In my last 31 Days series, I wrote about Bible quotes and money. In part, here’s what I wrote last year, “So what does the Bible say about money? Well, Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Worrying about money will steal your peace, kill you joy and destroy your hope. Dave Ramsey and Crystal Paine encourage financial freedom because they want a life that is abundant…and not only monetarily abundant.” Today, let’s continue to look more Bible quotes about money.
Bible Quotes About Money
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Here’s your free printable, Bible Quotes Money
As you look those verses, you may wonder, “Why did she include that verse?” Just because a particular verse doesn’t seem to apply to your life, doesn’t mean it won’t at a later date. And it may never apply to your life, but it will apply to someone’s life; so keep that in mind.
Jessi over at The Budget Mama has a great guest post from Brittany at Equipping Godly Women, 4 Reasons to Make God a Priority in Your Finances. I love the second point, The Way You Use Your Money Says a Lot About Your Faith. We are spiritual beings that live in a material world and that can be hard to reconcile, especially when standing in the $1 aisle at Target. But let’s ask ourselves, “What does an accumulation of $1 junk–just because it was $1– say about my faith and my priories?”
I would like to propose a simple exercise. Just like we are encouraged to make a nightly examination of conscience; going through our day and sorting our vice from virtue with a series of questions. We then repent of our sins and pray for the grace to increase the virtue. What if we practice a mini-examen while shopping?
The obvious first question would be,
Do I REALLY NEED this? Or do I just REALLY WANT this? This is a good first question isn’t? It will teach us to distinguish between “want” and “need.” But we have to be honest in our assessment. That’s where going through some of the Scriptures listed will help. We may be so hoodwinked from this material world we live in, we have a hard time discerning true “need” from “want.” God’s Word can help us in this discernment.
What purpose would this serve? Is it just for decoration? Do I need more decorations? If it’s a usable item, let’s ask ourselves if we “need” or just “want” this item. Do we really need three spatulas just because a new Fall color came out or are my plain old black ones just fine?
Where would I put this? Let’s use the spatula example again. Are my kitchen drawers already full of kitchen utensils? Do I have items stuffed in my cabinets and drawers I “needed” but now just take up space and would this would just be one more?
Do I need this amount money for something more important? This is a great question, but you have to think bigger than just the immediate amount. My husband has taught me the value of thinking past the immediate amount to the bigger amount. For example a weekly date night. If we eat out once a week and both order a soft drink, we could easily hit $30 a week. 30.00 a week x 4 weeks a month= $120.00
But what if we ordered ice water? That comes in around $25. 25.00 a week x 4 weeks a month= $100…we just saved ourselves $20 a month.
Now, what if we only eat out every other week and order water on those dates? $50 a month for a date and $50 a month saved that can be used on: our mortgage, filling up our tank, saving for a family vacation, buying Christmas gifts, saving or giving. $50 a month saved for one year equals $600 dollars. That could be an extra principle payment on your mortgage.
$600 a year could also serve a good to the foreign missions. Remember when I wrote a month ago about Greg and Colleen in Costa Rica? They have some exciting news, “Last week the Bishop gave permission to build a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament on the new property for the St. Francis Emmaus pregnancy hostel this morning a group said they would get donations for it. Now the Real Presence of the Lord will be with the least of his brothers the at risk moms and babies that stay with us at the Saint Francis Emmaus Pregnancy Hostel . What a better way to evangelize the poor than to build a chapel for the poor which really says I believe in what I am teaching you so much that I am going to build you a place to worship Christ and celebrate the Sacraments.” And, “Since we have local doctors on board now we can also have an examination clinic so the ladies won’t have to go in town all the time.” But guess what, it takes money. “So all we need is about $20,000 if we go with the rebuild of the old dorm instead of a new one at $150,000”
Back up to our example of saving $600 a year. If 34 of us, save $50 a month…$600 a year…we could fund the rebuilding of the St. Frances Emmaus Pregnancy Hostel. (Here’s the link to St. Bryce Missions to learn more.)
Brittany mentioned in her post over at The Budget Mama, #1, our money is God’s anyway and #2 the way we use our money says a lot about our faith. I don’t know about you, but just gathering the scriptures, reading Brittany’s post and Greg and Colleen’s needs is the conviction I need to pay better attention to how I’m spending and using my money. I did better job of this a few years ago than I am now.
Now, not everyone is in a place where they have the funds to save $50 a month…yet. But we are all in a place where we can intentionally save and spend our money. And intentionally saving and spending requires will power, premeditated thought or a “Let me think about that and I’ll get back to you” before we buy something and the art of learning to say “No.” Lots of “No’s” to ourselves and others.
Budgeting Resources
Dave Ramsey
Chris and I did not take his class. I read the book, Total Money Makeover and Chris listened to the CD’s. This was a life changer in our marriage and finances. We paid off thousands of dollars in debt and then purchased our home. Applying Dave’s principles, our goal was to pay off our home five years from purchase date. It’s actually going to be six years from purchase date…still awesome! We had to learn to be very intentional with our “No’s” and “Yes’.”
The Budget Mama
Jessi doesn’t just talk the talk, she and her family live what she writes about. One of things I love about her budgeting blog is her transparency in posts such as, “When It’s Embarrassing to Live By a Budget” and “Real Life on a Budget: Sometimes It’s Just No Fun.” Jessi offers free printables to help you; here are a couple: Monthly Financial Planning and Holiday Budget Planner. She’s also written a book, Real Life on a Budget.
Crystal Paine
Crystal’s site is full of information from printables, encouraging stories and coupons and deals. She’s also written a book, The Money Saving Mom’s Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year.
Michelle says
May I address those of us who suffer with addiction or compulsion toward spending? In my experience, most often, addiction stems from an emotional deprivation or disorder of some kind. The addiction is a manifestation of that deeper issue.
So what do we do if we suspect that we are in chains on this issue? Well, the first step in the 12-Steps is:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable. Go ahead and replace alcohol with whatever it is and it still applies. Or don’t.
So where is our willpower? What if we keep trying and failing over and over again? We must ask our Good Lord to help us get to the root of the problem and then seek healing and deliverance.
In the name of Jesus, and with the assistance of the church, we can cast out every evil that tries to usurp the plan that God has for our lives.
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
And if you feel that you are dealing with this, I highly recommend the book Unbound by Neal Lozano.