Lighthouse Community Church

The economy is in an official recession.  It’s the worst since the great depression.  For those of us who have retirement accounts, we’ve seen their values drop dramatically.  For some who are closer to retirement, this can be very troublesome.  Do I have enough money saved so that when I retire I can live comfortably?  Do I need to work longer so that I can save more?   Does this sound like a stressful situation?  

Or do you worry about your job?  Will my company close down?  Will my company layoff employees to save money?  

Do you need to start a college fund for your children?  How can you save this extra money when you have bills to pay and can barely make ends meet?

Your old car keeps having problems and you spend lots of money getting it fixed.  Is it time to buy a new car, or a used car?

Should I buy life insurance to protect my family in case something happens to me?  Should I buy disability insurance to protect my earning potential in case of an accident or medical problem?

Can I afford to buy a home?  Where should I live?  Why do safer neighborhoods with better schools have more expensive homes?  Is it worth the money to move into that neighborhood?

Of course the Bible doesn’t give us answers to these specific questions.  But there are a few principles that are familiar to us:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” 1Tim.6:10

“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”  Rom.14:10-12

These verses tell us about the love of money and how we will be accountable before God.  We know these verses, yet when we are constantly bombarded with the values of the world, it’s difficult to resist and obey God’s commandments.  If you look at all the questions above, is there a “yes” or “no” answer, or is there a “gray” area?

As a businessman, I must watch our company’s profit margin and constantly be aware of how economics and even politics can affect our bottom line.  As a father and husband, I must make sure that my family needs for home, food, and schooling are met. 

But the study that we are going though, Crazy Love, is teaching me something different.  There are tough questions that make me examine my life and my walk with the Lord.  One of the toughest questions is, “What are you doing right now that requires faith?”

This is followed by the question, “So how do I do this?”  Notice the word “I.”  That’s a big part of my problem.  “I” want to solve the problem.  Francis Chan quotes John 16:7-8, 13:

"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."

Is this part of the answer?  I need to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me.  Sounds simple enough.  When there are questions about finances and money, be secure in the knowledge that God will provide everything you need.  The hard part - I need to get out of the way and have faith.