Author: richabbaholyabba

Jesus’ Greatest Challenge to Believers

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So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus said, ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…’

How we, as Christians, manage our finances will either lead us closer to, or further away from that goal. This is what God has been teaching me this year.

While discussing this over the weekend, with my wife, I shared one of the areas in which God had challenged me in relation to this verse. There are 84 daylight hours in a week. How many of those are spent seeking the kingdom of God? How many are spent seeking a paycheck? Do the math…

Sadly, I have to admit that I have been tried and tested… and found wanting. However, my wife asked me, ‘What about the scripture that says…’

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters .

Colossians 3:23

‘Does that not mean that we should consider the jobs we do, as working for the Lord?’ she asked.

Of course, I could lead with the fact that this scripture was addressed to New Testament slaves who were believers but whose duty was to their owners (read Colossians 3:22). As such, they had no choice in the matter. However, as I pondered the question, God led my thinking in a different direction.

‘OK, let’s consider it this way,’ I replied. ‘Say I have a business/investment opportunity to earn $1M a year. I will need to wake up early and devote 10-12 hours each day to my task, five or six days a week. It will be exhausting and will leave me with little time or energy for anything else. In fact, it may mean I miss dinner with the family on a regular basis.

‘Yes, I will probably miss the kids’ sporting events and a concert or two. However, if I can prove myself, I could earn even more! By the end of five years, I will earn $3M/year — and by the end of ten years, I will earn $10M/year.

‘The price is time; I will have less time, than I might otherwise have had, to attend church meetings, get involved in ministry or share the gospel with others. However, I intend to approach this undertaking as working for the Lord. So that should make it OK, right?’

My wife frowned, pondering this for a moment. ‘Well — no. Umm’ I could almost hear her Built-in Christian Love-of-Money Alarm Bell ringing.

‘Why not?’ I concluded. ‘The only thing I’ve changed in that line of reasoning is the number.’

Seek First the Kingdom

seek first the kingdom

Of course, my wife’s conclusion was correct. Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God. It follows that it is not OK to sacrifice that calling for $10M/year. However, if that is true, then it is equally wrong to sacrifice the calling for a more moderate salary like, say, $40K/year. Or $20K/year. While the numbers may be smaller, the heart attitude is the same. And we don’t get to justify our choices by asserting that the work we do is as working for the Lord.

This is a hard truth but I believe in the tough love. Jesus set the bar extremely high and I know I fall way short of that standard. I suspect there are many other believers in the same boat. It is why we need his grace. It is OK to admit that we fall short of God’s perfect standard, as long as we acknowledge our weakness and seek his forgiveness. Beyond that, we need to ask God to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit and give us wisdom to make the right choices; choices that aim to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

There are 84 daylight hours in a week. How many of those are spent seeking the kingdom of God? How many are spent seeking a paycheck? Do the math…

Rich Abba, Holy Abba

I would submit that those choices should include financial decisions that will create the freedom in our lives to seek first the kingdom of God.

When we save money and eradicate debt by learning to be content with what we already have, we become less beholden to demanding jobs that drain all of our time and energy.

When we begin to invest our savings by learning to overcome the fear of losing what we already have, we create additional income streams that supplement our existing income and reduce our dependence on job security.

When we grow in wisdom and begin making sound financial decisions by learning to overcome greed, we begin to grow our asset base and create the freedom to seek the kingdom.

We do all of this in our eternal quest to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This means focusing on how we can seek first the kingdom in our lives right now — and making decisions that will create the freedom to spend even more time and energy seeking his kingdom in the future.

Obviously it is impossible to address all of these issues in a single post. If you are interested to know more, check out the link below. There, you can download a free copy of The Wise Man & the Fool. This short story takes the reader on a journey through scripture as it follows the lives of two men trying to make their way in the world. The wise man heeds the word of the Lord and the wisdom of Solomon; the foolish man does not.

Download Your Copy Now

The Wise Man & the Fool

Are you seeking more wisdom from God’s word in respect of managing finances? .

