This is the second of two posts based on notes I took during a recent church service on the subject of establishing money margin.  The first post discussed the assumptions we have about money when we aren’t letting God drive our thoughts.  And this post discusses how our thoughts about money change when God is in the driver’s seat. Both approaches have implications on our lives.  I highly recommend you visit Preston Trail to listen to this sermon by Paul Basden (senior pastor).

Post #1 Recap

Man’s Assumptions and Thoughts About Money

We could all use a little more money margin in our lives, right? For whatever reasons, at some point in time, it has become the norm to not have money margin.

What is a lack of money margin?  It’s being contacted by creditors, overrun with debt and spending money to please people we don’t care about.  It’s spending more money than you make in a single month!

In the first post, we discussed four common assumptions we have about money when God isn’t in the picture.   To quickly recap, if God isn’t driving your thoughts about money you will more than likely think…

• Money will bring you happiness
• Money will define who you are
• Money is yours to spend as you want to
• You’re not responsible for bad financial situations
• The best advice is found out there in the world in a guru’s brain

God’s viewpoint on money – establishing money margin

However, if God is driving your thoughts about money, your heart and mind will change.  Therefore, your actions and the way you manage it will change.  Now, let’s take a look at each of these assumptions from a Godly or Biblical perspective.  I recommend you preface them with:

If God is driving my thoughts about money, I will think…

Money doesn’t bring happiness

In fact, money can bring you heartache.  The love of money will absolutely harm you.  As we learn in 1 Timothy some people who have put money first and chased after more of it have caused themselves much grief and despair.

⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6: 9–10)

Money can deceive you.  It lies to you.

²⁴“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:24)

My pastor noted this scripture doesn’t say you can’t serve both God and Satan.  Rather the word money is used instead. Money can become a God or idol quickly if you’re not careful.  The truth is that we can’t control money by our own little wills.  Money isn’t a neutral thing.  It has power and it’s impossible to control it by ourselves.

It is God’s to use for His purposes

God owns everything, including money.

¹⁰ For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  ¹¹ I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.  ¹² If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. (Psalm 50: 10-12)

There has never been a dollar you’ve earned in your entire life that didn’t come from God.  Even when you might say you’ve worked hard to get a job or a promotion that pays you well; God gave you the health to earn every dollar.

You are fully responsible no matter the condition

I liked the example my pastor mentioned in the sermon. Dave Ramsey once said:   When the tide goes out you can tell who’s been skinny dipping. The tide might be in when you buy that new car.   Things are going well and you think you have the money to make the payments.  However, when the tide goes out, you have to work more to make it.

It’s important you don’t play the blame game.  If you’re in a mess, you have the responsibility to get out of it.  That’s actually the first step in getting yourself out of debt.  You have to take responsibility for the actions you took to get yourself in trouble.  But remember, as my pastor mentioned, you can reset your ways to Christ.

The best money advice is found in the Bible

As a Money Map Coach, I couldn’t agree with this more.  The best financial advice you can find out there is not in one person’s brain.  It is in the brain of Jesus!  There are two principles that Jesus shared that should be the foundation of developing the right perspective on money.

Avoid greed and the pursuit of possessions and more, more, more stuff!

¹⁵Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15)

Give!  Nothing releases our hold on money more than giving to the Lord’s work and to others.

³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

What are the implications of God driving your thoughts about money?

As we discussed in the first post, there are implications of following worldly assumptions about money.  Here is a quick recap:

• Spending tends to be completely selfish.  It’s focused on competitive spending (trying to have as much or more than others) and therapeutic spending (spending to make you feel better)
• Saving will seem senseless.  Why would you want to save if you have to spend to prove something to others?
• Giving will seem senseless.   You would never give money away because you would be losing it.

Implications of following God’s perspective of money

Spending will now be based on contentment

Your focus will now be on managing God’s resources for Him and not spending it for yourself.  Therefore, you will be content based on what God has entrusted you to manage and no longer feel you have to spend to compete with others.

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity….I can do all thing through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13).

Savings is a wise thing to do

Saving is wise because it provides the freedom for you to be used for Godly causes when you are asked to do so.

Giving becomes joyful

The only way to break the iron grip of money is to give it away!!!

³⁵In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.  (Acts 20: 35).

Your 3 challenges

Our pastor closed the sermon with three challenges.  We were asked to write them down and identify one or more areas we needed to work on.

• Go cash only.  If you go with cash only you are forced to spend only what you have and no more.  As an aside, I’m not against credit cards as long as they can be used wisely and paid off each month.  It’s when the balances start carrying over from month to month when issues with debt arise.
• Save regularly.  I think an ideal goal (outside of retirement savings) is to save 5% of your net spendable income (income after taxes and tithe).  If you can save 5% regularly, you can build an emergency fund that will help stay out of credit card debt.
• Give to the Lord’s work.  Give 10% of your next paycheck and trust God to replenish.  I love this challenge!  We decided to take that same challenge a few years ago and have been blessed more than we could have imagined.

In conclusion, money margin is something you can really have.  You will discover it,  if you follow God’s Biblical financial principles.

So, what will be your challenge?  Will you do one, two or all of these?

You Might Also Like:

• Some Things Money Can’t Buy
• What the Bible Says About Money: Giving Part 2
• What the Bible Says About Money: Giving Part 1
• What the Bible Says About Money: Contentment and Peace
• Biblical Finance 101