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Learn To Be Content

03.19.2012 by Matt Jabs //

Getting your financial life in order starts and ends with you.

It’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how you manage the money you have.

Today I want to inspire you in responsible, happy living.

Learn to be content

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

If you are unhappy or stressed out, chances are you’re not content.

The bible teaches us to be happy whether we have a little or a lot. It’s not about the amount, and it’s not about the race for gain, it’s about the journey.

Paul also addresses the topic of righteous contentment in Philippians:

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 11-13

He understands that it’s not about how much he has, it’s about learning to be content with what he has!

Manage what you have better

We’re instructed not to chase gain for the sake of wealth, but to manage what we have wisely.

The best way to manage what you have is to keep record of it. Do you keep records of the resources God trusts you to manage? If not, it’s time to develop a budget (a.k.a. spending plan).

The solutions that helped me transition into a successful budgeteer were free spreadsheets, Mint.com (also free), and YNAB (You Need A Budget) software.

Start with one of the free solutions and purchase YNAB if you like what it has to offer.

Give in faith

God promises to bless our giving, and I have yet to prove Him wrong.

It’s not about having enough to give, it’s about giving because He commanded us to.

By the way, giving is a gift God gave us! Nothing will increase your contentment like giving.

“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Trust me – giving is a gift to the giver!

Making more money

It’s worth repeating, the goal is contentment, not gain.

That said, there is nothing wrong with making more money – IF – you’re a wise steward of what you already have and are ready for the extra responsibility of added wealth.

“And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17

If God can trust you to manage the little you have now, He may bless you with more.

This is one bible truth that drives me to be a better steward of my resources. If I make $100,000 but can live on $50,000, that means I can use the other $50,000 for God’s glory.

If I prove myself faithful, the scripture teaches God may bless with greater abundance.

And my contentment should come from how I’m using that wealth for His glory, not from the wealth itself.

Start now

If you’re not content where you are, your first step is to start seeking contentment – not gain.

Once you understand that truth, you can move on:

  1. Start a budget so you can see exactly where your money is going.
  2. Lower your standard of living to fit your budget.
  3. Give in faith and trust God to bless.
  4. Honor God with the increase.

Remember to find joy in obedience to God’s principles, after all, He gave them to help lead us to contentment!

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3

God’s commandments are the recipes for finding joy and contentment. Trust Him and seek Him with all your heart and watch the blessings flow.

*******

photo credit

Categories // Money Management, Spirituality Tags // contentment, Giving, Money Management

Give In Secret To Give With More Joy

06.24.2011 by Jon the Saver //

God’s Word instructs us to give in secret.  But why, is it some sort of holy law or does God have a greater purpose for instructing us to give secretly?  Before sharing my thoughts let’s take a look at what the Bible says:

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”  -Matthew 6:2-4 NIV

The Bible seems clear on the matter but how should our giving manifest itself? And more practically, how does this affect a Christian?  Let’s break this passage down to better understand the how and why of giving in secret.

Giving in secret glorifies God, not you

Giving your money back to the Lord is an act of worship and brings glory to the Lord. It’s never about us.  Some may whip out their massive checkbook or make sure people can see their wad of cash going into the offering bowl.  God hates this and calls these types of acts “dirty rags.”  By giving in secret, we avoid the temptation to show off to others and bring attention to ourselves.

It prevents pride

Giving in secret is an unselfish act that puts all the attention on the Lord.  It’s easy to let self-righteousness build inside us.  Giving to pump the ego is a road best left untravelled.  Perhaps we should go further than giving in secret.  Why not have money automatically withdrawn from your account for regular tithing.  This way, you don’t even realize it’s happening and avoid the temptation to think about “how great you are” for giving your money away. Remember, it’s not your money in the first place!

Matt’s note: Though automatic giving has plenty of benefits be careful not to let it disconnect the giver from the need.

Christians vs. Christian

What about comparing Christians as a group to a singular Christian?  When individual Christians give publicly, selfish motives may more easily creep in.  Perhaps giving in secret with other Christians and focusing on the furthering of God’s kingdom would help guard against selfish giving. When the corporate church is generous, God is glorified.  If a church is giving generously and secretly, the Lord is glorified.  It all comes down to glorifying God.  We have to make this our focus.  Once we do, giving in secretly comes naturally.

It’s a matter of the heart

I know that some of you might be reading this and have questions about the issue of legalism.  I don’t want to give that impression.  The Bible does not make it a requirement to give in secret.  What it does do is continually refer to the heart.  Take the New Testament for example.  Jesus sees a widow giving two of her coins in Mark 12 41-44, “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Now, was the widow in the wrong for not giving secretly?  Of course not! It comes down to the giver’s heart.  As long as your heart is in the right place, God honors that. The reason giving in secret is recommended is because it’s tempting to fall prey to pride and selfishness. God encourages secret giving because He knows our weaknesses and wants to help us give with more joy!

In conclusion, consider giving in secret from now on but mostly, work on your heart.  Get back to the basics of giving generously and joyfully.  Store up treasures in Heaven, not here on Earth.  You won’t regret it!

Categories // Giving, Spirituality Tags // Giving, jesus

Gain All You Can, Save All You Can, Give All You Can

05.13.2011 by Matt Jabs //

Yesterday I was inspired by a John Wesley quote from an article by Joe Plemon – of PersonalFinanceByTheBook.com – published on ChristianPF.com:

“Gain all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can” – John Wesley

This quote inspires me by turning a common Christian viewpoint on making money on its head choosing instead to gain as much as we can to have more effect.  After all… how can we give more if we don’t have more?

To highlight the concept I shot the following video, which also touches on embracing your calling in life and pursuing it with passion – I hope you enjoy.

For those reading this message in email, click here to watch the video

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Categories // Earn Money, Giving Tags // earn, Giving, mission, passion, save

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