Thoughts for Life: #98 Integrity in Finance

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: The person of God must maintain total integrity in his stewardship of possessions and finance—in his handling and accounting for personal finances, and in his handling and accounting for all finances that pass through his control.(Google image, Man and money)

1. Be an example in maintaining a comparatively simple lifestyle in accord with a deep commitment to the need for the extension of Christ's kingdom worldwide and for the meeting of human need.

2. Exercise all appropriate economy in your personal expenditures and of all funds entrusted to your use. Don't get a reputation for free-spending.

3. Be faithful in expending funds according to the request of those who gave them.

4. Be accurate in all your reporting. Financial reports must have adequate detail, be prompt, and meticulously correct. Reporting of what is accomplished through funds donated must by regular, detailed, and strictly factual.

5. Pay your bills on time. Do not leave unpaid bills behind when you leave to take up a new ministry.

6. Keep free of debt and keep your ministry free of debt. Debt is always a snare and often a reflection on Christ. It is always better to save money in advance than to borrow and then pay the continuing interest.
A credit account can easily become a slave-master which handicaps your ministry and sullies your name. Avoid the snare of the philosophy: "Do now" or "Buy now and pay later."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.

Ablaze for God
#98 Integrity in Finance
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 289- 290) ZondervanPublishingHouse

Let's pray-

Father, we want to maintain total integrity of our stewardship of possessions and finance.
Help us in our handling and accounting for all finances that pass through our control.
May we exercise appropriate economy in our personal expenditures and funds entrusted to our use.
When reporting the finances of those who gave them, help us maintain prompt, accurate, detailed and meticulous reports.
May it be true of us that our bills are paid on time, and that we stay away from charging anything unnecessarily, so as to stay free of debt.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

Malachi 3:10 (KJV 2000 Bible) "Bring you all the
tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in my house, and prove me now herewith, said the
LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows
of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it."

Romans 13:8 (NLT) "Owe nothing to anyone--
except for your obligation to love one another.
If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the
requirements of God's law."

Today's quote-

Insight on Where to Find Hope:

~ Monika Brands- "Sometimes the truth of the gospel—that Jesus offers a new, guilt-free life for all who believe (Rom. 8:1)—might feel a bit too good to be true. If all we've ever known is emptiness, hatred, and despair, how is it even possible to learn to live with love and hope?

It's possible because it doesn't depend on us. God's love reaches deeper than our brokenness, loving us completely even when we're far from Him (5:8). As we surrender to Him, we can experience His love and hope as the Spirit transforms every aspect of our life (vv. 3-5).

Today's popular post-

God, Give Us Grace to Pay The Price

Hyman J. Appelman: "Only a sweeping religious awakening will bring God back to our nation and save our land . . .

We need a religious awakening that will expose the bitter, devilish, evil of sin. But how may we have such a religious awakening?"

Today's question-

How is it possible to forgive someone who hurt us?

Knowing that God forgives us when we repent of sins, we can ask Him to enable us to forgive others who've hurt us in some way. The Father knows how it feels to be hurt, for He remembers what His Son went through, and how He reacted by asking Him to forgive them.
In and of ourselves, we cannot forgive, as it's not in our nature to do so; rather, we want to get even with them! As we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, and ask Him to help us to forgive someone, His Spirit can then help us to forgive and bring peace to our hearts.

Upcoming posts-

Sky Garden
10th- Saturday's post by Bill Crowder

#99 Integrity in Ministerial Ethics
13th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#100 Be Filled with the Spirit
15th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

What's to Fear?
17th- Saturday's post by Jean Oathout