SAVING & INVESTING 6. Insurance ___________ ___________ Life and Health ___________ ___________ Other ___________ ___________ ___________ 7. Debts ___________ 8. Entertainment/Recreation ___________ Eating Out ___________ __________ Babysitters ___________ ___________ Activities/Trips ___________ ___________ ___________ Other ___________ 9. Clothing 10. Saving / Investments 11. Medical Expenses Doctor and Dentist ___________ Prescriptions ___________ Other ___________ 12. Miscellaneous Toiletries/Cosmetics ___________ Beauty/Barber ___________ Laundry/Cleaning ___________ Subscriptions ___________ Gifts (incl.Christmas) ___________ Other ___________ Tuition and materials ___________ Day Care ___________ TOTAL EXPENSES CHAPTER FIVE INCOME VS. EXPENSES: Income Less Total Expenses Surplus or Deficit 49
CHAPTER FIVE Work & Children “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men . . . It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23-24).
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY DVD Notes WORK 1. ___W__o_r_k___ was initiated for our benefit in the sinless environment of the garden of Eden! “The Lord God took [Adam] and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). “You shall work six days” (Exodus 34:21). “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). 2. A primary purpose of work is to develop our _c_h_a_r_a_ct_e_r_. People have widely We work for Christ. varied abilities, 3. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord manual skills, and intellectual rather than for men . . . It is the Lord ___C_h_r_i_st___ whom capacities. It’s you serve” (Colossians 3:23-24). not a matter of one person Scripture doesn’t elevate any honest profession above another. being better than another; it’s simply God’s part in work a matter of having 4. God gives us our __jo_b__s_k_il_ls__. God has given each of us received different abilities. unique skills. 5. God gives us __s_u_c_c_e_s_s__. “The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man, his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Genesis 39:2). 52
WORK & CHILDREN 6. God controls promotions. “For _p_r_o_m__o_ti_o_n_ and power NOTES come from nowhere on earth, but only from God” (Psalm 75:6). 7. The Lord wants us to work ____h_a_rd____. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). “The precious possession of a person is diligence” (Proverbs 12:27). We are to balance work with rest. 8. “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall ____r_e_st____; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest” (Exodus 34:21). Work responsibilities of godly employee • Complete honesty • __F_a_i_th_f_u_l__ in work • Person of prayer • ___H_o_n_o_r___ employer • Honor fellow employees • Share faith in Christ A job well done earns you the right to tell others with whom you work about the reality of Christ. As we view our work from God’s perspective, dissatisfaction will turn to content- ment from a job well done, and drudgery will be replaced with excitement over the prospect of influencing others for Christ. 53
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY CHILDREN Parents should be MVP parents Modeling 9. Parents must ___m__o_d_el___ handling money God’s way “Be imitators of me, just as I [Paul] also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). ___V_e_r_b_a_l __ communication Parent must tell their children why they’re handling money the way they are. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6). __P_r_a_c_ti_c_al__ opportunities 10. When children begin to receive an income, teach them to ___b_u_d_g_e_t __. Teach your children 11. The best time to establish the habit of ___g_iv_i_n_g___ is the benefits of when you’re young. compounding. If they apply this 12. The habit of ___s_a_vi_n_g___ should be established as soon concept, they as children receive an income. will enjoy more financial stability Establish a strategy for independence so that your children as adults. will be managing all of their finances, with the exception of food and shelter, by the senior year in high school. 54
WORK & CHILDREN Let’s Talk It Over NOTES 1. What was the most helpful or thought provoking thing you learned from the viewing Chapter 5—Work & Children? How will you apply this? 2. Read Colossians 3:23-24. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men . . . It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Do you consistently recognize that you actually work for Christ? How will this understanding change your work performance? 55
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY In Scripture, hard 3. Read Proverbs 12:27. “The precious possession of a man work and diligence is diligence.” And read Ecclesiastes 9:10. “Whatever your are encouraged hand finds to do, do it with all your might . . .” while laziness in condemned. “He What does the Lord say about working hard? Are you a who is slack in his hard worker? If your work ethic needs improvement, what work is brother to do you plan to do? him who destroys” (Proverbs 18:9). 4. Read Exodus 34:21. “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing and harvest you shall rest.” What does this verse communicate to you about rest? Do you get enough rest, and how do you guard against over- work? 5. Describe how you are training your children or grandchildren to work hard, give generously, save consistently, and spend wisely. If you have not yet begun to train them, how will you start? 56
WORK & CHILDREN Dig Deeper SCRIPTURE TO MEMORIZE “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men . . . It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23-24). QUESTIONS TO ANSWER 1. Read Exodus 20:9. “You shall work six days.” And read 2 Thessalonians 3:10. “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat.” What do these passages say about work, and how are you applying them? 2. Reflect on Ephesians 2:10, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” What are some of the skills and talents the Lord has given you? Do you believe the Lord intends to use you in a significant way in your work? Why or why not? 57
