The Principles of Finance
Many sources are citing financial stress as one of the leading causes of marriages ending divorce. This being the case it is obvious that the popular cultural strategies are not working. It is time to turn to time honored principles that give direction in the area of handling money. The Bible is the primary source for these principles. Here are the principles of finances:
-
Acknowledge God's Ownership Daily- Accept the responsibility of stewardship by hanging on to things loosely & using them for eternal purposes (Luke 12:13-21, 1 Timothy 6:17).
-
Accept God's Answers & Direction- Accept God's decreases as well as His increases as positive direction (Proverbs 3:4-6, Matthew 6:28-33, Philippians 4:12-13).
-
Keep Finances Current- Keep a good record of past & present spending & investing (Luke 14:28-30, Romans 13:8).
-
Tithe 10% & Give- Allow God to bless the other 90%. Give, rather than lending, to the needs of others (Proverbs 21:26, Malachi 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15).
-
Evaluate Purchases- Evaluate based on needs, wants, & desires. Know the differences between the three (Philippians 4:19, 1 Timothy 6:6-10).
-
Plan Carefully & Avoid Speculation- Never make financial decisions under pressure or in a hurry (Proverbs 23:4-5, 2 Peter 1:6).
-
Trust Intuition- If you don't have peace, don't buy (Psalm 37:7, Proverbs 10:22).
-
Invest In God's Work- Find out what God is doing & join Him by giving resources to that (John 5:19, Colossians 3:1-2).
We have a choice. We can choose to accept societal norms in using our money or we can direct our spending based on biblical time-honored principals. The best investment yield comes in applying the eternal truth of God's word to the use of money that can be here today & gone tomorrow.
For more help with your finances click on the budget worksheet: