“Smart” Money Matters

“Smart” Money Matters

 

The Bible addresses the subject of money and possessions around 2,300 times with verses portraying financial management as a matter of stewardship rather than ownership—smart management of the Lord’s assets. I am not a fan of ‘name it and claim it’ theology because its roots do not respect the Bible’s teachings. So, the following thoughts are practical realities I have witnessed, and the scriptures obviously convey to us.

Our focus needs to be on God-given wisdom in the form of long-term stewardship to avoid the modern emphasis on get-rich-quick schemes. People fall for these modern tricks basically because we are greedy for financial gain. Yes, real wisdom is essentially practical and not merely theoretical and certainly not designed to feed our greed. God advocates building wealth gradually through diligent labor, avoiding reckless debt, and prioritizing practical wisdom over pure financial increases. These timeless principles emphasize enduring money management, generosity, and financial discipline over ridiculously ‘quick’ money, convenient ‘easy’ payment plans and living from ‘paycheck to paycheck.’

We will only consider actionable “smart money” maneuvers for wealth management for God’s glory:

1. Choose Hard Work over Quick Riches Schemes

The Bible glorifies hard work and fair wages, warning against an “entitlement mindset” or acquiring wealth dishonestly.

• Proverbs 13:11, Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. God highlights the multiplied dangers of get-rich-quick schemes and certain ‘advantages,’ contrasting them with the slow, steady growth of patient labor.
• Wealth gained by dishonesty comes in haste or without exertion. This would include the money won by gambling, sweepstakes, or stock market speculation. This kind of wealth has a way of leaking out of a man’s hands. Wealth gained by honest labor accumulates instead of dwindling.^[1]
• Proverbs 10:4, He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

·        Proverbs 14:23, In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Proverbs heavily condemn get-rich-quick schemes and overnight windfalls, advocating instead for slow, steady accumulation—compounding interest. Slow and steady wealth creation relies on the power of compounding and consistent, disciplined habits over decades rather than high-risk “get-rich-quick” schemes. This long-term strategy focuses on automating your finances, investing in diversified funds, and avoiding the trap of lifestyle creep.

• The attitude: Dishonest money gains will dwindle away, but income saving and gathering money little by little will compound and grow. (see Proverbs 13:11)
• The action: Focus on patient, intelligent effort and consistent savings rather than financial windfalls. “Money can grow by being accumulated honestly little by little.”^[2]

2. Employ Saving Strategies and Plan for the Future

Proverbs advise storing up resources for future needs and emergencies rather than spending everything immediately. God discourages hasty, impulsive expenditures and encourages calculating costs beforehand, living within our means, and saving to meet anticipated requirements.

• Proverbs 21:20, There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. Smart money involves planning for the future, planning expenditures—budgeting, building reserves, and resisting the urge to spend everything immediately.
• The contrast here is between the cottage of the wise man where there is a plentiful supply of all good things, and the home of a foolish man where sin, waste, and extravagance lead to scarcity.
• We are reminded of the alcoholic who used to sell his furniture and other household goods in order to buy whiskey. After his conversion to Christ, someone said to him, “You don’t really believe that stuff about Jesus’ turning water into wine, do you?” His answer was, “I don’t know about turning water into wine, but I know that in my house He turned whiskey into furniture!”^[3]

·        Proverbs 23:4-5, Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. God advises against exhausting oneself in the pursuit of wealth, noting that sudden riches can vanish quickly.

Financial preparation and foresight are frequently praised in God’s word, comparing prudent financial habits to the instinctive preparation of an ant (Prov. 6:6-8). Such instincts move the ant to hardwired behaviors of survival, maintenance, and future planning without central leadership.

• The attitude: healthy saving strategies are employed habitually, and hasty waste is routinely avoided. (see Proverbs 21:20)
• The action: Save a portion of your income for investing instead of immediately consuming every resource you acquire.

Planning and ‘diversification’ are expressed in Ecclesiastes 11:2 which advises spreading our resources, much like modern variation strategies, to protect against unforeseen disasters and unpredictable future hardships. Also invest a fixed dollar amount on a regular schedule (like every month), regardless of market fluctuations. This allows you to buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when they are high.

3. Select Honesty and Integrity over Debt Bondage

‘Avoid debt’ is God’s counsel in Proverbs 22:7. Warning us that the borrower is slave to the lender, discouraging the accumulation of burdensome debt.

