Category Archives: Control Debt

Control Debt, Control Spending, Diversification, Ethics, False Teaching, Generate Income, Greed, Optimizing Life, Plan Carefully and Seek Wise Advice, Saving, Speculative Investment, Stewardship, Treasures In Heaven

Biblical Guiding Framework For Financial Freedom

God lays out important principles for managing finances in the Bible. He wants His people to be wise stewards of the resources He provides.

In this article we lay out a high level framework that  provides valuable insight for those who take time to genuinely understand and apply it. I have paired the elements of the framework with some of the scriptures that support them, but there are many other scriptures that could be added.

You can also check out our Resources section of the website for other organizations with a great depth of material on this subject.

1 – Earn Money: Develop a skill and work hard to generate income.

  • Colossians 3:23 – Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
  • Proverbs 6:9-11 – But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

2 – Control Spending:  Set a budget that matches your income and stick to it in order to control spending. This budget should include short term “monthly expenses” but also saving ahead for long term expenses like a house, university education, future medical expenses, retirement, and contingency funds for the unknown.

  • Proverbs 6:6-8 – 6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.

3 – Control Debt: Carefully consider any debt before committing.

  • Proverbs 22:7 – Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
  • Romans 13:8 – Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another.

4 – Invest: Choose to invest your financial resources for growth. Don’t stuff your mattress with cash in hopes of avoiding risk.

  • Matthew 25:14-30 – Jesus teaches us through the parable of the talents. Click the link to read the scripture.
  • Ecclesiastes 11:1 – Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.

5 – Diversify Investments: Diversify investments to manage risks.

  • Ecclesiastes 11:2 – But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.

6 –Consider Carefully and Seek Wise Counsel: Whether choosing how you will earn income, how to control spending or debt, or how to invest to grow your finances you should carefully consider your strategy and seek wise counsel.

  • Proverbs 22:3 – A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
  • Proverbs 15:22 – Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success
  • Proverbs 14:15 – Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.

7 – Steward Your Financial Strategy: Once you establish your financial strategy you must periodically review and analyze all elements to ensure you are following it and it is effective. This applies to earning income, spending, debt, and investment.

  • Matthew 25:14-30 – Jesus teaches us through the parable of the talents not only that we should invest, but that a good steward periodically checks on the effectiveness of his investments and makes adjustments according to their performance.

8 – Ethics: Following God’s instruction in how we manage our finances is more important than the actual dollars themselves.

  • Proverbs 22:1 – Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
  • Proverbs 22:5 – Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.
  • Ecclesiastes 12:13 – That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.

9 – Do Not Be Greedy: To those who love money, they will never have enough. Money is a tool to serve God and to support yourself and your family. The draw to “get rich quick” brings much risk.

  • 1 Timothy 6:10 –  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
  • Ecclesiastes 5:10 – Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!

10 – Store Up Treasure in Heaven

  • Matthew 6:20 – Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
  • 2 Corinthians 9:7 –  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
  • Proverbs 22:9 – Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Control Spending, Generate Income, Optimizing Life, Saving, Treasures In Heaven

Fix Your Thoughts on What Is True, Honorable, and Right

There are many traps that can lead us to fail in executing our personal financial strategy. One of the most common mistakes is to take our thoughts off of what we are trying to accomplish and focus instead on the obstacles in our way or get distracted focusing on what others have that we may want.

We can easily get distracted by lies and frustrations that are not productive focus for accomplishing our goals.

“If I only have a better car, bigger house, newer phone, etc. then I will be happy.”

“I deserve (or need) a better job, and more expensive clothes, etc.”

“I will save more in the future, when I am making more money.”

“I don’t have the job skills I need, so I can never accomplish my goals.”

“Others had an easier road than me. I am just not lucky enough.”

Scripture tells us to avoid the trap of coveting what others have and comparing ourselves to them.

17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” [Exodus 20:17]

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he gives additional guidance to help us.  