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY 3. Read Psalm 75:6-7. “Promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God” (TLB). What does this verse say to you about God’s role in your career? How does this influence your thinking? 4. Read Deuteronomy 6:6-7. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” According to this passage, who is responsible for teaching children the bibli- cal perspective of handling money? How faithful have you been teaching your children to hand money wisely? (Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most faithful). If you need to improve, what do you plan to do? 58
WORK & CHILDREN TEACHING CHILDREN TO HANDLE MONEY Most children have not been taught God’s way of handling money. As an unfor- tunate consequence, children leave home ill-equipped to manage their financial future. We’ve designed a checklist to help you train children to earn and manage money from a biblical perspective. Income Are my children receiving an income? Are they performing routine chores around the home in return for their income? Budgeting Are my children budgeting? Describe the method they are using to budget. Saving and Investing Is there a savings account opened in the name of my child? Have I taught my child the concept of compound interest? Describe what your child knows about investments. Debt Have I taught my children the biblical principles dealing with debt? Are they aware of the true cost of interest? Giving Have I taught my children to be generous givers? Describe their giving. Work Do my children understand the biblical perspective of work? Describe the jobs they perform for others to earn money 59
CHAPTER SIX Crisis & Eternity “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25, NIV).
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY DVD Notes In any crisis it CRISIS is critical to be reminded of When facing a crisis, nothing is more important than knowing God’s love and who God is – His love, care, and control. faithfulness. Why? Because it’s so 1. “As the Father has loved me [Jesus], so have I __l_o_v_e_d__ easy to become you.” (John 15:9, NIV). discouraged and even lose hope. God has a purpose for adversity. 2. “Consider it __p_u_r_e_j_o_y__, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4, NIV). “There is nothing—no circumstances, no trouble, no test- ing—that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God, past Christ, right through to me. If it’s come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to panic, as I lift my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of who my Lord is.”—Alan Redpath 62
CRISIS & ETERNITY SURVIVING A CRISIS NOTES Get your finances in order. 3. “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into __p_r_a_c_ti_c_e__ is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25, NIV). Expectations can be damaging. When we assume that the Lord will solve our problems in a certain way by a certain time, we set ourselves up for disappointment. ETERNITY 4. “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. . . . Everyone is but a breath . . . a mere phantom . . . heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be” (Psalm 39:4-6, NIV). 5. What we do in our businesses and lives in this short time on earth matters ___fo_r_e_v_e_r__. The Lord wants to motivate us to invest our lives and finances in such a way that we can enjoy an intimate rela- tionship with Him now – and receive the greatest possible rewards in the life to come. 63
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY Financial planners JUDGMENT tell us, “Don’t think in terms of this Because our Lord loves us so deeply, He wants us to realize year, plan for 30 what will happen in the future. years.” The wise “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righ- person thinks teousness” (Acts 17:31). ahead, but far more than 30 years-- 6. “We will ____a_l_l____ stand before the judgment seat more like 30 million of God . . . so then each one of us will give an account of years! himself to God” (Romans 14:10, 12). What we do in this life will determine much of our experi- ence in heaven. “I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it . . . And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne . . . Each person was judged according to what they had done . . . Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15, NIV). YOU CAN KNOW GOD God loves you and wants you to know him personally. 7. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God is holy. God is perfect, and He can’t have a relationship with anyone who is not also perfect. Unfortunately, none of us is perfect. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 64
CRISIS & ETERNITY NOTES God’s only provision to bridge this gap is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This personal relationship with God is a gift. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8, NIV). 65
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY Nothing in life Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life. compares with “God, I need You. I’m sorry for my sin. I invite Jesus to come know Jesus Christ into my life as my Savior and Lord, and to make me the person personally. We can You want me to be. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving experience true me the gift of eternal life.” peace, joy, and hope when we If you asked Christ into your life, you’ve made the most impor- know Him. tant decision of your life. Welcome to the family of God! NUMBER YOUR DAYS 8. “So teach us to __n_u_m__b_e_r__ our days that we may present to You Lord a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). When you are face to face with Christ and look back on your life, I pray that you will see that the things in which you invested your time, creativity, influence, and money are big things to Christ. Let’s not squander our lives on things that won’t matter throughout eternity. Let’s Talk It Over 1. What was the most helpful or thought provoking idea you learned from the viewing Chapter 6—Crisis & Eternity? How will you apply this? 66
