SAVINGS AND PLANNING
Savings and Planning … Should Christians bother?
By Bill & Maureen Sitter

Saving for the future and financial goal setting - both concepts are often questioned by well meaning Christians. They ask - "Shouldn't we trust entirely in God? After all, He takes care of the birds, the animals, and He makes the beautiful flowers."

In today's turbulent economical times, it is easy to see the importance of having a savings reserve and this only happens as part of a sound financial goal setting process. Okay - that's practical advice, but what about God's advice? Glad you asked - so lets' turn to scripture.

The savings concept is portrayed clearly in Proverbs 21:20 and Proverbs 6:8 (NIV): "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." "Go to the ant you sluggard: consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer, or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest."

Planning is clearly God ordained and we are to have Godly motives in our goal setting. Proverbs 21:5 (NIV) "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. And, Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Jesus gave us an illustration of the need for preplanning, for both personal and business projects, in Luke 14:28-30 (NKJ) "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it - lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'."

Sequential strategies for saving and investing are reduced to ten simple steps in the book - Financial Freedom in 7 Weeks Plus. These steps are taught in a 7 week program which starts with goal setting and a biblical giving plan foundation and progresses through a freedom from debt plan, to a balanced spending plan, and concludes with a cash flow control plan - called - "Keeping Track of God's Money".

Clearly, God intends for His people to: plan, to save, to give, and to be able to do all that He has called us to do. So, in the end, we will hear Jesus say these wonderful words from the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:20-21 (KJV) "Well done thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

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