Ephesians 1:11-14
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When my husband and I first started our own business, we stuck to a very strict monthly budget. We had allotted so much for the basics… groceries, utilities, gas for the vehicles, insurance, and other household expenses. We also had allotted a certain amount each month for business expenses…office supplies, postage, telephone bill, and more. Because we had planned carefully and spent frugally early in our careers, we had saved enough money to pay for our home outright. So we didn’t have the monthly expense of a house payment or rent. This was very liberating!
We also had what we called a “nest egg” – money we had set aside from our retirement funds and savings, in case we had an emergency or the business did not develop and go well. We worked very hard… God blessed us… and our business was successful. After a few years, we didn’t have to adhere to the budget nearly as tightly as we did those first years.
Think of your life sort of like a budget. You must be careful with the details… how you conduct yourself, where you spend your time and energy. When you give your heart to Jesus, it’s sort of like when we paid for our house… there is a burden lifted… you no longer have to worry about eternity or forgiveness for your sins. Does this mean you can “blow the budget?” Absolutely not! You still must be careful, monitor all “expenditures” and how you conduct your life. But you have the security of knowing that your future is secure in Jesus Christ… you will spend eternity with Him in heaven someday.
Now think of the Holy Spirit as your “nest egg” – the gift God has given you of a guiding force in your life… someone who you can fall back on in hard times... something of a security blanket. Again, you can’t expect the Holy Spirit to carry you while you coast along and do as you please. But you know He is there… that He is directing your path when you ask for help… that He will watch over you and help you plan a future filled with abundance and blessings.
Budgets and plans are wonderful tools. I’m so glad that God “budgeted and planned” for me… and that the Holy Spirit is helping me each and every day. What an amazing God we serve. To think that He cares that deeply for each of us boggles my mind. But I’m surely glad He does… aren’t you?
How are you budgeting these days… not just in the regular world, but spiritually, as well? Are you a good steward of God’s gifts? Do you take advantage of the presence of His Holy Spirit? Are you living in a way that says, “I’m ready for the next level! I know that God has great things in store for me, and I can’t wait to experience them!”? Today is the perfect time to start to live according to God’s plan… to pay closer attention to how you are using the gifts and blessings He has provided… and to “operate within the budget.” Are you ready to do this?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for September 16, 2011
Proverbs 21:20
Be sensible and store up precious treasures-- don't waste them like a fool.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We all know people whose money “burns a hole in their pocket.” If they have a dollar, they will find something to buy with it. Early on, I became a tightwad. Some probably consider me “cheap”… I prefer to think I am conscientious and thrifty. Or maybe I have gone to one too many estate sales and seen a lifetime of “treasures” be sold in a matter of hours for pennies on the dollar. But I truly believe that God expects us to be good stewards of our money and possessions.
God wants us to be smart and honest… to work hard for a fair wage, and then pay our bills with our earnings. God doesn’t want us to live beyond our means… to max out credit cards and live on borrowed money – or the kindness and sympathy of others. To do this makes us a slave to money and possessions – and potentially to other people. And it takes our focus in the wrong direction.
God wants us to be realistic and responsible. He wants us to “save for a rainy day,” and to pay our own way. We can’t do this if we are wasteful and mis-manage our assets. A lot of people are struggling to make ends meet these days. And through no fault of their own, some are finding that there isn’t enough “month in the money.” Still others seem to be “fiddling while Rome burns”… continuing to live and spend like they once did, even though their job is in jeopardy and they can’t pay the mortgage.
Regardless of your age or your income, I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and ask God to help you prepare a budget. With His guidance, determine exactly how much you need to save… and what you can afford to spend. Do this with the intangible things, too… like your time, your talents, and your abilities – and even your relationships. Ask God where you need to spend your resources… and where to conserve them.
At the end of the day, remember that everything belongs to God. He has placed us in charge of certain things, but we need to be very careful how we handle them. Are you being a good steward of what God has placed in your care? Or are you foolishly spending everything you have… and wasting precious treasures in the process?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Be sensible and store up precious treasures-- don't waste them like a fool.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We all know people whose money “burns a hole in their pocket.” If they have a dollar, they will find something to buy with it. Early on, I became a tightwad. Some probably consider me “cheap”… I prefer to think I am conscientious and thrifty. Or maybe I have gone to one too many estate sales and seen a lifetime of “treasures” be sold in a matter of hours for pennies on the dollar. But I truly believe that God expects us to be good stewards of our money and possessions.
God wants us to be smart and honest… to work hard for a fair wage, and then pay our bills with our earnings. God doesn’t want us to live beyond our means… to max out credit cards and live on borrowed money – or the kindness and sympathy of others. To do this makes us a slave to money and possessions – and potentially to other people. And it takes our focus in the wrong direction.
God wants us to be realistic and responsible. He wants us to “save for a rainy day,” and to pay our own way. We can’t do this if we are wasteful and mis-manage our assets. A lot of people are struggling to make ends meet these days. And through no fault of their own, some are finding that there isn’t enough “month in the money.” Still others seem to be “fiddling while Rome burns”… continuing to live and spend like they once did, even though their job is in jeopardy and they can’t pay the mortgage.
Regardless of your age or your income, I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and ask God to help you prepare a budget. With His guidance, determine exactly how much you need to save… and what you can afford to spend. Do this with the intangible things, too… like your time, your talents, and your abilities – and even your relationships. Ask God where you need to spend your resources… and where to conserve them.
At the end of the day, remember that everything belongs to God. He has placed us in charge of certain things, but we need to be very careful how we handle them. Are you being a good steward of what God has placed in your care? Or are you foolishly spending everything you have… and wasting precious treasures in the process?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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