Page 129 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

A SIMPLE BUDGET PLAN

LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD

The bottom line is that any financial plan must begin with a means of
controlling cash flow, and that’s simply what a budget is. As mentioned
at the beginning of this chapter, the above 4-Ts principles of budgeting
and cash flow management are just an example of one approach—the
approach that I have created for myself. However, it may not be
something that you think would work for you. Again, the important
thing is that you find a system that works for you. You can, through
research and personal preference, devise your own system of effectively
monitoring and managing your money. Only when you have your
spending under control can you begin to save, invest and start to make
real progress on your journey to prosperity.

THE MORE THAN ENOUGH — PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIP

Earlier, we defined prosperity as abundance or having “more than
enough.” And we learned as well that having more than enough is for
a purpose; it is to help us to do God’s work here on earth. Our common
goal is, at the end of the day, to be found good stewards of that with
which God has blessed us.

The principle of stewardship recognizes that all our resources come from
God and are to be used in accordance with His principles and purposes.
Therefore, we strive to manage the resources that God has entrusted to
each of us in a responsible manner, as one accountable for a property
that is not his own. Ultimately, we all want to hear God say, “Well done,
good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I
will put you in charge of many things. Come share in your Master’s
happiness” (Matthew 25:23).

Therefore, let us be faithful in the small things; our day-to-day spending
habits, the monitoring and management of our finances, our decisions
as to how to save and invest, and how much to give from our increase.
Then we can expect God to reward us with even greater things; with
both material and spiritual abundance in this life, and when we have
reached our journey’s end, with the true riches of our eternal
inheritance in the life to come.

115