When Drenda and I started our company many years ago, we decided to give people a simple outline of the things they would need to do to get out of debt.
With some time, effort, and thought, we eventually condensed our advice down to five basic, simple tips people need to master to change their financial future.
They’ve worked for others, and they will work for you.
#1 - Seek first the Kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 tells us that if we seek His Kingdom first, “all of these things will be given to you, as well.” If we take the time to see knowledge regarding His Kingdom and how it works, then we can access it and walk in it.
For your life to change financially, you must take the time to study, write down, dissect, and understand the function of the laws that govern the Kingdom of God, specifically in the area of finances.
#2 - Stop using debt. It sounds simple, but this is the first thing God taught me in prayer on the pivotal day I finally came to the end of myself. It was the day God said, Gary, you trust in debt more than you trust in My Kingdom.
It was painful to hear, but it was true.
The debt system is one almost all of us were raised in, so it’s naturally the one we tend to trust in the most to meet our needs, especially when the going gets tough. But to walk in God’s system, we must turn away from that old system.
- Set a budget.
- Live below your income level.
- Set goals for saving.
- Don’t make impulsive purchases.
#3 – Cut off debt options. You must get drastic with steps to protect yourself from ever being forced or tempted to use debt again. Acknowledge that you can’t trust yourself in the early days of your decision to turn away from debt.
Cancel the credit lines. Cut up the credit cards. Don’t give yourself any room for error.
#4 – Give. Consistently through the New Testament, we see Jesus teaching about giving. Paul did so as well.
In 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 we read: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
See, giving is the doorway that gives God the opening to bless you with opportunities, direction, concepts, and ideas that will propel your life financially.
View the tithe as a fence. If you had a garden, and you had animals that would likely eat your produce, you would put up a fence. In a similar way, the tithe, as the Bible tells us, opens the windows of Heaven and sets a guard around your financial life. But the fence doesn’t grow anything itself. That’s where offerings come in. Putting tithes and offerings into place allows God to bless the work of your hands.
#5 – Write your plan.
Having a written plan that you can frequently refer back to, take direction from, and find comfort in will help you gain confidence that financial freedom is possible for you.
A written plan will help you stay on track when life’s pressures and temptations attempt to distract you.
Above all remember that you CAN be free.
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You can get more information about how to fix YOUR money thing in Gary’s book,
Fixing the Money Thing: A Practical Guide to Financial Success.