Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter
2:19-25; John 10:1-10
Welcome to the third sermon in this series of four sermons – Developing a Joyous Family – Advice for Christian Parents and Grandparents. Today is “God’s Financial Plan”.
Larry Burkett was a financial counselor in the Atlanta area. The story goes that one day, a couple arrived in his office. They said, “Mr Burkett, we have a problem. Here are our bills and our income is only $30,000. We can’t see how anyone can live in Atlanta on just $30,000 per year. We need about $35,000.” Larry looked over their figures and had to agree…he didn’t see how they could live on $30,000 per year.
A couple hours later, a second couple came into his office. “Mr Burkett, we have a problem. Here are our bills and our income is only $40,000. We can’t see how anyone can live in Atlanta on just $40,000 per year. We need about $50,000.” Larry look over their figures and had to agree…he didn’t see how they could live on $40,000 per year.
That afternoon, a third couple came into his office. “Mr Burkett, we have a problem. Here are our bills and our income is only $80,000. We can’t see how anyone can live in Atlanta on just $80,000 per year. We need about $90,000 or even a hundred thousand.” Larry look over their figures and had to agree…he didn’t see how they could live on $80,000 per year.
That evening, he thought about what he had seen. Being a deep believer in God, he realized that there must be a better way. And soon, Christian Financial Concepts was developed by Larry Burkett. Since Burkett went to the Lord, it has been taken over by Crown.org. Some of the ideas in this sermon were identified by Burkett.
There are certain aspects of God’s financial plan for us. Let me introduce them to you through the view of Scripture.
We begin with some basic principles.
First of all, from Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
By virtue of creating the earth, God inherently owns the earth and everything in it. Humans were allowed to work the earth, to take care of the land, the plants and the animals in the land. But God holds the ultimate title because God created everything.
Given this fact, we must adjust our thinking. We do not own anything. God allows us to use the land and everything we find. It is similar to the computer and paper and pencils that you find at your office. We are used to thinking that the company owns these things and they are provided for our use to do the will of our employer. Yet, deeper still, all things are owned by God and provided to us to use to do the will of God.
Do not be fooled by a deed or a title. God owns your car, God owns your home, God even owns everything in the company that gives you a paycheck – and whenever God decides, God can close down the company and give that building, that land, those computers and desks and equipment to another person who will use it more in accordance with God’s will.
Don’t even think about contesting this in a court of law. For we go to courts because they have the power to enforce what is determined to be fact. God has the power to make or un-make any decision of any court if God decides to. Our courts have no power over God.
So the first principle is that God owns everything.
The second principle is that God is wise and good and acts in our best interests – because we are His also.
Hear what David wrote in the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
If the Lord is your shepherd, this means certain things.
It means that the Lord has the right to do with you what he wishes, for he owns you as much as he owns the green grass outside. And a good, wise shepherd never harms his sheep.
On the contrary, the shepherd protects and gives the sheep everything they need….food….water….shelter…protection.
“I shall not want.”
We had three children at home in 1996. That year, our income was about $5,000. The Lord took care of us. We survived. We had a home, we had food and water, we had clothing, we made it through the year. God provided. He provided that year, the next year, which was also a struggle, and He has provided every year since. Each of those three children has attended college and gained a degree or a certificate. You’ve met Andy, who was born the next year. God will take care of you.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
In ancient times, bountiful food was a marker of wealth. And, even more, oil and wine were markers of wealth, for oil was used for food, for light and heat, for healing. Plentiful wine, a cup running over, wasting good wine, was something only a wealthy person could hope for.
And all of this is provided by the Good Shepherd, the Lord who owns us and leads us. Even our retirement is mentioned in this Psalm.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
What a retirement plan!
So the second principle is that the Lord will provide for us.
The third principle we find is the principle that we are to share our income for the good of the community. In the Old Testament, a tenth of all produce was to be shared. This supported the Temple and the entire tribe of Levi, who were not to work the land, but instead were to be the priests, teachers, scribes and judges of the land. In modern terms, this tenth supported the judges, the police, and the church, including the ministers and musicians, the educational system.
Paul encouraged the people of the churches he established to take up a regular collection, setting aside money weekly which would eventually go to believers in Jerusalem where there was a famine and the believers were having difficult times.
