Financial Stewardship Seminar

Transcription

1 Financial Stewardship Seminar Saturday, April 13, 2013 GOAL: Glorify God by handling possessions with integrity and precision. I. Accounting for Your Management A. Reviewing the Basics 1. God Owns it All 1 Chr. 29:11-12 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Psalm 50:10-11 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 2. God Distributes (Unevenly) According to His Will 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;

2 his righteousness endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. 3. Money is a good gift and can and should glorify God. Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. B. How Disciples Should Use Money Luke 16:11 13 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

3 C. According to What One Has... 2 Corinthians 8:10-15 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. D. Proverbs on the Subject of Money 1. Sharing Proverbs 11:24-25 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 22:9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. 2. Enjoyment Proverbs 12:14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. Proverbs 13:25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

4 3. Diligence Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. Proverbs 12:27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 15:19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. Proverbs 22:13 The sluggard says, There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets! (Pr. 26:13) 4. Work Proverbs 12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. Proverbs 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. Proverbs 16:26 A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.

5 Proverbs 18:9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys. Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread. Proverbs 21:25-26 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. Proverbs 24:30-34 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 28:19-20 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. 5. Self Control Proverbs 25:28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. II. Budgeting - Applying the Measurement Principle A. Measuring--Ready to Give an Account Proverbs 27:23-27 Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, 24 for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? 25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears

6 and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, 26 the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. 27 There will be enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls. B. Getting Out of Debt Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Proverbs 20:21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. C. Beginning to Budget 1. Measure!!

7 D. Budget Outline Categories: BASIC Income Tithe Tax STABLE EXPENSES Amount will usually be the same each month. Rent or Mortgage Insurance Life Health House Car Telephone/Internet Cable Healthclub Charities Retirement Contributions Tuition VARIABLE MONTHLY Monthly recurring bills will rise and fall seasonally and according to use. You have some control over these bills, but you will not know if you have been successful until after you receive your bill. You should average these out and maintain proper buffers--either in savings, or in checking balance. Utilities Gas Electric Water MONTHLY TRACKABLE These expenses will vary each month but are controllable and trackable as you spend. As you reach your thresholds you can control and adjust your expenses. Use a spreadsheet to track spending and rollover surplus or deficits month by month. Auto Fuel

8 Groceries Household Clothing Entertainment Cash (Misc.) Gifts and Birthdays Dining Grooming Music/Books OCCASIONAL EXPENSES Non-monthly, but predictable expenses. These are often the categories that can lead to debt because they are not saved for in advance though they are going to take place now and then throughout the year. Vacation Christmas Medical Co-Pays Car Maintenance/Registration Other predictable future expenses Vet LONG TERM SAVINGS Big ticket future expenses. Predictable expenses, but possibly far out. If not saved for they will lead to debt scenarios. Car replacement College Computer Household replacements Retirement Wedding D. Tracking (ongoing measurements) 1. TOOLS: Quicken, Neobudget.com, Mint.com, Excel, Google Docs, paper

9 2. Transaction Sources Cash (keep receipts or a log) Checks/Debit - use online statements Credit Cards (fewer the better) 3. Weekly reconciliations! III. Saving and Q&A A. Should we save? B. What is the difference between saving and hoarding? C. What should we be saving for?

10 D. What about retirement? E. General Q&A