Are you positioning yourself for His blessings?
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.(1 Chronicles 29:11-12, NIV)
God is the owner of EVERYTHING
As trustees of the resources God has provided, He allows us to temporally use our possessions. Our wealth is only temporary. The Lord is the true owner. In Deuteronomy 10:14 this is made quite clear: “To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” Not just some things of this earth, but all things. Now if He holds these things and God is the true owner, should we handle things the way we feel they should be handled or the way God would want us to handle them? Of course, we should handle them the way God wants us to handle them. These instructions can be found in His Word.
If we are to follow Christ, we must transfer the ownership of our possessions to God. This entails a mind shift. The world tells us possession is nine tenths of the law and that we alone possess everything. A shift from a cultural view to a Godly view is difficult in an ungodly world. The shift is easy only when your change your perspective. Taking steps to align your thinking with God’s thinking does not happen overnight. The Holy Spirit must have time to work within your heart. I often say there are three conversions:
1) Your mind
2) Your heart
3) Your wallet
It takes time. However once it happens, your financial decisions tend to be viewed much differently than the world’s ways and thus become spiritual in every context.
Here are a few suggestions to begin this change of perspective:
1) Read over the verses I highlighted above and read them two times a day for the next month.
2) Pray, meditate, and memorize these verses.
3) Think of these verses every time you spend or make an investment/saving decision.
4) Constantly refer to your possessions (money, investments, personal items) as the Lord’s items. Say it out loud often. By passing ownership verbally and constantly, you will begin to develop a habit of transferring ownership.
We are ONLY “managers” of what God has given us
God chooses to distribute wealth where he sees fit. God chooses to bless one person more than others. In Matthew 25:15 we see this illustration: “To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey”. Why would God discriminate? He gave according to each person based on their abilities. The Lord not only distributes wealth and material possessions but also can take them away as Job learned. No material possessions can be taken to the next world and even Job understood this when he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” Even in Job’s darkest hour, he still understood this key principle.
Our purpose in life is to glorify God
The Lord will choose many ways to distribute wealth: inheritance, marriage to a wealthy individual, successful businesses, stock options, and successful stock market investments to name a few. God has entrusted certain levels of wealth to each of us according to our abilities. Handling these assets in a biblical manner is an intended purpose that God has for your life. Above all, our purpose in life is to glorify God and this includes our finances. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” Luke 16:10. What are you doing today to show responsibility with what He entrusts to you? How are you positioning yourself for the blessings He has prepared for you?
Whether you have made money mistakes in the past or present, each day is a clean slate. Learn from your past mistakes and move on. Commit to learning more about His principles and how He instructs us to handle money. Commit to educating yourself about financial matters (saving, investing, gifting strategies, insurance, tax planning, etc.). Seek a qualified financial professional who shares your faith and values. Refer to www.kingdomadvisors.org or www.nacfc.com to find a competent Christian advisor in your area. Most of all, commit to doing something! God wants you to take the first step so He can guide and direct your path.
This article was written by Jay Peroni, CFP. Jay is the founder and editor of FaithBasedInvestor.com, a Christian stock investing newsletter. He is an author, speaker, and financial advisor. He’s been featured on Crosswalk.com, TheStreet.com, at ChristianPF.com. Jay started FaithBasedInvestor.com to help investors find investments they can be ?”proud to own”. For a FREE report on how to screen your investments and build a winning portfolio, go to FaithBasedInvestor.com.
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]]>1 Now there was a famine in the land—besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.” 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar. (Genesis 26:1-6; NIV)
These were difficult economic times to say the least. Yet during this very time, the Lord appears to Isaac with a promise of incomprehensible blessing to Isaac and his family. It is instructive to examine this turning point experience and see what wisdom we can take from it. (When the Lord appears on the scene, wisdom is right there with him.)
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The grass will not be greener in Egypt. Too often we want to run away from our difficulties rather than deal with them. Sure, occasionally the Lord will tell you to go as he told Isaac’s dad Abram (Abraham) with a similar promise of incomprehensible blessing. In both cases God was commanding them in regard to their current dwelling that was outside their comfort zone. We need to follow the Lord’s direction rather than conventional wisdom. It’s not so much “where you are at” as much as “is the Lord there with you.”
