Today, there are around 6.5 million Americans out of work and the average American has nearly $17,000 worth of debt. So, it’s no wonder that we are stressed out and worried about our finances. But the good news is that God has so much wisdom for us about wealth and there are promises in the Bible that we can claim of followers of Jesus that can totally transform our lives, even when it comes to our money!

There are literally hundreds of verses in the Bible about how to manage money. In fact, Jesus spoke more about money than anything else. Half of all of his parables mention money. God’s Word says there is a right way to manage your money so that you can live freely and actually have some margin and some peace and joy about your finances.

There are seven habits for living in the sweet spot of God’s blessing with our money.

1. Commit It.

“Everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory. Romans 11:36

“Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

First, I commit it to Him, then I will experience success. If you want success in any part of your life, you start by putting God first in that area.

2. Know It.

If you want God’s blessing with your money, you’ve got to know where the money comes from and where it’s going.

Know how much you own and how much you owe.

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever.” Proverbs 27:23-24

When you say, “I just don’t know where is all this going?” that’s a warning signal that means you’re not keeping up with what you’ve got and you’re over-spending.

“On the first day of every week, put aside some of what you have earned during the week, and use it for the offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you to earn.” 1 Corinthians 16:2

You have to know how much you earn so you can know how much you should put aside for God.

3. Plan it.

When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Create a budget and stick with it. A budget is you controlling your money, instead of it controlling you.

“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5

He’s talking about bad habits like impulse buying, buying things on sale you don’t need, internet scams, and the lottery. These are all ways we take shortcuts and waste money.

FREE FINANCIAL TOOLS

Here’s a link to helpful free budgeting and financial resources you can use to plan your spending and saving: Money Tools

4. Bring It.

“Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns to overflow!” Proverbs 3:9-10

When you bring the first and the best to God, He promises that He will bless the rest.

You and God can do more with a blessed 90% than you could ever do with 100% on your own!

“The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God first in your lives.” Deuteronomy 14:23 (TLB)  

SET UP RECURRING GIVING

You can set up regular automatic recurring giving by clicking HERE.

5. Save It.

Save 10% of what you make. Your future self will thank you!

“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” Proverbs 21:20

The key is to discipline yourself to pay the price of going without for a while so that eventually you will have more than you ever thought possible. As Dave Ramsey famously says, “Live like no one else so you can live like no one else!”

6. Repay It.

Commit to not getting any deeper in debt. The first rule of getting out of a hole: STOP DIGGING!

“Don’t withhold repayment of your debts.” Proverbs 3:27

“Owe nothing to anyone.” Romans 13:8

If you’re only paying the minimum on your card, instead of your money working for you, you’re working for Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express.

Get serious about paying off your credit cards!

The Debt Snowball Strategy
  • Look at all of your debts and list them in order from the smallest to the largest.
  • Pay the minimum on all of your bills except the smallest one.
  • Put all the money you can gather toward paying off that smallest debt.
  • When that one is paid off, take that money and start paying off your next smallest bill.
  • You will have more money to knock out the bigger debts.
  • You can do it with God’s help!

God wants you debt free so He can lead you wherever He wants you to go and whatever He wants you to do.

7. Enjoy it.

Can you imagine being able to enjoy the rest of what you make and what you have? If I want God’s blessing on my money, I need to learn to be content. We’re so busy getting more that we don’t enjoy what we’ve got.

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Ecclesiastes 6:9

The BIG QUESTION is: Do your finances right now prove that you know how to manage money God’s way?

Here’s what most people do:

  • The first thing people do is as soon as they get money is spend all of it.
  • Then after they spend it, they worry about it.
  • If they have any left, they repay a little bit.
  • If they have any left, which they don’t, they save it.
  • Then if they have any left after that, they bring it to God, which they don’t.

God blesses the reverse order: First, I commit it to God. Second, I know what I have and where it’s going. Third, I plan a budget and stick with it. Then, I bring the first ten percent back to God. Then, I save 10% of what I earn. Then, I set up a repayment plan to become debt-free. Finally, I enjoy it!

The Simple Decision: Will I manage my money my way or God’s way?

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Jesus left the riches and glories of heaven to come to earth and give His life as a sacrifice so we could experience the riches of God’s mercy, grace, and eternity!

Committing to follow each of these 7 steps today will change your life!