And we have the wonderful view of the early church from our Acts 2 reading:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. [Emphasis mine]
First of all, from Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
By virtue of creating the earth, God inherently owns the earth and everything in it. Humans were allowed to work the earth, to take care of the land, the plants and the animals in the land. But God holds the ultimate title because God created everything.
Given this fact, we must adjust our thinking. We do not own anything. God allows us to use the land and everything we find. It is similar to the computer and paper and pencils that you find at your office. We are used to thinking that the company owns these things and they are provided for our use to do the will of our employer. Yet, deeper still, all things are owned by God and provided to us to use to do the will of God.
Do not be fooled by a deed or a title. God owns your car, God owns your home, God even owns everything in the company that gives you a paycheck – and whenever God decides, God can close down the company and give that building, that land, those computers and desks and equipment to another person who will use it more in accordance with God’s will.
Don’t even think about contesting this in a court of law. For we go to courts because they have the power to enforce what is determined to be fact. God has the power to make or un-make any decision of any court if God decides to. Our courts have no power over God.
So the first principle is that God owns everything.
The second principle is that God is wise and good and acts in our best interests – because we are His also.
Hear what David wrote in the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
If the Lord is your shepherd, this means certain things.
It means that the Lord has the right to do with you what he wishes, for he owns you as much as he owns the green grass outside. And a good, wise shepherd never harms his sheep.
On the contrary, the shepherd protects and gives the sheep everything they need….food….water….shelter…protection.
“I shall not want.”
We had three children at home in 1996. That year, our income was about $5,000. The Lord took care of us. We survived. We had a home, we had food and water, we had clothing, we made it through the year. God provided. He provided that year, the next year, which was also a struggle, and He has provided every year since. Each of those three children has attended college and gained a degree or a certificate. You’ve met Andy, who was born the next year. God will take care of you.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
In ancient times, bountiful food was a marker of wealth. And, even more, oil and wine were markers of wealth, for oil was used for food, for light and heat, for healing. Plentiful wine, a cup running over, wasting good wine, was something only a wealthy person could hope for.
And all of this is provided by the Good Shepherd, the Lord who owns us and leads us. Even our retirement is mentioned in this Psalm.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
What a retirement plan!
So the second principle is that the Lord will provide for us.
The third principle we find is the principle that we are to share our income for the good of the community. In the Old Testament, a tenth of all produce was to be shared. This supported the Temple and the entire tribe of Levi, who were not to work the land, but instead were to be the priests, teachers, scribes and judges of the land. In modern terms, this tenth supported the judges, the police, and the church, including the ministers and musicians, the educational system.
Paul encouraged the people of the churches he established to take up a regular collection, setting aside money weekly which would eventually go to believers in Jerusalem where there was a famine and the believers were having difficult times.
And we have the wonderful view of the early church from our Acts 2 reading:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. [Emphasis mine]
So there is held up to us this view that we should take our first two principles – God owns everything and God will provide, and add to them this third principle that we share as needed with people in need.
Notice that while the Old Testament put forth this collected tenth as a mandatory payment, in effect, a tax, Paul and the Book of Acts clarify that as Christians, this is also voluntary, for we are no longer under the law, and we do not support with our tenth a comprehensive government. (For complaints about mandatory taxes, I’ll refer you to your local Congressman, Senators, and the state legislature.)
No, the reason we share our money with the church is because this helps us to remember that we are dependent upon God for our life, that God is in charge of everything, and that God has provided everything we have. And it knits us together as an extended family, in the same way that when we pay for dinner for a friend, we come together and show each other love. Our tithes show our loves for each other and for God.
There is a fourth principle. Biblically speaking, there is an antipathy, a dislike of money lending. Borrowing and lending with interest are spoken against. (Notice that giving someone money without interest is ok – a gift that someone voluntarily chooses to pay back is fine.) We should avoid interest-bearing loans - both giving and receiving loans. Of course, this is very difficult in modern society, so, practically speaking, most of us will have to take a mortgage to buy a house and buy our first couple of cars with car loans, for cars are necessary to be employed for most of us, and, generally speaking, buying a home - if done conservatively - is better than renting after considering the tax consequences.
What about credit cards? Modern society demands a payment card - so use a bank debit card tied to your bank account.
Finally, there is the principle of saving. From Joseph and the seven fat years to the book of Acts, the idea of saving reasonably for the future is put forth. Always hold onto your seed corn for planting in the spring. Take advantage of your 401k matching contributions – just don’t let your 401k balance control your happiness. Instead, remember that trusting in God gives happiness. And remember the money lending principle when you invest - in today's world, those high-yielding investments actually mean that you are loaning money at high interest rates to somebody. Perhaps a very conservative strategy might be more appropriate.
