MOMENTUM Refresher!

Ready, set, REFRESH!

MOMENTUM, a financial mindset created by Dave Ramsey and based on his Financial Peace Class, asks the question, "What could the people of God do for the Kingdom of God if they were Debt Free?"

Our church embraced FPU in 2004 and this whole church mindset in 2007.  But this journey can be long!  Let's refresh!

Sermons:

The Dominion Mandate and Stewardship

Financial Stewardship that Honors Christ

The Trial of Money

Blog Posts:

Journey of a Debt-Free Church

The Fiscal Cliff and the Prophetic Voice

Financial Peace University “Baby Steps”:

  • Baby Step 1:  Quickly save $1000 in Starter Emergency Fund
  • Baby Step 2:  Do the Debt Snowball, eliminating all debts (except the home mortgage) from lowest balance to highest, REGARDLESS of interest rate.
  • Baby Step 3:  Put 3-6 months of expenses in a Fully-funded Emergency Fund.  This normally ranges from $5000 to $25,000 depending on income.
  • Baby Step 4:  Contribute 15% of your Gross Income to Retirement (401k/Roth IRA)
  • Baby Step 5:  Save for kids College (if applicable) using ESAs or 529 plans
  • Baby Step 6:  Pay off the House early
  • Baby Step 7:  Build Wealth and GIVE a ton of it away!

Biblical Money Principles: Let’s get some MOMENTUM going!

1.       MOMENTUM in managing money!

•        You must live on a budget!  You must be able to "give an account" of the resources God has given you.  If you worked and managed money for a company called YOU Incorporated the way you manage your own money, would YOU Inc. fire you? 

•        Your greatest wealth-building tool is your income, so you must get control of it through budgeting: Pr 27:23-24 - Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.

•        You have to get intense!  Pro 6:1-5 ESV My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger,  (2)  if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,  (3)  then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.  (4)  Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;  (5)  save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

•        Your drive towards freedom must be radical and counter-cultural.  Don’t be NORMAL.  Normal is broke!  BE WEIRD!  Any hint of complacency will derail your efforts.  Remember, this is for the KINGDOM!

2.       MOMENTUM in NOT borrowing money.

•        As we have clearly seen in the last four years, borrowing is very risky and can damage our families, our future, and our hope.

•        Deut 28:12 - "…you shall lend to many nations but you shall not borrow."

•        Deut 28:44 - "… He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail."

•        Pr 22:7 - "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant of the lender."

•        Debt is "payment" instead of "actual cost" centered.  This is why debt is so deceptive.  Can you afford to buy a $20,000 item with cash?

•        D.E.B.T. - Doing Everything But Tithing! 

3.       MOMENTUM in NOT spending money! J

•        You must remember that it all belongs to God. (The Steward’s Revelation: Ps 24:1)

•        Learn to define a “need” verses a “want.”  If God hasn’t provided it, you should not spend it.

•        One of the single greatest principles to keeping some money is living beneath your means! 

•        Pro 21:20 ESVPrecious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

•        Pro 13:7 ESVOne pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

•        "If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall."

4.       MOMENTUM in saving money!

•        We all know we need to save, but we are not really serious about doing it.  A big key is contentment.

•        1Ti 6:8 ESVBut if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

5.       MOMENTUM in earning money!

•        There are two parts to the money equation: income and outgo.  In order to get your income up, you must see purpose in work and in working hard.

•        Pro 28:19 ESVWhoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

•        God's primary method of providing wealth is work (Deut 8:18).  Working extra jobs and severely cutting lifestyle for a period of time to hit financial goals may be an option for many.

Also, see The Playbook Chapter 7 on Stewardship! :)

The Spectacular versus the Simple

First, let me say that I AM NOT bashing the "Spectacular."  Our Lord is Spectacular.  He did Spectacular things!  The church has every right, by faith, to expect wonderful, awesome, momentous things from God if He so chooses!  He is a great, awesome, loving, sovereign, and omnipotent God!

Amen! :)

But here is my point.  Have you ever noticed that the Holy Spirit (via the New Testament writers), also exhorted simple, biblical, holy living?  As a matter of fact, it seems to be a predominant exhortation:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:1-14)

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.  (1 Thessalonians 4:7-12)

...And so many more passages!  In the entertainment age, we are so drawn to the spectacle...the big show...the explosion!  Boom!  LOL.  But there are many saints (including MANY pastors) who fall into varying degrees of sadness all the way to depression because their lives or ministries seem, in their eyes, so mundane.  Many precious saints are discontented and dis-eased :) because "all they do" is get up, go to work, love their families, share the Gospel, and walk in day-to-day faithfulness.  I submit dear reader that one would be hard-pressed to open the New Testament and find the "out-front, in bright lights" style of living so prized by our culture also prized by Jesus or the Apostles or encouraged as something to seek after for the saint of God.  Indeed...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  (Matthew 5:3-12)

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (Philippians 4:11)

To those living with a simple, "unspectacular" desire to be faithful each day, I say "Great job!  Keep going!"

