He is risen! – Matthew 28:6

Holy week is upon us and soon we’ll be celebrating the good news on Easter, that Christ is risen! If you’re like most Christians, you’ve spent the past six weeks of Lent reflecting on your life, your faith and your commitment to God and your church. It’s the season of spiritual rebirth, of cleansing and of hope. You can apply this feeling to most any aspect of your life, including your financial affairs. If you’re looking to rebuild and reinvigorate your finances, below are a few things you can do to easily enrich your financial health this Easter season.

1. Start or Add to an Emergency Fund

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In our society there is often great confusion concerning wealth and increased income. One definition of wealth states that wealth is, “an abundance of valuable resources or material.” This could be pretty broad range of things. You may not have one dollar to your name, but if you had a chest full of rare diamonds, you could still consider yourself wealthy. So then, wealth can become subjective to whatever you may deem “valuable.” When an individual is in the trenches of a Christian debt consolidation program some days can seem dark indeed. The level of financial sacrifice you are making may seem unbearable some days. You may even experience some level of ridicule or judgment from people who do not understand what you are doing or why you are doing it. There may be days when you feel poor indeed. This is when you must reevaluate the true meaning of wealth.
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I used to think only rich people could be obsessed with money. I saw how wrong I was when I began seeing signs money has become an idol in my own life.

I was actually more than $30,000 in debt when I was most obsessed with money. My intentions were good—I wanted to become debt-free. I wanted to protect my family by building an emergency savings. I wanted to give generously to my church. But I became so fixated with those goals that money turned into an idol, and I couldn’t even see it.

It was only through a loved one speaking into my life that I was able to wake up and realize I was on a slippery slope.

Read on for three signs money has become an idol in your own life…

Money is Constantly on Your Mind.

What do you think about when you first wake up? What’s on your mind just before you fall asleep? If your first and last thoughts of the day are centered on money—earning more, saving more, spending more or paying off more—it may be an idol. The Bible tells us we control our own thoughts, and we are to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Keep an honest budget. Pay off your debt. Focus your attention on what matters.

Your Loved Ones Are Increasingly Frustrated With Your Money Talk.

Your family and close friends probably know you better than you think. If your spouse, children or friends look like they want to head for the hills when you bring up the subject of money (again), it may be an idol. Luke 6:45 says “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (NIV). A certain amount of money talk is healthy and necessary, but the subject shouldn’t come up every day. Don’t let an obsession with money damage or ruin a relationship.

You Have a “Destination” Mindset. Do The Following Thoughts Sound Familiar?

This type of “destination thinking” is a lie. Here’s the reality: if your joy rests in achieving a particular financial goal, you’ll be disappointed every time. It’s human nature. Once we complete one goal, it won’t be long until a new one pops up. Some people live their entire lives climbing a ladder to nowhere. Just check out Solomon’s experience with this subject in the book of Ecclesiastes. If this wealthy, powerful king couldn’t find satisfaction through money, no one can. Ask God to help you find true contentment in Him. Nothing else will fully satisfy.

Financial idolatry is real, and it’s alive and well in America today. But recognizing it in our lives is half the battle, as well as the first step towards rooting it out.

Remember the wise words of Matthew 6, and be careful where you keep your treasure.

Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being (The Message).

Actually, more than $30,000 in debt when I was most obsessed with money. My intentions were good—I wanted to become debt-free. I wanted to protect my family by building an emergency savings. I wanted to give generously to my church. But I became so fixated with those goals that money turned into an idol, and I couldn’t even see it.

It was only through a loved one speaking into my life that I was able to wake up and realize I was on a slippery slope.

Read on for three signs money has become an idol in your own life…

Money is Constantly on Your Mind.

What do you think about when you first wake up? What’s on your mind just before you fall asleep? If your first and last thoughts of the day are centered on money—earning more, saving more, spending more or paying off more—these may be signs money has become an idol. The Bible tells us we control our own thoughts, and we are to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Your Loved Ones Are Increasingly Frustrated With Your Money Talk.

Your family and close friends probably know you better than you think. If your spouse, children or friends look like they want to head for the hills when you bring up the subject of money (again), it may be an idol. Luke 6:45 says “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (NIV). A certain amount of money talk is healthy and necessary, but the subject shouldn’t come up every day. Don’t let an obsession with money damage or ruin a relationship.

