Dr. Donald L. Pratt is retired and has spent the last dozen years developing the FIT program and curriculum. Part of the curriculum uses Living Free materials and part uses materials developed specifically for the FIT program. As well as being an author and contributing to periodicals and international journals, Don also taught in a Christian college and state universities. He also served as Executive Director of the School Science and Mathematics Association and President of the Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association.
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Scripture marked “NIV” taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION NIV® Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked “WEB” is taken from the Holy Bible, World English Bible. Used in the Public Domain.
Scripture marked “BBE” is taken from the Holy Bible, the Bible in Basic English. Used in the Public Domain
Discovering Financial Success
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book was only made possible through the efforts of many people who formed a team – a team that had the common goal of helping brokenhearted people to realize success in life. To do that, we have had to be willing to address their addictions, fears, money problems, personal problems, and relationships. This book arose from the need to include a financial unit dedicated to the struggles of the financially distressed.
Ultimately, this book began with the vision of Rev. Edward White who dreamed of a 100-hour faith-based curriculum which could be put into every jail and prison in Florida. After he contacted me to prepare the curriculum, we were able assemble material from other proven and existing curricular series for every topic except for the financial guide. This became my assignment. Many thanks go to Mr. Fred DeMouey, my close partner who constantly encouraged me and worked with me on this book. He provided an invaluable service by co-facilitating with me in a jail, prison, and residential house to field-test our overall program. Portions of this book were field-tested in his Sowing Seeds ministry. Also, appreciation goes to Rev. Michael Zarle for his help in determining the content of our lessons. Revs. Philip Hulzebos and Terry Case also helped by serving on our advisory board. There were numerous meetings where all of the above team members agonized over what was most needed. Ultimately, it was decided we should write our own unit. That time and effort were not wasted, however, because they produced the basis for sharpening our focus. I would like to give special credit to Elva Hoover for her careful and dedicated proofing of our publications (this guide, the matching group member guide, and our Training Manual).
All of this effort also affected my duties as Care Pastor at Journey Assembly of God in Bradenton, Florida. The position was considered to be a full-time commitment, but Pastor Don Carter, graciously released me to complete this work. Initially, this project was to involve one day a week. Ultimately, it came to involve parts of every weekday with all of the implications of field-testing, networking with officials, and writing became apparent.
Last but not least are all the people who encouraged me and whose assistance made our pilot program so successful. Dr. D. Lee Spell was very gracious in letting us run our pilot in the faith-based dormitory he set up in the Polk County Jail. Dr. Spell had already worked extensively with our group members before they came to our sessions, showing us that our materials could be used for enhanced instruction as well as providing the basics. – Don Pratt
FOREWORD
This group study guide was produced to be a help for those who have suffered huge financial losses and need encouragement and hope for a brighter future.
This is a faith-based curriculum. Both financial and related spiritual information and guidance are presented to help on the path of realizing personal success, fulfillment, and contribution to society. We believe that the greatest satisfactions will be found as you move into the special places, roles, and qualities that God has intended for you. At the same time, this personal growth will mold you into a balanced, caring, and productive member of society.
The road to financial success is a long and disciplined one. Results will not come overnight or with just a few amazing new insights. It is not just a simple one of learning a few rules about getting out of debt. It involves the whole you and requires you to look at qualities like self-sacrifice, love, kindness, perseverance, and energy. It goes beyond just finances. We help you see the need for being a giving and contributing person even while struggling to recover from losses. We want you to find God’s plan for you where you experience freedom and contentment beyond anything you have ever known.
This study was designed to be practical and meet your needs. Instead of regular classes, you will be having group sessions where much of what you learn will come from the sharing of other group members. Your facilitator and co-facilitator will make sure things stay on track and that you really know how to apply your new knowledge. You will learn to be an effective problem solver in various money situations. These lessons and your group will help you to come up with new strategies to help you along the way.
Groups can go off on tangents. That is the reason why our lessons are structured. Each of the nine lessons focuses on a different key point. That will help keep things moving along and not get boring. The lessons also build on one another so that you can see how to apply the previous information. For further structure, each lesson is divided into four parts: Introduction, Main Issue, Scriptural Principles, and Application. This is to make sure that after every lesson you will have a clear understanding of the main idea and how it is supposed to be related to everything else.
Managing Money Making Do With What You Have
A Clean Slate
Sharing Question
Money is the great equalizer. No matter what business or stage of life we are in, we are equals when it comes to facing things like paying utilities or buying groceries. Problems over paying bills and getting into debt have ruined many of our own lives and those around us. For the person struggling with finances, a whole new lifestyle and way of thinking may be needed, and matters may seem to get worse before they get better. It is easy to give up and say it just can’t be done. There is hope, but we have to be willing to adopt new ways and then to stick with our plan over a long period of time.
Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean that all our problems get solved with no effort. Life is hard with or without Christ, but Christ gives us the strength to live the good and disciplined life.
Discussion Question
Are you willing to spend the time and effort needed to brighten your financial future?
Managing Money Is as Important as Making Money
Have you ever noticed that some people make a lot of money but never seem to have any left over? Even those who have fortunes sometimes lose them suddenly. Then there are the people who never made much but are so good with their money that they end up living comfortably. The main point is that managing money is as important as making it. Many times too much emphasis is put on “how much can I make in how short a time” rather than on “how can I use what I have and squeeze everything I can get out of it.”
There should be more joy in making money than just being able to scrape by and pay the bills. Managing your spending will help you to have more purpose in your life. You can plan to help others, serve God, save, and make plans for big purchases. It makes us good stewards and less wasteful.
None of us were born with the ability to manage money. Many of us have failed. The reasons are obvious enough: super-easy credit, easy payment plans, and a society where everyone is charging, charging, charging. What are needed are a new mind set and a long-term plan. We (usually) don’t suddenly go into debt, and we usually don’t achieve success overnight either.
Discussion Question
Do you agree that managing your money is just as important as how much you make? Give examples.
Take the Long View
Another mistake people make when they are falling short is to only think about today. They think that tomorrow can’t be worried about when today must be faced first. That kind of thinking has gotten many people into the mess they’re in, and more of the same will not get them out. You have to take the long view.
Here are some things to think about:
• Do I have savings for emergencies, deposits, down payments?
• When I look for a job, does it have medical benefits?
• Am I willing to live below my means to reach my goal?
• Will going to school pay off eventually even though it may be tougher at first?
• Am I putting something away for retirement, even if I am very young or very poor?
Discussion Questions
What long-term financial goals do you have?
How willing are you to sacrifice to reach these goals?
You Have to Problem Solve
Solving money problems is not easy. That’s why many people fail. They give up. They don’t know what to do when the bills are more than the amount coming in. If you don’t know what to do, you can figure it out for yourself or pay an “expert” to help you. Many problems taken to the expert could be solved yourself if you knew what to do. Problems are problems because you don’t know what to do. Experts know that you have to do something different, to “think outside the box”, rather than just continuing the same thing which has proven not to work. To solve a problem, experts use a problem-solving procedure like the one below. It is the fastest and most efficient way to solve problems.
Problem Solving
• Select the best option from a choice of many options
• Try out the approach that looks the best
• See if it worked. If not, choose the next best possibility and try it out
• Keep trying until every possibility has been tried
As simple as the procedure is, many people don’t ever try it because they think that they can get quicker results by going with what they are familiar with – “the tried and true.” Sometimes the “tried and true” doesn’t work. It is wasting time to see if you would get different results this time by using the same old approach. The procedures above will help you stop wasting time. These are the kinds of things the professionals do when facing problems they don’t know how to solve.
Discussion Item
Discuss a financial dilemma that you have had and how you might use the steps above to get a solution.
What if you did all the steps above and ran out of options, or worse yet, you have no idea as to how you could get more options? You need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you and then use the following steps to get options. That is the real problem – you are frustrated because you can’t even think of a strategy to try. That makes the problem seem impossible, but experts know that the following steps can help you come up with new approaches if you persist even though you don’t feel any closer to understanding. That is how they would have the edge over someone who just gives up. Use the following fact-finding steps if you can’t think of any options to try (pre-problem solving). Then use the new options to solve the problem (problem solving).
Pre-Problem Solving
• Ask what the real question is. “How can I earn enough money to pay my bills?” may be masking a more important problem to be solved. “How can I control my spending?” or, “How can I manage my bills?” might get you on the right path quicker. You don’t want to waste time by “beating the wrong bush.” Some experts call this “restating the question.” Sometimes just restating the questions can lead to an immediate solution because you may know how to solve that kind of problem. Sometimes it doesn’t. Then you go to fact-finding.
• Do some fact-finding. Do your homework to find out all you can about information you have about the problem or restated problem. Again, sometimes new facts show up that will lead directly to the solution. You might find the missing part of the puzzle. Sometimes you need to continue on and brainstorm.
• Brainstorm. Based on the previous two steps, come up with as many approaches as you can think of. Don’t throw out anything, no matter how crazy. Sometimes these wild ideas turn out to work. Before getting to this step, however, do the previous two first. That way you can “brainstorm” better. Brainstorming will give you new options to try. Now you can go to the before-mentioned regular problem solving steps. You will have the necessary options to continue.
