The Plans He Has For Me

It's a strange feeling to describe, when God speaks to you, isn't it? It's like a thought, or an idea, something brilliant, that cuts through all the confusion and anxiety and stress of a single moment and hits you right in the heart, but you just absolutely, unequivocally know that it didn't come from you. That's what happened to me on Jan. 6.

These last few months have been a crazy blur for Danielle and I. I lost my full-time graphic design job back in the fall, and picked up work with my uncle's construction business and as a seasonal driver for UPS.

Meanwhile, the wife and I are trying to sell our house in Bethlehem, NH, but, as anyone who has ever had anything to do with the real estate business can tell you, things are moving veeeeeeery sloooooowly. In the meantime we've moved in with my Grandma.

Oh, and Danielle quit her job. She worked a high-burnout shift at a high-burnout job in the field of adult mental health, so it was no surprise that she got burned out. Furthermore, since the move to Grandma's her job had become a 50 minute commute. Danielle practically begged me to let her quit. She's got a part-time baby-sitting gig now, but it's just as uncertain as my work future.

Uncertainty. That seems to be the word dominating our lives at the moment. Our jobs are uncertain. The sale of our house is uncertain. Our future is uncertain. It's kinda nerve-wracking.

Last week while I was driving a route during my seasonal UPS job on a very cold, blustery, slippery winter road I felt a panic rising in my chest as I was thinking about all the uncertainty in our lives. I started getting depressed, even angry. I mean, there wasn't even the slightest indication of what I should do next—where I should look for a job, how to get our house sold, whether we should do this or that. There was nothing on the horizon of our future except stress and uncertainty.

I started praying, and I asked God for a glimpse of His plan, some hope, something to keep me going, something to give me some idea of what we should go next. His answer cut through my brain in a voice that wasn't my own: "I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and future." (Jeremiah 29:11) I was actually startled by this because I knew this answer had come from somewhere beyond myself. The voice in my head wasn't mine. It was a reminder that God has nothing but my best interests at heart. Wherever I'm headed, whatever happens next, it's coming from Him and it will be good.

But God wasn't done speaking to me.

That night when I finished my route, my boss pulled me into his office to go over my performance. He said the company wanted me to come back this summer to cover routes while other drivers were on vacation. It would be a full time position lasting June-through-September. There would be a month off and then the holiday driving job would start again in November. It's not a guarantee, but it would keep me within the company and possibly lead to more steady employment down the road.

It wasn't much, but it was hope.

It was an answer to a very simple, desperate prayer.

What about you? Can you recall a time when God's voice cut through the noise and pierced you with Truth?

Keep pinchin' :-)

Christianity To Atheism - It's A Shorter Step Than You Think

Dani and I have begun leading a Faith Group in our new home and we had our first meeting this week. Most of it was a meet and greet with some discussion about my vision for the group as well as input from other member's about what they hoped to get from the group.

Then we had some Bible study.

I had prepared a brief lesson based on something that had been discussed in Sunday School a couple weeks ago, and again in Youth Group, about the origin of evil. As I was contemplating this, it struck me how essential it is for Christians to have a proper view of the origin of evil.

What do YOU believe about the origin of evil? The most common beliefs include:

1. There is no such thing as evil. Evil is an illusion.
2. Evil has always co-existed alongside good.
3. In the beginning there was God, and God created evil along with everything else.
4. Evil is the absence of good. God created all things good, but allowed his creatures to choose non-good.

I think we can strike the first one off the list pretty easily. I know there are many people who deny the existence of evil, but I can't imagine this belief being too deeply rooted in someone who isn't delusional. A brief glimpse at the atrocities in our world should be evidence enough that there are some truly evil things that happen. Moreover, the Bible is filled with passages warning us against the evils of, not just this world, but of the unseen world (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:12).

The second one is also false—evil has not always been around. God is Eternal. God is good. Before the creation of the world, before the creation of the heavens and angels, there was only God. Therefore evil has not—could not—always co-existed with him.

Did God create evil? No. Scripture says that when God finished His creation He saw everything and declared it "very good" (Genesis 1:31). Many Scriptures affirm that God is not the author of evil (James 1:13, 1 John 1:5, 1 Corinthians 14:33). The sovereignty of God gives him full control over evil circumstances, but even these He orchestrates for good.

But this is where some skewed thinking can dramatically alter our beliefs.

If we believe that God created evil, or that He negligently allows evil to happen, then we run the risk of believing that He isn't the loving, gracious, good God the Bible says He is. And casting doubt on the character of God casts doubt on our belief that He is even real. When we allow school shootings and terrorist bombings and sickness and death to call into question God's goodness, it's easy to see how a Christian could just throw up his hands and say, "How could a good God let this happen?! I've had it with God!" Suddenly the path to atheism isn't so far away.

But what if we look at it this way: evil is the absence of God.

Think about this: what was there before God created the world? Was there darkness? No. There was nothing. Prior to the creation of the world darkness had no definition. Then God created light, and suddenly darkness had a name, and it is defined as the absence of light.

We were created to have a relationship with God. He loves us more dearly than we could ever imagine, and He wants our love in return, but such a relationship is impossible without choice. As such, at the moment of creation, God gave mankind the ability to choose or reject Him. When we choose Him we are bathed in the light of his mercy, his love, his goodness, but when we reject Him it's like turning off the light in our bedroom, closing the door, and pulling the shades, surrounding ourselves in darkness. Evil.

It is helpful, I think, to understand that evil is not itself a thing created. Evil is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. So it is technically not proper to think of evil as something that was created. Evil is simply a lack of moral perfection in a fallen creature.

It should come as no surprise then to see evil increasing on the earth. We've kicked God out of our schools. We've taken the 10 Commandments out of our court houses. Every day there are stories of people getting in trouble for praying at work, of athletes getting called-out for bending on their knees after a touchdown, of Christian-themed television and radio programs getting banned from the airwaves. If evil is the absence of God, it's no wonder why our world is so wicked.

This should radically change our view of God. When we understand that evil is the absence of God our immediate reaction should be to run to Him. And when evil strikes our lives as a consequence of man's choices, our reaction shouldn't be to blame God for all of our woes, but to seek Him even more fervently.