You Have a “Destination” Mindset. Do The Following Thoughts Sound Familiar?

This type of “destination thinking” is a lie. Here’s the reality: if your joy rests in achieving a particular financial goal, you’ll be disappointed every time. It’s human nature. Once we complete one goal, it won’t be long until a new one pops up. Some people live their entire lives climbing a ladder to nowhere. Just check out Solomon’s experience with this subject in the book of Ecclesiastes. If this wealthy, powerful king couldn’t find satisfaction through money, no one can. Ask God to help you find true contentment in Him. Nothing else will fully satisfy.

Financial idolatry is real, and it’s alive and well in America today. But recognizing it in our lives is half the battle, as well as the first step towards rooting it out.

Remember the wise words of Matthew 6, and be careful where you keep your treasure.

Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being (The Message).

When you are in the debt battle, it is hard to imagine that one day this will be a memory. When David was facing his Goliath, he was totally focused on bringing him down. Debt may be your Goliath today, but eventually your Goliath will lose his head, and then what? There is life after debt.

Scary Freedom

One ironic reaction that many people have to becoming debt free is a new sense of fear. You might think that once you are debt free you will never have another money worry. The opposite is actually true for most people. Once you have safely navigated your way through your Christian Debt Settlement Program, you may find yourself more apprehensive than ever. You now know how damaging financial mistakes can be on your life, your family and your marriage. This new knowledge and wisdom brings with it a sense of fear over messing up again. The last thing you want to do is go backward and make the same mistakes over. However, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God hath not given us a spirit of fear.”

Careful and Confident

You have worked hard to revolutionize your finances and bring glory to God by doing so. This spirit of fear must be traded in for a spirit of confidence. Look at what you have accomplished! Many people never do this. Many people file bankruptcy or just surrender to society’s mandated cycle of debt. You have done something remarkable, and God is pleased with that. You acknowledged the problem, sought out Christian financial help, and worked hard to do right. You have earned the right to feel confident about your choices. You have the tools to continue to make good choices. Look at each financial decision as it comes up and ask yourself, “Is this wise? Is this practical? Is this going to bring glory to God?” Tell yourself every day that you have made good financial decsions and you will continue to make good financial decisions.

Be a Blessing

If you have spent years struggling just to pay your own bills, you may not have had much left over for giving. That can all change now. There are few things as fulfilling as giving to others and being able to do it without worry. The Bible speaks of being a “cheerful giver” and that is so much easier when you are out of debt.

Build the Emergency Fund

If during your Christian Debt Program you did not entirely fund your emergency account, continue working on this goal. Establishing a fully funded emergency account takes some time. Three to six months’ worth of regular expenses is quite a bit of cash by any standard. Keep working toward that goal, because once you have accomplished this there will be almost nothing you can’t handle with a spirit of confidence and wisdom.

Think About Investing

If you have not already begun investing, now is the time to consider this exciting option. When you were living pay check to pay check this was not even a possibility for you. Now, you can take control of your money and make it work for you. Keep to low risk investment options at first while you are still learning.

Reward Yourself

Now may be the time to reward yourself in some way. While you were in the trenches of Christian Debt Management, you may have made some pretty big sacrifices. You may have had to entirely reprogram your way of life. You are a better person for it. You have learned moderation, but moderation does not mean you can never enjoy yourself again. If all of your duckies are in a row, and all of your obligations are met, what little thing might you do for yourself?

Why do we establish emergency funds? Why do we buy insurance policies and pay health care and care insurance premiums every month? We are trying to prepare our self for a crisis. Whether it is a health, home, or vehicle crisis we want to be prepared. How much can this type of insurance prepare us, though? We know our health insurance policies do not pay one hundred percent of our medical bills. We know that that there are some kinds of emergencies that our emergency fund just will not cover. The fact is, there is only so much you can prepare for.

What if it’s Not Enough?

It is never wise to put you confidence in money. Money is a powerful thing which can accomplish a lot for us when used wisely. However, money is not the end all answer to all of life’s problems. Even a family that believes they have covered all of the “insurance” bases is still at the mercy of their income. And although no one likes to think about it, there are some emergencies that are bigger than all of our preparations. This does not mean we should not still wisely prepare. You should be prepared. You should also keep in mind that a life altering crisis does not happen every day or even every year. Some individuals get through many decades without such tragedies. However, placing all of your confidence in your financial preparations will set you up for serious shock should a life altering crisis come your way.

