Follow the Roadmap! Part 1 - It’s Your Stuff! 🚗
Welcome to today! Yesterday we spoke about stewardship and what that looks like in the life of a person who follows Jesus. Today, I want to help you make a plan and provide you with some tools to help you keep your eyes on the real prize in this world—Jesus!
Solomon has an actual plan found in the book of Proverbs. Yes, I know, friend, Solomon did fall into excess in the end, but the Bible is full of people who were not perfect. God allows the imperfect to be used to teach us. So let’s start your roadmap!
Road Map #1: It’s time to keep track of your stuff!
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” (Proverbs 27:23-24, NIV)
friend, do you recognize what God has blessed you with and the value that it has? My wife is an accountant type person—she knows where all of our stuff is all of the time. Nobody likes tracking stuff but Solomon said that as a good steward, we should know what is going on.
Road Map #2: Plan ahead!
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5, NIV)
We have a budget in our family. It forecasts where we need to be every month and keeps us in check so that we don’t find ourselves in trouble.
friend, Have you made a plan to save for the future?
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” (Proverbs 13:11, NIV)
There is a huge difference between saving and stockpiling! Hoarding stuff in a cave somewhere is not God’s plan! God simply says, you don’t know what tomorrow brings, so put aside a little not only for emergencies but also for blessings. Saving is biblical and wise!
Road Map #3: Take the hard steps to eliminate debt
“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7, NIV)
We have a debt epidemic in our world. I heard last week about a couple who had amassed over a half a million dollars in credit card debt alone! Their story came out when they both attempted suicide. What a tragedy! God doesn’t want us to fall into the trap of that sinkhole that just keeps getting bigger. How do you stay out of debt? Restraint and prayer for godly wisdom! My friend, you are allowed to say “no.” You need to say “I have enough.”
Tomorrow, I’ll share with you the last two stops on the Road Map. These two stops will address the blessing you will receive when you put in the hard work of today’s stops. So, I invite you to join me tomorrow! In the meantime, never forget my friend…
You are a miracle!