God is certainly sovereign over evil. There's a sense in which it is proper even to say that evil is part of His eternal decree. He planned for it. It did not take Him by surprise. It is not an interruption of His eternal plan. He declared the end from the beginning, and He is still working all things for His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10).

But God's role with regard to evil is never as its author. He simply permits evil agents to work, then overrules evil for His own wise and holy ends. Ultimately He is able to make all things, including all the fruits of all the evil of all time, work together for a greater good (Romans 8:28).

Breaking Free Part 3: Overcoming The Comparison Trap

It's been two years since Danielle and I started down this road toward debt-free living. It's been a challenge, a fun ride, a ministry, and a blessing, all rolled into one adventure. This week we'd like to look back on our journey, share some of the intricacies of how and why we do it, and hopefully encourage you to gain some ground in your financial battle.

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It's so easy to fall prey to comparison.

"Bob and Mary have a nice house. They're the same age as us. We should have the standard of living they do!"

"My wife and I have a bunch of kids to feed, but neither of us can get a job. We must not be as good as John and Jane who are both doing quite well."

"My two best friends have both gotten new cars in the last three years. I must be a loser if I don't get a new car soon."

"Mary is so beautiful. If I looked like her I wouldn't feel so insecure."

The examples above may seem ridiculous at face value, but they're actually not that far off from the kind of thinking we all experience from time to time.

Jacey, over at The Balanced Wife, has a wonderful article on comparison. Regarding her financial situation, she writes: "It wasn’t jealousy or bitterness I was feeling, but something more like shame. I felt behind, like a new bar had been set for what people my age were supposed to have, and I didn’t measure up."

Money management wizard Dave Ramsey talks about this feeling in Financial Peace University. He says, as adults, we try to recreate the standard of living we had as a child, or, for those less fortunate, we try to create what we always thought was the ideal.

My wife admitted once that this was the case for her. After we got married, she wanted a house. A big house. A house to raise a family in. She wanted to cook dinner like her mom always did and expected me to keep up the property like her father. Imagine her disappointment when, over time, she realized that married life wasn't going to be all that she saw growing up. She doesn't have the time to cook meals all week. I'm not the Mr. Fix-It that her father was.

We both had expectations that were dashed pretty early on in our marriage.

Breaking Free from Comparison

Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."

Comparing ourselves to other people is one of the first major obstacles we have to overcome to find financial peace. And I do mean "peace." Because you can find financial freedom without overcoming comparison, but the road there will be longer, more stressful, and more irritating, because as you continually compare yourself to others you'll be unhappy and you're likely to make those around you miserable. Financial peace is a much more rewarding road.

The comparison trap is a dangerous one, because comparison, by nature, is always negative, unfairly putting the worst of ourselves up against the perceived best of others. Comparison usually ignores facts, and often accepts too many broad assumptions. Comparison is inaccurate. It wastes time. It fails to realize that everyone is unique and that nothing in life is a "one size fits all."

When the Apostle Paul wrote "godliness with contentment is great gain," he wasn't just speaking philosophically. He had learned the secret to contentment in every circumstance in life. While that secret eludes most people, it need not elude any true believer.

Here are six practical steps to overcoming comparison.

• Learn to give thanks

Not just for good things, but for all things. Thankfulness is a matter of simple obedience to God, but it is also evidence of a Spirit-filled believer. Not feeling thankful? That's ok. You don't always have to FEEL thankful. Just give thanks anyway. God won't ignore your obedience. (1 Thess. 5:18; Eph. 5:18-20).

• Learn to rest in God's providence

God is always unfolding His purpose in our lives, a purpose that is for His glory and our gain. So when bad things come our way, who are we to shake our fist at the sky or grumble and complain when, in the long run, God is only doing what is best for us. (Rom. 8:28; 1 Pet. 4:12-13).

• Learn to be satisfied with little

Paul learned to make this choice. And that's exactly what it is: a choice. You can choose to be content just like you can choose to smile at the clerk at the checkout line, or choose to have a good attitude toward those you don't necessarily enjoy being around. (1 Tim. 6:6)

• Learn to live above your circumstances

Life happens. And if I am to be truly honest, life can really suck sometimes. No one knows this better than the apostle Paul—abused, imprisoned, tortured. He didn't take pleasure in the pain itself, but in the power of Christ manifested in him. Clinging to Christ when life gets hard is so crucial to truly being content. (2 Cor. 12:9-10)

• Learn to rely on God's provision

Danielle and I took a major step of faith when we decided to sign up for Christian Healthcare Ministries as an alternative to Obamacare. It means our trust isn't in an insurance company, but in the hands of God, who, through thousands of other believers, will help us cover the cost of our medical expenses. I have faith in this, because Jesus promised that he will never leave us and that he will supply all our needs. (Heb. 13:5, Matt. 6:26)

• Learn to care for others

Really practice this one, because as we focus on meeting the needs of others, an amazing thing happens: comparison takes a back seat. Focusing on others means learning about them, and as we learn about them we can find empathy and understanding. Loving others rubs out the assumption-based aspects of comparison and replaces it with facts. (Phil. 2:3-4)

Associations are powerful, and the company we keep can influence our decisions in many ways, even without us realizing it. When people around us start buying houses and going on vacations, we feel like we deserve the same. But once you choose not to be swayed by this kind of thinking, there is immediate freedom from comparison.

While Danielle and I feel strongly about debt, we don't shove our beliefs on others, nor do we look down on friends and family who spend more money than we do or take out loans. Their choices don't threaten ours, and when you don't feel threatened you're in a much better position to love people where they are without judging them.

(Adapted from What Is The Secret to Contentment?, by John MacArthur.)

Other posts in this series

Part 1: My Personal Wake-Up Call
Part 2: How To See Some Hope
Part 4: The Things We Didn't Give Up

Creation vs... Creation? Christians Need To Get Their Priorities Straight

Oh, age. You're such a pest. With every passing year my declining body can endure less and less, and yet with every passing year life heaps upon me more and more. More responsibility. More things to do. More relationships to maintain. More problems to fix.

