Thanksgiving having just ended and the Christmas season beginning is a perfect time to study Psalm 100 which is known by more people, just behind Psalm 23.

“Gratitude is an attitude” has been heard over and over. Gratitude is however, more than an attitude, it is a matter of the heart! Being thankful really begins by being rightly related to the Lord, Who is the giver of “every good and perfect gift.”

As we study this Psalm let’s notice:

I. Verse 1. This Psalm is addressed to “all ye lands” meaning everyone in all the lands or world. Here the Lord wants “all” to hear the message of this song and be grateful. Verse 5 says the “Lord is good” and then He says “to all generations.”God is addressing this Psalm to everyone and to all generations or ages. He wants us to hear and then act upon the message.

II. Verse 2. It is clear that this Psalm is about the Lord. Underscore in every verse what is said about the Lord. “Joyful noise unto the Lord”, “Serve the Lord”, “come before His presence”, “the Lord He is God”, “the Lord is good”, etc. Notice also “His people”, “His pasture”, “His gates”, “His courts”, “His name”, His mercy”, “His truth”, and “His presence.” As you can see, we will learn a lot about the Lord from this short Psalm of only five verses.

III. The commands of the Psalm. The last verse gives us the reason for God’s commands. Because “The Lord is good: His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.”

A. Command one: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. The word “noise” is the key to this command. It means to “get loud” and add to this the word “joyful” and you will have a powerful expression of thanksgiving and praise.

B. Command two: “Serve the Lord with gladness.” One of the evidences of a grateful Christian is that of serving - serving the Lord! He says we are to serve Him with gladness. Gladness is an expression of a grateful heart. When we have a right relationship with the Lord, we are happy to serve Him, resulting in genuine gladness!

C. Command three: “Come before His presence with singing.” It’s the song from the soul that He wants to hear. God wants the song to come from the heart of a grateful servant.

D. Command four: “Know ye that the Lord He is God.” He is saying I want you to know that the Lord you are serving is God Himself! He made us and desires our gratitude! We are His sheep and He shepherds us! Our thanksgiving is not to a statue, not to a creed and not to any religious person - our thanksgiving is to the One who made us, shepherds us, and to the One we worship and serve!

E. Command five: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” When speaking of “gates” and “courts” no doubt David was referring to the temple - the place where man approached God! When we come into His presence, we are to come with the attitude of gratitude! “Be thankful unto Him.”

F. Command six: “Bless His Name.” The idea to bless the Lord is the idea to kneel before Him. It includes honor and homage. His name is above every name! Many times the Psalmist commands us to “Bless His Name!”

Again, the final verse (5) gives us the reasons for the expectations of the previous four verses. (1.) “For the Lord is good.” God is always good! Like one preacher preached, “Ain’t God Good?” (2.) “His mercy is everlasting.” God’s mercy is never ending. Once a person has received God’s mercy it is everlasting! (3.) “His truth endureth to all generations.” We are grateful because we have the truth, know the Truth and are assured that His word endureth to all and every generation - all the past generations, the present generation and all the future generations!

This song of David is for those who “hunger and thirst” (Mattthew 5:6) for the Lord and His righteousness. Religion has failed man. Religion is based on activity, never to be satisfied. Religion is what man does, even at his best. God “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” so we can be saved and begin not a religion but a relationship with Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Relationship with Him is the all important aspect of being a Christian, yet many have never had such an experience.

A vital relationship with Christ begins with a longing to know Christ in a close, intimate way. (Philippians 3:10)

If you are one that is tired of religion, then you are a candidate for one who truly can have a personal relationship with the Lord and can have a “song in the heart” that comes forth with “Then Sings My Soul.”

In this Psalm, David reveals the basics in getting to know God. But first notice the title of Psalm 63. It reads “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.” It is significant to note that David was not at the National Cathedral in Washington, nor at other famous churches or temples when he wrote this Psalm. He was in the lonely place of the wilderness when God gave him this song. It is also true that it is in the secret places that we meet the Lord. It is important to attend church where we hear about the Lord, but we will get to know Him in the lonely, secret places.

David begins this song by:

1. David admitted his need. Psalm 63:1. “O, God thou art my God” begins David. He confesses the Lord as “my God.” His heart is revealed when he says “early will I seek thee.” Then he goes on to say “my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee.”