We all go through things in life where we need to get help. Get help when needed, but then there are times when we just have to think things through ourselves. It takes a little extra time for this type of planning, but it is necessary to get the results. This is what the professionals (or anyone else) have to do when they get stuck with what seems as a hopeless situation.
Discussion
Give an example of a financial problem that seems to have no solution. How could you apply the steps above to make it easier?
Friends of the Opposite Sex
Many money problems are aggravated by improper relationships with the opposite sex. Living with a person without being married, for example, may look like a good solution to tight finances but it is not in the long run. The Bible way is that couples should not live together until married. Commitment through marriage can bring a beauty and permanence to a relationship that many outside of marriage never experience. It also will keep partners out of financial trouble due to having to pay for child support or going to jail over the issue.
We need to keep our lives pure. We need to save ourselves for our future partner, and we should not cohabitate with a person unless married. If we are married, we need to stay true to our spouses and children. That will save a lot of money in alimony and child support, but most importantly, it is living up to our potential of being the kind of person God wants us to be.
To please God we must manage our money well. We must have the right attitude and take it seriously. In many cases, it means starting over with a brand new attitude. Write your personal responses as to the meaning of each of these Scriptures.
Romans 13:8 NKJVTM Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
1 Timothy 5:8 NKJVTM But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Peter 2:21-22 NKJVTM For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
Luke 9:23 KJV And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Philippians 4:6 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:8 NIV Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Growing financially is like growing spiritually. We have to be “born again” and turn in a new direction. Then we have to grow. Growth takes time and effort. To get ahead, we will need a clean slate, the title of this lesson. The main point is that improvement will require us to change our old ways. To change for the better will require effort, time, and problem solving. For the Christian, we will also have to “deny ourselves” and “die out” to the old ways that work against our being what Christ wants us to be. This isn’t easy, and problem solving isn’t easy, but it’s the best way. Handsome rewards like dignity and freedom are down the road. The problem-solving model of this lesson will be used again in future lessons. Many financial problems are hard to solve. You should not just give up when things seem to get out of hand.
Discussion Questions
What is one way you can grow in your handling of money?
What do you see as your biggest obstacle to obtaining financial success?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. Having an open mind to new ways of thinking about managing money is important because…
T or F a. solutions are often hard to see and require problem solving.
T or F b. otherwise you still be stuck in the same rut that held you back before.
T or F c. there is nothing to learn from others. Everyone has their own way of doing things.
T or F d. you should consider the future as well as present in your planning.
2. Managing money is as important as making it because…
T or F a. you won’t have to work if you manage your money well enough.
T or F b. making a lot of money doesn’t guarantee financial success.
T or F c. sometimes people on smaller incomes end up having more than people with larger ones.
T or F d. if you manage it well you will have more to give to the needy and to God’s work.
3. If a problem seems to be too big to handle,…
T or F a. give up. There is no sense in just frustrating yourself.
T or F b. choose the best strategy you can think of and try it out.
T or F c. start, but quit if you haven’t figured it out in five minutes.
T or F d. if one strategy doesn’t work, try the next best one. There is no need to keep trying something that isn’t working (“beating a dead horse”).
T or F a. ask God for guidance and stick with it.
4. For really hard problems, you may need to…
T or F a. restate the question being asked in terms of what the real problem is. Maybe you have been beating the wrong bush.”
T or F b. do some more fact-finding.
T or F c. come up with more options based on the knowledge gained from restating the question and fact-finding.
T or F d. write a one-page paper as to why the problem is impossible.
T or F e. repeat each strategy seven times before trying another one.
5. Our relationships with members of the opposite sex affect our financial situation in several ways. As a Christian, this is especially true because…
T or F a. men and women think differently.
T or F b. we may be in a relationship that God is not pleased with and that may produce children and long-term financial obligation.
T or F c. our vision may become too short-sighted because of too much dependency on another person.
T or F d. our Christian faith stresses commitment, both to partners and to pay our debts.
Getting Out of Debt
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer
A main money message that the Bible brings to us is “get out of debt.” This is especially important in these days when so many people have hopelessly buried themselves in it. Getting out of debt should be first priority for the Christian. Romans 13:8 tells us to “owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” This does not mean you will never have to take out a loan for reasonable living expenses, such as for your education or a house or a car. It does mean that putting yourself under these obligations is the exception, not the rule. Even there, given a choice, living will be below the means, not above them.
Discussion Question
What is one area of your life where the goal is getting out of, staying out of, or reducing debt?
The lives of many people have been destroyed because they couldn’t pay their debts. In this lesson we will look at some specific ways to get out of debt and stay out of it. This will involve a lifestyle of discipline, problem solving, and thinking long term
While most of this lesson deals with getting out of debt, we will start with a brief but important section on child support. The Christian view is one of responsibility, and we hope to show the difference between right and wrong thinking about this type of obligation.
Child Support
Child support becomes a huge issue after a separation or divorce. Often the child’s parents have moved on to new partners and continue to squabble about visitation expectations and shared responsibility. Then they may be resentful over “what is my fair share” and refuse to pay for child support, even if ordered by the court. For the Christian, not paying child support is out of the question.
1 Timothy 5:8 NKJVTM` But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Paying child support is a way of getting out of debt – you are fulfilling the obligation you acquired when you became the child’s parent.
Sometimes we try to justify behaviors such as defaulting on child support payments with faulty reasoning, and this can be absolutely contrary to the teaching of God’s word. When we do this, we are deluding ourselves. Here are some examples of delusional thinking. The reasoning is faulty because it ignores the real societal or spiritual issues.
• I can’t afford it. If you can pay the entire amount due, pay it. If you can’t, make arrangements with all the involved parties to pay a reasonable amount. Don’t be deluded; you can pay something.
• I won’t give any child-support money because my former partner is mean and hardly ever lets me see my child. That may be true, but that is still not a good reason to default on your obligation. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Settle your differences in some other way.
• I’ve been wronged. Grow up and be a mature person. Christians are asked to be kind even when wronged. You are not to dwell on it. It will destroy you if you can’t get over it.
Discussion Question
Why are the above “justifications” for ignoring child support wrong in the sight of God?
Cut Unnecessary Spending
Most people buy things they don’t even need. They may buy impulsively or buy for the wrong reasons. Problem solve and find out what you can do without and then avoid buying that item (you haven’t problem solved very well if you can’t come up with anything). If you don’t buy it, you won’t have to pay for it. You also won’t have to store, clean, and take care of it. You will be free in more ways than one. Just cutting back on purchases could well be your main means of gaining financial freedom.
Discussion
Describe a purchase that you made that you really didn’t need.
What was your justification for buying it?
Why was your justification faulty?
Get out of debt
The best way to get out of debt is to not get into it in the first place. All of this is easier said than done and requires discipline, but getting out of debt takes even more effort and discipline. Expect it to be hard and take time, but it will be worth it. Sometimes the weight of debt may seem too heavy to bear, but that will change with time as progress is made. Remember, when you finally get out of the excessive debt, it will get easier to maintain your new status though it will still take effort even then.
In all these lessons we emphasize that changes need to be made to produce a thought-out, planned, and sensible lifestyle. This lifestyle is so necessary because it is many decisions over time that will make the most difference in your situation. Living day-to-day has to be stopped and thinking for the future has to begin. You have to believe that things will get better; and you have to act like they will, too.
Here are some ways to reduce your debt:
• Make more money, but this won’t work if you just start spending more. You may look for a better or second job. You may stay with your job longer or work hard on it and get a promotion eventually. You may go to school to qualify for a better job. Colleges often have scholarships, loans, stipends, and even grants to help the financially disadvantaged.
• Don’t play the lottery. Ever! The odds are stacked against you, and you will lose over time, no matter how lucky you get. This is not a good way to get out of debt. This is an addictive behavior that robs you of money that you need. Play a little game with yourself and put away the amount you would have played in the lottery into your savings account. That way, you will win every time, and the bank will even give you a bonus with interest!
• Avoid check-cashing services. There are charges to cash your check that could be better spent somewhere else. Above all else, do not use these services to get a cash advance on your next check. They will charge you for this and then you won’t have funds you need when you get your check.
• Stay out of the pawn shop. Pawn shops will pay you less for your goods than they are worth and charge you more for the same thing when you buy. If you are late the interest and fees are outlandish. Pawn shops provide a service for the desperate for a price. Don’t be desperate, be smart.
• Don’t be fooled by low interest rates. Pawn shops, for example, may charge a very low interest rate but add on so many fees so that the effect is to charge the equivalent of 25% or more. Credit cards may advertise no interest for 6 months and then charge 20% or more thereafter (after you have rung up a big debt).
• Get a checking account. Consider going to a credit union rather than a bank. You are more likely to get free checking and fewer limitations on your minimum balance. Their consumer loans often cost less, too. Have your paycheck directly deposited to your account.
• Tear up your credit cards until you have the discipline to use them correctly. Credit cards are good for emergencies and some kinds of purchases, such as for gas or buying something on the internet, but only if you can properly keep track of and manage your purchases.
• Choose credit cards that have no monthly or annual fees and can be paid off at no interest during a 20-30 day “grace” period. Then pay them off before you are charged interest. If you owe a large balance, commit a certain amount each month to reducing that balance.
