food in my house . Test me in this ,” says the Lord Almighty , “ and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it .”)
I use that foundational promise as a lynchpin of my financial planning teaching to Christians in Malaysia , where my practice is based . I have observed that those who adhere to a strict four-tier allocation of all the money that flows into their lives as salaries , business profits and gifts are the ones who enjoy the profoundest levels of financial peace and sustainable prosperity .
So as we celebrate the birth of Jesus , our Prince of Peace , during a frenetic season so busy and stress-filled that many end up frazzled and exhausted , I submit that a wee bit of financial planning guidance or intervention might help you enjoy what should be the most wonderful time of the year .
But , frankly , if you find there is no time now to put into effect the changes I suggest , then at least implementing them as soon as is practical will still help you live better in the near future . The core changes I recommend you make are not difficult to understand because they simply revolve around a revised cash flow channelling system .
Since I have written on the suggested priority list at the heart of this system in previous issues of Asian Beacon , I ’ ll merely outline it here .
To succeed financially , commit to tracking all money that flows into your life and then ... 1 . Set aside the first 10 % for your nonnegotiable tithe to God , paid to your home church where you receive spiritual sustenance ;
2 . Allocate between 1 % and 50 % toward your savings and investment wealth portfolio ;
3 . Channel at least 1 %, preferably much more , toward generous giving to worthy charities and causes ; and
4 . Live on the balance .
Committing to a disciplined , balanced approach to tithing , saving , investing , giving and only then consuming , develops inner peace , promotes emotional stability and boosts financial strength .
As we proactively choose to live in a loving , kind , generous and productive manner , the abundant blessings of our loving Father often thrust us up the ladder of career success , which can be a good thing if we stay humble .
God desires to bless His people ( called by His name ) in ways that astound everyone else so as to also draw pre-believers into His loving embrace through the saving knowledge of the suffering , death and resurrection of Jesus Christ . If you take the time to study Philippians chapter 2 , you ’ ll be astounded at how much Jesus sacrificed for us so we might benefit in endless , infinite ways .
But for now just consider Deuteronomy 28:13 , “ The Lord will make you the head , not the tail . If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them , you will always be at the top , never at the bottom .”
If you believe that , then here is some more food for thought .
Regardless of which of the so-called Seven Mountains of society you have selected as part of your life ’ s journey , making
your ascent with God will always be better than trudging alone !
Think about all that your current work entails . Then ponder creatively upon what you want your life ’ s work to be , whether it is within the sphere of the family , arts and entertainment , business , education , government , media , or religion .
God yearns to pour out His love upon your life . So , as you decide to become better at what you do or perhaps even as you opt to switch Mountains , remember if Jesus walks with you , His love , presence , power and peace are all yours to call upon .
God ’ s intent is clear from Proverbs 10:22 , “ The blessing of the Lord brings wealth , without painful toil for it .” While that doesn ’ t mean we aren ’ t expected to work hard and smart , we must understand there is a galaxy of difference between toiling by ourselves apart from God and working as His junior partner under His approval and in the light of His grace and favour .
To illustrate what I mean , here ’ s a personal account :
Many years ago I faced a difficult choice on a potential career change . I sought the advice and guidance of my friend and senior pastor Reverend Benjamin Yeoh of Agape Community Church in Seremban . He taught me a principle that helped me back then in the early 1990s , and which has helped me ever since whenever I face an important , difficult binary – yes or no – decision . This is what he shared with me .
Pray for God ’ s wisdom ; then , when asking Him for guidance , allow His peace to help settle your course of action .
Through repeated application over more than two decades , I can confirm that this is a powerful principle that has helped me deal with countless life choices . It just might prove useful to you , too .
In closing , I leave you with God ’ s words given to Moses to relay to Aaron for him to tell the Israelites ! Numbers 6:25-26 , “... the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you ; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace .”
I wish you a peace-filled and ecstatically Happy New Year !
Rajen Devadason , CFP , is a Securities Commissionlicensed financial planner , professional speaker and author . Read his free articles at www . FreeCoolArticles . com ; he may be connected with on LinkedIn at https :// www . linkedin . com / in / rajendevadason , rajen @ RajenDevadason . com and Twitter @ RajenDevadason
ASIAN BEACON 48 # 1 December 2016 - January 2017 33