Another insight we can draw from this is that God will give you the revelation to make you succeed. This is quite often different from the advice He gives to others. While the Bible applies to us all, a regular time of prayer (fellowship) with the Lord will enable Him to help you with your next step (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 30:21). When you obey the Lord, he will bless you coming or going.
Your Father Abraham & The Power of Obedience
Abraham was a very blessed man. He was rich and powerful. Isaac had seen firsthand the God’s Hand at work in his father’s life. He had been a participant of these blessings. Isaac knew the benefits of serving God. When God reminded Isaac of the covenant He made with his dad, it got his attention.
Isaac had an intimate knowledge of his dad Abraham’s devotion to God and the blessings that accompanied his obedience. That is why God reminded him of Abraham’s devotion as He offered the promise of His presence and His blessing (You can’t really separate these two as His blessing inevitably follows a relationship with Him.).
You can be a blessing to those around you. As those around you see how blessed you are by your lifestyle, you can testify to the goodness of God without even saying a word.
The Lord’s blessing is a responsibility as well as a benefit. So, don’t just follow an example – be an example too!
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]]>Proverbs 27:23 (King James Version)
23Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
I am a Quicken slave. Every payday I spend at least an hour entering my paycheck info and planning how to pay our bills at least until the next paycheck. It’s ongoing and never ending. However, I see it as my duty as a steward of God’s resources that He has entrusted to me.
So what does this have to do about knowing about sheep, goats, and other farmyard critters?
Gold vs. The Sheepfold: The Baa-Baa-Balance Sheet
In Old Testament times, wealth was often measured in terms of the size of one’s flocks and herds (e.g. Gen 24:35). The animals often rank higher than gold or silver when a person’s worth is summarized. In the account of God’s material restoration to Job (see Job 42:10-12), the count of each type of animal is given but there is no such specificity in the amount of money or gold received.
Even though farm animals are not part of the typical family household budget sheet, adopting a sort of animal husbandry mindset can help us become better financial managers. The first task in reining in your finances is knowing the size of your herd.
Do you know your net worth? Can you quickly add up your assets and subtract your liabilities to arrive at a (reasonable) ballpark amount. Is this total based on verifiable facts as opposed to an “off the top of my head” guesstimate? (Maybe this calculator will help.)
Jesus referred to Himself as the “good shepherd.” He said that he knows his own sheep by name. In Bible times, individuals knew very well the size of their flocks as this was their livelihood. (Money and animals provide food and clothing.)
So, whether you use Quicken, Microsoft Money, or some other personal finance software, or even paper/pencil; you need to know the size of your herd so that you can take care of it properly.
The Care & Feeding of Your Finances
Be “diligent” and “look well” to your herds. Taking the shepherd and rancher analogy further, we know that these animals require regular feeding and hygiene. If you feed your goat a sumptuous, nutritious meal and then cancel future mealtimes, that goat will die. Neglect will kill these creatures through starvation or disease
Ok, so what does that have to do with me?
Like animals, our finances require regular provision and protection. Similarly, financial instruments require monitoring to prevent atrophy through lack of regular investments, tax penalties, portfolio reallocation, insurance, etc. Are you letting your financial managing slide? Are you persistent in those necessary – if irritating – financial chores such as paying bills on time, budgeting, filing taxes? Don’t allow the manure to pile up!
Luke 12:48b (New International Version)
… From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Keeping your animals\finances healthy will enable them to gain healthy weight and have babies\enjoy investment returns. So if you are frustrated at the amount of time you’re spending using Quicken or balancing your checkbook, etc; be of good cheer. It’s not easy being a shepherd but your diligence will pay off.
With financial prosperity comes responsibility.
Proverbs 12:10-11 (New King James Version)
10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11 He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,
But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.
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]]>Part 9 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. (Matthew 25:26-27, NKJ)
This passage describes a very revealing insight into the Master. For one thing, He is exceedingly successful in His money management. He reaps where He does not even plant. He would have no trouble beating the return on the S & P 500 — or any other market metric for that matter! It is indicative of His generosity to entrust anything for His servants to invest.
Note also that even though His investment success is off the charts, the Master was quick to lavish praise on the other
two servants. Not only is the Master generous but he is gracious, too. (This fact was totally lost on Servant # 3).
Another characteristic of the Master is that He is definitely results-oriented. An unprofitable outcome is unacceptable. Worse yet, Servant # 3 did not even try. At the very least his unutilized talent could have been drawing interest.