• Be careful about consolidation loans or credit cards. Sometimes they help. Sometimes they don’t. Here are a few examples of tricky situations.
– No interest for a year! But the price has been raised so high that you would have been better off with the interest.
– Consolidate all your bills for a lower payment but you will have to make payments for a lot longer, extending your debt into the future when you should have been free of it.
– Get a lot of cash with a home equity loan but you will be years farther from your goal of paying off your mortgage and truly owning your own home.
• Drive an old car instead of a new one. Don’t put yourself into big payments or a long-term commitment just because someone extends the credit to you. If you drive a “gas hog”, sell it and buy an economical car. Remember, buying a car is one of the worst investments you will ever make. Unlike a house, for example, it loses value over time instead of gaining value. You still have to repair and maintain it, and you have more payments. A good “old car” will cost you less than a good new one. If you can’t afford to operate a car, don’t. Use public transportation instead.
• “No dough, don’t go.” Don’t plan vacation trips or entertainment you can’t afford. This simple rule will help you stretch your money farther.
• Agree to make at least some payment on your debt. Negotiate what you can pay with your lender. Don’t ever just forget about it and let it slide. The no-communication game will be interpreted as default and is the quickest way to foreclosure and legal proceedings. Banks and creditors have more to gain by working with you to come to a reasonable agreement than by just “going after” you.
• Pay off loans ahead of schedule. You will save a lot on interest and you will enjoy an extra period of time when you won’t have to make payments! You have to think about the future, not just about today.
• Don’t cosign on a loan. The cosigner is legally responsible for any defaults that the person taking the loan makes. If you are financially weak, never cosign on a loan. You don’t need to add someone else’s problems and poor credit rating to your problems. Many times the reason why you are asked to cosign is because that person’s credit is already not good.
• Be Patient. Over time you will have the money you need to do more of the things you want to do. Just be patient. Take enough little steps, and in time, you will go far. Keep track of your progress. It is so encouraging!
Discussion Question
Which of the above strategies would best help your personal situation? Explain.
Acceptable and Unacceptable Debt
Incurring debt and credit are a part of modern living. Even so, necessary debts should be wisely entered into, and nonessential ones should be avoided altogether.
Acceptable Debt
• Home mortgage, but not one you can’t afford the payments on.
• Car loan, but not on a car that is too costly.
Unacceptable Debt
• Large Credit Card Balance. This is an indication that you are in trouble and puts you in a bind to recover.
• Anything you cannot afford. Spend what little you have on the necessities you need such as housing, transportation needed for work, food, and clothing.
Discussion Questions
Are you paying off a debt now that you are sorry for getting into?
What type of debt was it?
Activity
Use the chart below to list all your debts and add up all the amounts owed. How is listing all of them like this helpful? Were there any surprises?
Take some time to have group members fill in this chart if they have not already done so. Ask for volunteers to share any surprises or insights gained from just doing this exercise. Many will be surprised to find out that just listing their debts will help them begin a plan to deal with them. Emphasize that this is what problem solving is all about. You won’t see the end until you get started. You need more information before you can successfully deal with the harder problems of life.
Type of Debt
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
The Bible is very plain that we should work hard and stay out of debt as much as possible. Share your thoughts about money and work in each of these verses.
1 Timothy 5:8 NKJVTM But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Proverbs 6:1-5 WEB 1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger; 2 You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 WEB 11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we charged you;12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
Hebrews 13:17 NIV 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Getting out of debt is the key to financial well-being. Some debts, like a home mortgage, may actually increase wealth over time, but most do not. Cars, boats, computers, and nearly everything else lose value over time and have to be replaced. Debts, even for necessities, should be kept low. Drive a used car instead of a new one.
Discussion Questions
Why is managing money well more of an attitude problem than a strategy problem?
Why is getting out of debt a long-term process?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. I shouldn’t be expected to pay for child support because…
T or F a. I am no longer living with my partner and someone else is.
T or F a. I don’t get enough visitation rights.
T or F a. my child hardly knows me.
T or F a. my former partner doesn’t spend the money right.
T or F a. I can’t afford it.
2. Good ways to get out of debt include…
T or F a. playing the lottery.
T or F a. earn more money.
T or F a. cut spending.
T or F a. shop for a better buy.
T or F a. cosign for a loan.
3. If in debt, you should drive an old car instead of a new one because…
T or F a. you will have fewer payments.
T or F a. cars become worth more as they age.
T or F a. they just don’t make cars like they used to.
T or F a. you won’t have to go as far into debt.
4. Consolidation loans help by…
T or F a. reducing the monthly payment.
T or F a. making the term (length of payments) shorter.
T or F a. confusing the situation.
T or F a. solving all your problems.
5. Reasonable debt for someone struggling to get out of it includes…
T or F a. purchase of a car.
T or F a. purchase of a boat.
T or F a. purchase of a home.
T or F a. college loan.
SESSION
Qualities for Success
INTRODUCTION ALLOW MINUTES 10
Opening Prayer
What we think, we become.
We all want to succeed. Success for the person of God begins by becoming the kind of person God wants us to be. He wants our personality to “look like” that of Jesus. That will mean our finances will be above reproach. It means that the making and managing money is just one more part of our walk with God. We want to please Him in all that we do.
Working with money is a struggle. There is never enough of it, but whining, complaining, and giving up will get us nowhere. We have to ask for God’s help in this area of our life as much as in any other. We need to be guided by Him and use good sense. The quality of person we are has much to do with our financial success. In this lesson we will look at the qualities that will help us both to please God and to be successful financially. The four we will discuss are …
• Attitude
• Giving
• Perseverance
• Honesty
Discussion Question
To you, how are personal finances and serving God related?
If we seek to become all that God wants us to be, we will automatically be on a sound foundation for improving our lives financially. Keep an open mind to new ways of looking at things as we go through this lesson together.
Here is my prayer for you: “Dear Lord, help each participant in this study to put You first and be helped by You in all aspects of living. Amen
Proper Attitude
How we spend our money reveals our character. It reveals whether we are honest or dishonest, trustworthy or not, wise or foolish. Much of being God’s person is having the right attitude. If we have the right attitude, we will do the right things and go in the right direction. The Christian has the Holy Spirit to help develop the character needed. We have the Word of God to instruct us. And we have fellow believers to encourage us. We need all three, and we can have all three as we study together in our group.
We have to give up our selfish ways and think God’s way. This won’t happen unless we make a real effort to do so because the best way is often not the easy way, and some of the patterns we are used to may need changing. Big changes in our attitude may be required.
Discussion Question
On the next page, there is a list of attitudes to be worked on. Study this list, and then identify the one that affects you the most. Explain how you plan to change your attitude and thinking in this area.
Excuses that Hold Us Back
• What I make is my own. I can spend it any way I want to. This statement is simply not true at all. Society expects us to pay taxes, support ourselves and families. What is left over is “spending money”, not before. If we are servants of God, we are also called upon to be good stewards and to wisely use the resources given us.
• I don’t make enough to make ends meet so I just live “day-to-day.” As long as we keep thinking like that, we will never get beyond one crisis after another with any stability or future.
• I am so poor I don’t have to tithe. This is false. The tithe is your fair share, and it is 10% for everybody. If you only make $100, the tithe is $10. If you make $1000, it is $100. God wants every area of our lives to be a blessing, including our money and time.
• I make so little money; I might as well not even try. Wrong. You will never get anywhere with this attitude. There are many success stories where people started at the bottom, did a good job, and moved up (after a period of time and hard work).
• I am so far in debt, it is hopeless. As long as you think that way, it will be. Problem solve. Change your thinking accordingly. Then ask God to help you do it.
• It is OK for me to cheat on my taxes because “everybody’s doing it.” Even if everybody else is doing it, God expects us to live like He told us to. A popular saying is “honesty is the best policy.” For the Christian, it is the only policy.
• I can take some of my employer’s things home from the job. People have been fired for doing just that and have even been arrested. We must have the highest standard of ethics. We should not even take little things home from the job.
• I could work harder, but my boss and company take advantage of me. Get out of this one quickly, because it will lead to your hating every minute of the job. Instead, think “I love my job because …” (you fill in the blank here). Remember the problem solving model? The purpose of your job is not just to make money. You should be rejoicing in what you are contributing, not feeling sorry for yourself. Turn a bad situation into good by the way you think.
• I can’t save because I don’t have enough to pay the bills. False. Everyone can save something. A nickel? Dime? Dollar? You will get excited about what you have been able to save, even if it is just a small amount.
• I need to eat out a lot because it is cheaper. You need to get better at shopping for groceries if that is what you think. Eating out can be both expensive and unhealthy.
• I have to have my cable/satellite and video games to entertain and to reward myself. You don’t need any such thing if it is keeping you from your financial goal.
• I am late to work a lot because I have trouble getting up. This will absolutely destroy you over time. You are the one who has to figure out how to deal with it. Get more organized: plan time for sleep, showering, picking out clothes, eating, and traveling. Then change. You must change or this one will “get you.”
• I don’t call when I can’t come in to work. Learn to. It does make a huge difference in how your employer views you.
