Set Long Term Goals

Abide in Me | Part 9 | March 3, 2024

Want these notes in Spanish? Click Here.

This March at Heartland

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the Gardener...you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." John 15:1,4–5,7–9 NKJV

Physical needs: food, clothing, housing, healing
Social needs: family, friends, and neighbors.
Security needs: protection
Intellectual needs: to know and understand
Emotional needs: love, recognition, and comfort
But at the center is our need for God.

5 Financial Categories

  1. Struggling

  2. Surviving

  3. Stable

  4. Secure

  5. Surplus

Ron Blue, Master Your Money

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

The longer term your perspective, the better your present decision are likely to be.” –Ron Blue, Master Your Money

“To create or increase your margin, you only have two choices: increase income or decrease expenses...This is the hard part, because in order to generate enough cash-flow margin each year to meet your long-term objectives, you have to make the long-term a priority over the short-term. –Ron Blue, Master Your Money

The law of compound interest
$200/mo. x 40 years = $96,000
w/compounded interest = $400,00
Longer the time = greater the multiplication

Long term rewards have no short cuts.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 NLT

Delayed Gratification

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time

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

God’s long-term goal for your life

To bear much fruit (John 15:1-5)

God’s Original Long-Term Goal for His People

The Lord said to Abram: “Go forth out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great people; I will bless you...and you shall be a blessing...in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1–3, NKJV

"Freely you have received, freely give.” – Jesus, Matthew 10:8 NKJV

Who you are becoming is more important than what you are doing.

There is no fulfillment or happiness outside of becoming who God made you to be.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  – Jesus, Matthew 6:19–21

Who is your source of security? You or God?

 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. – Jesus, Matthew 6:24 NKJV

Is God your source, or are you your source?

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. – Jesus, Matthew 6:33

Resources

If you would like meet with our someone from the Heartland Church ministry team to help you assess your financial situation and explore options to get out of debt or guidance on God’s financial principles, email us here!

Debt payoff apps can help you keep track of all those numbers, plus offer useful budgeting features like debt calculators and expense tracking. 

Check out this Compound Interest Calculator. The longer you save, the greater the multiplication effect. This is how you experience exponential growth in your savings. 

Register for a “God Owns it All” Small Group

Start Saving Now!

Wesleyan Investment Foundation (WIF) is a ministry partner at Heartland Church. For over 75 years WIF has been creating investment win-wins for investors and ministries around the world. Money invested with WIF earns competitive rates, is easily accessible to you, and is used to advance the Kingdom of God by making loans to local churches.

Previous
Previous

Becoming a Generous Giver

Next
Next

Supernatural Intervention to Pay-Off Debt