Karen Zeigler

Temptation to Fail

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

"What settings are you in when you fall? Avoid them.  What props do you have that support your sin? Eliminate them.  What people are you usually with? Avoid them. There are two equally damning lies Satan wants us to believe 1) Just once won't hurt 2) Now that you have ruined your life, you are beyond God's use, and you might as well enjoy sinning.  Learn to say no.  It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin." - Charles Spurgeon

No one sets out to fall or fail.  However, we don't often realize the wisdom in identifying those temptations to fail and then avoiding them.  Ask yourself the following questions to determine what temptations you need to avoid.

• Identify what causes you to fail in your effort to get out of debt. Is it the mall, eating out, shopping on-line, what is it for you?
• Identify supports your growing debt balance.  Is it too many credit credit cards, the home equity line, that line of credit protecting your account from overdrawing?
• Identify what people add to your tendency to spend more than you make.  Are there people you want to impress? People that you must do certain costly activities with?

Identifying as many temptations and methods of avoidance upfront will equip you for success.  When we find ourselves unexpectedly tempted, God will provide a way out.

Action: Make a list today of the people, places, and things that encourage you either 1) to go further in debt or 2) to spend money that could be used to get out of debt.  Avoid them for a month and check your results. 

Prayer: Dear Lord,  Thank you for your faithfulness and for providing a way out of temptation.  Give me a pure and humble heart that is ready to follow you.

Victory is Won in the Mind

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13

Lanny Bassham, Olympic gold-medalist in small-bore rifle competition, tells what concentration does for his markmanship: "Our sport is controlled non-movement.  We are shooting from 50 meters (over half a football field) at a bull's eye three quarters the size of a dime.  If the angle of error at the point of the barrel is more than .005 of a millimeter (that is five one-thousands), you drop into the next circle and lose a point.  So we have to learn how to make everything stop.  I shop my breathing.  I stop my digestion by not eating for 12 hours before the competition. I train by running to keep my pulse around 60, so I have a full second between beats. You do all of this and you have the technical control.  You also have to have some years of experience in reading the conditions of the wind, the mirage, etc.  Then you have the other 80% of the problem--the mind."  Sports Illustrated, August 2, 1976

One of my favorite quotes from Zig Ziglar is "You are what you are and where you are by what's gone into your mind."  I have personally found this to be true in my own life and in the lives of people I meet.  Peter knew this as he encouraged Christians to prepare their minds. 

How are you preparing your mind for financial victory?  Have you read what the Bible says about money? Have you read any books or listened to any tapes on getting out of debt, saving or investing? If 80% of the victory takes place in your mind, then isn't it time we started preparing for victory?

Dear God, Help me to understand how to prepare my mind for the victory you have planned for me in my finances and in my life.

Submission or Shipwreck?

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Job 22:21

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.  Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below.  News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident.  It wasn't a techology problem like radar malfunction or even thick fog.  The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ships presence nearby.  Both could have steered clear, but according to the new reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other.  Each was too proud to yield first.  By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.  Closer Walk, December 1991

Submission is a crucial part of the Christian walk.  Failure to submit your life to God often leaves our lives shipwrecked and seemingly impossible to fix.  When you have a goal (getting out of debt, saving, strengthening your marriage, whatever it may be) it is important to sacrifice your own desires and submit to where God leads.  Although it may be difficult at first, we can trust His path always leads to peace.  You'll be surprised to find you reach your goal much faster than you expected.   

Dear God, Forgive me for demanding my own way and thinking only of myself. Help me Lord as I submit to your commands over my finances, my marriage and my life.

The Path of Wisdom

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.  She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.  Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:13-18

A former police officer tells of the tactics of roving bands of thieves:  "They enter the store as a group.  One or two separate themselves from the group, and the others start a loud commotion in another section of the store.  This grabs the attention of the clerks and customers.  As all eyes are turned to the disturbance, the accomplices fill their pockets with merchandise and cash, leaving before anyone suspects.  Hours - sometimes even days - later, the victimized merchant realizes things are missing and calls the police. Too late" - Tom McHaffie

God in His Wisdom holds long life, riches and honor in His hands.  He say's "Seek Me first and all these things will be added unto you."  Satan - much like the band of thieves - seeks to distract us from focusing on God (the supplier) to focusing on ourselves and all the riches and honor we can obtain.  This is a path that leads to death and destruction. Much like the store owner we don't realize until it's too late that something is missing. 

Dear God, Grant me the wisdom today to seek You first in all things.  Give me the discernment to see clearly Your Path versus Satan's.  Give me the strength and the courage to take your Path.