David was thirsty and longing for the Lord. Here is where the relationship with the Lord begins - when we thirst for Him, when we long for Him!

Religion produces a “dry and thirsty land, where no water
is”(Psalm 63:1). May someone who studies this Psalm will get an appetite for the knowledge of Him!

2. David saw the Lord (vs. 2). David spent time in the wilderness framing a mental picture of the Lord, His power and His glory. He was concerned that His mind was brought into captivity. He had promised perfect peace to those “whose mind is stayed on thee.” As a man thinketh in His heart, so is he” Jesus said.

3. David praised the Lord (vss. 3-5). In the secret place of the wilderness, David said “my lips shall praise Thee” (vs. 3); “Thus will I bless thee” (vs. 4); and my “My mouth shall praise thee” (vs. 5). The entire book of Psalms is a book of praise! David says, “while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name” (vs. 4). A Christian’s soul can be satisfied because of praise according to verse 5.

4. David meditated on the Lord (vs. 6). To meditate means to “ponder or go over in one’s mind.” The old “cow chewing her cud” is a great illustration of meditation.

5. David rejoiced in the Lord (vss. 7-8). In the lonely place of a wilderness, David rejoiced in the Lord. No one heard him, but the Lord. The Lord was his single reason to rejoice.

6. David’s relationship with the Lord gave him personal victory (vss. 9-11). Here David reveals that even in the wilderness, there were those out to destroy him. David’s relationship had bound his heart to the Lord and gave him grace over the problems of his life. The great hymn “Come Thou Fount” gives us these words:
“O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy Goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee”.

I Corinthians 10:31

In this study, we are going to list a path to victory on the financial road. Time doesn’t allow extended comment, but a thorough study on your part is recommended.

1. After you save your $1,000 emergency fund, it is time to tackle your smallest debt and then your second, etc.

2. After your debt retirement has been completed (except for your home) you need to save three to six months of your total monthly income as your emergency fund.

3. After your emergency fund is where you need it to be, then go for a double goal - (a) Pay off home mortgage and (b) Save for retirement.

4. To pay off your home mortgage, set a goal, maybe 5 years, 10 years, etc. For retirement start with 10% to 15% of your total income, if possible. Set a goal of 15% to 20% after the home mortgage is paid off.

5. The closer you get to being debt-free, plan to give more. For example, move your tithe from 10% to 15%.

6. Plan for after retirement (when you are gone)! We need to be concerned that our assets which we leave in this world, will be a blessing and not a curse to our children and/or relatives.

7. Wealth inherited will be a blessing for those who receive it if only they have the spiritual wisdom to know that money is not the answer to life’s questions and problems. Many people leave money to relatives which ends up being a curse to them.

8. When a Christian considers the “after retirement” experience (death), he/she should consider including the work of the Lord through his/her church.

9. Every Christian needs to remind himself/herself often that the pursuit of wealth and “stuff” can easily become your god.

10. Remember the bumper sticker, “He who dies with the most toys is still dead!”

11. Remember the truth of a previous study. “Selfishness and abundance = greed. Greed = the love of money. The love of money = the root of all evil.” See I Timothy 6:10.

12. All our saving, spending, and earning of money must always be “to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

The Christian managing the finances of his home will find it difficult if he has been snared by living worldly, as it relates to money. However, like anything else in a Christian’s life, victory can be anyone’s who is totally committed, completely focused, with intense faith in the Lord.

According to Scripture, if we are in debt for a friend or in debt for ourselves, it is a snare. A snare according to the 1828 dictionary is “anything by which one is entangled and brought into trouble”.

Surety is signing and giving your signature for the security of a debt. Co-signing is giving your signature for the security of another person’s debt. The Bible warns over and over about being surety for another person. Proverbs 17:18 says, “A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.” See Proverbs 6:1 and Proverbs 22:26.

According to Scripture (Proverbs 11:15), “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure.” God says we are to hate debt! In fact, He says if we hate surety we are sure! God is saying “Get out of debt!” He is saying never co-sign for another person.

A principle that I have always gone by is if I have to get a co-signer, I don’t need what I think I do. If the banker says you can’t afford this car, house, loan, etc. so you need another person to stand for you in case you don’t pay, it is a sure indication that I don’t need that boat, car, etc!