• Proverbs 22:7, The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. The Bible recognizes debt as a form of financial bondage and encourages us believers to live within our means.
• Money is power, and it can be used for good or for evil. Too often the rich use it for evil, and perhaps that is why it is called the mammon of unrighteousness.
• The borrower is a slave to the lender. Debt is a form of bondage. It requires the payment of exorbitant interest rates. It keeps a man’s nose to the grindstone. It limits his mobility and his ability to take advantage of opportunities.^[4]
• Proverbs 11:1, A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. Business and financial dealings must remain honest and completely free of deception. It is vital we keep our priorities on the Lord! Again, deceptive business practices, involving rigged measurements and exploiting unsuspecting buyers highlights God’s hatred of cheating and taking advantage of others for personal gain.

These are stark warnings against the loss of financial freedom that comes with borrowing and manipulation. Greed is often at the root of deceptive ploys and tactics.

• The attitude: Recognize the affluent reigns over the broke, and the borrower is a financial slave to the creditor. (see Proverbs 22:7)
• The action: Live strictly within your means and avoid unnecessary debt to maintain control over your financial life—avoid using credit or credit cards to extend your income.

4. Cultivate Generosity and Contentment as Guiding Principles

As believers we want to remain cognizant that everything belongs to our Creator-God as the central concept. He owns all things, and believers are simply managers of His resources.

Contentment then involving the pursuit of riches is discouraged (Heb. 13:5); instead, scripture promotes contentment and trusting God for security rather than money (Matt. 6:24; Luke 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:10). While being wealthy is not a problem, depending on our wealth as a means of security is! Materialism is not the answer, dependence on God is.  

Proverbs 11:25, The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

God tells us that wealth is a blessing meant to be shared, which often leads to deeper contentment and further blessing.

• The attitude: A generous person will prosper in the Lord; when we have given to refresh others, we will be compensated accordingly as needed. (see Proverbs 11:25)
• The action: Practice regular giving to break the blinding power of money and keep a healthy perspective on wealth. This is exemplary living that may include financial sacrifices to the Lord at times (2Cor. 8:1-5).

Believers are urged to give cheerfully and support the poor, the church’s ministers, missions, and other churches (2Cor. 8:6-24; 9:6-15).

5. Prioritize Godly Wisdom over Amassing Material Wealth

• Proverbs 16:16, How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver. The foundational premise of biblical money management is that the pursuit of wisdom, integrity, and a “good name” yields much higher returns than plain money could ever secure.
• Fearing God is necessary because His sovereign presence hovers over all of life to determine the success or failure of human plans and programs. Fearing God is meaningful because those who do so can count on His care in any circumstance they meet. “The Lord’s eyes” is a shorthand way to express the dependability of His presence and the versatility of His care. That presence and that care, according to our catalog of the proverbs, find Yahweh at work…. ^[5]

While we acknowledge that hard work and smart money management naturally lead to material prosperity, we are warned against making mere wealth our primary focus.  

• The attitude: It is more beneficial to get God’s wisdom than the finest gold, to have God’s perspective rather than mere earthly treasures! (see Proverbs 16:16)
• The action: Do not wear yourself out to become rich; know when to practice restraint. Seek God’s guidance daily, practice regular generosity, and view money as a temporary tool to honor Him, rather than the ultimate goal of life.

Ecclesiastes 5:10; Proverbs 11:28 and Proverbs 28:20, also teach those who “love money” will never have enough; those who trust in their riches will fall, and those eager to get rich will not go scot-free. These guidelines are still relevant though nearly forgotten in this get-rich-quick, social media driven, fast credit, debt driven culture. Yes, God speaks to these subjects on wealth, possessions, and giving. We must not view ‘money’ as a naturally wicked topic; scripture treats it as a compelling, morally neutral compass that reveals our heart’s priorities and acts as a spiritual discipline. Many college bills, new cars, credit card debts, and social media influencers would disappear if we gave God’s wisdom even a little serious attention.

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 823.

^[2] Sid S. Buzzell, “Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 933.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 846.

^[4] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 848.

^[5] David A. Hubbard and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Proverbs, vol. 15, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1989), 236.

Comprehensive Grace

God’s undeserved favor is spiritually comprehensive, all-encompassing, and fully satisfactory for all of life’s opportunities and challenges. There is absolutely no circumstance or situation we can find ourselves in that God’s grace is inadequate to address with formidable competence. The tragedy is many Believers are not aware of how all-inclusive grace truly is. We often drag on through life without the necessary power or prowess relying on mere human wit and grit. The result is a growing sense that something is missing. There is little to no challenge to discovering what God avails to us. Even a cursory reading of the Word of God, will disclose many facets of God’s all-purpose lubricant for life. It is called grace—unmerited kindness from God—and anybody breathing is eligible for it if only we humble ourselves confessing our need for more. Consider just five of many areas God’s grace, all-purpose life lubricant, is applicable.   

