I LOVE IT when Churches Talk about Money!!!

Seriously, I do. I know people always say the exact opposite. And I know I had a post about money last week so I'm really making a lot of people mad. But, here's the thing. Jesus talked about it all the time and so I'm thinking we should to. I'm also being honest when I tell you that I seek out sermons from other pastors about money all the time. (Craig Groeschel, who I quoted in yesterday's post, is one of my favorites. You should check out his "Blessed" series on iTunes).

"Why?" you ask. Well, the truth is I'm not all that financially savvy and I need all the help I can get. I've got the whole 10% to God part. I'm good at that math b/c I just have to move the decimal point one spot to the left. I do that first, that money never gets touched, but then there's this other 90% leftover. It's the 90% that I need help managing.

I was taught the principle of savings at a young age - amounting to the basic idea that for every $10 I had, $1 went to God and $1 went to my piggy bank. It all made sense at the time and it all worked out. Of course, I was 10-years old at the time and so I wasn't paying for my food, clothing, shelter, cell phone, car, education, etc., etc., etc. So, $8 felt like a fortune.

Today, $8 flies out the window as soon as I pull in the Target parking lot. And, truth be told that ninth dollar that should be in my savings account often gets lost in the shuffle. There are lots of good rationales - Jacob's diapers are expensive, medical expenses are a given, car troubles can't always be accounted for, I can't wear the same shirt I wore last Sunday (as if everyone is paying attention).

It's simple but true - we all need a plan and we all need some built in safeguards to help us manage our money well, i.e. be good stewards of what God has given us. Times have been tough and the economy is still getting back on its feet, but God is faithful to provide for all we need. And He's faithful to create and use our abundance if we'll take the time to be responsible and prayerful and open with all that we have.

We've been talking for the last 3 weeks in worship about making a course correction. Do your finances need a course correction? Maybe it's time to seek some wise counsel - start in Scripture, then spend some time in prayer, then start asking people whose faith you respect and whose responsible financial choices are evident, then pray some more and read some more. Jesus said that where our treasure is our hearts are also. Let's take account of our treasure.

What's the story you want to tell someday?