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SESSION NOTES:
We hope you find these selected notes from our Month of Increase series helpful.
However, although financial information is shared, SOGM is not a financial planning organization
and the notes below are not to be construed as professional financial or legal advice.
NOV 9TH: Identifying Your Starting Point
Scripture References: Mathew 6:33, Deuteronomy 6:18, Isaiah 48:17, Johsua 1:8, Psalm 35:27, Mark 11:23,24
"Prosperity" is having in excess of your needs.
1. You will indeed have what you say.
2. The kind of seed you sow affects the timing of the harvest.
If you are believing for big things, be prepared to wait for a long time,
even if it does not necessarily take a long time.
3. work best when husband and wife work together in agreement
4. Training takes time. (Isaiah 48:17 God teaches and leads you)
5. Levels of Financial Faith
a. Make payments
b. Pay loan off early
c. Pay in cash
d. Receive directly from God
Where Are You?
For next week, determine your net worth: ASSETS - LIABILITIES = NET WORTH
1. Knowing your net worth will allow you to make long term goals
2. Knowing your net worth will affect the way you make purchases.
(assets: cash, savings, securities, real estate, life insurance, ira, pension, car, furnishings, clothes/jewelry, art, etc.
liabilities: credit card balances, court judgements, loans, car notes, mortgages, etc.)
NOV 16TH: Developing Your Plan
Scripture References: Mathew 6:33, Isaiah 48:17, Johsua 1:8, Jeremiah 29:11
"Planning" arranges the parts, specifies your intentions. Be aware of the facts (Prov 24:4)
Budgets are a planning tool to gather facts and, without emotion, to determine the proper allocation of your resources.
The ultimate goal is to have excess to give to those in need. Eph 4:28
Budgets
1. are needful for those with little money and for those with a lot of money.
2. keep you on track with your goals.
3. get God involved early and He'll add to it.
4. build discipline (e.g. making sure you record debits in your check book.)
5. build order (e.g. keeping all your records or bills in one place.)
6. set rules for spending.
7. remove surprises.
8. work best when husband and wife are in agreement.
-- The most skillful of the two should actually handle/process the funds.
-- Keep communication open even when it's difficult. (Spouses have more to offer than you may think!)
HOUSEHOLD BUDGET
Total Income = Husband's Net Pay + Wife's Net Pay + Other Income
(a. Budget for only 4 weeks in a month as opposed to 4.3 weeks in order to have "extra" income throughout the year. b. Use Net not Gross.
c. Think in terms of a united effort where "our" money pays for "our" bills. d. Suggested Goal -- to live off of one income and save the other.)
Spending: Tithes, Offerings, Mortgage/Rent, Property Taxes, Property Insurance, Electricity, Oil/Gas, Water/Garbage, Telephone/Cell Phone/ Internet,
Cable TV/Satellite, Other, Auto Loans, Gas/Tolls/Parking, Auto Insurance, Maintenance, Food (Groceries), Clothing, Hair/Nails, Recreation,
Medical/Dental, Other Loan Payments, Credit Card Payments, Gifts, Weekly Spending Allowance, Savings)
(a. Determine your ability to give Offerings from whatever you have left after the rest of your budgetary needs. b. Utilities -- see company to even out seasonally high bills evenly across the year.
c. Savings should be at least enough to meet all insurance deductibles in case of fire, theft, etc. d. % of Net Income Guidelines -- Rent 15-20%, Mortgage 32-45%, Personal Expenses 25%,
Transportation (w/out car loans) 9-12%, Obligations/Loans including car 18-28% and 40% including mortgage. d. TO REDUCE DEBT, CONCENTRATE PAYMENTS ON REDUCING SMALLEST BILL/LOAN
FIRST -- OR -- THOSE WITH THE HIGHEST INTEREST RATE FIRST. REINVEST SAVINGS INTO THE NEXT SUCH BILL/LOAN.)
NOV 30th: Investing In Your Future
Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV/MSG)
Proverbs 13:22
- Suggested Goal: Leaving an inheritance for your grandchildren
*The Holy Spirit will give me direction with my monetary investments
Your Heavenly Account
- Opening The Account - Tithing
- Malachi 3:10
- God says "prove me"
- The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was Adam's tithe
- Tithing is the basis of all giving
- Depositing Into The Account
- Giving
- Phil 4:15-17,19
- I build my heavenly account as I give but I'm not limited to that account (v.19 His riches and glory)
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 (KJV/MSG)
- I'm to give through purpose and not emotion!
- Identify why and what I'm giving
- Give to give...it's not about the return
- 1 Timothy 5:8 (fulfill your needs, bills, responsibilities then give)
- Return is based on: the quality of the seed, the quality of the ground and the receiver
- Giving To The Poor (Proverbs 13:17)
- lend = unite, intwine
- poor = lack, need, want
- Mark 10:21 (young rich ruler) - he missed a great opportunity by not being obedient
***Learn to seek the direction of God in your finances!!!
DEC 7th: “Cashing My Heavenly Account/Reaping A Harvest”
Rick Edwards
Reaping a Harvest
- Tithing allows us to expect a return on our giving
- Just like in the natural you have to have put something in the account to take something out.
- However, God isn’t restricted to what we’ve put in our account to bless us
1) Decide
- What am I believing God for (John 16:24)
- If we don’t ask we can’t expect to receive
- Be specific
- Our request has to be in line with his Word (James 4:2-3)
2) Lay Hold Of It By Faith
- Mark 11:23-24
- Matthew 18:19 (Prayer of Agreement)
- You need to find scriptures that are answers to what your need is so you can have confirmation that you’re believing in line with the Word of God
3) Bind The Forces of Evil
- Malachi 3:10-11
4) Loose The Spirits of Heaven
- Psalm 103:19-20
- Angels are ministering spirits waiting to take action on our behalf when they hear the Word (Hebrews 1:13-14)
5) Praise God For the Answer
- Thank God in faith before the answer comes
6) Stand
- Ephesians 6:13
- Regularly confess the Word to build up faith in yourself
- You may have to wait longer for something big versus something small
7) Be Willing & Obedient
- Isaiah 1:19
o be willing and obedient
- Exodus 16:4-5, 16-20, 25-31 Manna
o they had to listen, obey and gather
- 2 Kings 4:1-7 (AMP version) The Widow’s Oil
o She acted on faith. We have to have faith in God enough to be obedient and get beyond the first step
- Ecclesiastes 11:1, 4
o v.1 We have to be prepared to grab the return (harvest) when we see it
o v. 4 There will never be a perfect time to sow. If we wait we will miss our time to harvest
- Luke 5:1-11 (AMP version) Miraculous Catch of Fish
o Because Simon was obedient they made more than they could have made on their own
o We have to have enough faith in God to do what he tells us to do to receive
- Duet 28:1-15 The Blessing
o The blessing comes only when you’re obedient to the Word of God