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Investing

In Life
by Matilda E. Barbee
© 1996
All rights reserved

Do you ever have enough money to do all the things you need to do; or the things you really want to do? Do you always have to wait to be able to buy the clothes you and your family need? Do you have to rent instead of buying the new house you saw the other day and fell in love with? Do you have to drive your old car instead of having the money to pay down on the shiny, new one you wanted so badly last week? If you could make the down payment, could you afford another payment right now?

If you are like I was; then, you will have to answer, "No!" to the first question and "Yes," to most of the other questions above. What is wrong? Why is there never enough money? What was I doing wrong? Why did it seem that I couldn’t prosper? When I saved and saved, why did some "emergency" always seem to come along and take away my savings?

I had been asking these questions for several years. I had always been a saver! I had given both my time and money to the church and the needy! I had prayed and worked for His kingdom almost all my life! Still, I had not reaped the vast financial harvest that His Word promised me . . . the prosperity the preachers I had heard frequently talked about! Why?

I had reaped the spiritual blessings that we all want and enjoy; but I believe that I am not supposed to be in "want!" I am supposed to have enough to meet all of my family’s needs, and my own needs, and still have more left over to help others who do not have enough! I couldn’t share with others as long as I was in "lack" myself! I had to find the solution to this problem!

I began to seek God’s answer to this question; and God has shown me that I had not been following His Word, even though I thought I had been! God started teaching me that I had to invest in my welfare, as well as in the Kingdom of God! I had been investing in the Kingdom of God; but I had not been investing in my own welfare, other than trying to save some money when I could and investing in my education, my family, etc.

Now, God has finally shown me the reasons for my being in lack! I had not been doing things the way that He said I should! But, I had never been taught to do anything different than I was doing!

Once I learned that I had to invest in this world’s system of finance, I found that I didn’t know how. I had spent so much of my time and energy thinking of His Kingdom and serving Him, that I really did not know how to start trying to spend some time and energy on myself and any investments that I might need to make!

First of all, I had to have a way to gain some resources with which to invest. Saving even a thousand dollars can be almost impossible, at times. So, I needed a way to save consistently toward my goal! That part was not difficult, as I was already disciplined in the area of saving money.

The Lord said I could accomplish my goals by saving a little each month, as little as ten percent of my earnings, until I had the money with which to invest! This was a new thing He was showing me! I was used to the idea that I was to give a tenth of my earnings to the church and I had heard pastors say that we should do the same for ourselves; but I had not really believed that it was possible for me to do that! At times, it was hard enough to save a few dollars a week, much less fifty dollars a month or more!

Though I was a saver, I had to learn the fact that I must not use that money for any other purpose. If I was to succeed in my efforts of obtaining that sought after goal of money with which to invest, I could not spend it! That was hard for me! I am a mother and grandmother! My heart’s desire is to serve God and love my children and grandchildren and to do good things for them! Yet I had to learn that I must not spend this money, even on them, if I was to have enough to invest.

I knew the old adage, "It takes money to make money!" I had seen this proven over and over again! So, "I will save until I can invest," I vowed!

I discovered that it was a good idea to only invest half of the money at a time. That way, I still had more money to invest if I chose the wrong investment. But I found it difficult to turn loose of that money, once I had saved it up! It was safe in the bank, until I needed it! I was not in danger of losing my money as long as it was there (or so I thought). I also found it was difficult to have faith in myself when it came to knowing in what to invest.

I learned that I have to educate myself in the field of investments — what, where and when to invest. I learned that I must be consistent and determined with my savings program. Then I must develop the faith to go ahead and invest! I had to have faith that God would help me find the right investments, and bless my efforts with success!

I could not do these things in my own knowledge; I must have His Wisdom to be able to invest wisely! God assured me that He had given me the power to gain wealth, when he quoted Deut.8:18 to me, which reads, "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (NAS)

I soon found that I needed investments that would give me ample returns in a short length of time. I learned that I needed to have faith in myself and in what God had told me. If I failed in one investment; then, I would need to strengthen my faith to have the courage to try again, and again, until I succeeded! I knew that I had to persevere in my efforts until I acquired the knowledge of how, and in what, to invest! I had to have faith!!!

SEVEN KEY ELEMENTS

There are SEVEN KEY ELEMENTS to investing in life that are universally true — no matter what type of investment in life is being made. These are the following . . .

1. Know to invest and in what to invest in order to become prosperous. This not only has to do with money; but also we must invest in studying about God and receive Him as Savior to be blessed!

2. Gaining the resources is essential if we are to have the money to invest. We can only do this as we become savers!

3. How to invest is essential knowledge. We need God’s wisdom to know how to invest, else we will "perish for the lack of knowledge!"

4. The risk of loss holds us back from investing. We must be willing to run that risk if we are to succeed! But we must also be wise enough to reduce the risk through prudence, prayer and persistence.

5. Faith in us is of utmost importance! We must have faith in all that we do! The knowledge, understanding and wisdom, which are obtained from God, will give us CONFIDENCE in our plans and ourselves.

6. Courage to try again is necessary if we are not to fail. We must try again until we gain the goal!

7. God desires to bless those who will trust in Him and obey His commandments! For John said, "and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. I Jn 3:22-23 (NAS)

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