Fasting can be a unique way to grow your heart for generosity. Bridgetown Church did a great series on fasting.
According to Bridgetown Church, there are three main purposes of fasting:
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Starve the flesh and feed the spirit: “Fasting is an ancient discipline to break the power of the flesh–our desires, sins, and cravings–and to feed on the Holy Spirit.”
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Prayer: “In fasting, the great hunger of the heart and mind for answered prayer permeates the body...
In my post Who Are the Rich, I explained that when the Bible talks about the rich, it’s talking to you. If you need proof of how rich you are, use the How Rich Am I calculator from Giving What We Can. You’re rich. And because you’re rich, you’re at a disadvantage in your relationship with God.
Why does being rich put you at a disadvantage in your relationship with God?
Gordon MacDonald summaries it well in his book, Secrets of the Generous Life.
“It is one of the...
The Bible has plenty of teachings that address the rich.
Below are just a few examples from the New Testament in the Gospel of Luke.
Parable of the Rich Fool
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of...
I used to think budgeting was just for people who spent too much money. You know, people who can’t payoff their credit cards each month, go into unnecessary debt, and obviously don’t live within their means. Budgeting just means don’t waste money or spend it on stupid things you don’t need, right?
Even just the word “budget” has negative connotations for most people. It makes people think of cutting back, limitations, and not being able to buy what you...
Riley and I love to travel, but traveling is expensive. Cost has always been the limiting factor in how often we travel. Recently I dove into the world of credit card rewards and we have been able to do a lot of free traveling since!
We’ve used credit card points to pay for our flight and hotel stay in Lisbon, Portugal. We also used credit card points to pay for our flight to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Our next adventure is planned for summer 2023. We’re spending 2 weeks in Norway...
There is a tension that followers of Christ face when managing their money. On one hand, God calls us to give generously. On the other hand, we’re told to save for the future and enjoy what God has blessed us with. How do we find a healthy balance of giving, saving, and spending?
Giving
The Bible is clear that as followers of Christ, we’re called to be generous givers.
“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide...
There might not be anything that has been more influential on our finances than creating a One Page Financial Plan. A One Page Financial Plan is a key ingredient to positive behavior change and responsible stewardship.
A One Page Financial Plan is a simple one page document that has three sections: Values, Goals, and Actions. This document can act as a filter as you make spending and lifestyle decisions. When you’re clear about your values, goals, and actions, it becomes easy to spot...
In his books The Treasure Principle and Money, Possessions, and Eternity, author Randy Alcorn describes our lives in two phases: a dot and a line. The dot represents our time on Earth. From the dot extends a line that goes on forever and represents eternity in Heaven. While we’re currently living in the dot, we should be living for the line.
Our time on Earth is short.
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist...