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [Philippians 4:8]

This instruction applies broadly to all aspects of our lives and is certainly applicable to how we manage our finances. We do best when we focus on what is true and honorable and right. Instead of focusing on what others have or what we think we deserve or our frustrations over obstacles we face, we stay focused on our financial plan and working toward achieving our goals.

Set goals, steward progress, remain focused. Yes, be aware of obstacles enough to plan a way around them… but don’t focus on them as permanent blocks in your path. Instead of focusing on what you think others do not deserve, focus on what you need to do to be successful.

  • Stay focused on and content with what God has provided.
  • Focus on the plans you set to accomplish our goals, or on developing good plans.
  • Steward progress toward those goals.
  • Avoid distractions and traps that could lead you astray.
  • Pray for God’ s help, praise Him as He works in your life, and give Him thanks!

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Control Spending, False Teaching, Generate Income, Investing, Optimizing Life, Parables, Plan Carefully and Seek Wise Advice

The Way of a Fool Is Right In His Own Eyes

We should be careful to listen to God’s advice. Those who wish to become wise, who love knowledge, must accept discipline and correction… must recognize that others may have more wisdom in some areas than ourselves. That is how we learn and get better.

Proverbs 12:1 and 15

1Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid.

 15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

If you are not humble enough to acknowledge that others may have wise input worthy to consider, that you may have made or be making mistakes than you will continue to make mistakes.

Be humble. Seek wisdom. Accept correction from God and from others. Learn from it. Grow in wisdom.

These fundamentals apply to all aspects of life… and certainly to all aspects of managing your finances. There are great examples of public organizations or private advisors that can help. Most people even have others around them that may have good input.

For a few examples, please visit our resources section of our website.

Resources

Our mission is to help you. We provide the Resources section of GrowGodsMoney.org to help provide you with greater depth of resources by referring you to high quality organizations that have a lot of great content or provide a financial service (e.g. broker for investments).

We do not get paid by these organizations for referrals. We do not “compete” with these institutions, but rather see ourselves as part of the body of Christ in connecting you with helpful resources they already provide.

If there are resources you would like to recommend or give us feedback on, please send us information from the Contact Us page.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Control Spending, Ethics, Generate Income, Investing, Plan Carefully and Seek Wise Advice, Proverbs, Saving, Stewardship

Victory Comes Through Wise Counsel

We are all at different experience levels and have different gifts in regard to many aspects of life that affect our finances. We have a certain perspective that contains some bias based on our prior experiences and personality. We will better understand a situation well if we approach it from multiple perspectives including wise counsel from those we trust.

Proverbs 11:14

  14Where there is no guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

I remember a great example where my family was walking from a van to the entrance of some entertainment we were going to on vacation. I was focused on the destination, where is the gate, where do I buy tickets, and “marching” quickly with purpose. Yes I was focused on my goals. My wife, however, also interested in our shared goal, had a very different perspective. As I promptly walked passed a beautiful flower display she gently tugged at my arm and showed it to me. I am glad she did. We were approaching the same situation and had the same goals, but very different perspectives while doing so. Together we had a better view then individually.

This same concept is true for controlling debt, controlling our spending, behaving according to the ethics and guidelines that God has lined out for us in the Bible, making decisions with regards to generating income, saving, investing and stewarding our finances. Seek wise counsel from people you can trust or from professionals. To seek counsel does not mean you must follow it. It simply provides more background and understanding and perspective to help you make wise decisions and achieve victory on your goals. Of course, we should be cautious as to who we trust and how we weigh the opinions and insight of others. To listen to the counsel of a fool is to join him in his folly.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Ethics

Pay What You Owe

Many who find themselves deep in debt may be tempted to look for an easy way out. Bankruptcy or refusing to pay the debts you owe may seem an easy solution to their financial difficulties.

What does the Bible say about debt?

The Bible warns against the danger of debt, encourages and praises avoidance of debt, but does not explicitly forbid all kinds of debt.

  • The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave. [Proverbs 22:7] 
  • Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. [Romans 13:8] 

If you take on debt, the Bible also has a lot to say about how to handle it. Pay the debt you take on… do not default.

