Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Saving money

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

We are often taught from childhood to save money ...

Pam told the following recently:  Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  "I no longer closely monitor and control expenses.  This has really freed me to not think about money and trust God to provide what I need.  And it frees me to consider what God wants me to do and what is right in His sight.  One reason I had wanted to control expenses was to store up money so I wouldn't look foolish for not having stored up more money before retiring ... fearing that others would think I'm foolish.  But in the sight of God its foolish to trust in stored-up money instead of trusting in His provision ... parable of man who planned to build larger barns to store his goods, but God called this man a fool.  Jesus said So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.  (Luke 12:21)  Focusing on God's view of the matter and not wanting to be foolish in God's sight is tearing down the fear of looking foolish to others."

Pam recalled from childhood that she and her two sisters were given an allowance of 10 cents per week.

One of her sisters spent her money as fast as possible and Pam would hear her parents speak of this and basically how foolish her sister was with money.  Pam did not want to be foolish with money.  This affected her life concerning money until she saw Lk. 12:21 ... and considered that God did not tell us to store up money for future.

When I read this, I thought about myself and the way I live.  I do not store up savings.  But money does accumulate without my thinking about it.  So I end up having "savings" without trying to have "savings".

None of us knows how much money we will need at any given point in time.  I have found by just focusing on my calling from God and doing my work diligently, money accumulates and then later when I need money for something it is there.  It is amazing how this works but it does.  And it fits what Jesus instructed as follows.

Jesus said:  Mt. 6 ... Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

None of us want to foolishly spend money but neither do we want to fret over money and become so tight fisted we can't buy anything for fear we might need that money.

I Cor. 12 ... Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

Paul was telling the church (who were his children) that he didn't want to be a burden to them and Paul was saying when he came to them he was not trying to get their possessions but rather he wanted "their soul" to be turned wholly to God.  Then Paul used the true saying that parents should not be a burden to their children.  I'm sure none of you want to spend all you have and become a burden to your children.  But neither should you try to save all you can save out of fear.

If each of us will just focus on our assignment from God and follow God with all our hearts with diligence attending to HIS will, we will be like the "birds" who do not have to gather into barns for God provides their need. Mt. 6  And instead of trying to store up money, money will just accumulate as we follow God.