New memory verse added!

Memory verse 1: Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything.  1 Chronicles 29:11

Memory verse 2: “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender” Proverbs 22:7

Memory verse 3: “the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel” Proverbs 12:15

So many financial problems could be avoided if we were willing to seek a little advice and counsel. I know this because I’ve made my fair share of dumb purchases when I could have easily avoided it by asking someone for some advice. And I mean ask someone who has their financial situation in good order and that will give you an honest answer. However, this is so opposite of what usually happens. We want something so badly, that we wouldn’t dare seek counsel lest they say it’s a bad decision. We can’t handle that. We are not in a society that likes waiting for anything anymore, so waiting until you can actually afford something goes completely against the grain of our culture. King Solomon, called the wisest king that ever lived, had some great advice: “listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” Proverbs 19:20

Why don’t we seek counsel? What stops us from asking for help? Typically, it is our pride and stubbornness that forces us to make our financial decisions all by ourselves. And speaking from experience, it is a pride thing to have someone else know how much you make and how much debt and how much trouble you are in, and maybe having to admit

you didn’t spend very wisely. It’s embarrassing. But like anything else, there is incredible freedom and power in talking to others, in confessing and in seeking wise, godly advice. It is a discipline that we as Christians need to make a normal practice. I firmly believe that if we did nothing more but practice this one thing, much of our financial burdens would be non-existent. Of course, the other half of this equation is that we need to actually take the advice.

So how do we do this? Where do we seek out counsel? Well, definitely if we are talking about biblical stewardship, our primary source of counsel would have to be the bible.

“all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16

“your laws are both my light and my counselors” Psalm 119:24

“for the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword… and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)

I remember a couple coming to me one time so excited. They said they had been praying about a financial miracle because the husband wasn’t working (for no apparant reason) and they just couldn’t pay their mortgage and bills. But, behold, in the mail was a company offering a brand new credit card for them. So they were able to pay all their bills and had extra to spend. I don’t know what the word is for the opposite of a miracle, but that is what they received. That just made it worse. Incurring more debts certainly doesn’t ease financial burdens. But when we don’t ask, we can potentially make very bad choices.

So my challenge to you is this, and i know you’ve heard this a thousand times before, but we need to be in our bibles. How do we know what’s in there until we read it and study it? Find a plan to read, a place and time to do it, and be accountable to someone to ensure you are sticking to it.

Tomorrow: other sources of wise counsel

 

Prayer: Lord, you are our counselor. Your Word tells us that. God help us to have an incredible desire to know what’s written, what you wrote to each of us. Help us to understand what you want us to do and help us to be open to your teaching. Remove our pride and allow us to accept help, not just from you but from others. Thank you Jesus, amen.