4 Things I Wish I’d Known about MONEY

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Thanks for joining us today!

Welcome to the 5th installment in the Embattled Spirit series:

 What I Wish I’d known . . .

 Read the first message HERE

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4 THINGS I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT:

  Over the past 50 years, I have experienced both poverty and wealth.

1) I AM RICH               Stop complaining! 

If you make $100,000 per year, you’re in the top .08% on the global rich list.

$50,000? You’re still in the top .31%

[For fun, plug in your income on this nifty SITE.  Interesting article on the top 1% ]

When I was young, I wish I had frequented homeless shelters or soup kitchens. Gone on a mission trip in a 3rd world country. Immersed myself in the lives of the needy. Hands-on experience is sobering. I had to outgrow the youthful ignorance that rendered me financially complacent.

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2) GREED KILLS             Attitude Adjustment

There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. Ecclesiastes 5:13

Money is never the problem. Our attitude toward money is a problem. The poor man and the rich man are equally susceptible to greed and materialism. Money cannot make me uncaring, but a selfish heart will. Money then becomes a tool for voicing that selfishness.

When I was young, I wish I knew to “hide” my money, as in, live modestly and below my means. That way I could do #3 . . .

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3) GENEROSITY FREES                 Altruism Rules!

True statement: The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

I wasn’t born carrying money & I’m not gonna take any with me to the grave. Think about it. Money is just paper, metal, and plastic. It’s no more than a practical resource for us to manage while on earth. And a good steward will MANAGE IT WISELY & AVOID UNRESTRAINED SPENDING.

When I was young, I wish I understood this: “‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

God is my Father, and He never runs out of resources. I have access to all my Father’s resources. I can never out give God.

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4) PROVIDENTIAL PROMOTION           Higher Purpose          

You worked your tush off, and you deserved that promotion and the extra pay! Right?

The word “deserving” is subjective. Some people do not get what they deserve, others get what they don’t deserve.

This is awesome! → Many plans are in a person’s mind, but the Lord’s purpose will succeed. Proverbs 19:21 (ceb) 

Although His methods are inscrutable, I know God often uses money to test our hearts. If we believe the entire paycheck belongs to us, I’d propose we are bound by greed or a poverty mentality. For sanity’s sake, God sets our spendable portion at a gracious 90% of the gross READ. Better to give cheerfully and be blessed than to have our peace of mind plundered by our hoarding. (Great article) 

When I was young, I wish I understood that people don’t get promoted so they can be free of financial struggles. A person gets promoted and makes more money SO he can meet the needs of his fellow man → the higher purpose.

THE WAY OF THE EMBATTLED SPIRIT