2018-02-13
Spreuke 21:26 NLV
Die vlak van finansiële seën waarmee God jou sal vertrou hang van drie vrae af: 1) Is jy volwasse genoeg om dit te hanteer? 2) Hoop jy om te oes maar is jy onwillig om te saai? 3) Is jy ‘n opgaarder of ‘n gewer? God weet ons kan nie almal dieselfde bedrag gee nie. Jesus het ‘n weduwee wat haar laaste twee sente gegee het, hoog geag en gesê, ‘Al die ander het gegee omdat hulle so baie het… sy het alles vir Hom gegee’ (Markus 12:44 DB). Aan die ander kant, het Barnabas ‘…sy grond verkoop en die geld vir die apostels gebring om vir dié te gee wat tekort het’ (Handelinge 4:37 NLV). Hoe meer God jou seën, hoe meer verantwoordelik hou Hy jou. Jesus het gesê, ‘…Baie word verwag van hulle aan wie baie gegee is…’ (Lukas 12:48 NLV). Toe dit tyd vir kollekte was, het ‘n pastoor vir sy gemeente gesê om die beursie of handsak van die persoon wat voor hulle sit, te vat. ‘Nou,’ het hy gesê, ‘Maak die beursie oop en gee soveel soos jy altyd wou gee, maar gevoel het jy kan nie bekostig nie!’ Die waarheid is dat ons nie almal geroep is om dieselfde hoeveelheid te gee nie, maar dat ons almal geroepe is om dieselfde op te offer. Dit maak die speelveld gelyk. Die kern van vrygewigheid lê in selfopoffering. God vertrou finansiële seën toe aan mense wat nie deur liefde vir geld beheer word nie. Hoe weet jy wanneer jy deur die liefde vir geld beheer word? Wanneer jy, wanneer God jou sê om te gee, dit eerder terughou. Verstaan mooi: Wanneer God jou op die hart druk om ‘n saadjie te saai, is daar ‘n oes op pad.
Sielskos: Jona 1-4; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 141; Spr 4:18-19
Proverbs 21:26 NLT
The level of financial blessing God will entrust to you depends on three questions: (1) Are you mature enough to handle it? (2) Are you hoping to reap but unwilling to sow? (3) Are you a hoarder or a giver? God knows we can’t all give the same amount. Jesus honored a widow for giving her last two cents, saying: “Others gave what they’ll never miss…she gave her all” (Mark 12:44 TM). On the other hand, businessman Barnabas “sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37 NIV). The more God blesses you with, the more He holds you accountable for. Jesus said, “Much is required from those to whom much is given” (Luke 12:48 TLB). At offering time, a pastor told his congregation to reach out and grab the wallet or purse of the person sitting in front of them. “Now,” he said, “Open it up and give as much as you’ve always wanted to give but felt you couldn’t afford!” The truth is, we’re not all called to give equally but we’re all called to sacrifice equally. That levels the playing field. Isn’t it interesting how you can go to dinner at the home of somebody who doesn’t have a lot, and leave feeling like royalty because of their hospitality? That’s because the essence of generosity is self-sacrifice. God entrusts financial blessing to people who aren’t controlled by the love of money. How can you tell when you’re controlled by the love of money? Because instead of giving when God tells you to, you withhold. Understand this: When God impresses on you to sow a seed, there’s a harvest coming your way.