Being generous and giving to God’s work is not an option. It is a directive from God Himself. We don’t give it all away. We give a portion. The tithe has always been 10%. Offerings are extra.
Malachi 3:8-12 NKJVTM “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts.
If you have been thinking that you will start giving to God’s work after you get out of debt, consider that you are leaving God out of the equation. When you become a giver you are both helping others and His kingdom and taking on His nature, because he is a giver. You will be in for many pleasant blessings and surprises as you give to society and receive blessings from God.
We don’t only give money to the church. We also help other people in need. As we become more financially able, we will be able to do more. This will bring us a lot of joy. With God’s plan, we can do a lot: take care of ourselves, help God’s work, and help others.
Perseverance
Key Scripture
2 Peter 1:5-7 NKJVTM But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Perseverance means you stick it out. You go for the long haul. Handling finances requires discipline and lots of patience. You don’t see the rewards immediately, but you have a goal. You know where you are going instead of just drifting along and just making it.
We are not satisfied that you just make it. We want you to be really successful–successful in life, in your walk with God, and with your personal finances.
Many people without a plan are happy where they are. What a shame when they could have so very much more. The message of this whole lesson is learning to think in new and better ways, be realistic about the discipline and effort needed, and have the resolve it takes to get it done.
Read the scripture at the beginning of this section one more time and let its message sink in. Persistence is not only a good thing, it is a key good thing. It leads not only to success, but to success in abundance.
Discussion Question
What goal should you set for yourself to be more persistent in reaching your financial goals?
Honesty
Honesty is not something we are born with. We have to develop it. We are not honest because it is easier to lie sometimes. It seems like a shortcut to get to where we want to be. One definition of sin is to “take shortcuts from what God wants us to do.”
In the long run (remember persistence?), honesty wins out. You feel better about yourself. Others learn to trust you. Even God will trust and bless you more.
Discussion Question
What area of honesty are you going to work on? What progress do you expect to make? What will be your reward?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write your answer in the space provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Ephesians 1:4 NKJVTM …just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we shoud be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Colossians 1:22 NKJVTM …in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-
Philippians 2:14-15 NKJVTM Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Romans 12:11 NKJVTM …not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Colossians 3:23 NKJVTM And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
John 14:26 NKJVTM But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJVTM All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Psalms 139:23-24 NKJVTM Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Matthew 7:13-14 NKJVTM “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Discussion Question
Read Psalm 1 below, then answer this question: How does “who I am in Christ” affect my thinking about earning and managing money?
Psalms 1:1-6 NKJVTM
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. If we want to get ahead financially, we will need to…
T or F a. problem solve.
T or F b. be creative in avoiding our creditors.
T or F c. be patient.
T or F d. be a little dishonest once in awhile.
T or F e. declare bankruptcy.
2. Being a good citizen with our money…
T or F a. has nothing to do with our relationship to God.
T or F b. has everything to do with our relationship to God.
T or F c. sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t.
T or F d. brings about much personal satisfaction.
3. I don’t make much money. Therefore,…
T or F a. I don’t have to report all the taxes owed.
T or F b. I don’t need to give anything to God or society.
T or F c. I don’t have to do any planning. Everything is already spoken for.
T or F d. I will have to plan even harder.
4. Our attitudes…
T or F a. have little bearing on how well we plan.
T or F b. have little bearing on how we spend our money.
T or F c. can make us or break us.
T or F d. will keep us going through the hard times.
5. To be successful…
T or F a. you need a plan and perseverance.
T or F b. you just need a plan.
T or F c. you just need perseverance.
T or F d. you need to be lucky.
Budgeting and Saving
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer
Do you sometimes wonder how you will ever “get a handle” on your spending? Making a budget is the answer. It doesn’t matter whether your salary is large or small or your needs large or small. Everyone needs a budget because you will end up spending more than you take in if you don’t. Planning ahead will help keep you from overspending on things you don’t have funds for. It will also help you keep track of how well things are going. A budget is not for someone else. It is for you. You have to custom-make your budget to fit your needs and situation.
Part of the process is to develop a savings plan. Everyone needs to save. Even desperately poor people need to save. Saving is the main way in which you can plan (budget) for the future and handle emergencies. It allows you to accumulate a large sum of money over time. Loans make large amounts available now to be paid off over time. Savings are better than loans because they don’t increase regular spending and they don’t have to be paid back. Also, the bank pays you instead of you paying it.
Budgeting and Savings are two ways to brighten your future. Both start with a plan. You make the plan. You follow the plan.
How Does a Budget Work?
A budget is a plan for spending your money. You adjust it to your situation and how much you make. Only you know what is realistic and what is not. You must sit down with pencil and paper and do the math.
Percentages work well because they help put in perspective where the money is going, whether it be little or much. If you have never had a budget before, you may have to start with very simple one. SELF-AWARENESS
Weekly Budget
If you get paid every week, you need a weekly budget. Study the sample below and compare the weekly, monthly, and yearly amounts. The monthly amounts are the weekly amount multiplied by 4.333 (weeks in a month); the yearly amounts are the weekly amounts multiplied by 52 (weeks in a year).
SAMPLE BUDGET
Notice the following facts about the sample budget:
• The weekly amounts seem so small by themselves but they add up to larger amounts monthly and even larger ones yearly. It is possible to earn a lot more over time than it is for a short period of time.
• Housing will take the biggest chunk of your paycheck.
• The next largest is for automobile expenses. You may well decide you can’t afford a car right now. You definitely can’t afford a new car with this income.
• The third largest is your tithe (10%). Don’t forget the tithe, and don’t be tempted to skimp here. You are trying to please God, and you want Him to show Himself strong for you.
• Some bills are monthly. Because of this you will have to put aside a given amount of money each week so that you will have enough at the end of the month.
• A person on this budget would not be able to afford luxuries like cable, expensive televisions, or video games.
Discussion Question
How realistic is the sample budget to your situation? How would you have to change it?
Budget Exercise
Fill in the blank budget on the next page using the sample budget as a guide. Write in the weekly amount you expect to earn and the percentages, weekly, monthly, and yearly amounts that correspond to your situation. You can use a calculator and the calculation chart above. Completing the chart will help you see where you are so that you can plan better and make better decisions.
Use the sample budget as a guide only. Yours will look different. Discuss new insights you have gained with the other members of your group.
Weekly to Monthly Multiply by 4.333
Weekly to Yearly Multiply by 52
Monthly to Weekly Divide by 4.333
Monthly to Yearly Multiply by 12
Yearly to Weekly Divide by 52
Yearly to Monthly Divide by 12
BUDGET WORKSHEET
Fill in Weekly Amounts and Calculate Other Columns
First Household Income
Second Household Income
100% TOTALS
100% TOTALS
Discussion Questions
How will using this budget plan help you? How important is savings to your future?
Why is Saving so Important?
Saving over time is the only way to acquire a large sum of money on a limited budget. Due to their saving routines, some people with small incomes built up a fortune over time and people with large ones never have much. Saving is a lifetime discipline that will help us do more and live better.
Some people spend their whole lives “hand-to-mouth”, handling emergency after emergency because they have never disciplined themselves to save. Some amount from every paycheck should be set aside for savings, even if it is very small.
What are Some Ways to Save?
Here are some of the ways you can save:
• Put a percentage of your paycheck into a savings account. It will be safe there, draw interest, and be you will not be as tempted to spend it if it is not in your pocket. To earn even more interest, put your money into a Certificate of Deposit (CD). These are for longer periods of time, such as 6 months up to 5 years, but they earn higher rates of interest. Generally, credit unions pay higher interest than banks.
• Don’t use check cashing firms. When finished with all the interest rates and special charges, you will be paying ridiculous service fees. Get a checking account instead.
• Don’t borrow against next week’s paycheck. That only delays and increases the burden on you. This is a cycle that spirals out of control. Do without now if you have to.
• Reduce bank charges. Choose a credit union over a commercial bank for the lowest rates. Get a free account if possible.
• Change the oil in your car every 6,000 miles instead of 3,000. That will save you half the cost of an oil change and probably won’t hurt your car.
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. They are healthier, fill you up, help you lose weight, and reduce your need for expensive snack foods. You may have to look for them, though, because grocery stores often put other more profitable items in your path. Food is one of the largest parts of your budget, and you can save big in this area.
• Buy the store brand. You can often save by buying the store brand.
• Comparison shop when in the grocery store. Look for the comparison unit cost that the larger chains give. Don’t be fooled by “buying more will cost less per unit” Retailers know people think like that and often charge more per unit of larger size item.
• Comparison shop when buying insurance, applying for a loan, finding a room, or anything else where you have a choice. You will almost always save something, will better understand what is available, and maybe even find something better than you were looking for.
Discussion Question
What are the three best ways for you to save more money?
How can You Save when you Owe More than You Make?
One of the keys to financial success is to get out of the trap of not even trying because the task looks too overwhelming. Everyone can save something, no matter how little.
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
ALLOW MINUTES 25
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write your answer in the space provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Exodus 22:29-30 NKJVTM “You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. “Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
Mark 12:42-44 NKJVTM Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Proverbs 31:10-29 NKJVTM Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants. 25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”
APPLICATION
Discussion Question
How does God expect me to be a giving person when I don’t make much money?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. A budget will help you get out of debt because…
T or F a. it is required by the government.