The Christian Bonus

As Christians we are instructed to be good stewards of our money, and that includes preparations like those mentioned above. However, all of these are “secondary” insurance for us. Our “primary” policy covers far more than this life could ever throw our way. We have a heavenly Father, who in His infinite providence is watching over every step we take. He has seen the crisis long before we do, and more than that, He has also seen the solution. What peace there is in knowing that our Father knows the solution to any life crisis we could possibly face, and if we will, “Be still and know that He is God,” like David admonished us in Psalms 46:10 he will reveal these solutions to us. We can confidently take on the darkest of circumstances because we are backed up by God the Father.

Miracles Still Happen

The world of finances deals with hard facts. Numbers don’t lie and there is nothing magical about the bottom line. However, as Christians, we acknowledge the importance of these facts, but we can never lose sight of another fact and that is that we serve a God who works miracles. So when all of the “facts” say, “There is no financial solution to this problem,” God may have a solution that no calculator could have figured.

The Best Insurance

Christians should prepare in times of plenty, just like Joseph put aside corn during the fat years in Egypt. Prepare by investing in insurance and establishing emergency funds. Then should a crisis come that surpasses all you have prepared for, say like the Psalmist in Psalms 121: 1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

We spend a lot of time talking about ways to make and stick to an honest budget. Here are five ways to wreck that budget—and possibly your entire financial life—in record time.

Ignore It

A budget is worthless if you don’t follow it. To ensure financial misery, hide the budget from everyone in your household, including yourself. Make sure no one is clear on exactly how much money should be spent on various categories like groceries, entertainment and birthday gifts for friends or relatives. If you happen to remember the correct budget for a certain area (such as eating out), treat it as a mere guideline and come up with great excuses for spending more than you budgeted.

A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out (Proverbs 25:28, The Message).

Never Say ‘No’

Your college friends want to hold a reunion weekend in Las Vegas. Your church small group is planning to go out for Sunday brunch at an expensive restaurant. Your daughter is begging you for a new iPad. Say “yes” to everything. Be a people-pleaser at all costs. Dip into your savings to take a vacation, and chip away at your debt payment to buy that expensive wedding gift for the out-of-state wedding that’s going to cost you a bundle. Put vacations, clothes, tech toys and other people’s opinions of you first. Worry about the budget later.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).

Keep Swiping That Plastic

You don’t get paid until Friday, but it was a long, rough Monday and you deserve a treat. Go ahead and buy it. Even though the money isn’t in your checking account yet and the budget is tight, you’ll figure it out later. A few dollars on the credit card won’t hurt anyone. (For maximum budget-wrecking, repeat this process Tuesday-Friday and fail to immediately pay off the balance).

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty (Proverbs 27:12, NIV).

Live At or Above Your Means

Buy that sleek-but-gas-guzzling SUV that so many of your neighbors are driving. Spend every penny you earn and make only the minimum payments on your debt. Pick the biggest house you can afford—the one with the monthly payment that’s equivalent to 40 percent of your income. You’ll face near-instantaneous foreclosure if you or your spouse loses a job, but that’ll never happen to you. That only happens to other people.

Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30, The Message).

Refuse to Ask for Help

Buy into the lie that you are alone in your financial struggles and no one would ever understand what you’re going through. Let pride dictate your decisions. Even though bill collectors are blowing up your phone and you’re trying to decide between the mortgage and the electric bill, you can handle this. Believe that the same thinking that got you into debt will somehow get you out of it.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed (Proverbs 15:22, NIV).

If any of the above scenarios sounds all too familiar, now is the time to take action and change your ways. In particular, if the last paragraph hits home, consider requesting a free consultation from FaithWorks Financial to learn about our Christian debt relief programs. There is always hope, and there really are compassionate people who can help point you in the right direction.

Christians, who are starting a financial revolution in their life, face a unique set of circumstances that perhaps non-Christians do not face.

