Stages Towards Financial Freedom

Brooklake Church

5 Stages Towards Financial Freedom
1. Struggling
2. Surviving
3. Stable
4. Secure
5. Surplus
When Struggling we are behind; Surviving is pay-check to pay-check; when Stable we are able to save a little; when Secure we are able to perhaps have the house paid down; and with Surplus we have more than enough.
What if every dollar you earned had an opportunity for the future, not an obligation to the past?
5 Biblical Financial Principles
1. Spend less than you earn.
2. Avoid the use of debt.
3. Build Margin (Save).
4. Set long term goals.
5. Give generously.
Spend less than you earn, avoid the use of debt and build margin.
Ever notice how we quickly we become creatures of our culture?
One of the creatures of our culture today is that we have redefined “being able to afford it.” Now it means being able to make the minimum payment.
The problem with greed is that it masks itself as need.
Francis of Assisi: “People have confessed to me every known sin except the sin of greed.”
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:13-21 ESV
Protect…
1. …from impulse.
2. …from impatience.
3. …your savings.