  • The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives. [Psalm 37:21]
  • Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. [Romans 13:7]
  • “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” [Luke 6:31]

If you do find yourself in a position where you cannot repay, you should be humble and repentant and change your lifestyle to avoid such an outcome in the future. If you agreed to a loan agreement, take responsibility personally. You agreed to it. Don’t just blame the person or business who loaned you the money.

Similarly, we are not as lenders supposed to take advantage of those seeking a loan by crushing them with large interest payments…  knowing that they will then never be able to repay. Better not to loan the money in the first place than to make the problem worse for those seeking help through a loan.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Proverbs

He Who Is Guarantor For A Stranger Will Suffer For It

Surely as God’s people we are called to be generous and giving to help one another. However, that does not mean we are to stop being wise. We must thoughtfully consider to whom we lend money or for whom we guarantee their debt.

Proverbs 11:15

15He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it,
But he who hates being a guarantor is secure.

This scripture warns about strangers. It is very likely that it is not only referring to people we never met before but also people we do not know very well. Perhaps we know their name and see them at work or in church, but we do not really know them. It seems unlikely one would need to highlight not being a guarantor for what we consider today in our culture as a total stranger… someone we never met before. Not many would ever consider this risk.

Of course the obvious risk is that we do not know them well and they may not have the character or means to pay back what they borrow. If we become guarantor for them then we are at risk to lose the money they took as we pay for their debt. Out of a good heart and desire to help, many get themselves in financial trouble.

Notice that it does not say “Do not give to a stranger”. If the sum of money is such that you would be willing to give it… go ahead, if you feel that is appropriate. You understand the financial impact with no expectation you will be paid back. This mindset helps us use wisdom. We will be less likely to extend ourselves as responsible for major expenses we really can not afford in our effort to help others.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Control Spending, Generate Income, Plan Carefully and Seek Wise Advice

Are You As Smart As An Ant?

Are you as smart as an ant? Yes, I mean “a-n-t”, not “a-u-n-t”. This may seem like quite a silly question, but sadly many do not fare well in a practical comparison of the wisdom of the ant compared to their own behavior.

Proverbs 6:6-11

     6Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,

      7Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,

      8Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.

      9How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?

      10“A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest”—

      11Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.

While I have great compassion for those to whom bad situations or poverty has come, we do well to recognize that there are many times when it is of our own doing. If we blame others, we do not address the situation. Let us take a lesson from the ant and remind ourselves to plan ahead. Let us not live only in the “now”. Let us give up some pleasure now and trade it for hard work and self discipline. In many cases we can be much more prepared to deal with the challenges which may come our way.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way and use it for His glory rather than your own. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt

Do Not Pledge for Others’ Debt More than You Are Willing to Give Them

We are all accountable to the Father for all the resources He entrusts to us. Let us not be foolish and careless in how we manage what He has provided us.

We ought to take seriously any and all debt we incur directly or indirectly for which we can be held accountable. Let us not be hasty in participating in the debt of others, whether neighbor or stranger, in a way in which we may be accountable to repay it. We are wise to consider that any debt risk we expose ourselves to should not exceed that which we are willing to lose or give away. We must not make assumptions that any particular individual will “definitely” pay back a debt they incur, even if members of our own family.

Proverbs 6:1-5

Parental Counsel

      1My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,
Have given a pledge for a stranger,

      2If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

      3Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

      4Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;

      5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

I encourage you to take this scripture quite literally. If you are “on the hook” for debt incurred by your neighbor, family member, or stranger such that you have to pay if they default… look for ways to quickly get out of the situation. You should only offer up what you are willing to give or lose in these types of situations. Never offer up your guarantee or cosign for a debt on the confident assumption you will never have to pay it.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way and use it for His glory rather than your own. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Generate Income, Plan Carefully and Seek Wise Advice, Proverbs

Parental Counsel from Solomon

For those who do not know Solomon, he was a man uniquely gifted with wisdom by God. He wrote proverbs a few thousand years ago now and his observations and counsel are as valid today as they were then.

