip to somewhere beautiful! Who doesn’t love rewards?   In This Episode We Look At: God is the creator of the reward system. He wants us to live and strive for eternal rewards. Sometimes these are physical rewards, and sometimes they are privileges. Heaven is not a reward; it is a gift (Eph. 2:8-9).   There are Temporal Rewards: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt. 6:33 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. Proverbs 10:3   But heavenly rewards are forever. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12 But lay u

What do you when you get married and discover your spouse has over $40,000 in debt? Today we'll hear from Bob and Ellie Kay about how they addressed this serious issue and paid this debt off in only 2 1/2 years. Hear how this strengthened their marriage and set the foundation to put several children through college while remaining debt free!   In This Episode We Look At: What decisions and adjustments they had to make and live with.   How they determined each other's financial roles and responsibilities.   How they got out of debt and paid cash for the necessities in life; all while honoring the Lord in tithes and offerings.   Today's Resources and Links: The 60-Minute Money Workout: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Finances into Shape [Affiliate Link]   EllieKay.com   Ellie's Contact Page   Tim's blog post on the subject   One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Financial World: Decide to have open dialogue with your spouse and talk about your financial goals and frustrat

I am resigned to the fact that I am aging; my declining vision reminds of this. I can no longer simply buy a pair of prescription glasses and go on my merry way. My continually declining vision demands that I regularly replace my lenses. Recently I went in to have my lenses replaced, left my current glasses at the store, and had to resort to wearing an older pair of glasses. This was not good... I experienced headaches, got drowsy while reading, and couldn't read fine print. It was evident I was seeing my world through the wrong lenses! I contend that our default financial lens is the temporal–the here and now. But Scripture teaches of another lens that may seem ethereal or fictional–eternity. In This Episode We Look At: We as Christians are already citizens of Heaven. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Phil. 3:20. Conversation, as used here is not dialogue. The Greek word politeuma (pa -lē-tyu-ma) means, "the commonwealth of citizens". This l

As parents, we want the best for our precious children. Does that include paying for their college education? In This Episode We Look At: Parents should prioritize providing for their household: Avoid saving for college if it is detrimental to the family's financial health. Continue (or begin) your financial commitments to the Lord: Ecc 5:5 "better is it that thou shouldest not vow, that that shouldest vow and not pay" The Problem with Student Loans: Don't be hasty in moving toward indebtedness. Those that choose to save and invest for their children's education: Remember that time passes quickly! Start when they are very young–time is a factor. Today's Resources and Links: DOL Scholarship search tool Financial Aide Resources One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Financial World: Talk with your teenagers about various careers that they find interesting. Help them research average salaries and required education for those fields. Build a plan to prepare now for the education required. What Are Your Though

There is obviously a disparity in beliefs, evidenced by a Barna study reporting that only 16% of evangelical Christians tithe. In This Episode We Look At: The Purpose of the tithe: According to Scripture it is, "…that ye may learn to fear the Lord thy God always." Deut. 14:23. What does that mean to us today? The Great Divide: Various reasons why many Christians do not tithe. What we miss out on when we do not honor the Lord with the tithe. One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Faith and Finances: If you are not currently tithing, decide to take a step of faith (and strengthen your faith) by committing to prayerfully honor the Lord with thanksgiving for His provision and trust Him to provide for you! What Are Your Thoughts? If you have a question or comment about today's topic, we invite you to share your thoughts.