Bah, humbug!

Sorry. I DO have a point to make, and I DO plan on being optimistic about it, but optimism isn't natural for me. I'm not a glass-is-half-full kind of guy. I'm a glass-is-half-empty-with-a-crack-in-the-bottom-slowly-getting-emptier kind of guy. But that doesn't mean I don't have faith, or hope, or that I don't believe that with God all things are possible—even turning me into an optimist.

But life does have its frustrations, doesn't it? The older I get the more aware I become of the cultural issues and political differences around me.

Even in churches I'm becoming more aware of the vastly different beliefs people hold within Christianity.

Our church has gone through a few upheavals recently, which has drawn out some dramatically different beliefs among members of our congregation. Namely, the issue of Creation. Our church has held to a "young earth" point of view for some time, but some leaders in our church have recently revealed that they don't believe in a literal six day creation, and some members of the congregation share this point of view as well.

For anyone unfamiliar with this topic, the controversy, when boiled down, is very simple, though there are varying degrees of complexity which I won't get into. The basis of it is this:

Young Earth Creationists are people who believe that God created the earth in six 24-hours days. Based on the genealogies in Scripture from Adam to Jesus Christ, they conclude that the earth is somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 years old. It's the simplest interpretation of the first chapter of the book of Genesis. These people believe that we should take God at His word, that extracting any other kind of interpretation of this text involves over-thinking this very simple aspect of the Bible.

But there are those who don't believe that the word "day" in Genesis Chapter 1 refers to a literal 24-hour day, but rather a week, or in some cases thousands of years. They often point to Hebrews 4:4-11 which seems to indicate that God is still within his seventh day of rest. From this, they conclude that if the seventh day of creation is thousands of years long, then couldn't the other six days be just as long? That could imply, then, that the creation account took thousands and thousands of years!

Scripture is actually quite vague on the matter, and scholars have, are, and will continue to debate the merits of each point of view for ages.

The thing that surprises me is how vehemently some Christians will defend their positions, to the point of attacking each other and even leaving churches, when, in reality, this is largely a secondary issue. Does it really matter whether Creation was a literal six day creation or one that lasted thousands of years? Isn't the idea that the world came into existence through an all-knowing, loving Creator as opposed to being the result of billions of years of mutating goo far more important?

Christians need to get their priorities straight. There are billions of people in this world being deceived into thinking that they are nothing but primordial soup, when the Bible says that they are so much more. Billions of people are leaning on the plethora of crutches offered by the world—anti-depressants, alcohol, sex, money, status—when there is a God who loves them more than they can imagine because He created them. He made them. He formed them into exactly who they needed to be for a glorious purpose. Whether it took Him six days or seventy thousand years is hardly relevant when people's souls are in jeopardy.

It's fun—for me anyway—to debate the intricacies of Scripture, such as the creation account. There is nothing wrong with debating Scripture. In fact, it's good exercise for the mind and a good way of challenging us to really examine what we believe, but it can not—MUST not—overshadow the fact that we, as Christians, need to stand united against the lies of this world, fully ready to come alongside each other and defend the faith when needed.

Keep pinchin' :-)

Three Signs That Money (Or Lack Thereof) Has Become An Idol

In case you're new to our blog, here's what the wife and I are currently wrapped up in: selling our house. Yup, that's right—what we once thought was going to be our forever home is soon to be on the market.

Recently we were reevaluating our life priorities and realized that our house was holding us back. When we considered how important family is to us, how important our church is and the ways we want to serve God, we realized that it was time to downsize and find something cheaper.

Shortly after we published the blog post discussing some of the reasons why we were selling, a pastor friend emailed me an encouraging note. He said ever since Dani and I began doing the whole Financial Peace University thing his prayer for us has been that we wouldn't make "getting out of debt" an idol. I suppose that was always a danger. I mean, if money can become an idol for people who like to spend it, why couldn't it also become an idol for those who don't have it?

And I'm not talking about the usual concerns and struggles about making ends meet, nor do I think that making a concentrated effort to get out of debt is wrong. The Bible is rife with helpful advice on improving one's financial situation, and it also strongly warns about the dangers of debt. So, by all means, if you're in debt, get out!

When you make something an idol you basically make it more important than anything else in your life. That includes your faith, your relationships, your grades, your future... everything! And idols, if left unchecked, will eventually RUIN your life because they're RUNNING your life!

I think Dani and I have done well at not making our whole penny pinching thing an idol, but I definitely saw signs that we occasionally teetered toward the edge of making it one.

Here are three indicators that you might be making your financial woes too big of a concern in your life.


#1 Money Woes Are ALWAYS On Your Mind

Is your debt the first thing on your mind when you wake up? Does it keep you from falling asleep? Earning more, saving more, spending less, getting out of debt... thoughts along those lines that never go away are a good indicator that you're putting too much mental focus on the issue.

Along with its plethora of useful advice on money matters, the Bible also has some good advice for controlling our thoughts. It tells us to take every thought captive, to submit our thoughts to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) so that by casting our burdens on him we won't be so obsessed with the fears and worries of this life.

#2 Your Loved Ones Are Increasingly Frustrated With Your Money Talk
You may have to ask some loved ones for their opinions on this, but if you're conversations with other people are riddled with the subject of money you may just be a little to focused on it. A certain amount of money talk is healthy and necessary, but the subject shouldn't come up every day.

#3 Are These Types Of Thoughts Familiar To You?
“If I can just get out of debt, I’ll be happy.”

“Once we have a fully-funded emergency savings, I’ll relax.”

“When I finally get that raise, everything will be perfect.”

"If I had a better job we wouldn't be so strapped for cash."

"If she'd just stop spending money we could pay off more debt."

"Why does everything he has to buy cost so much?"

“If I only have [fill in the blank]…”

This is called "destination thinking," because you're always looking toward a place you can't reach because of circumstances. This type of thinking is like poison. As soon as you start saying, "If only..." you'll just find yourself wondering more often, "If only..." ... "If only..." ...

Here's the reality: if your joy is dependent on reaching your financial goals you'll never have anything but disappointment. New goals are born every day... every minute, even. Whether it's financial goals, physical goals, education goals, or career goals, there will always be a new goal in your life the moment another goal is achieved.

Just check out Solomon’s experience with this subject in the book of Ecclesiastes. If this wealthy, powerful king couldn’t find satisfaction through money, no one can. Ask God to help you find true contentment in Him. Nothing else will fully satisfy.

Financial idolatry is real, and it is alive and well in America today. But recognizing it in our lives is half the battle, as well as the first step toward rooting it out.

Keep pinchin' :-)

The Horrendous Healthcare Hunt, Part 2: The Why

Stock photo by Kurhan
www.freeimages.com

I know. I know! I said I was done shaking my fist at the government in my last post about healthcare, but the truth is I just don't shake my fist as often. Still, every time the subject of healthcare comes up I turn toward Washington and extend an obscene finger—not really, but I'm thinking it.

And Dani and I are not alone. There isn't a single person we know who doesn't roll their eyes at the mention of our country's laughable "affordable" healthcare system. Almost everyone within our circle of family and friends has had to make radical life adjustments to their finances, their jobs, or living arrangements in order to be able to afford the massive expense of Obamacare.

Dani and I have been on the hunt for affordable healthcare for the last couple of months, looking at several Christian sharing programs. We'll blog about what we've found on a later date—so stay tuned—but for now I wanted to address the "whys" behind our reasoning.

Yes, it has a lot to do with the fact that we literally cannot afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act—informally known as Obamacare, which is what I will call it from this point on because I can't type "AFFORDABLE Care Act" without laughing so hysterically that I lose the ability to type. But, seriously, we CAN NOT afford it. We would have to go hungry or forgo putting gas in the car or not pay our mortgage in order to get the government's insurance.

But there are other reasons that we oppose it—reasons I believe every Christian should hold to.

WHY #1: Caring for the sick isn't the government's job.
Let me paint a picture for you. I love my wife. I'm sure that you want me to love my wife. You can desire for me to love my wife all you want, but it's not your role to love my wife FOR me. You would be taxing yourself too much if you tried to love my wife... and your neighbor's wife... and all the wives in the world. It's just not up to you.

The same goes for the government regarding health care (among other things). The government's role is to do things like protect our borders, execute justice, and fight threats (Romans 13:4, 1 Peter 2:13-14, the Preamble to the Constitution). They are not tasked with caring for the sick.

What begins to happen when the government steps in and starts doing things it's not supposed to be doing is tyranny. In regards to health insurance, when the government starts handling healthcare it cannot help but intrude upon people's lives and impede their freedoms.

WHY #2: Obamacare creates bondage, not freedom.
An addict is enslaved to their own addiction. A non-believer is in bondage to sin. Obamacare claims to allow choice, but does so within such strict confines that true freedom doesn't exist. In actuality, Obamacare creates bondage. When we do not have the freedom to choose if or how we want to spend our earnings, then we are in bondage. And with Obamacare we are in bondage to the government.

Scripture is clear on this: God hates slavery. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to free us from slavery to sin. The Apostle Paul warns us not to become slaves to men (1 Corinthians 7:23).

Ultimately, Obamacare is theft, but, unfortunately, our government has come to believe that the ends justify the means. Stealing from one person to give to another—even if it is for a good cause—has become acceptable. Anytime money is taken from us involuntarily to fulfill a purpose not expressly stated in our Constitution, it is theft, even if it's for a good cause.

WHY #3: Obamacare violates Biblical truths that we hold sacred.

One of the worst aspects of Obamacare is that it forces Christians to violate their conscience and subsidize things like abortions, sterilizations, and contraceptives. The government should not put itself above the Christian principles upon which it was founded. In the New Testament, Peter says that Christians must obey God before men (Act 5:29). And when it comes to Obamacare, we will NOT participate if it means murdering innocent babies.

WHY #4: Lowering healthcare costs through the government is a lie.
One of the biggest lies perpetuated by Obamacare is that government regulation can lower healthcare costs. But think about this: the government gets its money from the people it governs. If it decides to enact a massively expensive healthcare program, who is going to pay for it? The people of course! When the government demands that everyone have health insurance, healthcare costs are going to increase for two reasons: 1) demand increases, and 2) competition decreases. Government oversight actually raises healthcare costs exponentially.

The goal in any free economy should be to shop for good medical care like you shop for a good mechanic. With healthy, economical competition among healthcare providers, costs go down. This is what should happen in a free society. This is the kind of society our forefathers wanted to establish, and the kind of society my grandfather fought for.

WHY #5: America needs to become more responsible with its debt.
Obamacare has inflated our national debt beyond anything anyone ever could have imagined. We are currently spending as a nation more money than we possess. This is NOT good financial stewardship! This is NOT being responsible! God's warnings against debt are all throughout Scripture, and they don't apply just to individuals, but families, businesses, and nations too.

For Dani and I, the main reasons for not wanting to be a part of Obamacare is the way it violates our Biblical beliefs, robs us of our freedom of choice, and the massive expense of it. We are hopeful that some day a different solution will be found, but until then the horrendously time-consuming, difficult task of finding affordable healthcare continues.

Keep pinchin' :-)

Click here to read "The Horrendous Healthcare Hunt Begins."

10 Financial Principles Straight From The Bible

It amazes me that Dani and I, who both grew up in Christian homes, who were both saved at young ages, didn't start learning all of this financial stuff until we were married. In the 16 months since taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University we have discovered a whole world of biblically-based financial advisors, blogs, websites, books, and more that talk about managing your money from a God perspective.

Neither of us learned this growing up. I never once heard it preached from a pulpit. I never remember hearing it on Christian radio. Maybe the whole trend of managing money God's way is just now starting to catch on, but I also think it's sad that more pastors don't preach this stuff. The more I learn, the more I think, "It's so obvious! Why didn't I get this sooner, and why aren't more people doing it?"