T or F b. it is a plan for getting out of debt.
T or F c. it will help you make the right decisions.
T or F d. None of the above. A budget won’t help. You have to earn more money.
2. A budget helps you save for the big items and emergencies by…
T or F a. finding out what your needs are.
T or F b. problem solving for the best use of your funds.
T or F c. seeing if you can afford your tithe or not.
T or F d. seeing if you can afford child support or not.
3. You will probably have to spend the most for…
T or F a. clothing.
T or F b. food.
T or F c. housing.
T or F d. a car.
4. Why should you always have a savings plan?
T or F a. To handle emergencies.
T or F b. To make large purchases.
T or F c. To have a better future.
T or F d. None of the above. I don’t have enough money to save anything.
5. One good way to save would be to…
T or F a. put a small amount in a savings account each week.
T or F b. play the lottery and put all the winnings into the bank.
T or F c. comparison shop.
T or F d. stay away from check-cashing firms.
T or F e. get a free checking account.
DISCOVERING
Housing
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer SESSION
Paying for a place to live will likely be the biggest expense you will ever have. It can be overwhelming. Mortgages of over $1,000/month for a small place are now the rule rather than the exception. Because of the high demands on you, this area of financial management deserves special attention.
After the tithe, which belongs to God, you should allow enough money from your paycheck to cover your own housing needs and for those who depend on you. You will need God’s help to get established, and you can rightfully ask for it if you are serving Him in the other areas of your life. You may also need to ask for peace and help from being overcome with stress in this highly demanding area.
Discussion Question
What is your number one concern in your own housing situation? Ask the group for ideas.
SELF-AWARENESS
Making Housing Plans
As you make your housing plans, start with thanking God for all He has done for you. Ask Him to guide you, then take action.
As with any other money matter, developing a plan is the first step toward meeting your goal. You will need to be very patient and not give up. Remember, you may start off feeling absolutely helpless. Press on, anyway. You will feel better as more steps are taken. New options and solutions will emerge as you just keep on exploring. Don’t expect it to be quick. Don’t expect it to be easy. Do expect that your efforts will pay off.
Include God in your Plans
Before you even think about getting a place, you should include God in your plans of how you are going to do this. The easy way out is not always the best way or the right way. Here are a few things to consider:
• Living with someone of the opposite sex without being married to them is not acceptable under Jewish or Christian teaching. Our culture is so full of this sin that even many Christians seem unaware that this lifestyle goes directly against the teaching of Christ. Being desperate financially and living together to help make ends meet is not a justification. Think this one out: if pregnancy and children follow and the relationship breaks up, so will alimony and child support payments that you can’t afford. Besides making a commitment to manage money better, you should also make a commitment to be pure in your relationships.
• If you are married, don’t be surprised with the problems that may develop as a result of living with parents. You will have your own marriage concerns and will need your own place away from your parents. If necessary to survive, make living with parents as short a time as possible. Don’t get in the “pity me” trap of saying that life is too hard and you can’t make it on your own. Thinking like that will keep you from looking for better solutions and working things out.
• Make sure your roommates are godly. You may need a roommate to share expenses with. This is understandable, but don’t just choose anyone. You want to be successful. Being around the wrong people will keep you from being your best for God. At worst, they can drag you into their bad habits like drugs and alcohol.
Discussion Question
Has one of the conditions just discussed above ruined your life? Share this with the group so others can think more clearly about the consequences in life and in serving God.
Do your Homework
Don’t settle for the first place you look at. Get the most for your money by spending the time to comparison shop. That way you will know what is available and whether you are paying too much. You will also be able to get the best place for your price range.
Think of the Future
Don’t just think about having a place for yourself to stay tonight or this week. Leases and mortgages are for longer times but give better rates than short-term ones. If you have a family and everyone is jammed into someone else’s apartment because of financial necessity, start planning now to get out of that situation.
Overcome Obstacles
People starting over again have many obstacles to overcome. One of the biggest is getting out of the rut of thinking that things can’t improve. Attitudes of hopelessness produce hopeless situations. On the other hand, right attitudes, a lot of work, and a little hope produce success with wonderful results. You will surprise yourself with all the good solutions that you can come up with when you put forth the necessary patience and effort in problem solving.
For the believer, you also have the God of hope to help and guide you. It is wonderful and inspiring to see struggling people who have worked their way through their problems and have become overcomers. There is a real glow about them and a sense of accomplishment.
Use Social Services
Every community has public and private organizations that help people in need. For starters, check with the local Coalition on Homelessness, Salvation Army, crisis line, or women’s shelter. Many local communities also have offices for subsidized housing. Some agencies can help with a month’s rent, work with you on evictions, or help to get you situated. If one agency can’t help, it can usually point you to another that might be able to help. Be aware, though, that social services are overwhelmed most of the time. They may be able to help, but you will have to be patient.
Owning vs. Renting
Most people dream of owning their own home. This is not for everybody at all stages in their life, however. When emerging from huge financial crises, it may not even be possible. Buying a home should generally only be considered when you have saved up for a down payment, your income is secure, and you plan to stay put for at least five years, among other things. You will need to do a lot of homework before you buy a home.
The (US) Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office website has extensive, well-written materials and resources that will help you in this area. It also provides information about emergency assistance, such as resources for homeless or displaced people. There is also information with local phone numbers to call to set up counseling sessions, many of them free, to discuss your particular situation.
Here are a few advantages of both owning and renting:
ADVANTAGES OF OWNING
• Financial security over time (15-30 years)
• Build up equity
• More independence in fixing up and using your place
• More sense of permanence
• Some tax breaks
Discussion Question
• Not responsible for upkeep and repair
• Fewer unexpected emergency expenses
• More free to relocate
• Large mortgage debts and payments avoided
• Credit history not always as important
Which is the best option for you right now, owning or renting? Why?
Tips for Looking for a Mortgage
It is to your advantage to get the least expensive mortgage you can. There are three main considerations: interest rate, term, and points.
A small reduction in interest rate can produce big savings because of the long time the loan is in force. Different institutions offer different rates. Doing your homework in looking in several places and having better credit will help you get more favorable rates. The term is the length of the loan. A 15-year loan will have a lower interest rate than a 30-year loan, and you will save thousands of dollars in interest costs. If you need to have a 30-year loan, try making extra payments to pay it off faster. Closing costs include legal and business fees to finalize the purchase. Many times these are based on points or percentage of the loan amount. You are looking for both a favorable interest rate and favorable closing costs.
If you plan to move in a few years and your finances are tight right now, you should not be looking for a mortgage at this time. Save for a down payment, instead. Later, your day will come.
Discussion Question
What is your personal plan for owning a home in the future?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write down your answer in the blank provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Mark 10:7 NKJVTM For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
John 4:16-18 NKJVTM Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ “for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
Psalms 34:6 NKJVTM This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
Psalms 34:7-8 NKJVTM The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Matthew 6:26 NIV 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?
Discussion Question
How should your “walk with Christ” affect your housing plans?
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
God wants you and your family to be secure with your own housing needs taken care of. This can still be a challenge, though, because of the huge part it plays in your budget. We need to be “level headed” and not over-obligate ourselves to the point that we are evicted or foreclosed upon. We need to be very focused in this most important part of our financial lives and be good stewards of everything that God has entrusted us with. Most of all, we must live for God in every part of our lives, and that includes how we spend our money.
Discussion Exercise
Kaitlyn came from a good family and had a good life until she got into a bad relationship and ended up in the wrong crowd. Now because of her addiction, she lost it all, became homeless, and is now in a Christian recovery home. Now, with the high prices of rent and mortgages, she doesn’t know how she is going to make it when she gets out. What advice would you give her?
Robert and Kayla have been married for two years and both have good jobs. Robert works for a large oil company and Kayla works as a cashier. They are expecting a child in six months. They have found their “dream” house but it is just a little out of their price range. They think they can manage the mortgage payments, though, by accepting a 30-year variable-rate mortgage where the interest rates will change according to the economy. Would it be wise for them to go ahead and “follow their dream”? Why or why not.
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. It is better to buy a home rather than rent one because…
T or F a. it is always the best thing to do.
T or F b. you will have fewer responsibilities.
T or F c. you will be freer to relocate if your job changes.
T or F d. you will be under less financial obligation.
T or F e. it is an easy way to get out of debt.
2. Buying a house…
T or F a. usually takes a lot of time and patience.
T or F b. is not a good option for everyone.
T or F c. requires active problem solving.
T or F d. should not be entered into lightly.
3. Including God in my housing plans is a good idea because...
T or F a. God should be a part of all of my plans.
T or F b. my reasoning and His may differ on the living arrangements I choose, due to financial necessity.
T or F c. I need His guidance and help.
T or F d. He may have plans for me that affect where I will live.
4. Making housing plans are important because housing…
T or F a. will probably be your largest area of expense.
T or F b. it is often not a simple situation.
T or F c. it is important to reduce your risks.
T or F d. it has such long-term implications.
T or F e. None of the above. It’s all about luck anyway.
5. When seeking a mortgage loan, you should…
T or F a. buy the most expensive house you can qualify for.