— Happy Reading

The Total Money Makeover

Posted on by richabbaholyabba

Sound, Practical Advice

Available on Amazon.com

This is a great book with sound, practical advice and a step-by-step plan to rid yourself of debt once and for all. Written primarily for a Christian audience, however the advice is universal.

A great read for anyone who is struggling financially and looking for a way out of debt. Dave Ramsey is an accomplished author and this book does not disappoint.

NOTE: This website receives no referral income from Amazon or the author for this review

How to Create the Freedom to Seek the Kingdom

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So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus spoke these words with reference to how Christians should think about, approach, and deal with money in their lives. Not in terms of pursuing riches but, rather, in terms of day-to-day living; paying bills, making rent and putting food on the table. What we eat, what we drink or what we wear.

Learn what the Bible says about managing money and

BUY NOW ON AMAZON.COM

seek the kingdom - the wise man and the fool

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness — that was Jesus’ instruction. How Christians manage their day-to-day finances will either lead them closer to, or further away from that goal.

Many believers today prefer not to think about money at all — and many believers live their entire lives locked in a place of constant financial struggle. Instead of seeking the kingdom of God, they find themselves living from paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet.  These sincere, and hard-working, believers often grudgingly accept this as their lot in life without ever understanding why they find themselves in this position.

In truth, God’s word offers an abundance of wisdom on the subject of money and how to manage it — if we only take the time to look. And there lies freedom!

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness! How we manage our finances will either lead us closer to, or further away from that goal.

Rich Abba, Holy Abba

Freedom to Seek the Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 - seek the kingdom

Many of these scriptures are found in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, both penned by Solomon, the wise king of Israel. While these verses are seldom taught from the pulpit or studied in Daily Devotionals, they are as much a part of the Bible as oft-quoted verses like John 3:16 that Christians across the world know and love so well. They may not deal with the great themes of our Christian walk but they are still very much a part of God’s word.

If you would like to understand how to create freedom to seek the kingdom by managing your day-to-day finances, get this book AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON.COM!

This parable-like story takes the reader on a journey through scripture. It follows the lives of two men trying to make their way in the world. The wise man heeds the word of the Lord and the wisdom of Solomon. The foolish man does not.

Happy reading!

One Surprising Bible Verse — a Practical Lesson in Seeking Advice

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Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed.

Proverbs 15:22

Recently, I noticed a lot of noise about Bitcoin as a great asset class for investors.

The property market, my preferred asset class, was rising and viable new investments were getting harder to come by. Like many investors, I began considering alternative investment opportunities. In short, I was looking for a place to park my money until the property market corrects and prices drop once more.

Bitcoin appeared to be the hot new topic on the lips of many. Not one to dive in and bet everything on red based a few hot tips, I did a bit of research of my own…

… and then I applied Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed.

Plans Fail for Lack of Counsel

plans fail for lack of counsel

When God’s word asserts that plans fail for lack of counsel, I take heed.

I reached out to an online group of fellow-investors and asked them why they believed Bitcoin was a good place to put my money — or why not, as the case may be. In the next twenty-four hours, I gained a deeper understanding of Bitcoin, and Crypto-Currency investment in general, than I had amassed in the previous seven years.

Do I know everything? No. However, I got access to valuable online tools and resources for future research. My fellow-investors explained what was driving the current phenomenal price-rise — and what might cause future crashes. I learned about aspects of this asset class I had never really understood, like mining for Bitcoin and other currencies (not something that interests me, FYI).

I learned why many investors believe it will continue to rise and I learned why other investors believe it will fail.

I walked away with a more solid understanding of what it means to invest in this asset class and, if I chose to invest, how I might approach that.

