Preliminary financial planning
[Personal Finance Series] Biblical View of Money and Finance
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; yours is everything in heaven and on earth, and yours is the kingdom; and you are the Highest and the Head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29) :11)
What the Bible teaches about money
Money and property are private, mysterious and delicate matters for ordinary people, so the ancient saying goes, "Don't reveal your wealth." If you have money, you are afraid that your relatives and friends will find out and borrow money; if you don’t have money, you are afraid of being looked down upon. Money and property are rarely discussed together in many families, so I use the word "mysterious" to describe it. An interesting situation that often occurs between many couples is that one party does not let the other know how to spend and invest, but all their friends know it; or the children do not know how much money their parents have, but outsiders know better, so it is subtle enough!
Since God has given us the ability to make money and given us the freedom to handle money, what are the principles for how we use money? Does God care what we do with our money? Are there any values that can be revealed through our management of money? Does money bring us freedom and happiness?
Thank God for giving us the precious Bible to give us clear reminders, teachings and directions.
How does God view money? The Bible talks more about money than almost any other topic. According to statistics by Tai Haohua, one of the founders of Crown Financial Ministries, and his colleagues, there are more than 2,350 verses in the Bible that talk about how to deal with and deal with money, accounting for 7.5% of the total number of verses in the Bible (approximately 31,200 verses), far exceeding other teachings. However, the vast majority of churches rarely talk about this topic, thinking that churches cannot talk about money and that talking about money is not spiritual.
But in real religious life, money problems have become so serious that they are overwhelming. For example: the overuse of credit cards has led to a credit card debt crisis; the global economy has made investments without borders leading to endless financial crises; Taiwan's declining birthrate and aging population have led to financial imbalances; consecutive losses in health insurance and labor insurance issues have become time bombs. Divorce seems to be the norm among couples fighting over money...etc. However, in the Bible, in addition to teaching various life issues, there are also "instructions for use" on property, investment, financial management, etc. Let us begin to experience God’s reminders and teachings from two scriptures.
Example 1: Don’t just see immediate benefits
Genesis 13:8-10 mentions that Abram said to Lot: "There shall be no conflict between you and me, nor between your herdsmen and mine, for we are flesh and blood, and the whole earth is not before your sight. Please leave me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left." Abram loved his nephew Lot, so he asked Lot to choose first, "Lot raised his eyes and saw the Jordan River. The whole plain is moist, even as far as Zoar." It seems that he only has himself in mind and has no relatives.
"Moisturizing" means that the land is fertile and rich in products, and cattle and sheep can be raised fat! Lot saw only wealth, but he did not expect that he would go to Zoar step by step and be destroyed. God uses this to remind us, when faced with decisions or opportunities such as work and investment, what do we value? What is being ignored? In the real world, people often only see immediate benefits and lose more, as Proverbs reminds: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (14:12 and 16:25) )
Example 2: Make good use of money
Genesis 20:14-16 mentions that Abimelech gave Abraham oxen, sheep, and male and female servants, and returned his wife Sarah to him. Then Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; you may live in it wherever you please." And he said to Sarah, "I will give your brother one thousand pieces of silver to cover your shame in front of all your family..."
Here Abimelech sent many gifts to Abraham. These gifts were all money, including cattle, sheep, servants and maidservants, a place to live as he pleased, and one thousand taels of silver. Abraham did not squander the money carelessly, but loved God, feared God, and managed it faithfully. God also gave him a bigger and more inheritance, making him the father of faith.
Why the Bible Is Full of Teachings About Money
Why does God go to such lengths to talk about money in the Bible? There are at least three reasons:
1. How we manage money will affect our relationship with the Lord
Luke Chapter 16 Verse 11: "If you have been unfaithful with unjust money, who will entrust you with real money?" Matthew Chapter 25 Verse 21: "The master said, 'Okay, you "Good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, but I will put you in charge of many things; come in and enjoy the joy of your master." These all teach us to manage money faithfully.
It turns out that the use of money is related to loyalty, kindness, managing more, and enjoying the happiness of the owner.
So we must examine ourselves: Am I using my money faithfully? Do I deserve to be entrusted with more money? Are my use and allocation of money based on a good heart? Do I deserve to be trusted to manage more? Finally, am I invited in by God to enjoy His joy?
It turns out that you can enjoy the happiness of God if you face money with loyalty and kindness! Am I happy?