Finally, there is the principle of saving. From Joseph and the seven fat years to the book of Acts, the idea of saving reasonably for the future is put forth. Always hold onto your seed corn for planting in the spring. Take advantage of your 401k matching contributions – just don’t let your 401k balance control your happiness. Instead, remember that trusting in God gives happiness. And remember the money lending principle when you invest - in today's world, those high-yielding investments actually mean that you are loaning money at high interest rates to somebody. Perhaps a very conservative strategy might be more appropriate.
Fifteen cents on the dollar is a good target for savings, for that means that every seven years, you will have saved a year’s money, even without interest.
And so, from these five principles, we can develop God’s financial plan.
First, we recognize that God owns everything. So stop saying, “It’s mine!” Treat everything we have as a temporary gift given to us by God. Learn deeply the meaning of the expression, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” And rejoice in the fact of God’s ownership. God is much wiser than we are.
And so, from these five principles, we can develop God’s financial plan.
First, we recognize that God owns everything. So stop saying, “It’s mine!” Treat everything we have as a temporary gift given to us by God. Learn deeply the meaning of the expression, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” And rejoice in the fact of God’s ownership. God is much wiser than we are.
So plan your purchases conservatively, particularly houses and cars - American's two biggest purchases. I know that the bank thinks you can afford a $1000 per month house payment – instead, buy a smaller house and pay $700 per month. It will lower your stress level in the long term. And when times are good, you can put the extra $300 into paying off the mortgage sooner, which has a big effect if you can do it upfront. Do you realize that a 30 year mortgage with a 4% rate means that only about $100 per month of your $706 payment goes toward the principal? That means that if you put $300 extra per month, that $300 pays three extra months of the mortgage. Do this for four months and you've cut a year off your mortgage's back end!
Second, don’t panic. God will take care of you. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s provision, from sparrows to Paul’s shipwreck. Enjoy life – your bank account, your 401k is not what keeps you alive. Instead, it is the love of God for you. When unexpected events happen, trust in God. Look ahead with excitement to see how He will take care of you.
Third, learn to live on less. The quickest way to develop this is to start a “no credit” policy. Pay off your credit card loans, beginning with the highest interest rate. Put a credit card in a safe, but difficult to get to place – some people use a safety deposit box, others simply take a plastic cup, put the credit card in the cup and then freeze the water. That way, you can get to the credit card when you really need it, but you won’t use it to pay for a new dress or to eat out.
Gradually work to improve things by holding onto your cars until they become unreliable. That should mean you’ll go a couple or three years with a car payment on that car. And buy cars that are a little smaller than you’d really like to have – save money that way. If you save this money, eventually you won't have to borrow for your new cars.
As you pay off your debts, gradually increase your church giving so more people can find out about the love of God that you've found. If you gave 3 percent last year, try 4 or 5 percent this year. If you gave 5 percent, try 6 or 7 percent. Over a period of five or six years, work to increase your giving to the full ten percent – or even beyond. I’ve know of 30 percent givers.(The easiest way to figure the 10 percent is to look at your paycheck and drop the right-hand digit. If you are paid $500 per week, give $50. If you are paid $980 per week, give $98.)
And if you are out of debt or almost out of debt, begin saving even more. A good goal to shoot for is to be able to live on three-quarters of your paycheck. That way, if there is an illness, a temporary layoff, or a family emergency, the money you’ve been sending to savings – and even the money you’ve been giving to the church – will become your cushion to help you through that rough time.
Finally, look at your regular expenses. Most phone contracts are still two year commitments. A $100 per month two-year phone contract is a commitment to pay $2400. A $3 cup of coffee each workday is $750 a year. Cutting back from an $8 a day meal at McDonalds to a $5 meal also saves $750 a year.
A few things we’ve found out over years of living conservatively. Even the cheapest food at a fast-food restaurant costs between two and four times the cost of making it yourself. A $1 bottle of water can be refilled from the water fountain many times. My Tracfone costs me about $200 per year instead of the $960 an $80 per month plan would cost – for that, I give up coverage in certain areas like Fairmont, Buckhannon, and Romine’s Mills. Netflix on-demand has hundreds of movies and television shows for $10 per month over the Internet – So I cut cable back to basic basic and saved us $75 per month.
