2003-08-08 - Put Others First

Nine Steps to Financial Freedon, Part 6

Hey Friends,

I’m sorry to keep some of you hanging, wondering when we will continue the Financial Freedom Series. So without further delays, lets us together press towards the goal of Financial Freedom.

If you have followed the Financial Freedom series from the beginning, you will know that I was in debt to the sum of $2500.00 dollars. I just wanted to update everyone on my current progress. As of August 4, 2003, I have paid $1500.00 of my debt off, and now I only owe $1000.00 dollars. It’s exciting and encouraging for me to see this happen.

As we continuing the Nine Steps to Financial Freedom, to answer the questions: How can we achieve financial freedom? What must we do, according to God's plan?

Remember that in Step 1, we learned the first thing that we must do is as Christians, is to Transfer Ownership of every possession to God.

In Step 2, we learned that we must Become Debt-Free.
In Step 3, we learned that we must Establish the Tithe.
In Step 4, we learned that we must Accept God’s Provision.
In Step 5, we learned that we must Keep a Clear Conscience.

Step 6: Put Others First

A Christian seeking financial freedom must always be willing to put others first. This does not imply that a Christian has to be a floor mat for others; it simply means that he doesn’t profit at the disadvantage of someone else. Again, the key lies in attitude.

Lets say you’re a collector, and while browsing at a sale, you find an item that is worth a lot more than the sale price. You buy the item for $15, but it turned out to be worth more than $5 million. The world would call this a shrewd deal by a smart buyer, but there’s a very thin line between shrewdness and deceit.

Sometimes deceit doesn’t mean telling a lie; it’s just not telling the entire truth. Suppose the seller was unsaved, and you the buyer are a Christian. What kind of a testimony would you have?

Everything we do should glorify the Lord. Someone else’s ignorance doesn’t relieve our obligation to put others first. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3).

The example of a $5 million profit makes the principle clear, but the percentage of profit is not the issue-the heart attitude is. God provides us with opportunities to reach the unsaved. Don’t let the world rob you of them just for the sake of gain. As the apostle Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

If you have any questions, comments, or criticisms throughout this series - or regarding any other devotional that I may write, please e-mail me.

God Bless You, My Friends!
Rob

rob@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

I want my life to be for the glory of God