SAVING GRACE

What is grace? No doubt you are familiar with the acrostic for G-R-A-C-E—God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace can also be described as the unmerited favor of God towards humanity. The Apostle Paul defined saving grace in Ephesians, 2:8, 9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” We are entirely undeserving of God’s favor as sinners; He independently takes the initiative to grant us salvation motivated purely by His own character and love. The late pastor and Bible scholar Donald Barnhouse perhaps said it best: “Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.” God’s grace can never be deserved or earned; it is afforded entirely by a benevolent God who stoops down low to fervently extend kindnesses to us. Dr. J. Vernon McGee aptly explains God’s unwarranted benevolences in his Thru the Bible commentary saying,

The grace of God is the passion of God to share all His goodness with others. Grace means that God wants to bestow upon you good things, goodnesses. He wants to make you fine and noble, and He wants to bring you into the likeness of His Son.

With regards to salvation God does for us what we could never do for ourselves no matter how hard we try; He delivers us from the eternal consequences of our sins because He is gracious. Though we are utterly unworthy of it, salvation is given to us on the basis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ (MacDonald & Farstad). Through a definite trust in the Son of God and belief of the Gospel as God's solution for our sin problem a person can be saved by God's grace (Rom. 10:8-17). Clearly, Paul said, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Christ suffered tremendously that we sinners might be saved through His sacrifice for sins. Since forgiveness for sin and a relationship with God are freely offered at Christ’s expense, why not repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved? Trust Christ and God will save you by His infinite grace.

SUFFICIENT GRACE

Did you know God’s grace is also truly sufficient for whatever challenges we are facing? Regardless of the nature of the challenge, at times God affords grace  instead of a fantastic miracle. Believe me God does not cheat us in any way at all by offering us grace instead of a supernatural production. Often we want to see God divide the Red Sea to give us passage beyond the present obstacles, but sometimes He prefers to change us. This is not a denial that He can perform such miracles; He is the Lord God omnipotent and He can do anything consistent with His character and will. Still, He knows it is better in some instances to minister deeply inside us to affect a greater miracle that will better prepare us for life's challenges. This is evident from Paul’s own struggles with a thorn in his flesh. 

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Cor. 12:8, 9).

Sufficient means enough to satisfy the needs of any given situation. God’s favor is the capability and adequacy for taking on a particular purpose or challenge; by His grace He makes us sufficient. Because sufficient grace strengthens, the weak are made strong by the “power of Christ”! Though God opted to leave the challenges or perplexities in place with Paul, He provided compensation in the form of internal strength to deal with these persisting developments. The Lord Jesus did not change Paul’s circumstance on this occasion; He chose instead to change the Christian! In the final analysis, Paul received from God the wherewithal to function according to God’s designs for him in spite of the "thorn in the flesh." I think we make a serious mistake when we relegate grace to only the conversion experience (Eph. 2:8, 9). God intends for His grace to serve a far more comprehensive role in our experiences as the children of God. If you are overwhelmed by life’s hurts, frustrations, and hindrances, look to God for more grace. He can strengthen us to make us fit for the challenges we must plow through for His glory. We are not being cheated by God when He denies us an overt miracle. He is still offering us the capacity to overcome life's nastiest challenges by giving us His all-sufficient grace. No, nothing is wrong with our faith to prevent us from getting what we wanted from God. He simply wants you to have something better instead of something good. 

SERVING GRACE

As Believers, this same grace takes the form of blessings, opportunities, power, and the wherewithal to function as a generous Christian in the service of our Lord. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church saying, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). Once again man’s incredible inability provides opportunities to showcase God’s infinite all ability! God promises the generous heart will have the resources, abilities, and opportunities to continue to be generous. Actually He will see to it in abundant fashion, regardless of the desperate circumstances of the giver (Phil. 4:11–13; 1 Kings 17:9–16; 2 Cor. 8:1–3). God is able to supply us with resources so that we will both have a sufficiency ourselves, and are able to share with others (MacDonald & Farstad). As a result, we have enough for supporting every good work, endeavor, mission, and project for God’s glory. This divine supply is not necessarily meager; consider Dr. Wiersbe’s characterization of it:

To begin with, we start to share God’s abundant grace (2 Cor. 9:8). The “universals” in this verse are staggering: all grace; always; all sufficiency; every good work. This does not mean that God makes every Christian wealthy in material things; but it does mean that the Christian who practices grace giving will always have what he needs when he needs it. Furthermore, the grace of God enriches him morally and spiritually so that he grows in Christian character. In his walk and his work, he depends wholly on the sufficiency of God.