Off the back of that counsel, I have the following take-aways:

  • Bitcoin is high-risk, high reward — so I should invest only small amounts of capital that I am willing to lose
  • This asset class is too volatile to park money earmarked for alternative use, like property investment
  • With a 1 in 16 Trillion chance of mining a Bitcoin, mining is not a viable strategy for me (FYI Lottery offers a 1 in 45 Million chance of winning)
  • There are many alterative crypto-currencies other than Bitcoin. All have a similar risk profile
  • I should focus the bulk of my capital on more stable asset classes
  • Viable property investment opportunities are still out there so I should not blindly write off my existing investment strategy

NOTE: This article should NOT be construed as investment advice. It is a personal testimony to illustrate the wisdom of seeking counsel, as shown in scripture (Proverbs 15:22). Please seek professional advice when considering any investment opportunity.

Most of all, I received some valuable clarity about my own position, what I was really asking and what it meant for my overall investment strategy.

But with Many Advisers, They Succeed

Here is some wise counsel that one particular adviser offered.

Let’s ignore Bitcoin for a minute.

  1. Investor is assuming property prices are a little ‘hot’. As if that can be determined and measured.
  2. Investor wants to be liquid for a future deal. When that deal might happen is unknown.
  3. Investor feels there will be a correction in the overall property market or an individual deal will come along.

The ideal solution for this investor is to find a way to hold cash which has:

  • high liquidity (there when you need it) and
  • no volatility.

The current $x value in currency needs to be the same $x value in currency when the next motivated seller comes along.

Any alternative is an alternative compared to holding cash.

If the alternative is illiquid and/ or volatile, the alternative fails to meet the brief. In this context, any returns on the cash are almost immaterial compared to the brief.

The above counsel offered me deeper insights into my own thought-process. This wise counsellor reflected my own musings back at me with crystal clarity.

It quietly reminded me that even my assumptions about the property market might turn out to be wrong. And it cleared the haze, allowing me to see the road ahead more clearly.

Without his counsel, I might easily have lost my way when considering the potential profits of Bitcoin and the thrill of the chase — without ever considering the primary goal quietly phrased in my question.

This wise counsel will help inform my decisions about how and where I employ my investment capital going forward. It has helped me to stay on track.

The Maker Versus the Takers

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An Interesting Read

This book offers some deeper insights into the political and economic climate in which Jesus made many of his most telling statements on the subject of money. I don’t think it changes general Christian interpretation of scripture with respect to money — but it offers readers a deeper understanding of the context and the subtle undertones of who his challenges were aimed at and why.

Check it out on…

Amazon.com

NOTE: This website receives no referral income from Amazon or the author for this review

How to Understand the Different Kinds of Evil

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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:10

God’s word tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Christian believers would do well to recognize and identify the different kinds of evil in which this particular root can manifest.

Avarice — Love of Money

avarice - love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

The love of money causes some to long for wealth. These people believe that extreme wealth is attainable and they will spend their lives chasing after riches at any cost.

They will sacrifice marriages and friendships in pursuit of any gain. They may sacrifice their health and their moral compass. In their minds, no risk is too great in pursuit of riches. More often than not, these people never realize their goals but that does not stop them. However, this will never deter them from chasing the dream.

Too late, they realize the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil — and their kind is avarice.

Materialism — Love of Money

materialism - love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

Others believe that such extreme wealth is unattainable. These people make their peace with the fact that they will never be wealthy. However, their particular love of money causes some to accumulate those possessions they can afford.

When the money runs out, they reach for credit to satiate their desire to accumulate more things. People in this position never chase after riches. Rather, they find themselves in constant need of just a little more money than they have right now as they have acquired more possessions than they could reasonably afford.

These people will spend all their lives in financial struggle. This is another kind of evil whose root is the Love of Money. In the end they discover the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The price of their materialism is consumer-debt and life-long financial struggle.

Hoarding — Love of Money

hoarding - love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

The love of money causes some to hoard cash. These people are consumed with fear of losing what they already have and become miserly, frugal and miserable. Think Ebenezer Scrooge!

In the end they discover the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. They destroy relationships with those around them. They may be rich but they live as if they are poor. They never experience the joy of giving and die miserable and alone.

