Bonjour blessing! May GOD bless your field and the work of your hands. May your barns be filled! May GOD remember and bless those who have done you good. May he make you a great nation and a source of blessing! May your sons and daughters be wise and intelligent. And may it be said of your house, "Here are born servants of the LORD ".
" There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." (Proverbs 21:20, KJV)
"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." (Proverbs 13:11, KJV)
Many people don't save. Many because they really have nothing, the vast majority because they are spendthrifts, they procrastinate or do not see the need. If you're one of those people, don't be discouraged. Know that there is a beginning to everything, and good habits are no exception.
We all know that there is a time for everything, a time for everything under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1) 🙂 Unfortunately, too often we just read verse 1. Did you know it also says there is a time to keep and a time to throw away (Ecclesiastes 3:6)? Unless you have nothing, I mean really, really nothing, you have no excuse for not saving. If you really have nothing, pray that your situation will change.
Saving is a recommendation of the LORD. Some even say that saving is a commandment. GOD wants you to save. The Bible encourages us to make good use of our resources, including giving tithes and offerings, saving, investing, caring for our own, and giving alms. Saving is learned, investing is learned. We don't save large sums of money overnight. Yes, GOD makes miracles, but miracles do not alter his laws and recommendations. Maybe one-day GOD will make millions appear in your bank account, but if you have not learned to manage your finances well, you will do not good with that money. After the multiplication of the loaves, JESUS asked the disciples to collect so that nothing would be lost (John 6: 5-14).
Wisdom through Solomon tells us "Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise; But the foolish man swallows them up." (Proverbs 21:20, LSG). Many of us want to realize projects, finance works, create businesses, go on vacation to the country of our dreams, invest, study and have our descendants study in the best institutions, buy a beautiful villa, etc... It is not wrong to desire such things, on the contrary. But let's stop for a moment. Why would GOD finance your projects, if you are not even willing to invest your resources? Why would a bank lend you money to buy the villa of your dreams, if you are constantly behind in your rent? How is GOD going to finance your business if you don't even try to save for a minimum of capital? GOD, who loves us with unconditional and Eternal love (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8), says Himself that the one who does not save is a fool (Proverbs 21:20) 🙂 Let's not be fools, let's save some of our resources.
The seasons follow each other, but are not alike. Do you remember Pharaoh's dream of the seven fat cows and the seven emaciated cows (Genesis 41)? During the years of plenty, the Egyptians wisely managed their resources. Result during the years of famine, they lacked nothing. You may say that it was Joseph (a Jew) and not an Egyptian who managed their property. In this case, I will answer that they were wise enough to entrust the management of their resources to an anointed, wise and intelligent man.
Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy wheat (Genesis 42:3). He did not sent them to borrow or beg wheat. In his house were he, his wives, his sons, their wives, their children, their servants, their maidservants, and probably, the children of their servants. At that time, servants were not only paid a salary: they were fed, housed and cared for. How could Jacob take care of so many people if he was a poor steward of his resources? 🙂 It was not in Potiphar's house that Joseph learned the basics of management. It was in his father's house: Jacob. Do you want your descendants to be billionaires? => Pray, manage your resources well and teach your children the way of the LORD. 🙂 Amen!
There will always be reasons and excuses for spending and not saving. There will always be people who encourage you to spend. Unfortunately, there will also often be people who will try to make you feel guilty because they think you should give more, spend more 🙂 Have you ever met people who make their budget by relying on your resources? Those who ignore your priorities (or problems), and think that their priorities should be your priorities? You have to learn to say NO to them, to respect your budget, and accept that they may be disappointed.
Some people do not save because they are afraid of losing their savings. They have seen loved ones lose their money due to bank failures, natural disasters, war, bad investments, scams, embezzlement of retirement funds, divorce, corruption, etc. In some countries, people do not trust the banks and the judicial system (corruption, dictatorship, war). There are countries where there are so many natural disasters that people say " There is no point in saving ". I can understand some of them. My father lost a lot of money (millions) in bad investments. For a long time, I was afraid to invest. My answer is: Don't let past traumas keep you from moving forward. Tell GOD you want to save, and ask Him to show you what would be best for you in your current situation. If you still lose some of your savings, trust Him to lift you up and help you earn more. He has done it with other people (not just Jews), there is no reason He can't do it with you.
At first, the amount you save will seem small, even insignificant. No matter how much you start with, do not stop. The HOLY SPIRIT will help you to manage your finances better. GOD the FATHER will bring various opportunities to you to increase your abilities and resources. You may have to invest in yourself before you can invest in projects. He may also ask you to do the opposite or to do both simultaneously. GOD will multiply what you sow, but if you sow nothing, what will He multiply? Could it be that you are the reason why your prayers, though answered, are not yet manifested?
Imagine a farmer who receives 50 kg of seeds to sow a 500 hectare field. On his way to his field, he carries his seed in a basket with holes in it. When he arrives in his field, his basket contains only 5 kg. Imagine a farmer going to buy farm seeds. On the way, he spends some money to please himself and impress his friends. He spends so much that he only has enough left to buy 5 kg of seed. Out of the 500 hectares of his field, he will only be able to sow on 50 hectares. Unfortunately, when the harvest season comes, instead of the 5 tons (5,000 kg) that he should have harvested in his field, he will only receive half a ton (500 kg). Who will be responsible for his meager harvest, GOD or him? Again, GOD will multiply what you sow, but if you sow nothing, what will He multiply? Could it be that you are the reason why your answered prayers are not yet manifested?
We do not save to enrich the banks. We save to face the unexpected, to get through lean seasons with serenity and to invest. By investing I mean: investing in ourselves, in the Kingdom, in our descendants, taking care of ascendants or loved ones, investing in social projects, etc. Some people don't manage to save because they don't have objectives behind their savings. It is written "for lack of revelation the people are unrestrained" (Proverbs 29:18). Do you have a goal behind your savings?
Please note that I am not saying that you should save excessively, refrain from supporting the advancement of the Kingdom and never indulge yourself. I am encouraging you to tithe. There may be times when GOD asks you to use your savings to make sacrificial offerings. He is not unjust to forget your offerings and generosity (Proverbs 3:9-10, Hebrews 6:10, Proverbs 19:17). But, you will have to manage your resources wisely. Being blessed is not an excuse for being unwise. It is not a sin to travel on a private jet, to give gifts to your loved ones, or to simply indulge yourself. Sin is mismanaging (wasting) your resources and traveling by private jet when GOD tells you not to. Sin is also traveling in economy class when GOD tells you to buy a private jet. There are some people you will never meet while walking, and there are some things you will never do while traveling on a private jet. May the LORD be with you.
**Bonjour = Good morning in french
To go further (non-exhaustive list)
- Delayed Gratification, Bishop T.D. Jakes
- Your Highest Calling, Dr Bill Hamon
- Becoming a Millionaire God's Way, Dr. C. Thomas Anderson
- Anointed for Business, Ed Silvoso
- Uncommon Opportunities [What To Do With An Opportunity], Dr. Cindy Trimm