Personal Finance Help
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Many sources of personal finance help are available for individuals who want to make the best use of their hard-earned money. Books and seminars abound about how to obtain, increase, multiply and even distribute wealth. DVDs and infomercials advertise programs which claim to be able to help a person demolish debt or pick productive stocks or gather fabulous wealth through investing in real estate. People must be buying these programs, or else the producers would not be able to continue to afford to purchase advertising time! However, these are not the best long term solution to the management of personal finances. It is doubtful that many people find success through these avenues. Many more bought these items only to find out that there is no quick solution that will instantly solve financial problems. Following time-tested Biblical principles offers the best personal finance help.
Other people are still in the quest for seeking personal finance help. Christian teachers, whether members of a pastoral staff or simply experienced laymen, can offer financial principles to interested individuals who are looking for help from a Biblical perspective. Sometimes interested people band together in a group to examine what the Bible has to say on these matters and to support and encourage each other. Churches also offer Sunday School classes or special seminars to deal with the issue of money management.
Each individual must examine even 'Christian' sources of information carefully. Unfortunately, unscrupulous people sometimes use the mantle of Christianity to conceal their own desires to profit from others' problems. Therefore, whether listening to a sermon, reading a book or consulting Internet sources for Christian articles on personal finance help, it is wise to always compare what is being said with the Bible itself, in order to determine if truth is being promoted. Many helpful Christian websites deal with wealth management and stewardship living. These can provide a great deal of guidance for the discerning individual. Just remember to be like the Bereans in the New Testament book of Acts, who took the time to carefully compare what the apostle Paul was preaching with what Scriptures taught. Truly godly teachers will be delighted, as Paul was, with hearers who use Scripture as a standard to judge their statements. Whether dealing with personal finance or other matters, false teachers are the only ones who would object to being measured by a Biblical yardstick. However, remember that gentleness and respect will go a long way towards reaching those with whom one has perceived a conflict.
Some principles which one might look for in order to judge the effectiveness of any book, article, seminar or sermon regarding personal finance help are the following. God, not some person or program, should be the recognized source of blessing and wisdom, and the One to turn to for every need. False teachers tend to promote themselves as a necessary guide. They also tend to make money the central object of the program, focusing upon amassing wealth instead of seeking to maintain a balance between spiritual and material things. Godly teachers will recognize the need for personal responsibility and for determining specific actions steps which can help resolve financial problems. They point people to biblical solutions, not gather personal admirers.
Giving can be an important aspect of measuring one's financial health. There should be some element of giving to God in thankful recognition of the fact that He is the source of every good gift. There should also be the willingness to share with others from the overflow of our own blessings. False teachers want their followers to give as well, but it is generally they themselves who seek to become the beneficiaries!
Scripture has much to say about the topic of money, and those seeking personal finance help would do well to examine this source of godly wisdom about financial matters. There are directions for giving and receiving, proper use of material possessions, and for godly business practices. Information about buying and selling, about borrowing and lending to others, and a whole host of other financial topics can be found within the pages of the Bible. It takes time to digest all this material and to learn how to apply it to daily life, but this is well worth the effort. We need to imitate the example of the Bereans, who "...received the word readily with all eagerness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)
An element of discernment is involved in determining whether certain verses regarding personal finance help apply to our own situation, or whether these were meant only for a specific situation or time. We tend to want to relegate difficult principles to another time and place, while eagerly grasping upon verses which promise blessing and provision. Wisdom is needed in order to differentiate between the two, yet believers have the Holy Spirit and God's promise to give wisdom to those who ask for it as reassurance that earnest seekers will be able to find answers. The aim of this is to be able to discern which thing is a principle -- a matter which is applicable for all believers at all times -- from things which are historically true yet meant for a particular group or time. A sense of the scope of Scriptural teaching will gradually be developed with continued study. For example, believers now look to Christ's death on the cross, not animal sacrifices, to cover the offense of their sins before God. Before Christ's death and resurrection, Old Testament saints looked forward to the Savior who would come and in faith offered these sacrifices as a sign that they were looking forward to the Messiah who would one day come. The instructions for particular sacrifices would not be principles believers today would follow, although the principle of salvation through faith in God's provision of a Savior remains a constant. Verses about financial matters likewise need to be carefully studied in order to obtain principles which offer personal finance help for today.
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