Too late, they discover the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. In their case it is often loneliness and the pain of broken relationships.

Greed — Love of Money

The love of money causes some to spend uncontrollably. Instead of chasing after riches, they find it impossible to hold on to money and it flows like water through their hands. While they often fail to recognize it, this is a form of greed. People with this mind-set love to spend money and deny themselves nothing. They continue to spend and acquire until every penny they earn is gone. They will even reach for credit in order to spend money they have yet to earn, regardless of the interest costs.

They end up destitute, overcome by consumer-debt. They are forced to work hard their entire lives and never have the time to seek God’s kingdom first in their lives. These are the people who are rendered unfruitful according to God’s word.

…but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Mark 4:19

This is a fairly common kind of evil whose root is the love of money.

Love of Money is the Root of All Kinds of Evil

avarice - love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

As God’s word says, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. As believers, we need to examine our hearts and identify which kinds of evil we are most susceptible to.

Once we do that, we are in a position to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to help us overcome the love of money in our lives. Whatever kind of evil we struggle with, God can bring healing and change us from lovers of money to obedient Stewards of His abundance in our lives.

When this happens, both financial struggle and an eternal striving after riches will become a thing of the past.

How To Overcome Financial Struggle as a Christian

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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:10

We have all heard this scripture quoted — and misquoted — a thousand times. You don’t even have to be a Christian to have heard this Bible verse.

The standard message in relation to this verse focuses on the dangers of pursuing wealth and riches. Christians should be focused on eternal things and should not be concerned with money. Life and, more importantly, the kingdom of God is not about money. We should build up treasure in heaven rather than seek to amass treasures on earth.

I agree with all of the above statements. I have heard them a thousand times and will gladly hear them a thousand more, as they keep me focused on God and his kingdom.

My problem with the above message is that I don’t believe it goes far enough!

Christianity is so focused on the love of money that chases after riches that it never pauses to address the love of money that keeps millions of believers trapped in a life of poverty and constant financial struggle.

Why is this dangerous? Because, debt and financial struggle take our faith hostage.

It is Satan’s best play against the first-world, hard-working believer. As long as believers remain trapped in a place of financial struggle, they are destined to live inconsequential lives, never fulfilling God’s purposes. Instead, they are overcome by the cares of this world (Mark 4:19). Forced to focus all their time and energy on simply making ends meet. Living paycheck to paycheck.

Christianity is so focused on the love of money that chases after riches that it never pauses to address the love of money that keeps millions of believers trapped in a life of poverty and constant financial struggle.

Rich Abba, Holy Abba
debt and financial worry

How can we, as believers, truly seek first the kingdom of God in our lives if all our time and energy is focused on making ends meet?

There are 84 daylight hours in a week. How many of those are spent seeking the kingdom of God? How many are spent seeking a paycheck? As the saying goes, you do the math!

Christians Against Poverty

christians against poverty

So how do we escape this love of money trap? We need to become Christians against poverty, so to speak. I am not saying that every Christian should be rich. But I believe every Christian should be free!

Free to seek first the kingdom of God. Free to pursue God’s will and purposes for their lives. Free to go wherever God sends them to share the good news of the gospel. Free to act whenever God directs them to reach out and share his love and compassion with others. Unencumbered by debt and financial bondage designed to restrict that freedom.

To do this simply requires the ability to make wise financial decisions instead of poor ones. Fortunately, God’s word is packed with wisdom on the subject — if only we bother to look.

For any believers hoping to become Christians against poverty, this Book — The Wise Man & the Fool, is a great place to start. It is a really easy read; a light-hearted parable that takes a journey through scripture to explore what the Bible really teaches about money.

God first…

Posted on by richabbaholyabba

Dear God. We cannot seek the kingdom right now. All believers are extremely busy. However, your Calling is important to us and will be answered as soon as we have paid our bills for what we eat, drink, and wear. Please hold. Your Calling is fifth in the queue, behind Paycheck, Career, Job Security, and Retirement.

Rich Abba, Holy Abba