The way out of debt takes a resolve that never waivers! Are you the one? Are you the one who is holding your wife back? Are you the one who is holding your husband back? The resolve to be delivered from debt is a unified, family resolve!

The first thing to do is stop charging! We must stop borrowing if we are ever going to get started on debt reduction. How would you like to live on your income and owe no one on payday?

“The good thing about principles is that they make life easy. I have heard it said that when someone bases his life on principle, 99 percent of his decisions are already made!” says Dave Ramsey. This truth can be applied to all areas of life! Bible principles applied to our lives keep us from going in the wrong direction in life.

Giving, saving, and earning money are all right and Biblical. It was Charles Wesley who said about money, “Make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.” These goals are honorable goals for every Christian. However, with debt hanging over the Christian’s head, it is difficult to give and to save.

Saving money must always have a purpose. Retirement must be saved for and is an important reason to save. Purchasing larger items, without charging, are also wise things to save for.

Money is not evil. Possessing money does not make a person evil. The way we make, spend, save and give money as a Christian must be to the glory of God. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” I Cor. 10:31.

UnTHINK Money: Money Myth
It is always best to have a home mortgage because you can count the interest on your federal taxes! WRONG! If your mortgage payment is $900 per month and the interest portion is $830, you will pay around $10,000 that year in interest. Is this a tax advantage? Do the math. If you had the $10,000 for yourself (no mortgage) you would pay $3,000 taxes. Is trading $10,000 for $3,000 a good deal? Oh my, “they” are wrong again!

Is purchasing insurance an indication of the lack of faith? Some may think so but I don’t. In this world we all live and then die and we should prepare for both.

Spiritually we must prepare for death, as well as make preparations for this life. The same is true in the finances of our lives. We need to secure our family’s future in the absence of the breadwinner. This leads to the necessity of the proper kind of insurance. Buying insurance is both a right and wise thing to do.

☛Auto Insurance. In North Carolina, state laws require liability insurance. Liability insurance covers the other person’s car, injury and property. You are required to have $25,000 property damage coverage and $30,000 bodily injury with a $60,000 bodily maximum coverage per accident. These are the minimum amount coverages…it would be wise to increase these amounts if possible. Would you be personally responsible for any amount above your insurance? YES! So it would pay you to check into more coverage.

Collision insurance covers your car. If you owe on your car, your lender requires you to have collision insurance. You should have collision insurance if your car has significant value.

Comprehensive insurance covers windshield damage, hailstorm damage, or if a tree falls on your car. Comprehensive insurance is good insurance. Your premiums do not go up because you have made a claim unlike liability or collision insurance.

Car insurance is not only a state requirement, it is a wise choice in protecting you, your family, and your assets.

☛Homeowners Insurance. Again, if you owe on your home, your lender will require you to have homeowners insurance up to the replacement value of your home. If you own your home, why would you not want to have homeowners insurance? The higher deductible (for instance $2500) the lower your premiums. In your “emergency fund” you should have at least the deductible amounts of all your insurances. Homeowners insurance is a very competitive insurance item. Shop around. Several other things are usually added to your policy which are benefits. Use wisdom and get the best deal.

If you rent, you need renter’s insurance.

☛Life Insurance. The best deal in life insurance is term life. Term life insurance can be bought in 10-year, 20-year and 30- year terms. A 35 year old male can buy $500,000 in insurance for 10 years for about $15.00 per month. A million dollars for about $25 to $30 per month. A good way to know how much insurance you need is to add your home mortgage plus ten years of annual salary. The earlier in life you purchase term life, the cheaper.

☛Disability Insurance. If you become disabled, you can not live on Social Security disability. Therefore, you need disability insurance. The amount that is usually offered is between one-half and three-fourths of your annual income. Your employer usually offers the best deals in disability insurance.

☛Health Insurance. Everyone needs it and more and more people either can’t afford it or have chosen not to be covered. The Health Savings Account plans have been noted recently as a better plan. The plan allows one to save for medical expenses in a tax-free savings account. Consult a trusted agent to give you the most coverage for the lower monthly premiums.

☛Long-Term Care Insurance. At age 60, one needs to take out this insurance. It is essential insurance for those approaching retirement age. Nursing home care can deplete a life-long savings account in just a few months.

