Monday, January 30, 2012

Personal Prosperity - The Key

  1. SEEK GOD IN YOUR LIVING
Matthew 6:33 says “Seek First the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

'Seek' means 'to aim for OR to strive after'

'First' means 'to be given priority over other things in regard to order'

ILLUSTRATION video: Kurt Warner -       
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N1YQM7ssP0

We want to make our primary goal to have God rule in our life and to live right!

Acts 20:7 says that the Early Church met together on the First day of the Week to hear God’s Word being preached.

“Church on the first day of every week sets you up for success the rest of the week!”
  1. SEEK GOD IN YOUR GIVING
“Honour God with everything you own, give him the first and the best” ~Proverbs 3:9

“The proof of generosity is that when you give, you always give your best!”

ILLUSTRATION Video: Answering another guy’s phone -    
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT7NgewVV2Q

“Put God first, be patient in the process and God will look after you.”

...take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name [the temple] ~ Deuteronomy 26:2

'First Fruits' simply means 'the first and best part'

There were 2 MAIN PURPOSES for this Offering:
  1. To THANK God for what He’s done.
So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me. Place the basket before the LORD. ~Deuteronomy 26:8-10

We’ve got to give God thanks for where He’s brought us from and where he’s taking us to.

‘Brought out’ means ‘to move forward to something’
  1. To TRUST God for what’s to come.
When we choose to put him first we can trust that He will look after us the whole year through!

CHALLENGE: When you give to God first, he takes care of the rest. Putting God in first priority in every part of our life brings his favour and his help.  Take the challenge to make getting to church EVERY week a priority.  This puts God first and it will empower you.  Choose to give God the first tenth (tithe) of every cheque that comes to you and watch him look after your needs AND even go above and beyond.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Personal Prosperity - Future

"A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous." ~Proverbs 13:22

Inheritance means 'quality, characteristic or possession received from a preceding generation.'

"I want my inheritance for my children to be more than cash but character as well."

WEALTH is ONLY about the Money You have...
-When you have WEALTH you have made a good LIVING
PROSPERITY is about every part of your life whole and happy...
-When you have PROSPERITY you have made a good LIFE!

You can be Rich and not be Prosperous AND You can be Prosperous and not be Rich!

LEAVE A LEGACY OF PROSPERITY in 2 WAYS:
  1. A Legacy of Faith
  2. Where we Place God in our Lives
"O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I have constantly told others about the wonderful things you do. O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me."
~Psalm 71:17-18

HOW do we leave a legacy of faith:
  • Make going to church every week a priority
    ~Luke 14:6
  • Take time to pray every day
  • Read the Bible and follow what it says
  • When trouble comes our way – FIRST choose to pray
"A good name (literally "character") is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."~Proverbs 22:1

"The Character comes before the cash!"

There is a difference between Character & Reputation:
  • Reputation is what you are considered to be;
    Character
    is who you really are.
  • Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community;
    Character is what you have when you go away.
  • Reputation is made in a moment; Character is built in a lifetime.
  • Reputation grows like a mushroom(quickly);
    Character
    grows like an oak  (over time)
  • Reputation is learned in an hour; Character is does not come to light for a year.
  • A single newspaper report can give you a reputation; a life of hard work gives you your
    character.
  • Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor;
    Character
    makes you happy or makes you miserable.
  • Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone;
    Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.
  • Your reputation is what men think you are. Your
    character
    is what God knows you to be. ~William
    Hershey Davis
Your Character will impact generations to come!
  1. A Legacy of Finances
 "Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it." ~Proverbs 21:20

Remains means 'being left, or stays behind.'

VIDEO: George Jefferson does it right... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCKP5HcX2I4

Dangers of NOT Preparing a Will and Power of Attorney
WITHOUT A WILL...
  • ASSETS ARE FROZEN:
  • FUNERAL OR BURIAL PAYMENTS  can be delayed
  • MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED– according to a preset formula determined by the province you live in.
  • CHILDREN’S GUARDIANSHIP – is determined by the courts (NOT the family)
  • COSTS will SKYROCKET. – meaning your family will get less and the government will get more!
"A prudent [wise] person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions." ~Proverbs 22:3
  • Where there’s a WILL - there’s a WAY for you to have your say!
  • Where there’s a WILL there’s a WAY – to honour God by giving to him.
“Honour the Lord with your wealth...” ~Proverbs 3:9
  • Where there’s a WILL there’s a WAY – to care for our family and friends.
You need to establish a GUARDIAN for your kids
  • Someone who is Godly
  • Someone who will keep them in church
  • Someone who will have the same standards that you have
 5 Important DON’Ts when it comes to WILLS
  • Don’t put it off!
  • Don’t Do it Yourself!
  • Don’t ONLY have a WILL – you need a Power of Attorney!
    (A Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives someone else the power to make decisions for you in the event that you can’t make decisions for yourself.)
  • Don’t Put it AWAY and FORGET about it!
  • Don’t put it in a PLACE that NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Personal Prosperity - Present

Many people think that money is for spending... but the truth is, Money is for MANAGING.

