Today on MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sharon Epps: Living in God's Economy?
We want you to understand the difference between God’s economy and man’s economy. Knowing the difference has never been more relevant than now. There is an urgent need for people to move into God’s economy. A Swiss economist, Marc Faber, is predicting government debt defaults, a collapse of capitalism, wars, and poverty for western nations. Some economists agree with him because of America’s debt. Americans need to take action. Our late Co-Founder, Larry Burkett, spoke about the consequences of poor money management by individuals and nations years ago. Larry wrote those who accept God’s financial plan stand out while those who won’t bring God into their finances struggle in the world’s system.
Larry was ahead of many others in seeing that Christians should handle money differently than those who don’t know the Lord. He said we needed to reset our minds and return to God’s plan for making, spending, and giving. Large-scale change starts with individuals. Our country has been going deeper into debt for years, more personal debt than ever before. God wants us to be contrary to that. Transformation starts with renewing of the mind about what you believe. We often don’t accept and obey God’s Word regarding money.
In God’s economy, He is the only master. Every decision goes through Him. To live in God’s economy you must choose to serve God alone. Second question is whether you treasure God or money. In man’s economy, you treasure money because you believe money insulates you from problems. The more you have, the easier your life will be, the more you will be satisfied. In God’s economy, He is the treasure, there is nothing more precious. We don’t find security in money. We always have problems money can’t solve and the more we try to use money to solve them the worse they get. God designed our life experience to teach us that He is to be treasured over money. See: Everyone has beliefs about money based on their background and experience. The third question to knowing if you’re living in God’s economy is what you believe about why we have money. Man’s economy says you have money because you’ve earned what you have, you deserve it, it’s yours. God’s economy says the purpose of work is to develop godly character and serve others. God’s economy says God is our Provider and that He may use our jobs as a channel of blessing but He is the Provider. Money has a tendency to turn us inward, to make us exalt ourselves as self-made. We must realize that all we have has been given to us. Everything starts with the resources God has given us on the Earth. God controls those resources and can turn them off, like rain. Burdens and stress come from trying to be your own Provider. God withholds from us sometimes to show us we’re relying on something other than Him and to bring us back to him. The fourth question is what you believe is the reason people have wealth. In man’s economy, people think wealth is for them to live independently, to do what they want to do and be boastful. In God’s economy, people have more than they need so they can help other people, especially in times of crisis. See Deuteronomy 8:10-18. What you believe about money largely determines whether you’re living in God’s economy or man’s economy. In man’s economy, there is a tendency to panic when the economy seems to be collapsing, and your focus becomes protecting assets. The world would be different in difficult times like this if Christians gave freely and gave thanks to God. We believe the time is coming when Christians will be able to stand out because they are living in God’s economy and prepared to help others. God is calling us as He did to Joseph to prepare for the coming famine. We have to start now with a sense of urgency to prepare ourselves and others. We can’t rely on the government or anything else of man. The purpose of preparation isn’t so we’ll be insulated from the economic pain but so God can use us to meet the needs of others. When you live in God’s economy, you’re prepared to meet needs and glorify God. See: |
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The Plans of TomorrowLife is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. |
Teaching God's People God's PrinciplesGod calls each of us to fill the gap in order to spread His Gospel to all parts of the world. |
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Finances and Your Relationship with GodThis generation’s greatest need is for God’s Word to be taught clearly and undiluted. The next greatest is for Christians to demonstrate that it works. |
God and MoneyOnce we understand how God uses money and why He chooses to use it in a particular way, we can better understand His directives regarding finances. |
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Other Resources: |
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We're joined today by Sharon Epps, Crown's VP of Content and Media. We're beginning a series this week on God’s economy.
Sharon says the world’s financial system traps people and destroys lives. We want people to know the freedom of living in God’s economy.
That’s what we’re going to talk about today.
