Wednesday, August 4, 2010

How has God helped you keep your priorities straight about money and possessions? With so many in financial trouble, and deep debt, what do you think the Christians witness should be to those around in regards to that issue?

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8 comments:

  1. Well we work towards being content in all things, like Paul says so well in the scriptures. We have had our most difficult past couple of years financially, but the LORD is faithful. When we got married we wanted to focus our new life together on the verse in Matthew "Seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be given unto you." I think it is a witness to those around us when we trust in the LORD for His provision as we are faithful to Him.

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  2. I am looking forward to reading all the comments.

    We have not mastered finances in our lives yet. We had a rough start in our relationship due to both of our pasts & we are finally able to stand right now. We are still in debt. We do not have any issues concerning possessions. I just wish we were wiser in this area of our lives.

    Bring on the comments :) I'm ready to read!

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  3. Even though we only live on one income (which isn't all that much...pastor's salary) we try to put money (even just a little)into savings each month. Then when unexpected expenses arise, we have a cushion.

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  4. This is not a popular thought, but I have met a lot of people who were controlled by money and possessions who didn't have any. And many who had possessions and money who were not controlled by them at all. Often I hear people say that to seek financial freedom by earning more money in business is contrary to seeking God. I don't see this as being true.

    My pastor just gave a sermon on the three servants who were given talents. You know the story, one was given 5, another 3 and the last 1. (Mat 25:14) Many people want to talk about these talents as our personal "gifts" and yes, that may apply,but a "talent" was actually a sum of money and Jesus's listeners would have know this. We all know what happened to the servant who did not use his "wisely" he was called wicked and lazy by the master.

    The servants who were praised were the ones who made the money (talents) work for them. (Mat 25:16) In that way the money becomes a slave to the servant, rather than the servant becoming a slave to the money.

    Are we slaves to money? or are we making money our slave? One has mastery over the other.

    I think we need to be witnesses to how to use money correctly in a society who makes money into a diety. Money is a tool, neither good or evil, but something to be used wisely. We need to show mastery over money by making it work for us. But if we are indebted to money, a slave to it, and controlled by it, how is that any different than being controlled by another sin? And how is that a good witness?

    This is not about whether you have a lot of money or you have a little money. It's about putting money into it's correct position. If you are mastered by it, you need to learn how to gain mastery over it. Because we are children of God, not to be mastered by anything but Christ.

    Kari

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  5. We too have a tight salary with my husband being an associate pastor... but what we have found is that if we are willing (& cheerful) to give... God will ALWAYS provide! So, we give to God & we give to others as much as we can!
    Jessica

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  6. The borrower is slave to the lender... Proverbs something! My husband and I are Dave Ramsey-ing it right now to pay off our debt and be good stewards with the money God gives us!

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  7. I totally agree with your comment Kari. I know so many people that are in debt up to their ears, and the love money consumes them, and I also know people who have a lot of money that certainly aren't controlled by it. Yes I think that we need to be careful that no matter which side we are on we do not make it a god, but I do not think it is wrong to have money or want to be successful and work hard to get there. A few years ago, my husband and I were in big financial trouble. We would buy things we didn't have money for, and got ourselves into a lot of debt. HE ended up losing his job twice that year. That was such a tough year for us. But I think God was trying to teach us something about where our priorities were. It definetly made us look to Him more, and we learned a big lesson from it. Just a few short years later we are doing really well financially, running our own business, and no matter how successful we may be, we know that it all can be taken away so quickly. It is ok to work hard to be successful financially as long as we know that what we have is Gods, and to be content no matter what! :)

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  8. To keep our priorities straight, we have to start with this - everything we have it God's, and it all belongs to Him. We are only the caretakers. If we really understand this, every financial decision becomes a spiritual decision. It also makes it much easier to keep our hands open to give as well as receive. Our Christian witness is to be generous, which is only possible if we stay out of debt.

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