Are You Serious?

The other day while talking to my husband he made this brilliant statement, “People tell you to tithe from the day you are a child but they don’t take the time to tell you how to manage your money.” Interestingly, we sought God and found that the Bible does tell you how to manage your finances.

The first step to managing your money is found in Proverbs, “The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want,” Proverbs 12:5.

This text is saying the plans of the discipline minded person towards finances will have plenty but the one who recklessly goes about his business will want, will lack and be in poverty.

The principle being displayed here is not one that has just been implemented it is one we have heard since a child but most people do not take seriously. It points out the basic principle of having a budget for your finances.

A budget is plan for money. It paints a picture of how your finances will look. The budget says, “This is how much we have, if we use it wisely staying within our means (meaning if we live our life according to what we have) then we will have plenty. However, if we are reckless, impulse buyers, thoughtless about our finances, give it all away; we are going to always be in need of clothes for the kids, lacking food, deficient in our finances, wanting, but constantly in shortage because we thoughtlessly spend all that is given.

God is not calling His children to poverty. He is not calling us to be idle about our finances. The Bible says, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich,” Proverbs 10:4.

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute,” Proverbs 12:24.

“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and [hath] nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat,” Proverbs 13:4.
“Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger,” Proverbs 19:15.

My friends, our finances matter to God. He blesses those that He can entrust to be diligent with finances so they can bless others. Why should our Father give to a fool with finances? Should you pray to God to give you money so you can go out to buy the house you lost last year because of mismanaging? Should you pray to God to give you money so you can give it away over and over to others and neglect to give to Him? Should you pray to God to give you money to buy another car like the one they just repossessed? Should you pray to God to bless your finances to get your business right and you will not even be diligent with the little you have?

God is serious about our finances are you? Consider allowing God to direct your steps. Pray to God to help you manage the money He has blessed you with today. Call upon the Lord to guide you with what you do have to be disciplined as He desires. Beseech the Lord to send someone to show you how to budget. Ask the Lord to forgive you for being reckless with what He blessed you with in the past. Forgive you for being an impulse buyer, thoughtless, stingy and not disciplined. Declare today I am not going to mismanage what the Lord gives me anymore. You are a child of God. He is observing you today, right now. Seek the Father to be diligent, for He rewards His faithful child over the little with the rewards of plenty.