We have certain Biblical standards to live by, and sometimes these Biblical standards or obligations feel like they contradict our financial plan. Tithing is one such principal that a lot of people would look at and say, “Well, hey! If you want to get out debt you need to be putting that tithe money on your debt payments too for now.” But as Christians we know that it is far better to work that into the top slot of our budget rather than try to skimp.

Most of us, even those who are in a Christian debt consolidation program understand the importance of tithing and don’t question it too much. However, there are other forms of giving outside of tithes.There are love offerings, fund raisers, missions and sometimes just personal giving that God leads us to.

How do we handle these types of giving when we feel like we have already stretched ourselves to the limit? Why would God lead us to give more if the budget is already maxed?

The Widow’s Offering

The story in Mark chapter 12 tells of an old widow who wanted to give. She had so little that any offering would be a sacrifice, so she decided to just give it all.

Sometimes God leads us to give more than we imagine possible or even wise, just so we can prove to ourselves that we can let go.

You may think that revolutionizing your finances is all about hanging on to your money. It is about letting go; letting go of bad habits, letting go of stuff and letting go of the hold that money, or the appearance of money, has over you. When you stretch in your giving you are letting go.

Miracles Still Happen

When God says give and you whip out your calculator, sometimes the numbers will not add up.

Just as Elijah asked another widow in the Old Testament to make him a little cake first, even though she had only enough for her and her son. God already knew what kind of miracle he had in store for this woman, and it sure beat her plan of eating her last meal and dying.

You cannot know what God has planned. His ways are above our ways. Giving is often an exercise in faith.

Where is the Line?

It’s never a wise thing to start drawing lines in front of God; however, we do have to draw lines in front of ourselves.

In the area of sacrificial giving, great care must be taken to never stray into the realm of foolishness. There are ways to detect foolishness, however. Usually if there is any hint in our hearts of gaining something for ourselves through the act of giving, then it was not God speaking to your heart. If people are pressuring you rather than God speaking to you, beware also.

Trust in God to lead your heart and your giving, and you can trust that your giving is appropriate.

You’ve heard it said that you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. That’s certainly true, but perhaps we’ve heard it so many times, we’ve become a bit numb.

A recent article by National Geographic put things a bit more colorfully. Turns out, you’re far more likely to be killed by a shark, hit by an asteroid or comet, or—wait for it—injured by a toilet, than you are to win the lottery.

So, what are the actual odds of, say, winning the Powerball grand prize? According to the Powerball website, they’re 1 in 175,223,510. And the odds of winning second place? 1 in 5,153,632.

Perhaps you’re aiming much lower than that, and you’d be happy to win the smallest prize of just $4. Your odds are still not great: 1 in 55. And if you spend $2 per ticket and it takes you 55 tries to win, are you really winning after all? You just paid $110 to win 4 bucks.

We know all of this in our minds, but it’s another matter entirely to grasp it in our hearts. It seems there’s still something inside many of us that fights against logic and says, “But it could happen to me.”
To help move our lottery knowledge from our heads to our hearts, let’s take a quick look at what the Bible has to say about the matter.
Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (ESV).

I’d say winning the lottery is the definition of gaining wealth “hastily,” and there are scores of sad stories detailing the misery of lotto winners who experienced the truth of that proverb.

But that only addresses the problem of winning. What about the desire to win in the first place? And the money spent in pursuit of that win?

“For 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 6:10, NIV).

Those who find themselves chasing after a Powerball win in hopes of becoming rich are not only in danger of distancing themselves from God, but hurting themselves through unnecessary heartache.

As for all the money spent trying to win—$520 a year if you buy just one Powerball ticket every weekday—it’s difficult to justify when held up against Proverbs 3:9.

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce” (NLT).

For those who find themselves giving into the temptation to chase after the latest jackpot, those are words worth considering. Does that ticket purchase honor God? Are you giving Him your first and best gifts through tithes and offerings? Or is your lottery habit preventing you from giving God your best?

That’s a lot to think about, but let’s wrap this up with one last idea, from Jesus Himself, as recorded in Matthew 6:24 (NIV):

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

If you are hoping to win the lottery to rid yourself of your credit card woes, contact FaithWorks Financial at 877-232-5109 to learn about our Christian debt relief programs. You’ll have a much higher chance of seeing your debt disappear!