There are insurance products that I personally don’t think are a good investment - one being Mortgage Insurance! This insurance is often required if you do not pay at least 20% down on your home purchase. This is very expensive insurance. This insurance pays off your mortgage in case of death. It sounds good, but again it is very expensive! You could include your mortgage in your term life insurance for only pennies on the dollar for what mortgage insurance costs.

If you have your home paid down to 80% you can cancel your mortgage insurance. You need to be sure you have term-life coverage for the life of your loan. Mortgage insurance makes the insurance companies very rich!

Another type insurance that I don’t promote is Universal Life or sometimes called “Whole Life”. It is a plan (very expensive) that builds a cash value and gives you life insurance coverage. It sounds good and is very profitable for insurance companies - but not for the customer. You can buy term-life so much cheaper. Invest the remainder in a good mutual fund and end up much better off.

Let me add this final note. Product insurance is usually a very bad deal for the customer. We buy a product (example a range) and they want us to take out insurance to repair it if it breaks down. I don’t buy them! If we need to insure their product before we even get it from their store - what does that say about their product?

Wisdom and care should always be used in purchasing insurance products. We can become “insurance poor” and we can also become poor if we don’t have the proper insurance.

UnTHINK MONEY: Ways to waste your money:

The Eternal Car Payment: Most Americans carry a car loan for most of their entire lives, paying about $378 a month. The same amount invested from age 25 to retirement would, on average, amount to more than $4 million dollars by age 65! “Sure hope you enjoy that smooth ride”

While prosperity continued it was evident that there were some significant cracks in our economic structure. Debt soon became the acceptable way of life. Our government became the leader of debt for the rest of us to follow. The government is in debt, all my friends are in debt, so debt must be for me too!

For the most part, Christians have followed the world’s steps. It is here that Christians must see a need to change.

In the abundance and affluence of our day selfishness has resulted. Remember our first lesson? It was on giving. Jesus said “it is most blessed to give than receive”. Selfishness is not the result of giving and having a heart to give. There is a process that takes place in anyone’s life if selfishness is not confessed and forsaken. Selfishness plus abundance equals greed. That’s where the “love of money” comes in and that results in the “root of all evil”.

For the Christian, financial planning is a must if one truly wants to be Biblical in his/her life. To answer questions such as “Will I ever have enough?”, “Will it continue to be enough?”, and “How much is enough?” must be answered from God’s prospective, which is, He knows all things, has all wisdom, knows our purpose in life and is in control of the future.

It must be said again that “we cannot live above our means”. We cannot owe more than we receive and think that things are going to be better some day.

I believe God is more concerned about my finances and your finances than He is in America’s economic uncertainty!

By now, I hope that you have made a detailed budget of your finances. If you are going to “build a tower” you must first of all plan, and a budget is a plan and guide for you.

Secondly, I hope you have made, raised, found a $1,000. Remember that emergencies are the greatest enemy of a budget.

You should now be ready to tackle your first debt, which is the debt of smallest amount owed. Your goal is to pay off this debt as soon as possible and then apply everything you were paying on debt 1 now to debt 2. Dave Ramsey calls this “Start the Debt Snowball”. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET STARTED!!!

UnTHINK MONEY!
Ways to waste money: Pay Banking Fees! Overdraw your checking account and you will pay from $25 to $50 for each check, so it pays to keep your balance current in your check book! Don’t pay for a checking account. Call the banks and find one which gives free checking. Refuse to pay checking fees. Not tomorrow - NOW!

To be out of debt requires a change in the way you live. Until you see that you are the problem with your money, little or nothing is accomplished.

In our last study, we set up a budget (hopefully). We listed all our debt and expenses. We are not ready to begin living on our budget. There are two things we must do before we begin our budget. We must set up an emergency fund and secondly, we must find money from our budget to pay on our debt.

The first priority is building an emergency fund. To start with, our goal is to build an emergency fund of $1,000. To some this seems almost impossible. To others, they carry that much in their wallet. This fund will grow larger after some of our debt is paid off. This is a rainy day fund and, as Dave Ramsey says, “It is going to rain, so you need a rainy day fund”.

This fund will not be enough to meet every need, but it is a tremendous help. Emergencies are the biggest enemy of your budget. Things happen. The washing machine quits! This $1000 goal is so very important! We all like to win and this gives you your first opportunity to have a victory in your new challenge of becoming debt free! The emergency fund is not for purchasing things or for going on a vacation, it is for real emergencies!

