Tag: giving

Honoring God with Your Money in 2024

The new year will arrive in two days. With a new year, comes a chance for new beginnings and fresh starts.  I encourage you to make a commitment in 2024 to follow the Lord’s leading in all that you do. Obeying the Lord in all things will result in spiritual growth, better mental and physical health, more joy, and less stress, including less financial stress.

Honoring God with Your Money

Plan now to reduce your financial stress in the coming year by honoring God with your money.  Here are some steps to help you.

  1. Acknowledge that all you have has been given to you by God. God gives you the ability to work and earn a living. ”And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth.” Deuteronomy 8:18
  2. Tithe. God asks each of us to return ten percent of what we earn for the work of the church. God promises to bless those who are obedient to tithe. “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'”  Malachi 3:10
  3. Live below your means. Living below your means will allow you to pay off existing debt and put some money aside for emergencies.
  4. Make a budget and do your best to stick to it.  Include your spouse and children.  Everyone needs to be committed to the budget, or you will not be able to maintain it. Set reasonable amounts of money for entertainment and recreation.
  5. Start saving, even if is only a small amount. Develop a regular habit of putting aside a little bit from each paycheck. Make it automatic by having your savings directly deposited before you get your paycheck.
  6. Designate some money to help out those less fortunate than you.  Don’t try to outgive others, but give within your means as led by the Lord. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.” Proverbs 22:9
  7. Trust in the Lord.  Those who put their trust in money, jobs, or the government will be disappointed. Only God can meet all your needs.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”  Proverbs 3: 5, 6
  8. Seek guidance from godly financial experts.  Completing my Bible study, Honoring God with Your Money, is a great way to start the year.  There are many other resources available from Crown Financial Ministries (crown.org) and Dave Ramsey (DaveRamsey.com).  Find tools that work for you and use them.

It’s a Wonderful Time for Giving

It is now 3 weeks until Christmas.  For those of us who like to prepare well in advance, our shopping is down to those last few hard-to-buy-for loved ones.  Procrastinators still have 20 shopping days left and some have 18 or 19 days until they begin shopping.

Whether you have been done with your shopping for weeks or haven’t begun, there is still time for you to think of others who are less fortunate.  It isn’t too late to put some money in the Salvation Army kettle or buy a gift for a needy child.

In case you haven’t decide which worthy charity to support this year, I am offering up a few of my favorites.

Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child–The ministry founded by Franklin Graham has provided shoe box gifts to 157 million children in impoverished countries for 25 years.  It’s too late to drop off a box at a collection point, but there is still time to build a shoe box online.   For a $25 donation, you can select items for a boy or girl.   You pick the age range and are lead through the process of picking a Wow item, 2 small toys, and 3 accessories.  Essential items, including toothbrush, comb, crayons, colored pencils, and a notebook, are added to each box.   https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Ministry–Donations to this ministry provide gifts to children who have an incarcerated parent.  2.7 million children in American have a parent in prison. Prison Fellowship provides gifts to more than 10 percent of those children using donations collected.  To learn more about this ministry and/or make a donation, go to https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree/.

Toys for Tots–The Toys for Tots toys collection drive sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps since 1947 has another week or so left in their toy campaign to provide toys to less fortunate children.  You can drop off a new toy at a collection bin and the toy will be given to a child in your area.  Or you can make a cash donation.  97% of donations go to provide toys and 3% is used for fundraising expenses.  To find your nearest collection site, go to https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/toys.aspx

These are just a few of the many organizations that are devoted to helping children in your community and around the world have a very Merry Christmas.

“The Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35.

May your family be blessed as you share His blessings with others this Christmas Season.