Soul food: Jon 1-4; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 141; Prov 4:18-19
2018-02-12
Genesis 41:35-36 NLV
Josef het vir Farao goeie finansiële raad gegee wat ons almal kan volg: ‘Laat hulle al die kos en graan van hierdie goeie jare in koninklike skure stoor… Op hierdie manier sal daar genoeg wees om te eet wanneer die sewe jaar van hongersnood aanbreek. Indien dit nie gedoen word nie, sal ‘n ramp die land tref en al die mense sal omkom’ (verse 35-36 NLV). Hoe het Farao gereageer? ‘Die farao en sy raadgewers was in hulle skik met Josef se voorstelle’ (vers 37 NLV). Jou finansiële sekuriteit in die toekoms word gewaarborg as jy hierdie drie Skriftuurlike beginsels uitoefen: 1) Gee jou tiende. ‘…Bring al die tiendes na die stoorkamers toe… Toets My hierin of Ek nie vir julle die vensters van die hemel sal oopmaak nie. Ek sal voorspoed op julle laat reën wat meer as genoeg vir julle sal wees!’ (Maleagi 3:10 NLV). 2) Spaar. Dissiplineer jouself om ‘n sekere persentasie van jou inkomste te spaar. Moenie bekommerd wees as dit net ‘n klein bedrag is nie, maak dit net ‘n prioriteit! As jy dit nie doen nie, sal jy dit op ander dinge spandeer en nooit jou langtermyn doelwitte van universiteit, aftrede of werk vir die Here bereik nie. 3) Betaal jou skuld af. Na jy jou tiende vir God gegee het en gespaar het, strewe daarna om al jou finansiële verpligtinge af te betaal. Hou op om net die minimum op jou kredietkaart af te betaal. Deur hom nie ten volle elke maand af te betaal nie, betaal jy op die ou einde meer as wat jy moet. Betaal soveel skuld as moontlik af, selfs al moet jy sonder ‘n paar goed vir ‘n rukkie klaarkom. Op die ou einde sal jy voorspoedig wees.
Sielskos: Num 34-36; Matt 13:47-58; Ps 138; Spr 4:14-17
Genesis 41:35-36 NLT
Joseph gave Pharaoh some sound financial advice that we would all do well to live by: “Gather into the royal storehouses all the excess crops of the next seven years…that way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come. Otherwise, disaster will surely strike” (vv. 35-36 TLB). And how did Pharaoh respond? “Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh” (v. 37 TLB). Your future security is guaranteed if you practice these three scriptural principles: (1) Tithe. “Bring all of the tithes into the storehouse…If you do, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!'” (Malachi 3:10 NLT). (2) Save. Discipline yourself to invest a percentage of your income in savings. Don’t worry that it’s a modest amount, just make it a priority! If you don’t, you’ll spend it on other things and never achieve your long-term goals for college, retirement, or helping the work of the Lord. (3) Get out of debt. After tithing to God and saving for the future, strive to pay off all your financial obligations. Stop paying the bare minimum on your credit cards. By not repaying them in full every month, you end up paying much more than you should. Put as much as you can toward retiring outstanding debt, even if you have to stretch yourself and do without a few things for a while. In the long run, you’ll be way ahead.
Soul food: Num 34-36; Matt 13:47-58; Ps 138; Prov 4:14-17
2018-02-11
Proverbs 21:20 NLT
It’s foolish to buy things you don’t need and can’t afford, especially when your bills are overdue and you’ve nothing set aside for the future. Your financial security is determined by what you owe, not by what you earn! Having to work for years to repay debt severely limits your options. So determine your lifestyle by your actual income, not by what you wish it was or hope it will be. And when you get a raise, don’t automatically spend more. The Bible says, “There is…treasure…in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (Proverbs 21:20 NKJV). One of the wisest things you can do today is to start saving for the future, and sowing at least one-tenth of your income into God’s Kingdom so that you’ll have a harvest when you need it (See 2 Corinthians 9:6). Author John Kennedy writes: “Peddling Biblically-based financial advice has become a cottage industry. It’s not that the counsel is new, or that people haven’t heard it enough. The fact remains…Christians have racked up debt with no plan for financial accountability…they’re tapped out keeping up with interest payments.” Is your philosophy in life, “Why wait and save when a credit card will let me have what I want right now?” If you’re buying things you don’t need with money you don’t have, stop it! Before you purchase anything else, ask yourself if you really need it. And even if you think you do, ask yourself if you can live without it for a while; otherwise you’ll become a slave to credit card debt. Here’s some sound financial advice: Pray for God’s guidance before you make any nonessential purchase.
Soul food: Exo 20:13; Gen 4:8-16; Pro 18:21; Matt 5:21-22
