Finances

Bring your finances to the Lord, whether you are in plenty or want. He understands that we need them, but he doesn't want us to be burdened by money or possessions. Ask the Lord to show you where you are misplacing money in your life, and be willing to sacrifice where He asks you to.

Budgeting harnesses our tendency to overspend and allows us to measure areas in which we're spending too much or too little. By keeping a budget, we learn restraint and, in essence, self-control.

The most important thing you can do is to be an example to your children. How can we expect them to give freely if they don't see you giving?Just as we are to be Christ's example in every area of our lives, we can also be a good example through our giving. Although it takes faith to tithe, especially when money is tight, it demonstrates that God is a good God that provides for his children.

Hearing my mother be vulnerable with me about the state of our finances was comforting. I couldn't do anything to change the situation. However, I'm glad they were able to share their struggles with me. Because I knew they were struggling, it made it easy for me not to ask them for anything frivolous as they could not afford it.

Tithing - such a yucky word/thought/thing - in my opinion - so much so that I avoided it for years. And now I know why I didn’t like it or the thought of it. Learning more about how God created me opened up insight into this area of giving.

We all have a human tendency to desire and want things in this world. God knew that we would be tempted to place material things before Him, but He reminds us that a life lived for Him is the only thing that will ever truly satisfy.

If you grew up in church, you may have heard people say, "you can't outgive God." This phrase sounds nice, but is it in the Bible o rdoes it match the Bible's teachings?

Budgeting is not always about adding more money but rather cutting down on expenses so you can stretch your primary paycheck as far as it will go.

Father, thank you for being Yahweh-Jireh - "The Lord Will Provide." Thank you for all the examples you have given, in your Word, of how you provided for your children in the past. They are reminders of who you are, your character, and that you can be trusted to provide for me in every way.

Throughout the Bible, recompense has various meanings, some in a favorable sense and some in an unfavorable sense. This same word can be translated as repayment, benefit, compensation, retaliation, requital,or reward(among others).

So what are the big things you might not think about on a daily basis that you need to be saving for now? Here are five I think almost all of us will have to face at one time or another.

Since you know everything that's coming in and what's going out, you can determine where you can make immediate changes. Even taking those small steps to reduce something feels empowering.

Meat, produce, snacks, and all sorts of things we needed and didn't have the money to buy. I stood and watched as my living room was filled with boxes. My husband fought back tears of gratefulness. Me? I fought back feelings of disappointment. Why? Because this is not how I wanted God to provide for us. I wanted the paycheck! I wanted money in the bank. I wanted to pay our bills and be done with it.

An offering, because it is voluntary, is determined by each person “in his heart.” It should be a reflection of the abundance we have received, and given with the intent to be a blessing and honor God.“Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9).

Your teen might think a budget for all their monthly expenses is limiting, but it will actually help them feel more freedom in the long run. And budgeting will help them save up for college while they’re still in high school and don’t have to pay a bunch of bills to pay.

... since God is the ultimate Refuge in my life, money isn’t to provide safety as much as it is about relying on God for his provision.

The temporary pleasure I received for buying something special for myself was not as good as the long-term feeling I felt being able to sleep at night, knowing our bills were paid and we lived free from mounds of credit card debt.

When we hear the word “stewardship,” building projects and church fundraisers come to mind. But is that a correct understanding?

Money itself does not lead to evil. But it’s the love of money, or the intense greed for material gain, that is the issue. Craving money is not the same thing as genuinely desiring more money. You can desire more money and still pursue righteousness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. It’s loving that money more than you love God or people that is what leads to all kinds of evil.

Years ago, I watched the movie, The Money Pit. The main characters made a foolish purchase of a house that fell apart, piece-by-piece. Soon their relationship started crumbling too. I remember thinking, “I want to be wise with money—it can a powerful tool for good, but it can cause destruction too!” Sometime after that, my pastor shared Paul’s caution to church leaders in 1 Timothy 3:3. Paul urged them to be “free from the love of money.” I thought, “That’s wise counsel for all Christ-followers.”To develop a healthy, biblical relationship with money, we must build on this truth: God owns us and everything we have, and it is only as we wisely steward His resources we discover not only a thriving relationship with Him, but with money and possessions as well.The love of money is a heart problem. It is a choice to pursue wealth for sheer luxury or selfish consumption instead of looking at life from a biblical, eternal perspective and accumulating money and resources as a powerful tool to bring glory to the Lord.There’s a fine line of difference sometimes, but here are 10 signs you might love money:Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Sharon McCutcheon