T or F b. stretch out the payments for as long as you can.
T or F c. obtain the lowest interest rate you can.
T or F d. make sure that home ownership is the right thing for you at this time.
Making Money
Developing a Strategy for Securing Your Future
Preparing For Your Future
INTRODUCTION ALLOW MINUTES 10
Opening Prayer
Do you want a bright future? If you do, then you will need to start planning for it. It will not just happen all by itself. It will require rethinking your situation and establishing some personal goals. This lesson will help stimulate you to start the thinking process that leads to success.
One area where you can do this is in your spiritual life. If you have not already done so, you might consider making the pledge on page 76 to serve God. That can help you both spiritually and materially as you redirect your life to wholesome goals and seek the help and fulfillment that only comes from serving God. That being said, you will still need to grow in your faith, learn to approach life differently, and plan for your future.
Discussion Questions
How can your faith in God help you with your financial planning?
What are some of the things you need to concentrate on to insure a better financial future?
What kind of thinking patterns will you need to change?
SELF-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Take the Long View!
There is one thing that all successful people have in common: they take the long view. They can put up with the disappointments and frustrations of today because they can see themselves having a better tomorrow. Tomorrow may be a day off or even years, but planning for the better future begins today. It takes effort, perseverance (“stick-to-it” spirit), and determination, but it is worth it. To make it work, though, you have to want it badly enough to look past the problems and concerns of today.
Discussion Question
What are some of the daily and short-term issues that keep you from taking the long view?
What are some of your long-term financial goals?
What are some of the things that you can do to get there?
Be Optimistic
Another thing shared by successful people is optimism. They know that focusing on the negative and obstacles caused by circumstances or people will keep them from their goal. They focus on what they can do, not on what they can’t do. This course offers many suggestions along this line, but they won’t help you much unless your negative outlook is replaced by a more positive one.
Discussion
What kind of things could you change in your thinking to be more optimistic about your financial future?
Read the following scripture and then comment on it as to how it applies to improving your financial future.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Education and Training
Lack of education is a major barrier to getting a better job. This is becoming more and more true as time goes on. This lack can often be overcome for those who will spend the time looking for resources and doing what is necessary to get a good education. This includes being willing to receive on-the-job training.
GED
For those lacking a high school diploma, getting a GED is a must. It is becoming harder and harder to get a good job without completing high school or a GED program. Check your local school district or community college for information. Just getting the GED shows that you can complete tasks and suggests that you take personal pride in accomplishments. You are never too old to further your education.
College or Technical School
After getting your high school diploma or GED, you will be eligible to enter many colleges and technical schools. It is a shame that more people don’t take advantage of opportunities in this area because they aren’t aware of the opportunities or lack confidence to try. Here are some misconceptions that needlessly hold people back.
• I can’t afford it. Surprise, surprise! You probably can. In fact, many people temporarily make their living while going to school by going to school. People have been known to make to earn up to $16,000 a year with a combination of scholarships, grants, and loans. The more hardships in life you face, the more special grants may be available to you. Colleges don’t usually advertise all their scholarships and grants. There isn’t enough money to serve everyone. You need to go to the financial aid department in person and ask for an interview. You may come away pleasantly surprised. Remember the old saying, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
• I am too busy to go to school. This may be true, but think of long-term implications, not just your immediate situation. Also, think of “going to school” as a work option, as mentioned above.
• I can’t go to school because I have children to watch. Many high schools and colleges have day care centers for children while parents go to school. Some institutions have subsidized programs for low-income people.
• I am too old. You will have plenty of older classmates as company in college and technical school. You will even see some who are over 40. Colleges are used to them and call them “nontraditional students.” They often have “lifelong learning” programs especially geared to the older adult. Counselors are available to help you find out what you need to know.
• I’m not smart enough. The simple reason why many people fail to succeed is because they never try. They may not try because they don’t know anyone who has gone to a particular type of school and don’t know what is required. They may be afraid to start because of fear of failure. For the best results, keep an open mind and explore all the possibilities. Talk to someone in the advising department to show you what to realistically expect.
• College won’t help me get a good job. Though no one can promise that you will get a better job after going to college, the chances are much greater that you will. For starters, some jobs, like social worker, require a degree. Also, remember that just successfully continuing your education is in itself an indication of many of the things that employers want.
Discussion
Which of the previous excuses apply to you? How will moving beyond these excuses help you reach your goal?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
ALLOW MINUTES 25
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write down your answer in the blank provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Matthew 6:31-34 NIV So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
What is the connection between faith, worry, and financial problems?
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Proverbs 21:5 NIV The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
In each of the following scenarios, make your recommendations based on the things learned in this lesson.
Scenarios
Jonathan never completed high school and is finding it harder and harder to get steady work that pays enough to live on. He is getting desperate as things don’t seem to be getting any better. What should he do in a situation like this?
Joe just got out of prison for selling drugs. Now he has a record and few job skills. All he can find is occasional day labor and it is not enough to live on. He is seriously thinking about going back to selling drugs because that is the only way he knows to get some “quick cash” and respect.
What is wrong with this kind of thinking?
How would you advise him to change his thinking and why?
Jennifer has turned to prostitution and is now in jail for it again. She doesn’t like this kind of occupation, but she is desperate to support herself and her two children. She feels trapped with no way out.
How is her situation similar to Joe’s?
What kind of additional issues might she also be dealing with?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. Continuing with your schooling is only a good idea if you…
T or F a. are young and have money enough to do it.
T or F b. are under 40.
T or F c. already have a high school diploma.
T or F d. have enough extra cash to do it.
2. According to scripture, the Christian view about financial problems would be to...
T or F a. never think about money or planning for the future because God will take care of everything and there will never be a need for showing restraint on a daily basis.
T or F b. constantly think about how hopeless the financial situation is and serve God anyway.
T or F c. always be encouraged in the Lord.
T or F d. hope and work for a better tomorrow.
T or F e. be thankful.
3. The best way to improve your financial conditions is to...
T or F a. better manage the money that you have.
T or F b. plan for future career and job security.
T or F c. get an education and everything will just take care of itself.
T or F d. do nothing. It is hopeless anyway.
4. My situation is impossible because I…
T or F a. see that “the rich are getting richer and the poor are geting poorer” and there is nothing I can do about it.
T or F b. have a record.
T or F c. have bad credit.
T or F d. don’t have any skills.
T or F e. have given up.
5. Continuing your education is a good idea because...
T or F a. nearly every good job now requires it.
T or F b. it shows that you are willing to work hard and have a goal of being a valuable employee.
T or F c. you have to keep up with the times.
T or F d. It is not a good idea because it wouldn’t make any difference anyway.
Getting a Job
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer
To be successful in gaining employment, you need to have two skills: the skill necessary to actually do the job and the skill in finding and getting one. Those with both skills will get more and better employment opportunities. This is because they have the right attitude, know where they are going, and know how to promote themselves. Professional job agencies emphasize these things, and these principles are the focus of this lesson.
Besides taking this lesson, you should explore the many resources and materials available to you. The internet has many. Your local job placement office can also help. If you take the time to find out what you need to do, you will definitely be better prepared to secure your future.
Consider the group you are in as a resource as well. You will be surprised at the amount of combined knowledge and advice that is available from your fellow group members. They will be going through some of the same problems that you are. Don’t underestimate how much you and your classmates can help each other.
Discussion Questions
As you start this lesson, what do you feel is the biggest obstacle you will need to overcome in getting a job? Share your answer with the group and be thinking about it as you go through the lesson.
How can just talking about problems and solutions help you get a job?
Attitude! Attitude! Attitude!
In the real estate world, location is considered the key to selling property. The question in seminars is often: “What are the three most important considerations in selling real estate?” The answer is “location, location, location.” When it comes to the topic of getting a job, the three top considerations are “attitude, attitude, and attitude.”
Your attitude will show up in various unexpected ways. In many respects, it is something you can’t hide. It is really important, then, that you have the right attitude. This is one of the main topics taught in job training schools. You will be spending a lot of time on the job. It really helps if you actually enjoy what you are doing. If you don’t, you won’t be much good to your employer and your future there will probably not amount to much.
Discussion Question
List one way in which you could improve your attitude in the process of getting a job and explain how it would help.
Understand What Employers Want
What you want and what employers want may be two different things. It works better for each you if both of you are “on the same page” in your job interview. There are many websites that can help you with detailed information. Just type in ”what employers want” in the search window. Here are some of the important things that they are looking for:
• You have something to offer. Consider the employer’s needs and tell them how you can help.
• You feel that the job is important and worth having. You will appear phony if you feel the job is only a temporary step toward something better. You cannot have the attitude that the job is “beneath you.” The employer probably had to go through many steps to justify the position and now is eager to fill it. The last thing wanted is having to replace someone right away because of a bad attitude.
• You will be a part of the team. Employers have enough trouble with people getting along with the people they already have. They don’t want to add one more person who will just make the problem worse. They want someone who gets along well and who will work with team members to accomplish the goals before them. They want a team player.
• You are flexible. Employers like it when you are willing to adapt to new work assignments. You should also be willing to learn. Being willing to go outside your comfort zone is considered a real asset. You have to realize that “it’s not all about me” and think beyond your own needs.