Paying careful attention can allow kids to be potty-trained at age two – and saves all those diaper costs! The library has videos and books for free or cheap rental. Rice and dry pinto beans are the cheapest foods. Open the windows late on summer evenings to capture the coolness. Close them in the mid-morning to hold the coolness and reduce your air conditioning bill.
Also, read Proverbs Chapter 31 for ideas on how to raise your income.
But above all, remember, deep down in your heart, remember that God loves you. God loves you so much He sacrificed His only Son on the cross to pay for all your sin debts to God. Those fines, those things you’ve done wrong – He already paid those bills. All you need to do is accept the piece of paper that says “Debts paid in full”. That paper is yours when you accept that Jesus was the Son of God, God Himself walking upon this earth, divine Himself, and worthy to be followed. Will you accept His love? Will you accept the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Spirit which will guide you to all truth, including the truth of what is a good financial decision and what isn’t?
Second, don’t panic. God will take care of you. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s provision, from sparrows to Paul’s shipwreck. Enjoy life – your bank account, your 401k is not what keeps you alive. Instead, it is the love of God for you. When unexpected events happen, trust in God. Look ahead with excitement to see how He will take care of you.
Third, learn to live on less. The quickest way to develop this is to start a “no credit” policy. Pay off your credit card loans, beginning with the highest interest rate. Put a credit card in a safe, but difficult to get to place – some people use a safety deposit box, others simply take a plastic cup, put the credit card in the cup and then freeze the water. That way, you can get to the credit card when you really need it, but you won’t use it to pay for a new dress or to eat out.
Gradually work to improve things by holding onto your cars until they become unreliable. That should mean you’ll go a couple or three years with a car payment on that car. And buy cars that are a little smaller than you’d really like to have – save money that way. If you save this money, eventually you won't have to borrow for your new cars.
As you pay off your debts, gradually increase your church giving so more people can find out about the love of God that you've found. If you gave 3 percent last year, try 4 or 5 percent this year. If you gave 5 percent, try 6 or 7 percent. Over a period of five or six years, work to increase your giving to the full ten percent – or even beyond. I’ve know of 30 percent givers.(The easiest way to figure the 10 percent is to look at your paycheck and drop the right-hand digit. If you are paid $500 per week, give $50. If you are paid $980 per week, give $98.)
And if you are out of debt or almost out of debt, begin saving even more. A good goal to shoot for is to be able to live on three-quarters of your paycheck. That way, if there is an illness, a temporary layoff, or a family emergency, the money you’ve been sending to savings – and even the money you’ve been giving to the church – will become your cushion to help you through that rough time.
Finally, look at your regular expenses. Most phone contracts are still two year commitments. A $100 per month two-year phone contract is a commitment to pay $2400. A $3 cup of coffee each workday is $750 a year. Cutting back from an $8 a day meal at McDonalds to a $5 meal also saves $750 a year.
A few things we’ve found out over years of living conservatively. Even the cheapest food at a fast-food restaurant costs between two and four times the cost of making it yourself. A $1 bottle of water can be refilled from the water fountain many times. My Tracfone costs me about $200 per year instead of the $960 an $80 per month plan would cost – for that, I give up coverage in certain areas like Fairmont, Buckhannon, and Romine’s Mills. Netflix on-demand has hundreds of movies and television shows for $10 per month over the Internet – So I cut cable back to basic basic and saved us $75 per month.
Paying careful attention can allow kids to be potty-trained at age two – and saves all those diaper costs! The library has videos and books for free or cheap rental. Rice and dry pinto beans are the cheapest foods. Open the windows late on summer evenings to capture the coolness. Close them in the mid-morning to hold the coolness and reduce your air conditioning bill.
Also, read Proverbs Chapter 31 for ideas on how to raise your income.
But above all, remember, deep down in your heart, remember that God loves you. God loves you so much He sacrificed His only Son on the cross to pay for all your sin debts to God. Those fines, those things you’ve done wrong – He already paid those bills. All you need to do is accept the piece of paper that says “Debts paid in full”. That paper is yours when you accept that Jesus was the Son of God, God Himself walking upon this earth, divine Himself, and worthy to be followed. Will you accept His love? Will you accept the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Spirit which will guide you to all truth, including the truth of what is a good financial decision and what isn’t?
No comments:
Post a Comment