Here is some of his advice from Proverbs 6.

We should be very cautious when we pledge, with our money or resources to back it up, on behalf of someone else who is struggling to manage their money. (If they were not struggling, they would not need our help.) Do not risk in this way anything you are not willing to lose if circumstances do not work out.

Proverbs 6:1-5

      1My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,
Have given a pledge for a stranger,

      2If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

      3Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

      4Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;

      5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

We must be diligent and take personal responsibility for our future needs. Do not rely on someone else or make excuses to put off getting started. The most important aspect of completing a journey is beginning it properly and at the right time. In this way we prepare wisely for our future and will also be better prepared to help others along the way.

Proverbs 6:6-8

      6Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,

      7Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,

      8Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.

Sloth, or laziness, is a sure way to end in poverty and need. There are other ways to find poverty, but sloth is one that almost assures it.

Proverbs 6:9-11

      9How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?

      10“A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest”—

      11Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.

God considers those who are wicked and perverse to be worthless. They may feel like they are “winning” and “being successful” at their wicked endeavors, but in the end they will face God’s judgment. Often there deceitful ways catch up with them in this life as well, bringing calamity without healing.

Proverbs 6:11-15

      12A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,

      13Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
Who points with his fingers;

      14Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,
Who spreads strife.

      15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;
Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.

Be wise in the ways of God rather than man. Seek to reflect on this wisdom from Solomon and apply it in your life. Do not just read it and say… “that is true, someone needs to hear that”. Instead, prayerfully ask God to help reveal to you any areas that you need to address personally in your life… and go start to fix them. Then consider if there are others you know that need help in this area. They will learn more from your example than from your words.

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .

Control Debt, Control Spending, Tools

What Can I Really Afford?

There is a very interesting tool on ManagingGodsMoney.com (no affiliation with GrowGodsMoney.org) in the section about Affordability.  They start with a very good discussion and guidelines around the affordability of a home and then lead into a tool they call the Affordability Calculator. I encourage you to take some time and check it out. You can also browse their other tools.

We have included below an excerpt from their site with just enough of their good material to get you interested… click their link to connect for more detail!

— Check out ManagingGodsMoney.com for more —

To access the Affordability Index Calculator immediately, click here.

afford

Affordable is Subjective

Affordable means different things to different people. Affordable, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, means being within the financial means of most people. However, the dictionary doesn’t define financial means. I define affordable as spending funds without acquiring or committing to acquiring debt. With debt easily available nowadays, it’s essential we keep this affordable definition in mind. Unless we have a firm grip on affordable, we cannot be effective as God’s stewards.

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing should be viewed separately from affordability of other buys. Your house is likely to be your most expensive lifetime buy, and it’s unlikely you could buy it without debt. Housing affordability became widespread in the 1980s in Europe and North America. Today, it is a major issue. Here is my simple checklist to decide affordable housing. Ensure each of these criteria exists before you conclude you can afford to buy a home. Don’t let government enticements by lowering deposit requirements, cutting interest rates, and so on, sway your decision.

  1. You are debt free.
  2. Working with a monthly budget.
  3. Know your housing needs such as size of housing. For example, will the family size increase shortly?
  4. Have at least 20% down payment for a conventional mortgage and so avoid mortgage insurance (in Canada).
  5. Understand and accept sacrifices needed to pay the full yearly housing costs. What might you have to give up to pay these costs regularly?
  6. Understand current and projected state of the economy and housing market, and feel reasonably comfortable you will be able to fund your total housing expenses for six months, even if you were laid off. This article on speeding up mortgage payments might help you.
  7. Understand the best approach for mortgage life insurance.
  8. For a couple, husband and wife are on the same page.

Affordable housing, therefore, means the ability to buy the house so that the total estimated ongoing costs, including a mortgage, do not compromise current and projected household budgets, plans, and commitments. Essentially, affordable housing means carry a mortgage, but no other debt.

— I am grateful for good sites like ManagingGodsMoney.com —

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Remember that all you have belongs to God. Manage your money God’s way. Visit GrowGodsMoney.org .