Here are 10 financial principles straight out of the Bible that I'm, A) stunned I never heard about before, and, B) want to pass on to someone else so they don't waste their life digging themselves into debt. Because, let's face it folks, America isn't getting any better. The government is not going to protect your assets, your 401k, or even your hard-earned retirement. Don't count on it. Put your trust in the only thing that has proven trustworthy: God. The following financial principles are tried and true. They're real, and if put into practice will change your financial future.

1. God is the source of everything. Learn this. Learn it now and it will make the rest of your life a lot easier. All throughout Scripture we're taught that everything we have comes from God and we give it out of His hands. God owns it all, from the earth (Psalm 24:1) to all the silver and gold (Haggai 2:8) to me and you (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).


2. Giving isn't a good thing to do, it is an ESSENTIAL thing to do. Like I blogged about yesterday, Deuteronomy 14:23 tells us that tithing wasn't created for God's benefit, but ours, to teach us that God comes first. The Bible encourages us to give a tithe to the Lord (Proverbs 3:9, 10) from the "first fruits" of our earnings—yes, that's before taxes. The book of Hebrews suggests a tithe should be 10%.


3. You've got to allow some room in your life for the unexpected to happen. By all means, make your plans and live out your plans, but do so with an understanding that God may ask you to do something different. The Apostle Paul was running around murdering Christians when God radically changed the direction of his life. The same goes for the disciples, as well as Jonah, Job, and countless other Biblical figures.


4. Set something aside for a rainy day. The Bible says that only a fool spends everything he has, but in the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil (Proverbs 21:20). We should all be setting aside a little bit of what we have because no one is exempt from hard times. A house fire. A lost job. Sickness. The Bible essentially says that not planning for hard times is idiotic.


5. Avoid unnecessary debt. As I've written about before, the Bible doesn't necessarily condemn or condone debt, but it does strongly caution against it. In fact Proverbs 22:7 essentially calls anyone who is in debt a "slave to the lender." Debt isn't usually worth it. Stay clear of it.


6. Be content with what you have. Despite what cultural philosophy might tell you, happiness is not found in the "American dream" or by having more money, better cars, or bigger homes. Scripture teaches that covetousness and lust are wayward desires of the flesh that just pull us away from Christ. Just read The Ten Commandments.


7. Keep records. People who run their businesses without keeping records are morons. Their businesses fail. No intelligent person would run a business like that, yet it's how we run our lives every day. Proverbs 21:23 says to be diligent in knowing the state of your wealth, and 1 Timothy 5:8 says—and this is the heavy one—"If anyone does not provide for his own, especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." So know what you've got and what you're doing with it.


8. Don't go into debt with someone else. Cosigning on a loan? I'd hesitate on that one. Proverbs 27:13 suggests that poorest credit risk you could take is to agree to pay someone else's debt. Think about it, the only reason a lender requires a co-signer is if they don't trust the borrower to pay the money back. If you agree to cosign, this means that the lender is smarter than you!


9. Don't be afraid of hard work. The Bible doesn't pull any punches on this one. God values labor, and richly rewards those who aren't afraid to work hard (Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 28:19). This whole concept of work is all throughout Scripture. God worked to create the world (Genesis 1:1), and when Jesus called the disciples away from their fishing, it wasn't so they could just follow Him around and listen to Him preach, it was to make them "fishers of men." A different kind of work.


10. Seek Godly counsel. The Bible says that people who seek the counsel of the Godly are blessed (Psalm 1:1, Proverbs 15:22). If you need financial advice, don't talk to friends and family members who are just as in debt as you are. Talk to your pastor, your elders, and, above all, seek God's guidance through prayer and His Word. And be prepared to hear hard things because they're most likely going to tell you that some of your financial decisions are downright stupid. But if they won't tell you, who will? And if they don't tell you, where does the roller coaster of spending and debt end?

Keep pinchin' :-)

This blog was inspired by an article by Christian financial advisor George Fooshee. Click here to read his 10 biblical financial tips.

Is It OK To Stop Tithing To Pay Off Debt?

Is it permissible to stop tithing if you have a mountain of debt to pay off? Is this acceptable to God?

The simple answer is... sure. Cutting back, or stopping, tithing if you're in serious debt is OK. The Bible doesn't say anything about it one way or another. It's clear from Scripture that tithing is very important to God, but it's also clear that He doesn't want us to be in debt. He wants to be able to use us to the fullest extent, but while we are beholden to mortgages and student loans and credit card companies, our potential is hindered. Matthew 6:24 says no one can serve two masters, especially God and money.

The more complicated side of the issue is your heart. Are you truly making every effort to get out of debt? Are you just using your debt as an excuse not to tithe? Those are the kinds of heart questions that make this more of a gray area, but let's take a closer look at what Scripture says about money and tithing, then I'll wrap it up with a few questions for you that should help you decide for yourself whether you should stop tithing.

First off, we should never minimize the importance of giving to the Lord. Sacrificial giving is part of God's plan for every believer. It was created, not for God's benefit, but ours. It was designed to teach us how to keep God first in our lives. Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor the Lord with the first fruits of our labor, and cautions that those who give minimally with a reluctant heart won't receive the riches of the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:7, Proverbs 11:24).

We see in the Old Testament that tithing was how God chose to meet the material needs of the priests who also worked at meeting the needs of the poor. To this day tithing is how our churches support our pastors and missionaries. I think it is shameful for any Christian to splurge on life comforts and material things for themselves, but not give to support their local church. In Malachi 3:8, God condemned the Israelites for not tithing, saying, "You are robbing Me!"

And, just to clarify, what is a "tithe?" The writer of the book of Hebrews reveals that a tithe is generally considered to be a tenth of your earnings, (Hebrews 7:5). A lot of people wonder, "Is that before or after taxes?" That's a question that scholars have argued about for centuries, but to me the answer is simple: God first. Why? Because he's God! Yes, I know Scripture tells us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's (Mark 12:17), meaning, give the government the taxes it demands, no matter how unfair it seems, but Scripture says to give God the "first fruits," not the government.

So it should be clear to us that tithing is a pretty big deal to God. Unfortunately recent studies have shown that giving among evangelicals over the last decade has declined to Depression-era lows—less than 3% of Christians are giving charitably. That's a staggeringly low number, and it should be an embarrassing statistic to any believer.

