Please God by Keeping Financial Records

When you think of following Jesus, your probably don't think about keeping good financial records, but God wants you to keep track of what you spend, what you owe, and what you earn.

The Bible says we need to watch our financial interests closely. "Know the state of your flocks ". Today we might say, "Know the state of your stocks'. In other words, we need to know where our money is going. People say money talks, but actually it just walks away quietly. And you wonder where it went.

Not knowing where your money is going equals disaster. You get into debt because you're not keeping good records that show you what is happening with your finances. As the saying goes, you end up spending money you don't have on things you don't need to impress people you don't even like.

And this causes all kinds of problems in your life. When you wonder where it all went, that is a warning sign. You are already in trouble if you don't know where your money is going because ignorance and easy credit equals trouble.

You need to know what you owe, own, and earn. If you want your next ten years to be a decade of destiny, then you have to keep good records because riches can disappear fast.

Think about this: if you spent as much time writing down your finances as you do worrying about them, you'd probably have a lot less to worry about. You need to keep good records if you want God's blessing on your finances.

Rick Warren

Good morning
“If you’re serious about defeating temptation you must manage your mind and monitor your media intake. The wisest man who ever lived warned, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”8 Don’t allow trash into your mind indiscriminately. Be selective. Choose carefully what you think about.”

“Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable.
God’s plan for your growth and freedom includes other Christians.”

“Do you really want to be healed of that persistent temptation that keeps defeating you over and over? God’s solution is plain: Don’t repress it; confess it! Don’t conceal it; reveal it. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing.
Hiding your hurt only intensifies it. Problems grow in the dark and become bigger and bigger, but when exposed to the light of truth, they shrink. You are only as sick as your secrets. So take off your mask, stop pretending you’re perfect, and walk into freedom.”

“If you could handle it on your own, you would have already done so. But you can’t. Willpower and personal resolutions aren’t enough.”

 “Some problems are too ingrained, too habitual, and too big to solve on your own. You need a small group or an accountability partner who will encourage you, support you, pray for you, love you unconditionally, and hold you accountable. Then you can do the same for them.”

“Yes, it is humbling to admit our weaknesses to others, but lack of humility is the very thing that is keeping you from getting better. The Bible says, “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble. So humble yourselves before God.”
[2/7, 10:12 AM] Ifeanyi Typists: Save, Invest for the Future

If you want God's blessing on your finances, you must learn to save and invest for the future. The Bible says a lot about making financial investments.

In fact, you can see that Proverbs 21:20 is God's IQ test! Let's see how smart you are: wise people save for the future, but foolish people spend whatever they get.

Would it surprise you to know that in Japan, the average savings is 25% of their income? The average European saves 18%. Yet, last year Americans spent 1% more than they made. Many people in retirement are going to be dirt poor because they didn't start saving early enough; they didn't practice the principle of investing in the future.

Now, there is a question you can ask yourself that will help you save more money. It's real simple. When you get ready to buy something ask yourself, "Do I really need this?" And then be honest enough to tell yourself.

For instance, do I really need a new car? Well, I know I'd like it. But, do I really need a new car? Do I really need this upgrade? I know I'd like it, but do I really need it?

A fundamental financial principle is this: when you spend your money, it's gone. Yet, when you save your money, your money works for you. The problem with most of us is that we work for our money instead of letting our money working for us. If you'll do it God's way, you can get out of debt and you can be blessed.

Rick Warren

Good morning

“The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time.”

“Before Christ invades our lives at conversion, he sometimes has to “soften us up” by allowing problems we can’t handle. While some open their lives to Christ the first time he knocks on the door, most of us are resistant and defensive.”

“The moment you open yourself to Christ, God gets a “beachhead” in your life. You may think you have surrendered all your life to him, but the truth is, there is a lot to your life that you aren’t even aware of. You can only give God as much of you as you understand at that moment. That’s okay. Once Christ is given a beachhead, he begins the campaign to take over more and more territory until all of your life is completely his. There will be struggles and battles, but the outcome will never be in doubt. God has promised that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”

“Christlikeness is your eventual destination, but your journey will last a lifetime.”

“Christlikeness is your eventual destination, but your journey will last a lifetime.”

“But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. The Bible says, “Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.”

Numbers 14: 42Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you. 43When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The LORD will abandon you because you have abandoned the LORD.”

The fact that we are Christians doesn't mean you will be victorious and successful in what we do. Does God desire for us to be VICTORIOUS? 100% YES! To be victorious requires obeying God's directions, command and walk with him as He God leads. The Israelites were defeated many times because of their disobedience to God, though the had the ark of the covenant was with them( which we can relate to as the title of being a Christian),  God was not with them, because they were disobedient and not following God's leading/ direction. Hence they were defeated. When we are not obeying God, we can pray, go to church, claim to be Christians and claim to believe God etc. But truly if we are not yielding to obeying what God wants us to do, he abandons us, because we have abandoned God in our disobedience. And no matter how much we pray, and believe, the Lord is not and will not be with us just as he was not with Israelites in the rebellion because of their lack of obedience. Walking with God means obeying him and when we obey that's when we see him move in our life because we are following his lead.

So today the question to ponder on is are you really obeying God?