Fitting the Pieces to Form a Whole (Part 3) By Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Topic: Fitting the Pieces to Form a Whole (Part 3)
Dear Reader,
You are welcome to another segment of this wonderful teaching for the month. It is my earnest desire for your marriage to experience newness, much love and excitement even as we start warming up to witness another wonderful year by the grace of God.
In this edition, I shall be teaching on those self-imposed challenges to family’s finance. I call them self-imposed because they are meanly self-caused and can be avoided with self-discipline. These issues eat into vital finances that can be profitably used to better the standard of living of your family. Money has been known to be one of the major causes of trauma, fights and separation in the home. Most times, it is not that the couples do not earn enough, but the funds might have been mismanaged by one party. Hence, we will be looking at some of the major causes to mismanagement of family finance.
- Covetousness: This simply represents the love for things; when one is never satisfied with what he/she can afford. The Bible encourages: But godliness with contentment is great gain: … And having food and raiment let us be therewith content (1 Timothy 6:6/8).The cure for covetousness is contentment. Be satisfied with what God has given you and where He has placed you per time. I recall a time we could not afford two meals a day and chicken was a luxury;. but we didn’t complain. We gave thanks to God, trusting the Lord that such a condition wouldn’t be permanent, because we served Him and also complied with His instructions. Today, our lives have been multiplied. You too will excel financially, but you must learn to live, eat and wear your size per time. Running after materials possessions at the expense of your fellowship with God, your financial obligations to your family and good accounting sense, will only end you in deep financial troubles. It is wise to stick to your budget and plan for the month. Contentment means to live according to your income. Husband, let your wife know what you earn so she won’t ask you for more than what you can afford. Wife, learn to be a good home manager today, your tomorrow is bright; don’t kill it by being covetous.
- Impulsive Spending: This represents spending without planning; buying whatever comes your way, whether you need it or not and irrespective of the fact that your income can afford it. Spending on impulse makes you exceed your budget, if you have one. It could lead to living a life in indebtedness. Even when you have the money, you must plan appropriately before spending. Then, my husband would say, “This is feeding money for the month; make sure it covers for the month.” With the wisdom of God, I would make sure I didn’t buy what I had not written on the list. If there was extra money, I would keep it for emergency, rather than just buy anything because I had some money left.
- Lack of Accountability: This is another threat to your financial future. Being accountable financially means you are faithful with money and can be trusted to spend and invest the family finances wisely. The Word of God states: He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much… (Luke 16:10). To be faithful with money comes by constant practice and discipline. If you can’t develop discipline, accountability, faithfulness, planning and budgeting skills now that you are earning N1000.00, God can’t be sure you will be able to do it when you start earning N500, 000. Many a time, God blesses those who keep effective accounts (Luke 16:12).God, Himself keeps records (Revelation 20:12). So, as His child, why shouldn’t you follow the example He has set? Bedsides, accountability built trust is a key ingredient in the success of your family life. List out your income and expenditure, even if you can’t remember everything the first time you try, keep doing it, until it becomes a habit. Nobody was born with accounting skill; we all learnt what we know. You too can become accountable by practicing to write your expenditure.
- Non-Compliance with the Commandment of Tithing: Your tithe is 10% of your income, profit, or gifts received. According to God’s Word: And all the tithe of the land whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s” it is holy unto the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). Don’t rob God in your attempt to save money or make up for some unforeseen expenses. Tithe is acknowledging and recognising that all the money you claim to have comes from God in the first place. To refuse to pay tithes (full tithes not 1% or 5%) opens you and your home to the devourer. The Bible states, if you pay your tithes… I (the Lord) will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground… (Malachi 3:11)(Emphasis mine). Some homes are suffering from the destroyer and waster because the family members refuse to pay tithes. Devourers like (sickness, accident, business failure, etc.) are all devices of satan to rob you and your home of financial progress. Your tithe payment is an insurance against such. Your tithes are to be paid or handed over to the Lord in the Church not to man, not to the poor or an organisation. Tithes are for the Lord; He alone gives instructions on how tithes would be utilised.
- Calamities and Emergencies: These are other challenges to financial progress. How do you overcome them? The Bible says: All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His plan for their lives (Romans 8:28). Do you love God? Are you born-again? Have you embraced God’s plan for your life? If you have really done all these, then I can declare to you boldly that calamities or crisis can’t harm you, but are stepping-stones to a brighter future. Why? You have “a sound mind,” a mind that is quick to think, quick to act, and quick to find solutions to problems. Whatever the devil has programmed to rob you of your financial blessings, as a child of God as you walk in obedience to the Lord, He will turn your situation around for good. Your financial captivity will be turned in the precious name of Jesus; For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion (Ecclesiastes 9:4).
Are you born-again? If you are not, you don’t have the hope and genuine access to operate the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom. Congratulations!
If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name!
Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204. For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
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Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