Now what about debt? Well, God is pretty serious about that too. The Bible says that people who borrow money become slaves to the lenders (Proverbs 22:7). God hates slavery. He sent his own Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to free us from slavery to sin. God wants our lives to be lived free in every way—free from addictions, free from selfishness, from spiritual death, free from creditors and debt. We are told to owe no one anything except to love, (Romans 13:8). So, again, the Bible's position is clear: debt is bad.

But tithing is good.

How do we figure this out?

Let's say you're in debt up to your eyeballs—if you don't get the electric bill paid this week it's going to be shut off; creditors are calling your house every day asking for money; you're in deep in a big way. In this case it would not be wrong to decrease giving, or stop giving entirely, temporarily, to pay off debt.

But consider these three questions first:

1. Are there other areas of spending that I could cut out first? If you're still splurging on expensive coffee, dining out, entertainment, luxury clothes, or other unnecessary things, perhaps the expense of tithing isn't your biggest problem. Perhaps you should cut back in other areas first.


2. Do I even really want to give to the Lord? God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), but if you're grumbling and complaining every time you drop a check in the offering plate then that's evidence of a heart issue that goes a lot deeper than tithing or not tithing.


3. Are there other ways I can give to the Lord during my tithing hiatus? I learned this from my sister a few years ago when she had to take a break from tithing for financial reasons. During that time she tried to serve at church more and give more of her time. You might want to consider doing this until you get your financial feet back under you.

No matter what you decide, be sure to pray about it so that you can be certain that giving up tithing will actually benefit you. Dave Ramsey says that many people have observed that after they stopped tithing their finances actually got worse. In the book of Malachi, God promises that if you do not rob Him of your tithing He will rebuke your devourers and protect you. Might the opposite also be true?

Dave Ramsey also says if you can't live off 90% of your income, then you probably can't live off 100% either, so that 10% that you don't give to the Lord isn't going to help you much anyway. Dani and I have decided to tithe no matter what, and God has graciously enabled us to be able to do that, so I think if you really look at your budget you can find a way to make it work and still give to the Lord. Nobody should beat you up about it if you can't, but pray about it, read the Bible, and if/when you tithe be sure you do it out of a love for God, not guilt.

Keep pinchin' :-)

Trusting Him Without Borders: Part One

Hey! Dani here. Lately the idea of going through trials or testings has been on my mind a lot. Between a sermon at our church, and then having some dear family go through a rather difficult ordeal, it's been hard not to think about the difficulties of life.

In my selfish, finite mind I don't want any part of suffering, trials, tribulation or testings. It probably doesn't help that I've been born and raised in the USA where we have freedoms and riches in abundance, where trials that are a normal part of every day life for the rest of the world just don't exist. So does that mean I should expect not to suffer? I would like to say yes, but unfortunately I can't say that anymore.

Scripture makes it clear that testing and trials are part of our faith. At times God allows Satan to test, try and tempt us in order for us to grow stronger, for our true self to be revealed. Like Job.

In the book of James it goes so far to say that we should count it a joy when we face trials because it produces patience, and we are to let patience have it's perfect work in us that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

If you look at the lives of the men in the New Testament that were followers of Jesus they had some of the most horrific things happen to them—they were thrown in jail, stoned, run out of towns, and many of them were ultimately martyred for their faith in Christ. But they never wavered in that faith, no matter what they faced.

I feel like right now I'm at a crossroad where I have to decide if I'm really serious about my relationship with Christ. Will I choose to stand firm no matter what I might face, or will I run at the first sign of hardship?

The song Oceans by Hillsong United has been on my heart and mind for over a week now. Check it out below.

This is what I want to be true of me, to allow Christ to lead me wherever He wants, knowing it will be further than I would ever choose to go on my own, but also knowing it will make my faith stronger and make my trust in Him to have no borders. When trials and testings come I want my first response to be to rest in His embrace, not to run for the hills and build an underground bunker.

Come back tomorrow to learn about some of the specific ways I want to allow Christ to lead me beyond where I would choose to go.

Keep pinchin' :-)

It's A Man's Responsibility

There's a Bible verse that gives men a charge to provide financially for their families. Oddly enough, even though I grew up in a Christian lifestyle, I never once heard that verse that I can recall. In fact, it wasn't until I was in my thirties that I came across this verse, and when I did it hit me like a ton of bricks.

"But if any provide not for his own, especially for those of his own household, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." —I Timothy 5:8

How could I have missed this? Are parents just not teaching this? Are pastors not preaching about it? Or is my generation so wrapped-up in its petty self-absorption that verses like this just go in one ear and out the other? I mean, "worse than an unbeliever"? That's what God calls men who don't provide for their families, and that's a pretty grievous statement.

I've come to believe that it is incumbent upon me as the man to lead in the area of our finances. I can't just step back and leave it up to my wife, but nor do I want to lock her out of the process either. I, and all men, need to step up, take the reins, and lead the way.

The Bible says that men are to model Jesus Christ to their wives, that they are to "love her as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25). Christ has promised to provide everything that we (the church) need, and so, as men modeling the behavior of Christ, it is our duty to do our best to meet the needs of our wives.

Marriage is a financial venture and the husband has a responsibility to finance/support/provide for his family. As a husband, I need to realize that when it comes to money my earnings are not my own. They belong to my wife and my (someday) children.

Keep pinchin' :-)

A Different Sort of Mindset from the "Gimme Culture"

Dani has chosen the word "Faithfulness" for 2014, and has chosen a few different ways in which she wants to be more faithful this year.

If Faithfulness is our word for 2014, I'd have to say our word for 2013 was "Submission." I don't know, it was just the word that kept popping up into my mind all year. It was our first year together as husband and wife and so there was a lot of learning how to submit to one another in marriage. There was a lot of submitting to God as we brought our marriage before Him, as well as any issues that arose with the house we bought or the property we owned.

