Howard Dayton, CEO of Crown Financial Ministries completed an in-depth study of the Bible and found that God’s Word contains 2,350 references to money and material things. In addition, 16 of the 24 parables that Jesus Christ gave us deal with money and material things. Clearly, God’s Word, the Bible, has a tremendous wisdom to assist you in making any financial decision.

The psalmist makes the following comments regarding God’s Word: “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24) and “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

God’s Word was considered to be so important that God instructed Joshua, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

In my experience, when people have got into financial difficulty, frequently it was because they have unknowingly violated one or more of God’s financial principles. Some examples include

1. no savings for an emergency (Proverbs 21:20)
2. taking on too much debt (Proverbs 22:7).
3. cosigning a loan, for which the Bible uses the term “striking hands in pledge” (Proverbs 17:18; 22:26, 27)
4. getting involved in a financial transaction they did not understand (Proverbs 19:2) and that was not biblically diversified (Ecclesiastes 11:1,2)

Many times the financial stress could have been avoided by simply following the counsel and wisdom from God’s Word, the Bible.

God promises great blessings to the believer who meditates on and follows his Word.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prosper. (Psalm 1:1–3 emphasis added)

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:2)

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. God gave him incredible wisdom and knowledge. At the end of his life, Solomon concluded, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). In the financial arena, the only way you can “keep God’s commandments” is to understand and implement God’s Word on finances.

In summary, when faced with an important financial decision, it is absolutely necessary that you seek God’s counsel and wisdom by studying and implementing what his Word says on finances.

If you would like to learn more about what God’s Word says on finances, I suggest that you visit the website of Crown Financial Ministries (Canadian site: crowncanada.ca, U.S. site: crown.org) and obtain some of the excellent materials available through this organization. In addition, if you are not already on my “Financial Moment” e-mail list, send an e-mail to thomas@copland-ca.com and I will send you, at no charge, a Financial Moment every two weeks.

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