Furthermore, this passage shows that there is a definite priority of investments as far as the Master was concerned. While keeping money in an interest-bearing account is better than nothing, it pales compared to investing (i.e. sowing & gathering[reaping]). In the case of the other two servants, the Master enjoyed multiplied returns (versus His “own -singular- with interest”).
I think that we can take this even further and speculate that even if Servant # 3 had tried his hand at investing and lost money, that this would’ve gone over better with the Master than his sit-on-it-and-hope-nothing-worse-happens approach.
Investment advice from the Master: At the very least keep it interesting?
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]]>Part 8 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ (Matthew 25:25 NKJ)
Fear Is Unprofitable
And I was afraid … The unprofitable servant was at the mercy of his emotions. He let his fear stifle his money-making activities. Developing a relationship with the Master can help overcome these fears (the other two servants apparently were not afraid).
Remember whose talent we are talking about in the first place. The Master entrusted property (talents) to His servants for investment returns. By sitting on the Master’s talent, Servant #3 was essentially stealing from his Master in addition to depriving himself from those proceeds.
So, does investing the Master’s proceeds guarantee success? Hmm, well I don’t know but:
- Developing and maintaining a relationship with One who reaps where he doesn’t sow can’t hurt!
- Not investing is a guarantee of failure.
- It would be better to face the Master and say “I tried but …” than to do nothing and incur the Master’s wrath.
If we are to be successful in Kingdom finances specifically and life in general, we can not let our fear stand in our way. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear can nullify the faith we have. Without Faith it is impossible to please God. He has given us Kingdom citizenship to richly bless us.
What are you afraid of?
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]]>Part 7 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. (Matthew 25:24 KJV)
Forget the Money, Show me the Relationship
This third servant had a considerably worse performance review than his two co-workers. Their efforts brought forth handsome returns. Upon reading the text, you get the sense that they were eager to show the Master the fruit of their labor.
Such was definitely not the case with the third servant. “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man …” indicates that the
depth of relationship that was present with the other laborers was absent with Number Three. His very words describe a successful Master who was generous to the point of allowing His servants to invest assets on His behalf (…I … hid your talent in the ground.).
If Servant Number Three had cultivated a relationship with his Master, His investment know-how would have rubbed off on him. This, no doubt, was the secret to the other servants’ investment accomplishments. It’s about enjoying relationship with the Master. This is the true key to success.
Can You Relate?
If you — or anyone — desire success in this world, you will have to nurture relationships with other inhabitants of this planet. The Lord has set it up so that you can not make it on your own. Making money, for example, involves the exchange of goods and services between people and/or institutions (groups of people). You may be really good at setting up barriers between you and everyone else but by doing so you are building walls that hinder you from the fulfillment that your spirit craves. The Lord has set the solitary in families (Psalm 68:6). There are probably people around you that can help you (and vice versa). Make the effort to develop relationships with others. Be friendly! (Proverbs 18:24)
It has been said that those involved in friendships tend to be healthier. I think we can make the case that friendships also help us become wealthier. When you come right down to it, regardless of the size of your bank account, our friends enrich us.
How are you getting along with the Master and His servants?
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]]>Part 4 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money . (Matthew 25:18, NIV)
Here we have a very different story. This servant wasted his Master’s talent and rendered it useless. He literally killed it by burying it.
Are you any different? Have you squandered an opportunity to make your money work for you? In addition to forsaking the returns enjoyed by the more diligent servants, you have hidden from others a chance to glorify our Lord. This could have been a demonstration of “magnifying the Lord.” By regularly partnering with God, His work becomes evident to yourself as well as others in ever-increasing measures.
We in the Body of Christ need to exercise and demonstrate God’s influence in our lives. We need to be fruitful in our finances as well as in every other aspect of our lifestyle. As John the Baptist said of Jesus: ‘He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Have we hidden Him or are we hidden in Him?
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]]>Part 3 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more. 17And likewise he who had received the two talents–he also gained two talents more. (Matthew 25: 16-17, Amp.)
Here we see the response of two of those servants in which the Master entrusted his property. They immediately 
went and “traded.” The word “traded” come from the Greek word ergazomai. In this context, these servants “put this money to work.” Perhaps they invested it in the first century equivalent of the stock market. We can’t say for sure. Regardless, they invested these funds in a vehicle that resulted in a 100% return on the Master’s money. Not bad.