In today's message, Pastors Kevin & Pam Begley discuss PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGING MONEY!
  1. Handle With Care!
Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds. ~Proverbs 27:23
KNOW means 'to be fully acquainted with.'
Know (be fully acquainted with) the state of your accounts, and put your heart into carefully watching the money you manage.
Have a look at the following video entitled "Hands In My Pocket":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iVCfYQPUUI
When we use other people's money, their hands are always in our pockets!
How Can We Know Where Our Money Goes?
  1. PLAN out your spending. Plans are essential for success!
"Good planning and hard work leads to prosperity" ~Proverbs 21:5
To fail to plan is a Plan to Fail!
Our Plan NEEDS to Include: Handling our Finances God's Way!
  • GIVING
  • GETTING out of DEBT
  • SAVING
  • LIVING
  1. Determine to STICK to the plan.
  • great way to do this is to have someone to be accountable to:
  • a friend, your spouse
  1. Have Money to Spare
"Every prudent man acts out of knowledge." ~Proverbs 13:16a

Prudent means 'one who uses good sense.'

Statistics Canada reports that the average Canadian household spends $241 per person onon food each month.

SHOPPING EXPERIMENT:
We reviewed grocery flyers from the weekly newspaper to look for items that would be on a typical weekly grocery list. With the majority of grocery stores now being willing to price-match, we were able to go to a single grocery store and buy all the groceries needed - for a significantly reduced cost. Then, we compared the price we paid for each item to the exact same products at a grocer located much closer to us - which also offered 'Air Miles'.

RESULT:
Using sale flyers and going to a Price Match Store
Total Cost WITH Price Matching Sale was: $97.53 + tax.
The exact same items at Regular Price, from a different store who doesn't Price Match
Total Cost WITHOUT Price Match sale was: $255.32 + tax
TOTAL SAVINGS: 62% less by Price Matching with the sales flyers
  1. Avoid the Snare
The trap is DISCONTENTMENT.  "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." ~1 Timothy 6:6

How to Attain Great Gain:

Great Gain is "an unusually BETTER acquisition."  We Attain Great Gain Through:
  • Godliness means 'Faithfully following God'
  • Contentment means 'Fully satisfied'

Monday, January 09, 2012

Personal Prosperity - Past

Canadian Debt Statistics:
  • The Average Canadian has 3.4 CREDIT CARDS
  • HOUSEHOLD DEBT in Canada is over $1.3 trillion
  • Canadians CHARGED $267 billion on credit cards last year
  • Average INTEREST RATE for credit card is 19%
  • That Means - Canadians are paying $920 in interest
    EVERY month

    (not including interest on their mortgage)
  1. WHY SHOULD I BE DEBT FREE?
DEBT HOLDS US BACK FROM OUR FUTURE:
The Bible says "The rich rules over the poor and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave"  ~Proverbs 22:7

SLAVE means 'a person being legally owned by another, having no freedom'

DEBT IS A SHACKLE!  IT KEEPS US PAYING FOR OUR PAST: BUT HINDERS OUR FUTURE

It’s time to determine "WE WON’T LET DEBT HOLD US BACK OR KEEP US IN LACK!"
  1. WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT DEBT?
"Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God's law." ~Romans 13:8

DEBTS are something you are obligated OR bound to pay OR committed to pay

PAY means 'to satisfy in full'

GET OUT and STAY OUT of debt
  1. Decide to Give to God First
Malachi 3:10 tells us "Bring the WHOLE TITHE (10% of what comes into our hands) into the store house that there would be meat in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
  1. Determine No New Debt
"The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, you will only be above and not beneath" ~Deuteronomy 28:13

Important KEY: LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS!
  1. Develop a Plan
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." ~Proverbs 21:5

YOUR PLAN:
  • Know what you Owe
  • Pay a little every day
The Bible describes being DEBT FREE as a BLESSING:
"You will receive this blessing if you carefully obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. The LORD your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow!"
~Deuteronomy 15:4-6