• You are honest. It is very reassuring to an employer to know that you will tell the truth and have good character. That is one less thing for them to be worried about. If your past is less than perfect, do not evade the subject if asked. Convey your true desire to improve yourself and prove yourself trustworthy.
• You are loyal. You should be loyal to the company even if the company is not loyal to you. Maturity is in order. You have to see past your own needs sometimes and see your employer’s point of view. Realizing this also will help you in all the other areas of life where your relationship with people is involved.
• You are hard working. You are naturally expected to carry your fair share of the work load. If you take personal pride in what you are doing, you won’t be half-hearted about your work. Working with the proper, positive attitude will put you in favor for retention and eventual promotion.
• You are reliable. You need to convince your interviewer that you can be counted on. This is one reason you will be asked for your work experience. If you never kept a job for very long, you may be considered a poor risk to take on. You will have to make a special effort to convince the employer you will stick with it this time. Besides just making promises, you will also have to do some serious personal thinking about how you can break this cycle.
• You have previous work experience. Employers want to know about your work experience. The less you have to be trained for the job, the sooner you can be an asset to the company. Though most of the interview will focus on work that is related to the job, it is also important for you to offer other information such as internships, volunteer work, or other non-related positions. These extra things may well be the deciding factors if many people are competing for the same position. Remember, you always have competition.
• You have training and/or education. Mentioning any education or training you have had is always a plus because it suggests a more ambitious, well-rounded, and hard-working person. If it is related to the job it is considered even more valuable.
Discussion
Identify the area from the above list that needs the most work in your situation. What can you do to strengthen this area?
Overcoming Obstacles
You may have special obstacles to overcome. The key is to stick to it and overcome. The people who get the good jobs are the ones who “work hard at getting a job.” Don’t let any of the following arguments be an excuse for not looking for work.
Excuses you can do without:
• I have competition. You will always have competition. You have to be better than the competition. Sometimes that is not hard.
• I don’t know where to look. Look everywhere. Check the newspaper and internet. Talk to friends who have jobs. Many times you will get farther by networking. Visit places of possible employment. Go to employment offices to check open vacancies.
• I don’t have a car. You won’t need one in many cases. Find employment close to you. Ride a bicycle. Get a ride with a coworker. Take the bus.
• I have a record. This will not automatically exclude you, but you must be honest. If the application doesn’t ask for this kind of information, you don’t have to volunteer it. If it does, or you are asked about it in the interview, truthfully answer the questions. If someone gives you a break, as some will, go out of your way to assure them and prove to them that they are making the right decision in hiring you.
• I don’t have some of the required documents. This is simple. Get them. If you are a veteran, the Veteran’s Administration will help you get an identification card. If you lost your driver’s license, or it expired, find out what you have to do and do it.
Discussion Question
After reviewing the lesson, what is the single most important thing that you should do to improve your chances of getting a job?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
ALLOW MINUTES 25
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write down your answer in the blank provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Proverbs 6:6-8 BBE Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise: Having no chief, overseer, or ruler, She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
Proverbs 6:9-11 BBE How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep: Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
2 Peter 1:5-6 NIV For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
The goal of this course is to stimulate your thinking about practical strategies you can use to get out of debt, to be a successful wage earner, and to improve your future. Remember that one of your greatest resources may be right in front of you - your financial class. You can learn from much your fellow group members. Though they may seem to be having the same financial struggles that you have, they can still actually be a rich source of information. Be alert to the thoughts and discussions presented. Don’t be surprised by how much you can learn from them.
In the end, however, only you can put all the pieces together and accomplish your goal. This is where problem solving comes in. Getting a job is hard work and takes effort just like anything else, but the reward is worth it.
Group Activity
After reviewing this entire lesson, do a practice job interview where you are being interviewed by one of your fellow group members. Let that person know the position and circumstances you are being interviewed for. Write your reactions below.
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. The “biggest” single concern when presenting yourself at a job interview is…
T or F a. How much will I make?
T or F b. What are the benefits?
T or F c. Do I have the right attitude about this job and employer?
T or F d. Can I remember all of the reasons from my past why this employer may not want me?
2. When employers interview for new employees, they are looking for…
T or F a. honesty.
T or F b. reliability.
T or F c. loyalty.
T or F d. independent thinking.
3. Employers desire employees that …
T or F a. stick to themselves and just do their job.
T or F b. are busybodies into everyone else’s business.
T or F c. are team players.
T or F d. are pleasant and who get along well with people.
4. Success in finding a job is mostly dependent on ...
T or F a. luck.
T or F b. hard work.
T or F c. having a good attitude.
T or F d. who you know.
5. Which of the approaches are practical ways in which to find a job when you don’t know where to look to find one?
T or F a. Look in the newspaper.
T or F b Talk to many people.
T or F c. Visit places that may be hiring.
T or F d. Check the internet for job listings.
T or F e. None of the above. If you don’t already know where to find one, you would just be wasting your time.
Keeping a Job
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer
Once you get a job, you will need to work on certain areas that will help you to be successful in your new position. Eventually, you will want a raise or promotion, but that has to be earned and will require patience and effort on your part. Some of these principles of success are simple yet necessary. Almost all of them involve attitude changes. Though very basic, they have the effect of separating the successful from the unsuccessful. Their negative and positive aspects are the subject of this lesson.
This lesson is really a continuation of the previous lesson on Getting a Job. Some of the same things that helped you convince someone to hire you are also the ones that will help you to be retained and to eventually advance at your place of employment.
Discussion Exercise
Study the points again from the What Employers Want section on pages 58-59 of the previous lesson (getting a job). Explain how these same points apply to this lesson (keeping a job).
SELF-AWARENESS
Main Causes of Failure
There are glaring reasons why new employees fail. The worst thing about them is that most of them involve bad habits which could have been corrected. These habits just repeat themselves unless deliberate action is taken. Here are some of the common ones:
Lack of Enthusiasm
The first week on any new job is going to be stressful. This is to be expected. Later on, less-than-ideal situations may arise. The job may get routine or boring. Don’t fall into the trap of getting discouraged and giving up, thinking it is isn’t worth bothering with. Letting yourself drift along in this frame of mind will be very destructive. Your lack of enthusiasm will be apparent to all and will affect your performance. The Christian can find meaning in all things and get inspiration for motivation as well – we’re doing it for Christ. We also have the Holy Spirit to guide us. We can ask Him to change the way we view things and help us with our negative attitudes.
Being Late to Work
You may have gotten away with being late to school when growing up, but when someone is paying you to be there and you are habitually late, you are setting yourself for the number one reason to be let go or laid off. Being late is a habit, and habits are hard to change. You must make this change if you are to be successful. You have to realize that others depend on you for being where and when you are supposed to. Your being late holds everybody else up. Rule of thumb: don’t EVER be late. Don’t rationalize that you can make it up by being good in other ways. Simply don’t let it be an issue at all. Be known as a person who is never late.
Being Late or Absent and Not Calling
If there is an emergency like you blew a tire or you had to take your son to the emergency room, call as soon as possible and let the employer know. That will reduce the ill feeling that would be held against you. It will show that you are at least thoughtful enough to think of the other people affected and gave them time to make adjustments. Failure to observe this common courtesy will label you as an uncaring and unreliable person.
Personal Life Interferes
Carrying arguments or personal problems into the workplace will affect you in a very negative way. Your anger and resentment will make you preoccupied so that you can’t concentrate well on what you are supposed to be doing. It will also affect your relationship with fellow workers. It is best to manage your emotions and resolve your problems at home. If you can’t, you should at least not carry them to your job.
The Christian life is an overcoming life. We learn to rise above our disappointments and seek the One who is higher than us. We have His help in this. He can “make all the difference in the world” in how we view our lives even if we can’t change some of things that are happening to us. It is the difference between really living and just existing.
Doing Poor Work
There is no excuse for your doing poor work. It doesn’t matter that somebody else is also doing it. As a follower of Christ, you are to be a good witness, not a hindrance. This would be the perfect time to “let your light shine.” Your sense of pride and satisfaction should come from being what God wants you to be. Remember the Golden Rule. You are to think about your employer’s needs, not just your own.
Do Not Understand What is Expected
Many people lose their job within 12 to 18 months of being hired due to a lack of clear directions and expectations being given by the supervisors. Some estimates show that as many as 50% of new employees fail because of lack of understanding of what is expected and how they are supposed to do it. If you don’t know, you should ask and find out. Otherwise, you are headed for certain failure. This is not just true for the factory worker; it is true for the top executive as well.
Discussion Questions
Examine your past employment record. What was the longest period of time that you stayed with the same job? Looking back, what would you have to change to have made the situation better?
Secrets of Success
There are two key principles that will transform us into becoming a valued person in our employment: being the right person and being willing to change. This is an area where our faith can really help us. The Bible shows us what we should be. The Holy Spirit helps us to make necessary changes.
