III. Consider Others.
“According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Hetty Green may have been the biggest miser who ever lived. Her father died when she was thirty leaving her an inheritance of more than $100 million in today’s money. Though it was unusual for a woman to be involved with banking and investments at the time, she concentrated all of her efforts and attention on growing the family fortune.
Her focus on money drove a wedge between her husband and their two children. And the family was scattered. Known for eating cold oatmeal to save money for heating and washing only the hem of her dress to save money on soap, she was sometimes called the “Witch of Wall Street.” When her son, Ned, broke his leg as a boy, she tried to have him treated in a free clinic for the poor, before treating him at home. His leg would later have to be amputated. When she died, Hetty Green was worth the equivalent of some 4 billion dollars today, but she was alone and miserable.” -Min127
1 Timothy 6:10 For the ___________ of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
IV. Consider Cash: Do Not Spend More Than You Have.
Remember when you could “lay an item away” at K-Mart? “Some people buy things on the “lay awake plan.” They lay awake each evening trying to figure out how they will pay for it!” -Min127
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the ___________, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is _________________ to the lender.
V. Consider Your “Wanter.”
“The story is told about a clever salesman who closed hundreds of sales with this line: “Let me show you something several of your neighbors said you couldn’t afford.”” -Min127
We all “Want” certain things in life. If we are not careful – our wants will control our thoughts and decisions… Consider the following Scriptures:
Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt ________ covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
Psalm 119:36 Incline my _______________ unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Proverbs 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous _____________ and spareth not.
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Guard your eyes and your thoughts. Avoid dwelling on “what you do not have” and be thankful for what God has already given you.
When I was a boy, my parents would teach me to tithe, give, save, and spend little. Only things I bought were some baseball cards and new shoes. The rest was either given away or saved. When after college Natalie and I were married, I had several thousand dollars that we lived on for a while.
Personal Financial Discipline Honors the Lord.
“$1.00 spent for lunch lasts five hours.
$1.00 spent for a neck-tie lasts five weeks.
$1.00 spent for a cap lasts five months.
$1.00 spent for an auto lasts five years.
$1.00 spent for a railroad lasts five decades.
$1.00 spent in God’s service lasts for eternity.” -Roger W. Babson
Psalm 62:10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.