These servants already had their basic needs met by virtue of their relationship with the Master. They had food, clothing, and shelter as members of His household. This money apparently was not for these basic needs. Although the money belongs to the Master, He is giving His servants a great deal of freedom regarding its disposition.
What are we doing with our money once our basic needs are met? What avenues of increase are available to us? Are we taking advantage of them?
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]]>Part 2 of the “Parable of the Talents” Series
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one–to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country. [Emphasis mine] (Matthew 25:15 Amp.)
Get Smart, Get Wealthier
As we read this opening portion of the parable of the talents, it is noteworthy to observe that talents are distributed according to personal ability. Jesus is stating through this principle that in order to get more money, you should sharpen your skills.
This parable is about money. The term “talent” in this context refers to a monetary measure that corresponded to a certain weight of gold or silver. Over a period of time, this term was transformed into the use that we know it today (see definition) as it relates to creative ability.
This verse is also about personal development. As believers, we should always be in a state of self-improvement. In a sense, it is not totally self-improvement as we are working in partnership with our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the “master” in this parable and he should be the master in every aspect of our lives. Jesus is telling us that that are practical and tangible benefits to improving our abilities. This is part of our transformation from “Glory to Glory.”
So, allow this verse to motivate you as take that college course, read that book, practice that ability or engage in some other activity that will improve your abilities. There is a reward awaiting you. In fact, there are (at least) two rewards ahead: 1) The increase in talents (double-meaning here) and 2) the satisfaction that comes with that increase in expertise — and who can put a price tag on that!
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]]>
I am intrigued by super-investors such as Warren Buffet and Peter Lynch. These individuals have enjoyed ginormous investment rates of return over years. I have wondered if their investment principles have Biblical parallels.
Please understand that I am not making any spiritual assessments regarding these gentlemen. While I have studied their investment methods, I have never met them nor had dealings with them. What I am asserting is that very often long-term success strategies very often can be tied to biblical principles even if the practitioners are unaware of or deny such comparisons.
Bible wisdom very often has very practical and tangible benefits in addition to the invaluable, incalculable spiritual blessings that we normally associate with scriptural truths.
So, having said that, here is my list of Biblical Guidelines for successful stock-picking:
Invest in what you know
“Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin and miss the mark.” Proverbs 19:2 (AMP.)
Don’t fall prey to some “hot tip.” Your experience along with some research can lead you to investment opportunities. “Invest in what you know” was a phrase that Peter Lynch made famous. Mr. Buffet has passed on opportunities that he did not understand.
If you stay half-alert, you can pick the spectacular performers right from your place of business or out of the neighborhood shopping mall, and long before Wall Street discovers them.” Peter Lynch.
Invest in quality companies
“But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:8 (NKJ)
“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” Matthew 7:16 (NKJ)
Superior, well-managed companies tend to do well year after year. These are the ideal “ground” to plant your seed (i.e. money). Such companies typically do not resort to dishonesty or ethical gray areas. The results of such efforts (i.e. profits) are evident. As in farming, good ground can produce abundant fruit season after season.
“If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.” Warren Buffet.
Examine a Company’s Management
The value of good management can not be overestimated. Fashions may change with the seasons but a savvy management team can interpret tumultuous times as opportunities to be seized. The Bible recognizes that good character traits such as honesty, diligence, and hard work are better indicators of business success – or any other kind of success – than, say, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the business regulatory environment, or similar other temporal environmental factors.“ The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 (NIV)
“You only have to do a very few things right in your life as long as you don’t do too many things wrong.” Warren Buffet.
Invest for the Long Term
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)
Oftentimes, investors may get discouraged or stressed during times of underwhelming market performance. During such times, the superstar investors typically remain calmly confident in their investment strategies. They know that quality portfolios will endure till more prosperous times.
“Our favorite holding period is forever.” Warren Buffet
“Just because the price goes up doesn’t mean you’re right. Just because it goes
down doesn’t mean you’re wrong. Stock prices often move in opposite directions from the fundamentals but long term the direction and sustainability of profits will prevail.” Peter LynchBe Patient
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 (NASB)
Warren Buffet on investing: “There are no called strikes.” Mr. Buffet occasionally is criticized for not buying anything during long stretches of time. However, he knows that the rewards of buying that one great company outweigh those of buying a few mediocre ones.
Have I missed anything? What Biblical principles do you know of that will assist in evaluating an investment opportunity?
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