Money Talk Invest Wisely in Your Future
Money Talk “I want to help you invest wisely in your future.” That’s what a financial advisor might say as he presents to you new financial plans and policies. And even though we know it is a sales pitch, usually, our interest is piqued. Why? Because we are plagued by the constant worry of not having enough money. According to a survey conducted in the USA, two in three people worry about their finances. Indeed, money is a big issue. And while we know that money isn’t everything, almost everything needs money—education, shelter, food, and the list goes on. So who can we trust to give us the best advice about money? This selection of articles from Our Daily Bread offers you a different perspective and a radical approach to money that is intended to help you cope with living in a materialistic world. If you find these articles helpful and would like to receive the Our Daily Bread devotional, just complete the request form in this leaflet and send it to us. Our materials are offered at no charge. We are supported by the freewill donations of our members and friends.
© 2014 by RBC Ministries. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Day 1
Look At The Birds Today’s Bible Reading
Matthew 6:25-34
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hen you shift your Look at the birds… mind into neutral your heavenly and just let it idle, Father feeds them. where do your thoughts go? And aren’t you far Do you worry about money? more valuable to him than they are? We are to be careful with maTThEw 6:26 money, but Jesus taught that we are not to be full of care about it. If you have put your faith in God, you don’t have to worry about life’s necessities. God Himself has assumed responsibility for your food and clothing—and all your needs. When Jesus spoke of our need for food, He pointed to the birds, and said, “They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” (Matthew 6:26). That doesn’t mean we get what we need by doing nothing. Birds must scratch and search for food. The point is, they don’t worry about it. Jesus instructed us to center our lives on Him. Then clothing, food, and drink will be ours as well. Look at it this way: Whether or not you live only for money, you’ll ultimately leave it or it will leave you. But if you focus your life on God and doing His will, all these other things will be provided. Does your concern for making money and keeping it overshadow your concern for doing God’s will? If so, stop and look at the birds. —Haddon Robinson Poverty of purpose is far worse than poverty of purse.
Day 2
Riches Of The Soul Today’s Bible Reading
Proverbs 30:1-9
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ith the hope of winGive me neither ning a record jack- poverty nor riches! Give me just pot of $640 million, Americans spent an estimated enough to satisfy my needs. $1.5 billion on tickets in a pRovERbs 30:8 multistate lottery in early 2012. The odds of winning were a staggering 1 in 176 million, but people stood in lines at grocery stores, gas stations, and cafes to buy a chance to become rich. Something inside us makes us think more money will solve our problems and improve our lives. A man identified in the Bible as Agur had a different perspective on riches when he asked God to grant him two requests before he died. First, he said, “Help me never to tell a lie” (Proverbs 30:8). Integrity is a key to living without anxiety. When we have nothing to hide, we have nothing to fear. Deceit enslaves; honesty liberates. Second, he said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs” (v.8). Contentment springs from trusting God as our supplier and gratefully accepting what He provides. Agur said of the Creator that He “has created the whole wide world . . . He is a shield to all who come to him for protection” (vv.4-5). Integrity and contentment are riches of the soul that are available to all. Our Lord is pleased to give these treasures to everyone who asks. —David McCasland Discontentment makes us poor while contentment makes us rich!
Day 3
What Is Secure? Today’s Bible Reading
1 Timothy 6:17-19
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uring the worldwide Teach those who financial crisis of are rich in this world not to be 2008, a widow lost a proud and not third of her income when her to trust in their bank stocks no longer paid money, which is dividends after her trusted so unreliable. bank failed. The Wall Street Their trust should Journal quoted her tearful be in God. response as an example of 1 TImoThy 6:17 the feelings of many people who were similarly affected: “You just think, ‘This can’t be happening.’ What is secure anymore?” Tragedy and hard times always jolt our thinking. Our best plans and hopes can be shattered by events beyond our control. We are reminded that there is only one source of true security in a changing world. With new appreciation, we consider Paul’s words: “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19). When our resources diminish, we can grow richer in good works, generosity, and sharing with others. If financial stability returns, we can hold more loosely what we are given, trusting solely in God. We are secure in Him alone. —David McCasland In uncertain times, our security is in God alone.
