As a teenager, I found myself introduced to a world of working and making money, while paying for a car with insurance and planning for marriage. No one sat down with me to help me understand the principles of finances.

Therefore, I adopted the financial philosophy of no philosophy. Simply go to work, pay the bills and spend all that you have in between. Credit cards became the thing to own, and everyone used them. This was the wrong attitude and philosophy about finances.

Let us trust God right now in prayer to establish some very important Biblical principles, to help guide us toward the right philosophy of finances and toward financial freedom.

Let me begin by asking you to consider three major decisions that will impact the rest of your life:

Whom will you live the rest of your life for?
Whom will you live your life with?
What will you live your life in?

Whom will you live the rest of your life for? Will you live for yourself as your own god? Or will you choose to accept that your life belongs to God, and is not your own? The decision to submit your will to faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord will transform your life and your purpose forever. This is the most important decision that you can make. If you live for yourself and lose your own soul, what will it profit you?

Whom will you live your life with? Far too many people marry the person they happened to be around, when the rest of their friends started marrying. Your choice of a wife or husband as your lifetime companion will have a profound effect on every other area and decision of your life. It is vital that you wisely choose God’s will for your life companion.

What will you live your life in? Your choice of a career in a particular business, profession, or ministry will tremendously impact every other element of your life. Too many people spend their working years in a business or vocation for the wrong reasons: it was their first job, a relative got them a job or someone influenced their decision. You need to seriously pray for God’s wisdom and guidance in this vital life decision.

Two ideas exist that we must understand. Money is not everything, and money cannot buy happiness. I read the other day that the chance of a person winning the lottery of $500,000 is far less than your chances of getting hit by lightning: less than one in ten million.

Some people focus so exclusively on their finances that they have almost made their financial prosperity the sole measure of whether God is blessing their lives.

Clearly there remains a need for balance. Money is important because we live in a world that takes money to live. Money affects the quality of life that one may live in regard to materialistic terms. But our goal should not consist of collecting the most toys. Someday we will give to the Lord an accounting of our stewardship of the finances He entrusted to us.

To obtain that balance in our financial philosophy, we should remember the following:

Four Wrong Attitudes
About Money

1. Money is purely worldly.
Some suggest that the truly spiritual person should not concern themselves with worldly matters, such as finances. Many believe that the Lord is unconcerned with matters such as money, investing, and financial planning. Nothing resides further from the truth. Money exists as an important part of our daily lives, as God knew it would. He gave us instruction throughout His Word concerning finances. The Bible provides detailed instructions on how a believer should handle his money, as well as warnings about financial pitfalls to avoid.

2. Money is separate from our spiritual lives.
Some believe that the spiritual life should remain disconnected from worldly matters such as money. They create an artificial division between their sacred life and their earthly life. Some say, This 10% of my money belongs solely to God, but the other 90% belongs to me to spend any way I please. They believe it some how fanatical or extreme to involve God in every area of their finances; however, everything we own belongs to God. All we possess or will ever own is simply given in trust to us by the Lord. We are to use our finances according to the balanced principles taught in the Scriptures.

3. Financial success is unscriptural.
Some suggest that financial success proves incompatible with a true, spiritual life. They believe that prosperity is suspect and that the poor   inherently possess more spirituality than the prosperous. Many believe that Christians who succeed financially reached that point by making money their god.
This truth remains; financial freedom can be spiritually liberating, enabling you to focus on the spiritual goals in your life.

4. Financial planning
Indicates a lack of trust.
By refusing to plan financially, some people believe that we should leave it all to God. Many spiritualize this passivity to justify their lack of financial discipline. They claim that if God wants them to succeed, they will wake up one day and find supernaturally acquired financial independence. Obviously, the Bible does not support the idea of passively awaiting a financial miracle. The Lord commands us to work and plan in order to provide for our families.

Biblical Attitudes Toward Money
God will supply our needs. Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
One of the most fundamental, biblical truths is that God vitally concern himself with the practical, daily, economic needs of faithful followers, who trust in Him. While awaiting the rapture of the church, we must realize the probability of living through an economic roller coaster, for a number of years. Therefore, we need to find our ultimate financial source in our heavenly Father Instead of a salary or investments.

If we ask the Lord, He promises to guide us with practical financial strategies through His Word and through His Holy Spirit. He will show us what procedures will help prepare for the days ahead. I believe that we can claim what David wrote in Psalm 37:25, I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

This affirmation from King David confirms God’s promised care for those in need who appeal to Him.

Written by Pastor Marvin Smith