When I am studying God’s word, I was surprised that the Bible contains more financial advice than any financial books I have read and knew.
Indeed, God knows that we needed those words to guide us in every season of our lives. I have found 10 Principles that are essential in money management that He intends for us to apply.
If we will commit ourselves to these principles we will eventually enjoy financial freedom and financial joy. Because He wants that for us, we are His child.
Biblical Principle #1: The money we have is not ours
This deals with the idea of stewardship. A steward is someone entrusted with another’s wealth or property and charged with the responsibility of managing it in the owner’s best interest.
A manager is not the owner, he only manages what has been given to him. As a steward (manager) you are responsible for the treasure God has given you. God has given you money, possessions and material goods. It is your responsibility to manage it for God’s best interest (Matthew 25:14-30).
Luke 16:10 “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.
Biblical Principle #2: Keep Records of our money
God wants you to keep track of the money He has entrusted to us.
Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever” (NIV).
In the Bible people didn’t use money the way we use money today. Often they would trade livestock for whatever they needed. Their money didn’t come in the form of paper bills, checks, or cards. Their money was in the form of flocks and herds.
God tells us to know the condition of our money and to give careful attention to our finances. We are being told to know whether our money is healthy or sick, if we are doing well with it or poorly with it. This is keeping good records of your herd of money, whether it’s a larger herd or small herd. The way you know the “condition” of your money is to keep good records of the money we have.
Biblical Principle #3: Budget it well
Proverbs 24:3-4, “Any enterprise [including your finances] is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts” (LB).
Proverbs 21:5, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (NIV 84).
Having a plan for your money is called a budget. Budgeting is creating a plan on how to spend your money. This spending plan is called a budget.
Biblical Principle #4: Give back to God
God wants us to give 10% of the money He has given us back to Him. The word “tithe” is an Old Testament word meaning 10% and in the Old Testament you find the amount, but in the New Testament you find the attitude behind the tithe: an attitude of joy and generosity.
Deuteronomy 14:23, “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives” (LB; see also Proverbs 3:9).
Tithing is a demonstration that God is number one in your life.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Biblical Principle #5: Be generous with your money
God wants us to be generous with the money He has given me. God tells us to share with others who have a need.
Proverbs 11:24-25, “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT).
Sharing with those in need is more than charity; it’s smart financial management. The principle of “the more you give, the more you will receive applies.
You are not throwing money away when you bless someone who has a legitimate need, it becomes an investment, because God can never be outgiven.
Proverbs 19:17, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and He will repay you!” (NLT).
When you give to someone in need, God says He accepts that as if it were an actual loan to Himself. That’s amazing.
Biblical Principle #6: Set Aside money for the future Saving
God wants us to set aside money for the future. God knows the value of conserving money for a rainy day or a later day.
Proverbs 21:20, “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (LB; see also Prov. 30:24-25).
People who save money are wise. It is good if you set aside a certain fixed percentage of your money to pay your future self. For example, for every paycheck or money you receive, set aside 10% for your future.
Biblical Principle #7: Be satisfied with the money you have
God wants us to be satisfied with the money He has entrusted to us.
Proverb 15:16, “Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil” (NLT).
Being content with what you have right now is like having a grateful and abundant heart, It is ok to want more, but being content with what you have in the present is powerful.
You may have more than enough riches in the world but if you do not have contentment, then your money and riches are useless since it will never satisfy you. You will always want more.
Hebrews 13:5, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have” (NLT; see also 1 Timothy 6:6-8).
Biblical Principle #8: Enjoy the money that you have
God wants us to enjoy the finances He has entrusted us with. He wants to have a good quality of life because we are his children. He is a joyful God, he wants us to enjoy the benefits of managing His money.
Ecclesiastes 6:9, “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless – like chasing the wind” (NLT).
Appreciate all that you have right now. Find a way to enjoy what you have.
Ecclesiastes 5:19, “It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – this is indeed a gift from God” (NLT).
Biblical Principle #9: Be Patient and Plan
God wants us to be patient with our finances.
Proverbs 21:5, “If you plan and work hard, you will have plenty; if you get in a hurry, you will end up poor” (CEV).
Financial freedom does not come overnight, you have to know exactly what you want, plan for it, submit it to God’s Holy Will, and work for it. There are prices you need to pay to get to your dreams.
You cannot get in a hurry when it comes to financial freedom. It’s day by day, week by week, check by check, and year by year. It’s saying “no” to what you don’t need over and over. It’s saying “yes” to God’s way of money management over and over. The Bible says if “you plan and work hard” eventually “you will have plenty.”
Biblical Principle #10: In crisis, have Faith that God will see you through
Matthew 6: 26-34: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Have faith that God will not leave you nor forsake you. He will not give you a challenge you cannot overcome. You are a child of God.
Praying For You,
Read more:
- This Stops You From Becoming Rich
- What you Do in Your Spare Time Determines Your Success
- The Shocking Truths You Didn’t Know About INFLATION – Part 1
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