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Scripture: Philippians 4:8- Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Devotion: In this scripture we find Paul talking to the people of Philippi. At a time where Nero is burning Christians to light up his banquets and feeding them to lions, Paul is still encouraging the people to be joyous. I wanted to give this scripture a little bit of context and I encourage you all to read the 4th chapter of this book, because to me, it is not about trying to find the good in a bad situation…but it is about placing your attention AND intention on the good situations.
My and my nephew had a conversation about liquids and dilution. And I posed the question, at what point, does one substance become another, once you add a solvent to it?
For example, if you have a can of soda, and you add water, at what point does it no longer become soda and is now considered water?
Now he is a smart young man and is currently studying at Harvard to get his MBA so I if you are reading this, your uncle is not going to embarrass himself trying explain what you told me. But what I got from his conversation was this.
We won’t have to worry about removing the soda from the solution, but if we poured enough solvent into the liquid, that at some point, it would change into the new solution.
And that is what I am taking from this scripture. Paul is telling us that we should think of these things; things that are pure, wholesome, and lovely, so our hearts will be filled with joy. He is reminding the people of the sacrifice that Jesus made and how he turned dying on the cross, a bad situation, into a powerful one of inspiration. Paying for our sins, so we may have eternal life.
When it comes to finance. There are so many good things about investing that I feel we ignore. The ability to beat inflation, the ability to pay for college education tax free, the ability to pay less in taxes for long term capital gains, the ability to defer taxation, and other wonderful options that you can leverage to put more money in your pocket.
Consequently, being able to fund your life and the lives of those you love. But as the scripture states, we must praise whatever is good, honest, and just. But we will never know what is if we constantly call investing, gambling, and try to justify why we didn’t leverage our resources to secure our future.
That is what this platform is all about. Seeing faith from a financial lens. And I’m here to educate you on the good, honest, and pure things about finances. I’ll let the ugly things be just like the soda, dilute them with truth until only the good and beautiful remain.
We talk about the things that are positive. Are there some bad things we must address?
Of course.
Are there risks? Yes.
But if focusing on those things is stopping you from receiving your blessings, is it really the best use of your time?
Today, I want you to start looking at the good things you have done in your financial past. Things that you are proud of. Decisions that you made that made you feel good, and I want you to write them down.
And ask yourself, “Am I still doing these things?” if not, you know what you have to do.
If you are, good for you.
Now I want you to ask yourself one more thing. “What can you do better?” And it doesn’t have to be drastic. It can be as simple as saving an extra check per year, maxing out your 401k contributions, or setting up systematic contributions. And if you don’t know what you should focus on. We have an advisor that will be willing to help you out. There will be links at the end of this devotional.
You got this.
You just have to continue to stay the course of righteousness and truth.
Prayer: Lord, I will send a joyful noise unto you. I will focus on the beautiful things you have placed in my heart. I will not waste my time and energy acknowledging the evil in this world, but put my energy into making the change I want to see in the world. I lay my burden down on your cross. And pray that I continue to give you the praise and live in truth.
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As Christians, we were taught to be good stewards over our tithing and giving to the less fortunate. But when it came to our personal finances and investing we were left clueless on what the Bible says. What does the Bible say about managing debt, leaving a legacy, investing, and planning for your retirement? Mr. Christian Finance answers these and many other questions because we want to teach you how to become rich and righteous!
Meet A.B. Ridgeway:
A.B. Ridgeway, MBA, CPWA®️ (info@abrwealthmanagement.com) is the owner and Christian Financial Advisor with A.B. Ridgeway Wealth Management. With a decade in the finance industry, his goal is to give believers clarity around the most confusing topic in the Bible, money, and tithing. A.B. Ridgeway helps tithing Christians become cheerful givers but unlocking their money-making potential, so they can prosper and be the great stewards of the wealth God has entrusted them with.
*Disclaimer: This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any information provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of any description of securities, markets or developments mentioned. This is strictly for information purposes. We recommend you speak with a professional financial advisor.
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