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Practices for Handling Money III: Saving

When Joseph counseled Pharaoh on how to handle the seven years of famine, he told Pharaoh to save during the seven years of plenty.  The savings would then carry the nation through the famine.  This is a central purpose of saving. Almost everyone will experience times of low income or unusual bills that their income cannot handle.  Therefore, if you are able to save, it is generally wise to set aside a reasonable amount of money for those times.  I have intentionally nuanced that statement, so let’s discuss it to elaborate on the nuance. If you are able to save…

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Practices for Handling Money II: Debt

If I’m going to talk about money, at some point I have to talk about debt. In America at least, debt is a way of life.  The American government is trillions of dollars in debt, and that amount grows every day.  Americans by the bucketloads take on debt to fund their college degrees, buy their homes, run their small businesses, and own their cars.  Consumer debt in America is pandemic.  You might say that debt is the norm, it is the culture, and people don’t think twice about taking it on.  Sometimes, however, you can follow the culture to your…

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Practices for Handling Money

Before I talk about Biblical practices for handling money, read the previous blog “Principles for Handling Money” here.  That blog describes heart attitudes toward money, and a right heart is the foundation for right practices.  Everything I say here presupposes what I said there.  If you understand what a right heart looks like, what does that heart do with money?  I will cover financial practices in multiple blogs, but for now, here are three. Give Sacrificially:  Giving may be the single most important thing you do with your money.  Whatever your income, you can give something.  And you need to…

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Principles for Handling Money

Money is earthly.  Money is spiritual.  Money is an earthly substance with enormously spiritual implications.  Money is God to many people.  They bow to it.  They live for it.  Their joy is in it.  Because money can wield such spiritual influence, Christian and secular people think on money in vastly different ways.  Secular thinking focuses on earth.  Consequently, secular advice on handling money tends to focus on how to maximize money or utilize money solely for the here and now.  Secular people do not think about how money impacts their soul or their eternity.  They focus on good principles for…

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The Star

The star shone cold and clear, winking on the desert plain. Just another night.  No special sight. Shepherds, sheep . . . bed down to sleep. Herod, covered by his palace and power, his fear in his tower, pays no notice. It’s a single star shining amidst an eternity. Just another night.  No special sight. A king, a birth . . . but nothing of worth. A thousand miles east, magi feast on the sky, a scroll to the eye so versed. The star sings the coronation of a king, “Come and see!  Come and see!” The star still shines….

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