The Journey to Debt Free Living God’s Way II
Step 5
Intro
Remember that Debt Free Living God's Way starts with financial freedom. Financial freedom is the "financial peace of mind" that comes when you accept God's position as "Owner" and your position as steward or "manager." You can enjoy financial freedom whether you owe or own a little or a lot, whether you are young or young-at-heart, whether you are single or married, male or female. Financial freedom means peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding.
How do you get this peace? There are steps you can choose to take but only if you remember that peace with God is based on a relationship, not a list of rules and regulations. The first four of eight steps are to ask Jesus Christ into our heart as Lord and Savior, get into God's Word, give Him title to all that you have, and learn to spend time with Him in prayer.
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Step number five: You must learn to set the right balance in your life.
Here is a scriptural sequence of priorities to consider.
First is God.
Luke 12:31 tells you to, "...seek first His kingdom..." This means being devoted to a Person, not a cause. It means getting to know God, not just knowing about God. It means concentrating on God, not yourself. This is not easy.
Do you know when I have the hardest time concentrating on God? It's when I'm right in the middle of all His blessings. I have no trouble remembering to seek Him when times are hard. During the good times, well, that's a different story. I find troubles usually drive me to God. I sometimes allow His blessings to turn me elsewhere.
For married folks, your spouse is your second priority.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." (Ephesians 5:25). "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22).
Please notice the first verse seems to carry a much heavier burden than the second. The husband is the one told to love his wife, not the other way around. Why? The Lord knows that if I love my wife as Christ loves the church, I'll never have to worry whether or not my wife loves me.
Also, have you noticed your spouse is somehow different than you are? In my family, one likes to stay up and get up late, the other likes to go to bed and get up early. One never gets lost, the other couldn't find the way out of a paper sack. One is forever messing, the other forever cleaning.
We are different and different for a good reason. Larry Burkett used to say, "if God puts two people together who were exactly alike, one would not be necessary." Husbands and wives are designed and put together to be a team - to build on each other's strengths and compensate for each other's weaknesses.
Your third priority should be your children.
. "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). You need to remember you are not tasked to train up your children. You are tasked to train up future adults.
This means you need to spend time with them and learn to deal with their individual personalities. You are not to try to mold them as much as to help unfold them into the people God designed them to be.
Your fourth priority is your work
This is perhaps the most abused priority. Yes, you are to work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). But you must also keep your work from consuming an inappropriate or disproportionate share of your resources, especially your time. Remember. It's balance that the Lord wants in your life.
Your fifth priority is your ministry.
Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ! One of the greatest competitors for your devotion TO Jesus Christ is your service FOR Jesus Christ. You need to realize you are not sent to do battle for the Lord. You are sent to be used by the Lord in His battles. Do you see the difference?
Ministry is a natural extension of your faith. The problem becomes a question of balance. For example, you can substitute your work for the Lord for your relationship with the Lord.
Likewise, you can get so tied up in working for the Lord that your time and relationships with our spouse and children suffer needlessly. Look at Mary and Martha. Mary had a stronger desire to be with Jesus than to serve Jesus. She chose Him, even above service to Him. And Jesus Christ said she made the right choice. Yes, you are to serve your Lord Jesus Christ, but never at the cost of your relationship with your Lord Jesus Christ.
Ministries are a normal, natural result of a life that has Christ at the center. Ministries are a priority, but not THE priority. They must be kept in balance with all the other areas of your life.
Oswald Chambers once said, "The central thing about the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not public usefulness to men. It is much more important to get close and stay close to God than to prepare for works of public ministry."
Step five along your path to financial freedom is to work "in Christ" to set the right priorities and balance in your life. We'll look at the final three steps to financial freedom next time.
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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.