Again, not at all criticizing the times when we see the Lord feed the four or five thousand or when He raises up someone to lead in wonderful ways.  I'm just saying that those day-to-day walks with Him that don't get much attention are just as precious.  There is much (but unheralded) power in biblical contentment and simple faithfulness.  And that kind of power is available to every follower of Christ...today.

So if you are simply trying to walk with Jesus, be encouraged!  If you aren't well known, or if your business hasn't "taken off," or if no one seems to notice the good and proper diligence you are giving our LORD and His Gospel, it's OK!  Let Him be glorified through your life!  Finish your race!  You'll be so glad you did when you see Him face-to-face! :)

Amen.

The Quiet Way of the Cross?

I recently read the below quote on a blog written by a Christian brother named Arthur Sido:

The culture wars are over and the religious right lost.  The casual immorality and confusion we see all around us speaks this truth loud and clear.  Now is the time for the quiet way of the cross, a way that does not shout or seek power but also does not seek to hide or accommodate.  Rather than seeking to blend in through capitulation or fighting for the last vestiges of political coercive power, we instead can follow a third way of quiet subversion via witness.       

For some reason, these words really struck me.

If there were such things as “culture wars,” are they truly over?  And if so, the other way he mentions…  I will admit that I’ve thought along similar lines as well.  In fact, this is the essence of what I was trying to say HERE.

A quiet way.  A way that isn’t seeking power.  A way that won’t compromise.  A way that isn’t in any way hiding, but a way that knows it cannot coerce compliance to Scripture.  A way that can be lived out regardless of what is happening around us.

Let’s see.  A way that is rooted in the marching forward in the Gospel of Jesus; that recognizes that what we see in culture is a result of unconverted souls, uncommitted hearts, undiscipled children, and the loss of a biblical worldview.

Truthfully, I’ve gone back and forth between, in moments of zeal, “we must vote the right people into office and things will change” and in times of frustration, “maybe the extreme separatist movements have it right.” LOL!  Yes, political change is needed, but that alone will not and cannot fix what is spiritually broken.  Christian communities must be built...NOW!...and they must not hide that light under a bushel. 

Brother Sido mentioned “the quiet way of the cross.”  I really like this language.  I will not presume to know what he means, but might this mean that we:

  1. Preach the Gospel in our families, down the street and around world?

  2. Reject worldliness and pursue biblical holiness?

  3. Build godly families and disciple our children?

  4. Use money for the glory of God?

  5. Build churches that look more like the New Testament?

  6. Help one another think biblically?

  7. Do all these things in love?

Yes we MUST vote for godly leaders and yes we MUST cry aloud and spare not.  But when we are finished in the voting booth and on the street corner, the work will continue.  

Lest I am misunderstood, this isn’t an issue of loudness or volume.  As I implied in my book, the church hasn’t lost her prophetic voice because we aren’t loud enough; we’ve lost our voice because we don’t preach and live the Bible and we haven’t taught our children to do the same.  We lost the “culture wars” because we abandoned the authority of Scripture in every area of life.  We have, without much of a fight, assimilated carnal and humanist philosophies and applied them to home and church.

Now admittedly, this “quiet way of the cross” doesn’t sound very sexy.  It wouldn’t be rooted in big events and hoopla.  I would think it would primarily manifest in day to day holiness, kindness, meekness, and faithfulness.  It would find its power in simple, Spirit-driven living that is anchored in a heavenward perspective.  It would not hop from new thing to new thing.  It would just live, love, and last until Christ returns or He calls us home.

It's becoming clearer--->  A simple life of love and faithfulness.  Of refusing friendship with the world.  Of modesty and propriety.  Of good, hard work.  Of speaking the truth in love.  Of Spirit-filled living.  Of fellowship and hospitality.  Of good missions work.  Of making our voices heard, but then trusting the Lord to change hearts.  Of supporting the local church.  Of teaching and training children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  Of talks and walks and prayers and Gospel-preaching and discipleship and study and accountability and joy.

If this is what it is, I think I like it. :)

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