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What the Bible Says About Money
Almost everyone agrees that the
Bible contains great advice about life, from improving your
marriage to getting along with your boss at work. But does
the Bible really say much about money? Does it really give
us advice that we can apply to our own life in todays world?
The Good News
is Yes! Absolutely! We believe the Bible is as relevant and
helpful today as when it was written, and God has alot to
say about money. Did you know money is mentioned in the
Bible over 800 times? God must be pretty serious about this
subject to talk about it that much.
In fact, Jesus
says in Luke 16:11, "So if you have not been trustworthy in
handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true
riches?" It appears from this verse that God uses money as a
test of our management and stewardship skills before
entrusting us with spiritual things. See More Below.
Money in the Bible
1. Proverbs
13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his childrens'
children" indicating that God wants us to make a difference,
financially, in our family tree.
2. Proverbs
21:20 "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food
and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." This gives
us an idea of how God wants us to save for a rainy day, to
set something back for safekeeping.
3. Proverbs
22:7 states that "The rich rule over the poor, And the
borrower is servant to the lender." Really?
The Bible
discourages debt? Does God really want me to pay my debts
off and avoid debt?
4. Luke 14:28
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit
down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to
finish it." Does Jesus really want me to save up and pay for
the things I buy?
5. Matt. 6:24
"You cannot serve both God and money".
If money is
this important to God, why are there so few Sunday school
classes on this topic? Why don't we see lots of small group
studies on "Managing Your Finances" or "Getting Out of
Debt"? Why aren't there more sermons in this area?
There are many
reasons, but the top reason is that most people don't
realize how much of a problem managing money is for the
average family. Look at the statistics below:
Financial Statistics
- Marital
Problems - 37 percent (the highest rate) of marital
problems derive from financial situations
- Cash Flow -
70 percent of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck,
meaning they run out of money before the end of the
month
- Savings - The
average family would have to use a credit card to pay a
$1,500 unexpected expense (ex: home or car repair).
- Retirement -
Nearly half of all Americans (46%) have less than
$10,000 saved for their retirement
It is a problem
that affects everyone, inside and outside of the church.
Money is a serious subject, and God is serious about money,
which is why we should study closely what he has to tell us.
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