But I think the biggest reason the word Submission kept coming to mind is how we learned to submit our finances to God. After taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, I really began to understand how nothing I own is really mine. It all belongs to God. My paycheck. My savings. My home. It's all His. Dani and I are merely stewards of what He has given us. And the more we have recognized His authority over our finances, and the more we have practiced submitting to that authority, the more the Lord has blessed us financially.

This is completely counter-intuitive for many people. Our culture today is very selfish and people have little financial accountability—moreover they don't want any. We're a "Gimme!" society that wants more, gives less, and fiercely guards the meager portion that we have. But God calls us to let go. We need to be willing to take what we have and lay it at His feet. Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever can be trusted with little, can be trusted with much."

And then you've got to be willing to ask Him for more. Dani and I spent many nights praying together, asking the Lord to bless us with extra work and extra income to help us pay off our mortgage, and He has faithfully provided month after month, but I can't help but think that the whole submission aspect is a big part of that.

The more we submit our finances to God, and the more we acknowledge that everything we have comes from Him, and the more we seek His will for all that we have, the more He blesses.

Keep pinchin' :-)

It's The Jake 'n' Dani G. Show On WLTN

Dani and I had the unique privilege of being on an hour-long radio show this past Friday to talk about our "Penny Pinching" rap video, getting out of debt, Dave Ramsey, and our faith... oh yeah, and Batman.

During the interview I butchered my explanation of Dave Ramsey's term "Gazelle Intensity," but the point remained the same even if some of my facts were wrong. Dave coined the term "Gazelle Intensity" after reading Proverbs 6:4-5, which says, "Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter..."

A Cheetah can run about 75 miles per hour, and it can hit that speed in less time than most sports cars. It is the fastest animal on earth. In a straight-line run, a Gazelle doesn't stand a chance, which is why the Gazelle has learned to bob and weave and run in circles until the Cheetah gets too tired to continue the pursuit.

FACT: The gazelle is only caught by the cheetah 1 in 19 times. (This fact is correct. Dave Ramsey says so.)

And Dave's point is this: when you're struggling to break free from the suffocating noose of credit card companies, student loans, and bills, you need Gazelle Intensity. You've got to dig down deep and find that inner determination to fight like your life depends on it. Think of all you could do if you were free from your financial burdens—save, invest, build for your children's future.

It took a while for Dani and I to find that intensity, but once we did it became a game: "How much can we save this month?" "Do you think we can come in even further under budget?" Battling debt with "Gazelle Intensity" has became fun, but it is not always easy. At times, it's still something we have to fight for.

Here are a few snippets from our radio interview on WLTN 96.7:

—Batman Shirt Friday (2:19)
—The Importance of Budgeting (2:30)
—Going to the Extreme to Save (3:24)

And if you haven't seen our rap video, here's why we're almost close to being in the vicinity of nearly famous: Penny Pinching Rap.

Keep pinchin' :-)

Why It's Important to Have A Budget

Having a budget is more than just good practice. It's smart. It helps protect you and your family. It creates a plan for your money that would, otherwise, just evaporate over time.

Moreover, did you know that budgeting is recommended in Scripture? Odd as it may seem to some, the Bible is rife with good advice—advice that most people accept as common sense today.

• You've heard it said that misery loves company, that positive people are more uplifting to be around? Well Proverbs 17:22 says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."


• Most people are familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. His dour outlook is exactly what Proverbs 28:27 says will happen to those who close their eyes to the poor.


• Physical fitness is a big deal in our world today, but we know that over-emphasis on physical attributes tends to lead to shallow character. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says physical fitness is all well and good, but it doesn't hold a candle to the eternal value of grooming good character.


• We all know the value of a good reputation, yes? Well the Bible established that fact in Proverbs 22:1 where it says a good name is worth way more than great riches.

There are literally hundreds of other examples of modern, practical advice that we could glean from Scripture. This advice has been passed down from the Bible for centuries because it works.

So when the Bible starts telling us about the value of budgeting, that it's important to know the state of our wealth (Proverbs 27:23), our ears should tune in.

"Don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if he has enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise he might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh! 'See that fellow there?’ they would mock. ‘He started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’" —Luke 14:28-30 (Living Bible)

In other words, don't go buy a car unless you know you can afford it! Do the math! Check the numbers! Being diligent about our finances is what God wants us to do.

And there's a dire warning in 1 Timothy 5:8 to those who don't take good care of their affairs:

"If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Whoa. "Worse than an unbeliever." That's heavy. There should be no doubt in our minds that God thinks it's pretty important for us to not only know the state of our wealth, but form a plan for our finances. One reason for this might be because God knows that life has its ups and downs. Scripture advises us to "store up grain" so that "we may not perish during the famine," (Genesis 41:35-36).

Budgeting is something God suggests we do to help keep ourselves and our families safe. And, according to Proverbs 21:5, blessings abound for those who are diligent with what they have. So...

Keep pinchin' :-)

Diligence: Excellence Over Time

If I could pick two words to describe the American culture of 60 years ago it would be "hard-working" and "diligence"—two things I think we need a lot more of in today's world. Because if I could pick two words to describe the American culture of today it would be "laziness" and "convenience."

Our culture today has become one of immediacy, self-gratification, and ease. Our advertising campaigns are rife with slogans that make us think we need it bigger, better, faster, sooner, with more convenience, more easiness, more simplicity...

• Have it your way —Burger King
• Because I'm worth it —L'Oreal
• That was easy —Staples

GEICO's slogan from a few years ago, "It's so easy a caveman can do it," implies that if you don't get this insurance than you're dumb, you're behind the times, you're obsolete, you need to get with the modern program. And there are countless other slogans that suggest the same attitude.

Credit card companies suck is into believing that without a credit card we can't do anything...

• There are some things money can't buy —MasterCard
• It's all about you —All Hilal Bank
• Do more —American Express
• Take the waiting out of wanting —Access
• What matters most —Chase
  (What's really interesting about this one is if you read it this way: Chase: what matters most.)

Many people who don't have a lot of money are tricked into believing that if they can't walk into Walmart and buy a $1,500 flatscreen TV then they are not as cool as their friends. So they get a Visa card because, according to the commercial, "Life takes Visa."