People, Possessions and Priorities

 Matthew 19:21-21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me."  When the young man an heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

When actress Sophia Loren sobbed to Italian movie director Vittorio De Sica over the theft of her jewelry, he lectured her: "Listen to me, Sophia.  I am much older than you, and if there is one great truth I have learned about life, it is this -- never cry over anything that can't cry over you." A. E. Hotchner, Sophia: Living and Loving

Sophia and the rich young ruler have something in common - they gave "things" a higher priority than people.  As rich Americans, we too must be cautious of putting "things" above people and their needs. 

Though it is not a sin for us to have things, we must purposefully choose to prioritize our spending on showing our love for people, leading the lost to Jesus, helping the poor, encouraging another believer, and other activities that focus on bringing people to a fully devoted relationships with Christ.  Remember, we can only take other people with us to heaven; all the things we buy will be left behind.

Time to Reflect: After time spent in prayer, spend a few moments to reflect on these questions: What is God telling me through this scripture in Matthew?  What does He want me to do about it?

 

The Secret Longing

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

A higher level experience is one that...

takes us out of our comfort zone...

places us into a position of growth...

moves us beyond ourselves to others...

calls us to a new level of living...

and changes us forever! Dr. John C. Maxwell

Every Christian longs for the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.  We long for the peace and joy in our relationships and, yes, in our finances too.  Satan, on the other hand, would rather bog us down in the muck of paying the bills, worrying about whether we've made the right investment decisions, stressing over the pile of debt that continues to grow, etc. 

How do we, by the power of Christ in us, raise ourselves to a higher level ...an abundant life? 

1. Step out of your comfort zone.  If you don't like the state that your finances are in, do something different, try what works for others, pray for a different direction to go in.
2. Position yourself for growth.  To grow you must learn new things.  The resources for doing that are books, tapes, conferences, Bible studies, educational courses, and people.
3. Move beyond yourself.  Look for a way to think about others rather than yourself.  Volunteer in an area that services God's people that are less fortunate than you.  Give in those areas as well. 

When you rise to this new level of living, you will be changed forever, and subsequently others are led to Christ by the change they see in you.

Time to Reflect:  After time spent in prayer, spend a few moments reflecting on these questions.  What is God telling me through this scripture in John? What does He want me to do about it?

Mission Impossible? Not with God

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign "Leave slide rules here".  If I didn't do that, I'd find someone reaching for their slide rule.  Then he'd be on his feet saying, "Boss, you can't do that." - Charles F. Kettering in Bits & Pieces, December 1991

As Christians today, when it comes to our finances, we will hear a good message or have an opportunity to give and we will quickly pull out our checkbook and our calculator and say, "Lord, we can't do it.  It won't work, we don't have the money." Yet on the flip side, when we see a new car or something at the store that we just can't live without, the checkbook and the calculator get thrown out the window and we declare, "This will work - they have no interest and no payments for a year!"  Brothers and Sisters, turn your thoughts around!  When it comes to the things that God has called us to do (tithing, savings and giving), ALL (not just some...ALL) things are possible.  Stretch your faith and do them without hesitation.  Conversely, with material possessions, practice taking out the checkbook and calculator and doing the proper analysis.  You'll be amazed at the abundance you'll soon find in your finances.

Time to Reflect: After time in prayer, spend a few moments reflecting on these questions: what is God telling me through this scripture in Matthew? What does He want me to do about it?

Help!

Doubts about Your Finances

Doubt of any kind can be ended by action alone. -- Thomas Carlyle

What doubts about your finances have you had lately? 

-I doubt I'll every get out of debt?

-I doubt I have saved enough for retirement?

-I doubt I'll ever have enough money to ___________?

When you find yourself doubting in the area of your finances turn that doubt into an action of prayer.

-Lord, what should I do to get out of debt?

-Lord, is there more I should be doing about saving for retirement?

-Lord, Your word says that if I delight in you that you will give me the desires of my heart.  Lord how can I delight in you?

Then after praying act as the Holy Spirit leads.  I have NO DOUBT that by the power of His word, the activation of the Holy Spirit through prayer and your action that you will find those doubts slowly disappearing.

James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Are my finances cursed?

Ever feel like your finances are cursed?  It's seems like one emergency after another keeps setting you back financially and you didn't have it all together in the first place.  Could there be any truth to your thoughts?  Here's what God says about financial curses and their cause.

Malachi 3:6-11 "I am God—yes, I Am. I haven't changed. And because I haven't changed, you, the descendants of Jacob, haven't been destroyed. You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven't done a thing I've told you. Return to me so I can return to you," says God-of-the-Angel-Armies. "You ask, 'But how do we return?' "Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. "You ask, 'How have we robbed you?' "The tithe and the offering—that's how! And now you're under a curse —the whole lot of you—because you're robbing me.  Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple.  Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams...The Message

To read more about the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience read Deuteronomy Chapter 28.