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another” Romans 13:8

Modern society makes it easy to retain debt, but the Bible is clear on the subject.

Although it sounds simple, tackling the debts that build up in the form of a mortgage, car payments, student loans and credit cards can be more difficult than it seems. Fortunately, the Bible provides guidance on the topic of debt management.

Borrow Wisely

When it is necessary to borrow money, use the funds wisely.

In 2 Kings 4:1-6, the Bible tells the story of a widow who was facing the loss of her children to slavery. She needed money, but the only solution available was borrowing jars from her neighbors.

Although the woman borrowed jars from others, the result was enough income to repay her debts to the creditors and protect her children. The Bible tells us to avoid debt whenever it is possible, but recognizes that sometimes it is not possible to avoid debt.

The key lesson is that it is important to apply wisdom to each transaction. Borrow only with the purpose of investing in the future, such as taking a student loan to pay for the education that will provide the opportunity to avoid debt in the future.

Repay the Debts

Managing your finances with Christian principals is managing your finances with integrity.

Whenever it is not possible to avoid debt, it is important to repay the debt.

Psalm 37:21 states that “the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” It is not possible to give generously when debt is looming over the family and every effort should be taken to repay the debts.

If you find yourself unable to repay your debts but do not want to walk away from them in a bankruptcy, a Christian debt relief program may allow you to at least repay a portion of the debt, an amount that the creditor agrees to, rather than having to walk away from it entirely.

Pay as much as possible into debts that were taken out in the past, but use logic and wisdom when making the decision about how much to pay. It takes time to repay a debt, but making the effort to keep trying is an essential part of following the commands of the Bible.

Keep Trying

When it comes to debt management, a key tip that the Bible provides is that it is important to keep trying and working hard. Proverbs 20:4 states that “sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.”

Christian debt management can seem difficult, particularly when a financial situation changes and it is hard to make the monthly payments, but the Bible provides information about the next step of reaching for a debt-free lifestyle.

Do not give up! Take steps to repay the debt because it will ultimately result in a great financial harvest.

When you’re deep in debt and struggling to pay the bills, it’s easy to feel like everyone else is doing better than you.

Just flip through the channels on any given night, and a sense of pride or self-pity will seem completely justified. The cunning marketing campaigns seek to drown out reality: “You’re worth it. It’s your turn. You deserve this.” Even if you can’t afford it.

During the last few years, in the wake of the 2008 recession, the slogan, “We are the 99 percent” has practically become a household phrase. Members of the Occupy movement adopted it as a rallying cry to draw attention to the large concentration of wealth among the top 1 percent of income earners in the United States.

They’re correct in saying that the wealthiest Americans control a huge piece of the pie, but they’re missing the bigger picture— the global picture.

Here’s the Truth

If you’re living in the United States with a roof over your head, food on the table, and you can read this sentence, you are not the 99 percent.

In fact, there’s a good chance you are actually the 1 percent.

A London-based digital marketing company created an eye-opening project called the Global Rich List. It allows you to see where your wealth ranks you among the world population. According to the Global Rich List, if you make at least $33,000 a year, you’re in the top 1 percent. You are one of the richest people on earth.

Maybe you don’t make that much money. In fact, maybe you make less than half that amount. Guess what? With a $15,000 salary and no benefits, you still make the top 8 percent.

If it’s still not sinking in, here are some quick facts via Compassion:

When envy creeps into your mind as your neighbor shows off his new car, or your friend shows up in yet another new outfit, it’s easy to forget that 1.4 billion people live on $1.25 a day or less (visualize that number through the World Bank’s interactive map).

Of course, just knowing how fortunate you are on a global scale isn’t enough. Thankfulness is a decision, and it’s one we must make on a daily basis.

King Solomon knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, NIV).

If we aren’t careful, we’ll go through life constantly wanting and never satisfied. But for those who follow Christ, there is always a reason to be thankful. And there is always a way out when envy, pride or greed starts to creep in.

Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (ESV).

The Message puts it this way: “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things.”

It can be an uphill battle living in America and pushing back against the consumerism that lurks around every corner, but God calls His people to a higher standard.

Remember, “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27, NIV).

We are not the 99 percent. God has trusted us with a lot. Let’s strive to be faithful with every dollar.