Day 4
Money Talks Today’s Bible Reading
Luke 12:13-21
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s I was driving home For the love of from the office, money is the root I saw a minivan of all kinds of evil. proudly displaying a bumper And some people, craving money, sticker that read: “Money have wandered Talks: Mine Says Goodbye.” from the true I think a lot of people can faith and pierced themselves with relate to that sentiment. many sorrows. Much of our living is 1 TImoThy 6:10 spent acquiring and using money, which doesn’t last. The stock market crashes. Prices go up. Thieves steal others’ goods. Things wear out and break down, requiring the acquisition and expenditure of more money to replace what has been lost. The temporary nature of material wealth makes it a poor bargain in the search for security in an insecure world. Money is much better at saying goodbye than it is at sticking around. Nowhere does the Bible say it’s wrong to have money or the things that money can buy. Where we lose our way is when money becomes the driving purpose of our lives. We end up pursuing the accumulation of things that eventually will be forfeited—if not in life, then certainly at death. How tragic to live our entire lives, only to end them with nothing of eternal worth to show for our labors. To paraphrase Jesus’ words in Luke 12:31, it is much better to be rich toward God than to work for treasure that can’t last. —Bill Crowder Treasures in heaven are laid up as treasures on earth are laid down.
Day 5
Fantastic Offers Today’s Bible Reading
Isaiah 53:1-6
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am amazed at the unbe[Jesus] was lievable offers that flood pierced for our my e-mail box every rebellion, crushed day. Recently, I added up for our sins. … the Lord laid on him the offers of free money that came to me in a week, and the sins of us all. IsaIah 53:5-6 my “take” totaled $26 million. But each of those offers was a fraud. Every one—from a $1 million prize to a $7 million offer—was nothing but a lie sent by unscrupulous people to squeeze money from me. We’re all vulnerable to fantastic offers—to scams that in reality pay off with nothing but trouble. We are offered false hope that ends in dashed dreams. There is one offer, however, that is genuine, though fantastic beyond belief. It’s the offer God makes to us—salvation through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is an offer that cost Him greatly—and we get the benefits. The Bible tells us, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25). By saying yes to salvation, we can have hope, peace, forgiveness, incomparable riches, and redemption. This is the real deal. Jesus’ death and resurrection guarantees it. —Dave Branon Our salvation was infinitely costly to God, but it is absolutely free to us.
Day 6
You Can’t Buy It Today’s Bible Reading
Romans 6:15-23
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pastor was trying to God saved you explain salvation to a by his grace when wealthy woman, but you believed. the woman didn’t understand . . . It is a gift from God. Salvation is that she couldn’t pay for it. not a reward for So the pastor gave her this the good things illustration: “If you wanted we have done. to give your daughter a big, EphEsIans 2:8-9 beautiful mansion as a gift, how would you feel if she said, ‘Mother, you must let me help you pay for the gift. You know I work for the mission hospital and don’t make much money, but I think I can squeeze out $8 a month.’ ” He went on: “That’s what you are saying to God. You want to help pay for what Jesus has already paid for. A home in heaven is a gift. It is an insult to try to help pay for it.” All over the world devout, well-meaning people— rich, poor, and in-between—struggle to understand that Jesus paid it all. Convinced that they have to do something to earn God’s favor, they attempt to pay for salvation as best they can. We need to understand that when God gave His Son Jesus as a sacrifice, the bill for our sin was paid. For us to try to pay for God’s gift is insulting to Him. Genuine trust is believing that God has already taken care of the payment. We don’t need to buy something that has already been purchased with Jesus’ death on the cross. —Dave Branon Will you receive this gift of salvation today?