Being the Right Person
Many people live their lives as though their spiritual walk has nothing to do with how they perform on the job. This is immature. If people were “grown up” spiritually, they would also automatically be doing many of the very things that would help them with their positions. They would be stable people, not overly emotional and reacting to everything they don’t like, think beyond themselves, and relate better with others. With this attitude, they would attempt to fit in more and look for more ways in which they could contribute. They would also be persistent and persevere through the tough times. They would do the right thing even when they didn’t feel like it. Being a better Christian makes for a happier and more productive person and someone people will enjoy having around. It’s a “win, win” situation.
Personal Question
What is the most important area in my life that I need to work on to become the kind of person God wants me to be? What changes will I have to make in my daily routine to make this happen?
Being Willing to Change
Some people just never achieve success in holding a job for very long. They have a long, unstable history of moving from one job to another and never moving on or getting a promotion. These people can expect exactly the same results if they continue doing the same wrong things over and over again. Change must happen. It has to be conscious and deliberate. There is no other way. There can be no more justifying things or explaining things away. The problems must be dealt with.
Before you can change, you need to know what to change. You need to know if you are in a rut and if so, why. You need to problem solve. Take some time to review the steps of problem solving in Lesson 1. Remember to apply them for the more successful you that you want to become.
Personal Activity
Refer to the problem solving section on pages 5-6 in Lesson 1. Use the steps to solve a problem or pattern that has long held you back from a having a successful job career. Write your findings and discoveries below. Share with the group if you are comfortable. (You may be excited to do so!)
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
ALLOW MINUTES 25
Apply the points of this lesson for each of the following scriptures. Write your answers in the blanks provided, and be ready to share as you are comfortable.
Ephesians 4:28 NKJVTM Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Philippians 2:14-15 NIV Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
Matthew 7:12 NKJVTM “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Revelation 3:19 NKJVTM “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Finally, let’s connect the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:39-45 to our life’s experience. Much of success on the job involves personal attributes like the ones mentioned here. Read and think about how you can better become the type of person He would want you to be on the job.
Matthew 5:39-45 NIV But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Discussion Questions
What is the message of the above passage of scripture?
How can this help me to retain my position of employment?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. Many people fail in their first year employment because…
T or F a. even though sincere, they really don’t understand what the employer expects from them.
T or F b. they are always early to work.
T or F c. they are less than enthusiastic about their jobs.
T or F d. the economy is bad.
2. Being habitually late to work…
T or F a. is one of the most serious problems facing employers.
T or F b. can most often be balanced out by other equally important things
T or F c. doesn’t usually affect anyone else’s production except your own.
T or F d. affects all your co-workers.
3. One of the keys for success on the job is…
T or F a. having a good attitude based on your relationship with God.
T or F b. knowing how to manipulate or trick your boss or coworkers.
T or F c. being free to express all your anger so everyone knows just how you feel.
T or F d. always doing the right thing even when you don’t feel like doing it.
T or F e. being courteous, polite, and kind to other people, even when they don’t show the same respect.
4. One of the success points of this lesson was the willingness to change. This means that we…
T or F a. need to change everything we have been doing.
T or F b. need to go somewhere and find a list of things to change and then change them.
T or F c. should examine ourselves to find out what we need to change.
T or F d. should have the courage and determination to make key changes.
5. Answer each answer below on the basis of the implications of the Matthew 5:39-45 passage given in the previous section…
T or F a. If someone gives you a hard time, they deserve the same treatment.
T or F b. You should be very patient with people, even with people who are hard to get along with.
T or F c. Do exactly what is expected from you and nothing more.
T or F d. Insist on your rights.
DISCOVERING
Getting a Better Job
INTRODUCTION
Opening Prayer
The same principles that apply to being successful as a Christian also apply to being successful in society and employment. Having the right attitude about our situation not only makes it much easier for people to appreciate us and our work, but it is also the key to changing the thinking to that which is necessary to make us successful. Negative people see the world and difficult situations as hopeless. Positive people do what they can to make the best of difficult situations and move ahead anyway.
Let’s read the Philippians 4:8 from Lesson 6 again and focus on how it can lead to us having more power and control over our circumstances and to succeed where we once failed.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Discussion Questions
How can applying Philippians 4:8 to our lives make us better Christians?
How can applying Philippians 4:8 help us to be more successful in the workplace?
How will it help us in the long run.
SELF-AWARENESS ALLOW
Jobs of the Future
According to the US Department of Labor, the greatest growth in employment will occur in the low wage areas. This is helpful for people who have to start at the bottom because it gives them employment opportunities and a starting point that they can build on. Some people do very well as electricians, plumbers, food handlers, cosmetologists, store clerks, managers, and waitresses. You can even move ahead as a cleaning person or as a nurse’s aid if you do good work and are consistently a person that your employer can count on.
Discussion
What are your long-term financial goals for the future?
Name a type of job that you could qualify for right now and describe how you might be able to build upon that experience to improve your employment situation.
Moving Ahead
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer in 1976. They began their computer work as a hobby trying to impress their friends at the local computer club. They started by designing computers in Job’s bedroom. That worked for awhile until they ran out of space and had to start working in the garage. They had no money to start with so they started selling off their personal possessions. Wozniak sold his HP scientific calculator and Jobs sold his Volkswagen van. They raised $1,300 this way to get started. Apple eventually became the world’s richest company.
Discussion
Describe another success story that is inspiring to you.
Explain why it is inspiring to you.
What are your dreams for the future?
God and You
For the Christian trying to do the right thing, your dreams and your whole life are interconnected. Take your challenges and dreams to God. Make sure that you make His dreams your dreams, too. Then you will be in tune with your real purpose in life.
Discussion
Is your real purpose in life to make lots of money?
Is helping God’s work and the needy part of your financial plan?
Do you ask God to help you through the hard times?
Do talk to God about your dreams for the future?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read each of the following scriptures and apply it to the points of this lesson.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What is the main teaching here?
How does this apply to you as you plan your financial future?
Acts 18: 2-4 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Luke 12: 22-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Here are a few true-life stories that link successful financial security to faith:
Melissa
Melissa found God in jail in our FIT class in Sarasota, FL. That was over ten years ago. She had lost everything, including custody of her daughter, her car, and even her livelihood. She was a registered nurse but lost her license for life. After she got out, she started attending church, took the FIT anger and parenting classes to regain custody of her child, and went back to college to retrain for another career. She retrained and graduated from college as a social worker. Today she is gainfully employed in her new field and is happily married.
Don (the author of this book)
Don was basically a life-long Christian but still had conflicts about what he thought his financial future should be. He had a successful assistant professor position at a good college but he thought it would be nicer to be closer to home at a state college in his home state. Though secure where he was, he interviewed intensely for other positions because he felt that the benefits and retirement plan were vastly superior there. He also tried to bargain with God that there was a greater spiritual ministry to be done in the local communities there. All of the job interviews in that state fell flat and Don wondered why God had not intervened. He was clearly qualified for the positions.
A year later, the university system that Don had so yearned to become a part of fell upon hard times. Salaries were cut, benefits reduced, positions eliminated, and the newly hired professors were let go. Don stayed put at his original position and eventually retired from there with a good pension. Now he is secure enough so that he can do what he does today.
Discussion
What do these two stories have in common?
What do they teach us about how God guides us?
How do these stories give you hope, peace, or understanding?
Thoughtfully look at each of the following scenarios and offer suggestions.
Joe
Joe was once a wealthy owner of a construction company until the economy went bad and Joe became bankrupt and lost everything. What would you say to him to inspire him?
Tiffany
Tiffany’s life was destroyed by drugs and bad relationships in the last few years and now she has nothing. She is desperate. What should she do?
TRUE/FALSE TEST
Choose True or False for each question below. Share your answers with the group.
1. The Bible teaches us that...
T or F a. God is not with us when we run into problems at work.
T or F b. we are to maintain a positive attitude when at work.
T or F c. we are to work hard on the job and be one of the most productive workers.
T or F d. we should quit immediately if shown the slightest amount of disrespect.
T or F e. we should stay on the job for as long as possible even if the employer makes us do unethical things.
2. Being a good Christian and having a positive attitude will help us by making us...
T or F a. a happier person.
T or F b. an easier person to get along with.
T or F c. a more productive person.
T or F d. more valuable to an employer.
3. Employment forecasts for the future predicts that...
T or F a. most of the new job openings will be for high-paying jobs.
T or F b. there will be many entry-level job openings.
T or F c. education and training will be emphasized more.
T or F d. people may have to change jobs or occupation more than in the past.
4. In planning for the future, we should...
T or F a. not worry about whether we will make it or not.
T or F b. not make make any plans because the future is too uncertain anyway.
T or F c. include Him in our plans and have Him guide us.
T or F d. work hard on the job we are now on.
5. Success in life depends on...
T or F a. luck.
T or F b. how much money you make.
T or F c. the government.
T or F d. me.
T or F e. the devil.
The Plan of Salvation
Is there any good reason why you cannot receive Jesus Christ right now?
How to receive Christ:
1. Admit your need (that you are a sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the dead.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit (receive Him as Savior and Lord).
What to Pray
Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness.
I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins.
I am willing to turn from my sins.
I now invite Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal savior.
I am willing, by God’s strength, to follow and obey Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life.
Date
Signature
The Bible says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.” John 1:12
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
• When we receive Christ, we are born into the family of God through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. This process is called regeneration or the new birth.
• Share your decision to receive Christ with another person.
