Finding Financial Freedom
Live Simply
Our Goal
• To live in the joy and freedom of serving only
One Master.
Interdependent Truth
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Work Gloriously
Wait Patiently
Live Simply
Give Generously
Celebrate Community
Matthew 6
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19 ‘Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.20 But store
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
moths and vermin do not destroy, and where
thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6
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22 ‘The
eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes
are healthy, your whole body will be full of
light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your
whole body will be full of darkness. If then the
light within you is darkness, how great is that
darkness!
• 24 ‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will
hate the one and love the other, or you will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 6
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25 ‘Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about
your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
than food, and the body more than
clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do
not sow or reap or store away in barns, and
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you
not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any
one of you by worrying add a single hour to
your life?
Matthew 6
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28 ‘And
why do you worry about clothes? See
how the flowers of the field grow. They do not
labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like
one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the
grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not
much more clothe you – you of little faith?
Matthew 6
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31 So
do not worry, saying, “What shall we
eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What
shall we wear?” 32 For the pagans run after all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. 33 But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.
Isaiah 58
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6 ‘Is
not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with
shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and
blood?
Isaiah 58
• 6 ‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Isaiah 58
• 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with
shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh
and blood?
Isaiah 58
• 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear
guard.
Isaiah 58
• 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: here
am I.
‘If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
Isaiah 58
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10 and
if you spend yourselves on behalf of the
hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the
noonday.
Fairly Random Starting Point
• Give 10%
• Save 10%
• Live of 80%
Fairly Random Starting Point
• Give 10%
• Save 10%
• Live of 80%
• Stay away from debt
• Improve the ratios through the stages of life
Is Saving not unbiblical?
•
19 ‘Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.
Is Saving not unbiblical?
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19 ‘Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.
• 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow
or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
much more valuable than they?
Is Saving not unbiblical?
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19 ‘Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.
• 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow
or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
much more valuable than they?
• 11 Give us today our daily bread.
Then we should not work either!
• “they do not sow” - Work
• “or reap” - Work
• “or store away in barns” - Save
Then we should not work either!
• “they do not sow” - Work
• “or reap” - Work
• “or store away in barns” – Save
• Don’t misplace your confidence!
Then debt is inevitable
• 6 Go to the ant, you slug...
consider its ways and be wise!
8 ...it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 6: 6-8
Then debt is inevitable
Go to the ant, you slug...
consider its ways and be wise!
...it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 6: 6-8
In the house of the wise are stores of choice
food and oil,
but a foolish man devours all he has.
Proverbs 21:20
The difference between Saving and
Hoarding – Isaiah 58 Logic
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Food
Shelter
Clothing
Basic needs
Break the poverty cycle – “untie the yoke.”
Compare...
The wise
Save
Save
Save
Control money
Own assets
The Unwise
Spend too much too
soon
Pay debt
Hoard
Are controlled by
money
Are owned by their
assets
James 5:1-3
• Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail
because of the misery that is coming on
you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have
eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are
corroded. Their corrosion will testify against
you and eat your flesh like fire.
You have hoarded wealth in the last days!
1 Timothy 6
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17 Command
those who are rich in this present
world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope
in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put
their hope in God, who richly provides us with
everything for our enjoyment.
1 Timothy 6
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18 Command
them to do good, to be rich in
good deeds, and to be generous and willing to
share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure
for themselves as a firm foundation for the
coming age, so that they may take hold of the
life that is truly life.
Hoarding is when...
• I put my hope in wealth
Hoarding is when...
• I put my hope in wealth
• I give little or nothing away
Hoarding is when...
• I put my hope in wealth
• I give little or nothing away
• I feel I never have enough
Hoarding is when...
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I put my hope in wealth
I give little or nothing away
I feel I never have enough
I sacrifice values for net worth
Simplicity is when...
• I learn the freedom of serving God with all my
life and life-style.
Simplicity Testers
• Necessity v. Luxury
Simplicity Testers
• Necessity v. Luxury
• Sufficiency v. Extravagance
Simplicity Testers
• Necessity v. Luxury
• Sufficiency v. Extravagance
• Use v. Idleness
Simplicity Testers
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Necessity v. Luxury
Sufficiency v. Extravagance
Use v. Idleness
Functionality v. Usefulness
Simplicity Testers
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Necessity v. Luxury
Sufficiency v. Extravagance
Use v. Idleness
Functionality v. Usefulness
Accountability v. Self-indulgence
Simplicity Prayer
Father, teach me
the freedom of devotion,
the power of simplicity,
the peace of an undivided heart,
and the joy of wanting only one thing!
The Prayer of St Craig of Hilton