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Do you wanna know the best financial advice book ever written? No, it's not Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, although he gets a lot of his advice from this book. The book I'm talking about is the Bible of course. The Bible talks about money countless times throughout the Old and New Testament, and of Jesus' parables, over half of them were about money. Below I'm listing just a few of the tips God has given us when dealing with money issues.
Prepare for hard times - In Genesis Chapter 41 we read about a famine that is coming upon Egypt. God instructs Joseph to go to the King of Egypt and instruct him to cut down on how much they ate, and build storage bins so that they would have food stored away when the famine came. Many of us would have been wise to take this advice before our current economic famine happened. We can apply this lesson by spending less now, and saving for tougher times. Can someone say emergency fund?
Seek financial advice - Proverbs 28:26 says "Those who trust in their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe." You gain wisdom by talking to those who are wise. You don't ask your bankrupt brother, whether it would be a good idea to buy that new car. You ask those who are good with money.
Be realistic - Proverbs 28:19 says "A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty." Have you seen those job advertisements that says you can thousands of dollars a week, working from home for only 2 hours a day? That's a fantasy, and a scam. In a culture where everyone is encouraged to follow their dreams, it's easy to get lost in the fantasy. On the flip side, hard work always pays off.
Plan ahead - In Luke 14, Jesus is talking about the cost of being a disciple, but these verses work in multiple ways. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower", he says. "Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" The answer of course is no, he will put it on his credit card and worry about paying it later. Even Jesus says you need to have a budget.
Be generous - Perhaps the biggest money theme in the Bible is the idea of giving. Proverbs 28:27 says "Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed." Proverbs 11:25 says "The generous will prosper, those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." God takes care of our needs, when we take care of the needs of others. I've been tithing for several years now, and I can honestly say I've never regretted it. I've also never been in need. God has blessed me tremendously, the least I can do is bless back.
Prepare for hard times - In Genesis Chapter 41 we read about a famine that is coming upon Egypt. God instructs Joseph to go to the King of Egypt and instruct him to cut down on how much they ate, and build storage bins so that they would have food stored away when the famine came. Many of us would have been wise to take this advice before our current economic famine happened. We can apply this lesson by spending less now, and saving for tougher times. Can someone say emergency fund?
Seek financial advice - Proverbs 28:26 says "Those who trust in their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe." You gain wisdom by talking to those who are wise. You don't ask your bankrupt brother, whether it would be a good idea to buy that new car. You ask those who are good with money.
Be realistic - Proverbs 28:19 says "A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty." Have you seen those job advertisements that says you can thousands of dollars a week, working from home for only 2 hours a day? That's a fantasy, and a scam. In a culture where everyone is encouraged to follow their dreams, it's easy to get lost in the fantasy. On the flip side, hard work always pays off.
Plan ahead - In Luke 14, Jesus is talking about the cost of being a disciple, but these verses work in multiple ways. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower", he says. "Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" The answer of course is no, he will put it on his credit card and worry about paying it later. Even Jesus says you need to have a budget.
Be generous - Perhaps the biggest money theme in the Bible is the idea of giving. Proverbs 28:27 says "Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed." Proverbs 11:25 says "The generous will prosper, those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." God takes care of our needs, when we take care of the needs of others. I've been tithing for several years now, and I can honestly say I've never regretted it. I've also never been in need. God has blessed me tremendously, the least I can do is bless back.
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