Let's get Financially fit!!
Are you financially fit?? According to Forbes and other financial institutions being financially fit includes disciplines like set financial goals, stick to a budget, review expenses, build an emergency fund, set up auto transfers to savings account and invest wisely. These are all super ideas!
I watch a financial show called Fixing the money thing on govictory.com or on the Govictory app and on Daystar tv and author, pastor Gary Keesee also suggests we can look for financial fragments around our home or garage- look for items we don’t use to sell for extra cash. We can also shop around for better car insurance or cell phone deals or get rid of our cable and switch to internet tv. His program shares God’s financial plan for us to prosper. So what does God’s word say about our finances? Here are helpful tips/ Bible study that I have gleaned from God’s word on becoming financially fit~
1. Be a giver! Just as God gave us forgiveness of sin, eternal life and a new life in Christ, he hopes we will continue in his generosity. God says it’s better to give than to receive-Acts 20:25. My fav giving verse is Luke 6:38- Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back!
2. Remember God gives us the ability to create wealth~ so it all belongs to him anyway! Deuteronomy 8:18. God gives us the ability to create successful businesses, profitable inventions or best selling book and ministry ideas!
3. Give out of the abundance of your heart as God loves a cheerful giver!-1 Corinthians 9:7-8- each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 and God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
4. Tithe each paycheck. Tithing is giving a tenth of your gross income back to your church home-this is the only scriptural promise where God says to test him! “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10. When I first began tithing I decided to take a leap of faith and trust and test God just as he said. Directly after tithing I began to receive money back in the mail- first from an attorney who said he overcharged me when he represented me in an accident!! As a tither I have not worried about money. God's Word is true!
5. Tithing was first mentioned in Genesis 14 before the law was given. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, king of Salem after he blessed him. “Melchizedek king of Salem (ancient Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine [for them]; he was the priest of God most high. 19 and Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, “blessed (joyful, favored) be Abram by God most high, creator and possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed, praised, and glorified be God most high, who has given your enemies into your hand.” And Abram gave him a tenth of all [the treasure he had taken in battle]. Genesis 14:18-20 amplified bible, also Genesis 28:20-22
6. Give back to those who teach you the good Word-Galatians 6:6-Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Philippians 4:17-Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
7. Giving a first fruits freewill offering is giving from a financial increase we have received or at the beginning of the year to prepare for God’s blessings-Proverbs 3:9-10- honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Nehemiah 10:35- “we also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the first fruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.
8. Plan and think ahead-Proverbs 21:5- the plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 13:16-Wise people think before they act; fools don't—and even brag about their foolishness. Plan and follow a monthly budget by simply writing out your monthly expenses and stick to it! I had to cut up my credit cards at one point. Or I froze them in a plastic bag with water and placed in my freezer! Unlike the government, we cannot print or endlessly borrow imaginary money! Financial expert Dave Ramsey suggests having a $1000 emergency fund at all times.
9. Save for the future-Proverbs 30:24-25- “four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: 25 ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. Some follow the 10/10 rule-tithe 10% and give 10% of your income. Use the remaining 80% for expenses.
10. Pay what you owe others-James 5:4-6
11. Do not love your money-Ecclesiastes 5:10- whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. 1 Timothy 6:10- for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
12. Do not be greedy or place hope in riches-Proverbs 15:27, 1 Timothy 6:17-19- command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 in this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
13. Provide for your household-1 Timothy 5:8- but if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
14. Give financial alms to the poor and provide your time, talent and treasure to those in need. By doing this you will store up a treasure in heaven! Luke 12:33- sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Matthew 6:19-21-“do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Proverbs 11:24-25- 24 one person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
15. Financially support spreading the Gospel/ good news everywhere! Say you don't have a ministry yourself or don't have time to serve and help grow God's Kingdom. But when we financially support Biblical outreaches and ministries to bless and teach others, we receive the same reward as those who are teaching and preaching! Matthew 28:19- Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 1 Samuel 30:24- Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.
16. Sow seeds of God’s word, goodness, love and finances into people and ministries and be blessed 100 fold! Genesis 8:22- as long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. 2 Corinthians 9:6- remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Galatians 6:7-8 do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Genesis 26:12- Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the lord blessed him.
17. Follow God’s commands and ways and serve him gladly and you will be blessed! Deuteronomy 28:1-14- 1 if you fully obey the lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 all these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God… Job 36:11-If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
Remember God brought the Israelites out of Egypt (Psalm 81:10)- a visual image of God also bringing us out of our sin and former sinful lifestyle! God brought them out of Egypt with the gold and silver of the Egyptians! (Exodus 12:35) He provided for their wanderings in the desert with manna for food (Exodus 16:4-5) and their clothing and shoes did not wear out for the entire 40 years! (Deuteronomy 29:5) their 40 years of wandering should have taken them 11 days-so I do not recommend complaining to God but what a beautiful picture of our heavenly dad, our Father God providing for his people-us! Remember and declare often Philippians 4:19-my God will provide all of my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus and Ephesians 1:3-I praise you God for I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus!
Psalm 23:1-the LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Amen.
Kate
kate@katesfaithandfitness.org