As with almost anything in this world, this belief that we need to borrow money to live is contrary to Scripture. The Bible is clear that those who are faithful with their money will abound with blessings, but those who hasten to be rich will fall (Proverbs 28:20).

Millionaire Donald Trump once said, "Most people who try to get rich quick end up going broke instead." Granted, this is the same man who once also said, "It really doesn't matter what they say about you as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of a**," but, regardless, he's absolutely right about the first quote.

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." —Hebrews 12:11

Thomas Jefferson, one of our most quotable presidents, once said, "If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done."

And that's the way it is with good money management—you've got to be willing to go against the grain of what's popular, step out on a limb, trust in God, and do something you maybe have never done before. And, guess what, it means you're not going to get everything you want right now, today, and with no effort, but that's ok because the best things in life are worth the diligence they require.

Keep pinchin' :-)

Why It's Important To Live Debt Free

If you were to ask me why my wife and I are penny pinching, why we believe in a good budget, or why it's important to us, I could quickly rattle off a few reasons.

• I like stuff, and by saving money now I'll be able to buy more stuff later


• I want a Mustang someday and getting out of debt will help me get that


• I like making my wife happy. Happy wife, happy life, right?


• I like not being independent and not obligated to credit card companies

Notice that each one of those points starts with "I." They're all very selfish, I admit it. It's like Dave Ramsey says in his Financial Peace University, "Live now like nobody else so that tomorrow you can live like nobody else." Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning selfishness, and the list above is meant to be taken in jest, but my point is: there are many good personal reasons for penny pinching.

But there's a deeper reason, and a far more important one. God doesn't like debt. Romans 13:8 advises believers to owe nothing to anyone except love. At the same time, however, the Bible does not explicitly command against all forms of debt, nor does it expressly forbid or condone the borrowing of money. Essentially, the Bible offers a strong warning when it comes to borrowing money, saying that debt makes the borrower a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).

Slavery. That's not something God likes either. He sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to earth to die in order to get us out of slavery to sin. The problem with slavery is that it holds us back. It pins us down. A bird that's tethered to a cage can't fly. For this reason there's a lot of Christian ministries and organizations that won't hire other Christians to work for them if they have a lot of debt. When you're tethered to a bank loan or a credit lending agency, you're held back from serving God to the fullest. I'm not saying you can't serve Him at all or do mighty works for His Kingdom, but just imagine the heights you could soar if you weren't tied down to a monthly house payment or student loans.

The Bible says that the plans of those who are diligent with their money lead to wealth (Proverbs 21:5), and that those who are faithful with what they earn will abound with blessings (Proverbs 28:20).

Paying off debt is about more than just financial freedom. It's about spiritual freedom. And I believe we should make it our priority as Christians to get out of debt as soon as possible so we can experience all that God has for us.

Keep pinchin' :-)

My Word For Next Year....

After much careful thought and consideration about this past year, I have come up with my 2014 word for the year. Dun, dun, da dun! ... FAITHFULNESS.

I felt like this word perfectly encompassed what I want to work toward this next year. As I thought about 2013 and what I wanted to see different for 2014 I thought of things like:

• Faithfulness in our finances. I want us to continue slaying our debt like we have this past year by spending wisely and having the wisdom to know how to best use the resources God has blessed us with.


• Faithfulness in living a healthy lifestyle. In previous years I have been good about running in the summer, of consistently walking or participating in some other type of exercise, but 2013 proved to be challenging in this area. In 2014 I want to not only see myself be more faithful in exercising, but also in eating healthy.


• Faithfulness in being good stewards of the homestead God has blessed us with. I think we can do this by learning how to better care for the plants and trees we have in our yard, and also continuing to work on projects in and around our house.


• Faithfulness in continuing to work on being the wife my husband needs me to be. I want to get better at supporting him. I want to study him so as to learn more about him so that one day I'll have my Ph.D. in Jake :-) I think right now I may still be in elementary school!

But more importantly than all of the other areas I want to be more faithful in my personal quiet time, prayer life, and spiritual growth. Without that I might as well forget about the rest.

I think my verse to go with Faithfulness for the year will be Luke 16:10-12:

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?"

What are some of the areas you want to change in 2014?

Keep Pinchin' :-)

The Night I Was Kind of Sad

As I write this, I'm kind of sad.

In three days I've had three friends antagonize me about three different things. It doesn't matter what or why, just pointless arguments started because they wanted to push their opinions on me. I drafted lengthy replies that clearly stated my case—and, in my own mind, proved that I was right—but I discarded all of them. I've got bigger things in my life going on than the petty mumbo-jumbo that these people are trying to argue with me.

And, from my point of view, I can see the unhappiness in their lives and know that the only reason they're attacking me is because of their own insecurity. And the longer I wrote and edited, and wrote and edited my eloquent replies, the more irritated I got. And before I knew it I had wasted two hours of my life and had accomplished nothing.

I'm not an optimist by any means, but I'm also usually smart enough to know that when someone is bringing me down I need to just put them out of my life, at least for a while. A Bible verse that keeps coming to my mind is when Jesus warned his followers to "not cast  their pearls before swine." (Matthew 7:6) Essentially he was saying that some people are so stubborn that they won't listen to your reason no matter how well-worded or convincing your logic is. Don't waste your time with these people! There is ripe fruit elsewhere that can be picked.

I think this verse comes to mind so much because in recent years people have become so fiercely opinionated. Very few people are willing to listen anymore, and fewer are willing to consider the question, "What if I'm wrong?"

Now I'm not implying that I never argue or that I don't try to talk sense into people, because at times I do, but more often than not I come to the conclusion that this person isn't interested in listening to me, and so I move on. It's hard to do, and it makes me sad, but that's why I'm sitting here right now.

Right now my wife is in bed, sleeping off a long three days of work. She's so smart, and fun, and creative. She just got a new haircut, and it's a dramatic difference, but she's so beautiful. And she is the reason I'm doing this whole "penny pinching" craziness. I long to make her happy, and having her light up my life the way she does motivates me to strive all the harder toward financial peace. Thinking about her lightens my burdens. In fact, I'm smiling already.

Keep pinchin' :-)