Is Greed Idolatry?
In the 1987 movie, Wall Street, Gordon Gekko declares, “Greed is good!” Thankfully, not many agree. However, more would say that ambition is good or acquisition is good. They defend wealth and riches, and these are certainly better than poverty. I disagree that greed, ambition, and acquisition are good. Greed is commonly understood as placing…
How Ingratitude Keeps You Poor
Americans are blessed financially when compared to the rest of the world. According to the website mic.com, “someone at the poverty line in the United States is in the top 14% of the global income distribution.” But, if you are living at the poverty line, you probably don’t feel like you’re in the top 14%…
Why Saving is Better Than Debt
As an American it is tempting to pull out your credit card and buy anything that catches your eye as you walk through the mall. If we can’t afford it, it seems logical to charge it now. “I could never save enough to get this without using credit!” we reason. The truth is that if…
The Bible’s Formula For a Better Financial Life Revealed
Have you ever been suckered into a get-rich-quick scheme? You know, the ones that advertise on television in the middle of the night, promising that their method is guaranteed to make you wealthy. It usually involves purchasing an expensive course that puts money in the bank. The problem is that money goes in their account,…
Are Financial Calamities God’s Will?
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus prayed that God’s will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” – Mat 6:10 NKJV God’s Will on Earth? This implies that God’s will is not always done on Earth. There are things that…
“Doing Good” to the Household of Faith
Where do you get your gas? Which doctor do you go to? Who is your florist? Your dry cleaners? Most of us shop and spend our money without any thought whatsoever about whether the person we do business with is a Christian or not. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t regard such aspects as customer…
Put Your Money Where Your Faith Is
No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “put your money where your mouth is.” I agree with that saying, but have just recently been thinking about how we should put our money with where our faith is, in things that support our beliefs.
Starting a Budget in 4 Easy Steps
Financial stewardship is an important issue for Christians. Christians, in general, are criticized by those in the world because it assumed, sometimes rightly, but often wrongly, that ministers are just out to get our money and the money from little old ladies who live on their meager social security checks. In spite of this denigrating…
Three Areas of Stewardship
“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” – 1Co 4:2 NKJV When we speak of stewardship, we generally think about how we manage our money, especially our giving. While money management and generosity are important, let me suggest it is only one of the areas of our lives in which we…
What Stewardship Is All About
Stewardship is a word that is not used often outside of Christian circles. It usually means that the church is initiating a funding drive for the new fellowship wing or some other cause. However, stewardship should not be exclusively about giving. Stewardship is Management A steward is basically a manager. This idea acknowledges that as…