CRISIS & ETERNITY 2. Read Matthew 7:24-25. “Everyone who hears these words NOTES of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (NIV). According to this passage, what should we do to prepare for a potential crisis? How well prepared are you and your finances to survive a crisis? 3. As you reflect on eternity from God’s perspective, answer this question thoughtfully: What three things do I want to accomplish most during the rest of my time on earth? 67
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY 4. What can you do that would contribute most significantly to the cause of Christ? In light of these answers, what actions do you need to take? 5. What was the most valuable part of the Navigating Your Finances God’s Way DVD Series for you? SURVEY AND SUGGESTIONS Please visit the Compass Website and click on the Resources tab to complete a brief survey and help us improve this study for others in the future with your suggestions. Thank you! 68
CRISIS & ETERNITY Dig Deeper SCRIPTURE TO MEMORIZE “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21). QUESTIONS TO ANSWER 1. Read James 1:2-4. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (NIV). According to the Bible, is it possible to experience “pure joy” when we are in the middle of a crisis? Why? Evaluate your past attitude when faced with a crisis. How would you describe it? 69
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY 2. Describe the most difficult crises you have experienced. What did you learn from them? 3. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, what is hindering you? 4. Read Psalm 90:10, 12. “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years . . . for soon it is gone and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” What does passage this say to you? Estimate how many days you have left on earth. How does this impact your thinking? What will you do about it? 70
CRISIS & ETERNITY YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS Determining your financial goals will help you accomplish what is most important to you. You will be better able to control and prioritize your spending with those goals in mind. If you are married, complete this with your spouse. Giving Goals Would like to give ____ percent of my/our income. Other giving goals: ___________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Debt Repayment Goals: Would like to pay off the following debts first: Creditor Amount ________________________________________ ______________ ________________________________________ ______________ ________________________________________ ______________ ________________________________________ ______________ Educational Goals: Would like to fund the following education: Person School Annual Cost Total Cost _____________ _____________ ___________ _________ _____________ _____________ ___________ _________ _____________ _____________ ___________ _________ Other educational goals: ______________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Lifestyle Goals: Would like to make the following major purchases: (home, automobile, travel, etc.) Item Amount _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________ ________________ Would like to achieve the following annual income: _____________ 71
NAVIGATING YOUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY Savings and Investing Goals: Would like to save _______ percent of my/our income. Other savings goals: __________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Would like to make the following investments: Investment Amounts __________________________________ ___________________ __________________________________ ___________________ __________________________________ ___________________ __________________________________ ___________________ Would like to provide my/our heirs with the following: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Starting a Business: Would like to invest in or begin my/our own business: ___________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Goals for this Year: I believe the Lord want me/us to achieve the following goals this year: Priority Financial Goals Steps needed to take to achieve goal 1 ____________________ ______________________________ 2 ____________________ ______________________________ 3 ____________________ ______________________________ 4 ____________________ ______________________________ 72
ANSWER KEY Chapter 1—God’s Part & Our Part restitution money one different everything Chapter 4—Saving & Investing ownership saves contentment priority Your steady plodder faithful compounding amount little Time first diversify risky Chapter 2—Debt & Counsel commitment slave giving obedience all curses pray Chapter 5— Work & Children surplus Work Snowball character little Christ quickly job skills cosign success counsel promotion prayer hard living rest spouse Faithful Honor Chapter 3—Giving & Honesty model gave Verbal nothing Practical first budget proportion giving heart saving treasures church Chapter 6—Crisis & Eternity poor loved Jesus pure joy steal practice dishonest forever strengthens all stealing number leaders bribe 73
Prayer Request “Pray for one another . . . the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). Before you end each class, you may want to take prayer requests. There is one page for each of the six chapters for you to record these requests. Please consider praying daily for those in your class. 74
CHAPTER 1 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 75
CHAPTER 2 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 76
CHAPTER 3 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 77
CHAPTER 4 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 78
CHAPTER 5 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 79
CHAPTER 6 PRAYER REQUESTS PERSON PRAYER REQUEST(S) 80
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