Financial Freedom
Debt Free Living God’s Way
Intro
Financial Freedom ("Debt Free Living God's Way") is God's plan for your life! So, it's time we talk about what financial freedom is. Next time we'll talk about how to get it. What is financial freedom?
One place to start is to see what "financial freedom" is NOT.
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For example, financial freedom does not include all that goes along with financial bondage. Financial freedom does not include fear, worry, frustration, greed, covetousness, or a "get rich quick" attitude. These are all conditions of financial bondage, not financial freedom.
What is financial freedom?
Financial freedom literally means the release from financial bondage. Philippians 4:6 tell you, "...not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..."
You are told by God not to fret and not to have anxiety about anything. Please NOTE: He is not asking you. He is telling you. Therefore, if you do fret, if you do worry, then you are disobeying and out of God's will in this area. All freedom in God, including financial freedom, comes from being in God's will, not out of it.
Financial freedom means peace.
1 Corinthians 14:33 says, "...for God is not a God of disorder but of peace..."
Again, if you don't have peace, if you have confusion, anger, fear, envy, and all the rest, then you should recognize that you have not surrendered the material part of your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Financial freedom means peace–that peace that surpasses all understanding.
However, does "financial freedom" mean you will have a life free of financial and material difficulties?
Absolutely not! Psalm 9:9 says, "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."
Jesus Christ tells you in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
God is telling you that you will have times of trouble. You are going to have tough times. But, as you have already seen, these times should strengthen your faith, not destroy it.
And by the way, along the way, you are going to fail!
When you try to live according to the financial principles in God's Word, many times you will fall short. When you do, please remember that you are in very good company. There is only one Person who ever walked the face of this earth Who never failed...the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even His Disciples failed. They failed many times including in the Garden of Gethsemane. What did Jesus do? Did He come back and beat them up about the head and shoulders? No. He told them to get up and get on with their work.
He tells you not to allow your failures to hold you back. You need to learn the lesson then get on with life in Christ. (Someone once said, the only good disciple you'll ever see is a bad one who didn't give up!) God does not promise you a life void of material difficulties. He does promise to walk through the difficult times with you, and use hard times to help you, and others, if you let Him.
One last word on financial freedom from Proverbs 10:22,
"It is the blessing of the Lord that brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it." To me, this means that the things He provides don't come with large monthly payments or balloon notes. When He provides, it is good and you know it!
What is financial freedom? It is an attitude. It has no relationship to how much you own or owe. Financial freedom is much more a journey than a destination.
Next time we will give you some tools to help you manage the journey to financial freedom and Debt Free Living God's Way."
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Bob Louder is the Founder and President of Christian Financial Ministries (www.good-steward.org). Bob is also the author of the new best selling book, "Debt Free Living God's Way," available only on the Internet (www.debtfreelivinggodsway.org). Since 1987 Bob has helped people in hundreds of churches all across the country and in the European military community learn, understand, apply and pass on "Debt Free Living God's Way" principles and practical applications. He has represented some of the top Christian financial authors and ministries to include Larry Burkett, Dave Ramsey, Christian Financial Concepts, and Crown Ministries.
Copyright 2006 Christian Financial Ministries, Inc., All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this "Special Report" in whole or in part without permission from Christian Financial Ministries, Inc. Please credit material used to Christian Financial Ministries, Inc.