▲No matter how much God entrusts us, we must be faithful stewards. (Image source: freethinku.com/experience/can-best-steward-treasure/importance-stewarding-treasure/)
2. Money often competes with the Lord for first place in our lives.
Matthew 6:24 says: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Mammon: (meaning financial gain)"
It’s not easy, especially in this competitive world where we sacrifice our health, our families, and our relationship with God just to make more money. Ask God to give us a heart that discerns ourselves, so that we can rely solely on God.
3. People’s life plans are mostly determined around the use of money.
Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Do we always think about where to buy a house? Need decoration? How much does it cost to decorate? Does your child study abroad? Domestic or foreign travel? How to invest? Which investment is the most profitable? …These are all related to how much money we have in our pockets. Therefore, God is particularly concerned about our hearts and minds.
All things belong to God, not to mention money
It can be seen in the Bible that God wants us to be good stewards of money, so God wants us to handle money wisely. Do we know that the owner of money is God? “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; yours is everything in heaven and on earth, and yours is the kingdom; and you are the Highest and the Head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29) :11) This scripture tells us very clearly that everything in heaven and on earth belongs to God, including the money and property we earn. God wants us to be good stewards and manage well. So besides giving one tenth, what about the other nine-tenths? Brothers and sisters, do you think God values our tenth? Or nine out of ten?
Malachi 3:8-10 says: "Shall a man rob God? You have robbed me of my offering. But you say, In what way have we robbed you of your offering? Even the tenth part of your dues." 1 and the offering. Because you, the whole nation, have taken away my offering, a curse is upon you, declares the LORD of hosts: Bring all your tithes into the storehouse for my house. If there is food, test Me to see if I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out blessings to you, even if there is no place to receive it.”
Therefore, one-tenth belongs to God and should be dedicated. God also values how we manage, control, and handle the other nine-tenths. But in real life, most of us think that one-tenth is given to God and donated, and the remaining nine-tenths are our own, including buying things, eating, having dinner parties, investing, and doing various enjoyments and activities. Distribution, no longer praying and asking God, because they feel that it is their own money that can be spent as they please, forgetting that nine-tenths of it also belongs to God, which has caused many people to enjoy themselves excessively and even eat at will, resulting in poor health; the Moonlight Clan (no There are more and more people (deposits), their credit cards have been maxed out, and they have even become card slaves. More and more people are negotiating for debts and having their debts charged, including many brothers and sisters in the Lord. Investors rely on their own intelligence and ability, thinking that the ability to make money comes from themselves, forgetting that all these are gifts and grace from God!
God knows, understands, and understands us deeply, so he reminds us in the Bible that everything belongs to God, and we should be faithful, kind, and knowledgeable stewards of the money God has given us. Through godly financial planning, we can achieve the following goals:
1. Fulfill God’s will for us.Philippians 3:12: “Not that I have already received it or am already perfect, but I press on so that I may gain possession of that for which Christ Jesus has gained me. Understand clearly God’s will for us and Pursue it with all your strength.”
2. Honor God and benefit people.2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfect, prepared Do every good deed."
▲Tithes in the Temple, Pierre Monier (1641-1703). (Image source: en.wikipedia.org)
Responsive Thoughts and Actions
Dear brothers and sisters, we should clearly understand that God wants to use us to be good stewards of money to fulfill His purpose of glorifying God and benefiting others in us. Let us respond to God’s abundant supply with practical actions and thoughts:
1. Do I have the habit of keeping accounts every day? Start accounting every day from today.
2. Do I clearly understand my values in using money? Start your quest today.
3. Does God want me to fulfill His will in my life through the distribution of money?
4. How can I glorify God and benefit others through financial management and allocation?
Pray that God will accept your dedication, pursuit and sacrifice, become a faithful, kind and knowledgeable steward of God, and come in to enjoy the happiness God has given you!
‧ The editor recommends further reading: Wen Yingqian, "Financial Management and Devotion in Accord with God's Will", "Messenger Magazine" November-December 2014 issue.
Author profile
Pan Huating, CEO of Taiwan's Antai Insurance Brokers Company, holds psychological counselor and international financial planner certificates, and is a teacher of the Chinese Boaz Association (Joshua School of Management). He loves life and devotes himself wholeheartedly to domestic and foreign gospel ministries, serving the disadvantaged in rural areas and poverty alleviation projects. He also participates in the ministries of entrepreneurs achieving kingdom enterprises and the Great Commission, and using his life to influence lives.