In addition, there are many other areas of Christian service that grace is absolutely essential to (Rom. 12:6; 15:15; 1 Cor. 3:10; 15:10). The Apostle Paul wrote Scripture boldly, served more effectively and fruitfully, and advanced church planting as a wise master builder all by God’s wonderful grace. He ascribes all credit for these successful endeavors to the grace of God working mightily in him. Yes, serving grace is quite comprehensive in application.

SANCTIFYING GRACE

In fact, God’s grace is a fantastic teacher of godliness, soberness, moral strength, righteousness, and our blessed hope in “the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Ti. 2:11-15). The same grace that saves a sinner will also sanctify a saint! Sanctification refers to the entire process of spiritual growth and Christ-like formation throughout the Christian life. Grace plays an integral role in our development. The idea that the grace of God permits Believers to excuse and wallow in sin is absolutely foreign to the Scriptures. No, God’s grace makes the drunkard sober, the prostitute pure, the minister effective, the Christian servant competent, the Christian holy, the teacher wise, the thief a giver, the liar honest, the adulterer devoted to their spouse, the sexually immoral chaste unto Christ, and the idolater a worshiper of the True and Living God. Yes, grace will rid us of some spots and stains from the world’s system; it will install gracious character and inner moral fortitude as well. Our Lord’s grace will supply us with a strong sense of right and wrong as well as discernment between good, better, and best options when making decisions. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ stimulates radical as well as refining changes in Believers’ experiences. The life instructed by grace is clearly a testimony to God’s active favor…much like a well-kept garden, it is flourishing--alive with growth. It is not an ignored garden overgrown with weeds and neglect. God maintains His people helping us progress and appreciate in likeness to Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

STEWARDING GRACE

Yes, the favor of God is as variegated as the colors of a brilliant rainbow (1 Pet. 4:10) and therefore adequate for all life and ministry challenges we may face! God gives us everything we need to live a devoted life and to fulfill His will.  This grace also encompasses stewarding our lives to advance our Lord’s purposes.

God’s favor is grand, spacious, wonderful, most accommodating, ever sufficient, multifaceted, undeserved, multi-layered, and absolutely amazing. Yes, I am referring to God’s amazing GRACE! It is more amazing then this incredibly inviting scene in Canada featured with this article. Each of us Believers have been entrusted with a ministry of stewarding God’s infinite grace (1 Pet. 4:10-11). “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10). Two facts can be recognized in this passage: 1) Every Believer has a Spiritual Gift for the functions and the ministry of their church.  Every believer should be exercising his or her spiritual gift to build up their church. 2) We are to be good stewards of the multi-colored grace of God as we live and serve. A steward is a slave who was given the responsibility of the master’s estate, both his home and property. These servants had full charge of the master’s affairs. Likewise, we Christians have been given something to manage for our Master, the Lord Jesus:

·        Our Spiritual Gifts have been given to us to achieve the work of God

·        Our Ministry in our church to others is a responsibility to govern for the Lord

·        Our Finances and Income are to be wisely invested for Him as well

·        Our Time to execute His priorities must be diligently managed

·        Our Opportunities and Potential are to be maximized for His glory

Again the manifold grace refers to the multi-colored grace of God. Whatever the need in ministry, God has just the right color of grace to help us through it so we may continue with our functions for His glory. Note the multi-colored grace of our Lord:

·        When we feel somewhat BLUE, God has the perfect color of grace to lift our spirits

·        When we see RED because we are angry, God has the right color grace to help us respond graciously and not react regrettably

·        When we are feeling a little YELLOW, God has the proper grace to give us courage to stand for Him and righteousness

·        When we feel tainted, BLACK and dirty, God’s comprehensive Grace can cleanse us as WHITE as snow

·        When we feel a little BROWN and stale, God’s Grace revives and refreshes us to make us GREEN and fruitful again

Think about it, if God has all the varieties of graces we could ever need to do what He calls us to, then there are no circumstances that He cannot help us through. Again since God’s grace is so comprehensive, there is no task that should be left unfinished! Concluding that God’s grace really is sufficient opens up all the will of God to us for exploration with pure confidence in Him. Yes, like the grace of our Lord, we are marvelously fit for whatever opportunities God affords us! Not in and of ourselves, but thoroughly by His grace operating in our lives. More grace is ours as we have need when we humbly walk in the Spirit to prosecute God’s will (Jam. 4:6). In addition, we can cry out to God for more grace in our time of need; appeals at His “Throne of Grace” are heard on the basis of our wonderful High Priest, Jesus Christ (Heb. 4:14-16). Therefore, my beloved Brethren, go ahead…go strong…go all the way in the grace of our Lord Jesus.