7 Ways To Guarantee Your Financial Future in 2015 (Part I)

By: Richard Mirpuri

 

Your financial future is not based on the business or agency that writes you a paycheck every two weeks. Nor is your financial future secured through your knowledge of the financial markets. Neither is your financial future safeguarded by the current contents of your retirement and/or investment portfolio. None of the methods, knowledge or companies I just mentioned can promise without fail. . .your financial future. However, there is Someone who is ready, willing and able to guarantee your financial future. Here are seven ways to guarantee your financial future:

1 You must leave behind what’s familiar when God says to. Genesis 12:1 in the Amplified Bible says: “NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.” Leaving behind what’s familiar to you. . .is not just family or a geographical location. . . it’s also, you’re old way of doing business. When you need money for a car. . .repairs on that car. . .tires. . .groceries or anything else. . .if your first thought. . .your first action is to whip out your credit card. . .then you need to leave behind what’s been familiar to you in the past. If you want God to secure your financial future. . .you must trust Him to provide for every need you have.

More than ever before. . .we need to leave behind the world system of credit. . .and move into a debt-free lifestyle.With the uncertainty in our economy. . .we need to follow His plan for guaranteeing our financial future. It’s simple. . .when you do what He says. . .we leave behind a former way of living with credit. . .we will be blessed. Genesis 12:2 in the Amplified Bible says: “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].” Do you think your ability to dispense good to others is based on your credit card limit or just your salary? Of course, not, it’s time to leave the old way of doing things behind. (Genesis 13:14)

2. Go where God tells you to go. . .do what He tells you to do. . .when He tells you to do it. Genesis 31:3 in theAmplified Bible says: “And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.” Sometimes when God tells us to do certain things. . .our natural minds resist because of what we perceive to be uncertain results. . .because we cannot rationalize it by our normal way of thinking. Jacob had betrayed Esau. . .had stolen his birthright. The scripture tells us he wasn’t too anxious about seeing his brother again. In fact, Jacob was flat out afraid of what would happen when Esau saw him.

When Jacob came near to his brother. . .he sent a message to Esau advising him of the gifts he was bringing to him. Genesis 32:5 says: “And I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and women servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find mercy and kindness in your sight.” The messenger returned to advise Jacob that Esau was on the way to meet him and he was traveling with four hundred men. Frankly, this scared the bejeebers out of Jacob. Genesis 32:7 says: “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. . .” When Esau arrived. . .he greeted his brother with love. At first, he even declined Jacob’s generous gifts before reluctantly accepting them. However, the key verse is Genesis 33:11 in the New Living Translation which says: “Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.” Why was God gracious to Jacob. . .because he went where he said go. . .he did what God told him to do. . .so he was blessed and protected.

3 The Lord’s Prayer reveals that you’re to never lack or live in fear over your finances. Psalm 23:1 says: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” According to Strong’s Concordance the Hebrew word for want is chacer (H2637) and it means: “to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need” In fact, the Amplified Bible translation of Psalm 23:1 says: “THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.” The same Hebrew word appears in Nehemiah 2:9 which says: “Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.”

Having no lack. . .means you’ve got everything you want and need. If you can’t pay your bills in full each month when they come due. . .that’s living in lack. If you feel like you can’t afford to give when God tells you to give. . .that’s living in lack. If you aren’t able to take a proper vacation with your family. . .that’s living in lack. If you lay awake at night wondering how you’re going to make ends meet. . .that’s living in lack. Bottom line. . .God does not want you living in lack or needing a thing. The Message Bible translation of Psalm 23:1 says: “God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.” Not only does He not want you living in lack. . .he doesn’t want you living in fear over lack. Psalm 23:4 in the Amplified Bible says: “Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.” Remember, He is your Shepherd. . .your provider.

4 Your attitude toward work. . will determine your future success. . .and usefulness in the Kingdom. Proverbs 12:24 says: “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” The New Living Translation of Proverbs 12:24 says: “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” God wants you to be a leader in the marketplace. . .that’s why you’re here on planet earth. The earth is the Lord’s therefore it is not unreasonable to understand that His children should be the ones dominating it.

Ecclesiastes 3:22 in the New Living Translation says: “So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is why we are here! No one will bring us back from death to enjoy life after we die.” Not only are you to be a diligent worker. . .but you need to be happy about it. Ecclesiastes 2:24 in the New Living Translation says: “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.”

Ecclesiastes 3:13 in the Contemporary English Version says: “Because God’s gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do.” Why does God want you to be a diligent worker? Ephesians 4:28 says: “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for GOD’S ECONOMICS (The Biblical Principles of true prosperity) Rev. Richard Mirpuri good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.” You will be called to account for the type of worker you become. (H. Herring)

2 Timothy 2:15 in the New Living Translation says: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”