For most families ($20,000 year income or more) the emergency fund can be raised in one month! If it takes two months - go for it! Here are some suggestions to help raise the $1000: (1) Work extra hours. (2) Sell items on Craig’s List. (3) Have a yard sale (4) Sell the extra clunker which is often the third vehicle no longer driven. (5) Deliver pizzas on Saturday night. (6) Work a part-time job. (7). If necessary, sell a big item which you can do without.

When you have $1000, you need to put it in a secure place - that meaning a place where it is not easy for you to get it. Deposit it in a savings or money market account. Online banks (FDIC Insured) give better rates of interest. If you keep this $1000 in cash around the house, it will be too much of a temptation to use this money for “non-emergency” items!

If your car has an emergency, unexpected break down and it costs $400 to fix it, replenish the fund before you go back to paying off debt. If your washing machine fails, etc. use this fund! But remember, I must replenish my emergency fund to $1000. This may seem juvenile and over simplified, but we are unthinking money!

One reason we want to be debt free is because a recent survey found that 49% of Americans could not pay one months expenses if they lost their income.

Remember, we want to control our money. Again, Proverbs 22:7 tells us that the “borrower is servant to the lender” meaning VISA, SEARS, J.C. PENNEY, CHASE, etc. are in control of our money! We are determined and dedicated to regaining the control of our money!

At the beginning of our study, we stated there were two goals we must accomplish before we set out living on our budget. Our first one was the $1000 emergency fund. Now our second goal is to “find money” in our budget.

We will now examine our budget work sheets to find money which we will use to pay off our first targeted debt.

It is important that the husband and wife work together on every aspect of your new financial goal!

“To be set free from financial bondage is being liberated from this world’s hold.”

UnTHINK MONEY:
Ways to Waste Your Money: BUY ON IMPULSE!
When you buy before you think, you don’t have time to shop around. Impulse buying is usually a result of the “lust of the eyes” or the “lust of the flesh” or maybe both! A night to sleep on the buying decision often reveals it was not really needed. Check your budget and then comparison shop!

Do You Want To Be Free?

“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” - Proverbs 22:7. Are you a Christian that would like to be set free as a servant to lenders? You can be - anyone can be - if you really want to and are willing to pay the price. This price is greatest at the start of the program. Dave Ramsey makes a statement that is so true, “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else”. Everyone must answer three questions: (1) Do I want to be free from debt? (2) Do I really want to be free from debt? (3) Am I willing to do whatever it takes to be debt free?

The first step in becoming debt free is forming a budget. Your budget is your guide that you will follow religiously. A budget accomplishes at least three things: (1) A budget makes you accountable for your finances. A budget reveals what you do with your money. When setting a budget it is often shocking to see where you have been spending your money! (2) A budget will keep you honest with yourself and your spouse. It is easy to fudge with money! Spending a little here and a little there is easy without a budget. (3) A budget will keep you on tract to reach your goal of being debt free, building money for financial security and preparing for retirement.

Your first budget will by nature be your most strenuous budget you will ever live by. Pay the price! It will be worth it in a shorter time than you think. After your first or second goal is accomplished, you may be able to re-establish your budget.

The first step in designing a budget is to fill out a “Household Income” sheet. This is important as it reveals the total amount of money you have to work with.

The second step is more difficult. Now it is time to list your debt and expenses. As a Christian you should first list your tithe. Then your offerings, missions giving, faith promise, bus kids LCS scholarship and all other giving. Then make your list of all expenses and debt. If you fail to list one debt it will throw off your budget! Remember all insurances, credit cards, child support, child care, auto care, entertainment, food, dining out, subscriptions, and etc.

After carefully listing your debt and expenses for a month, you are ready to set up your budget. Initially the best way to manage your budget is by the envelope system. Using cash you deposit each month in the designated envelope, you spend and pay debt and expenses from money from the envelope. This is a simple plan but it works!

Keep your plan simple! Remember your goal is to “owe no man anything” and that means debt free!

UNTHINK Money: Ways to Waste Money - Buy new instead of used.
Cars lose most of their value the first few years. Buying a two to three year old car is a better deal most always. Buy used furniture, used books, toys, exercise equipment, and yes, even Goodwill clothes!

For the most part Americans have bought into the idea that debt is and always will be a part of our lives. However, personal debt is still a relatively new way to finance one’s way of life.

Credit has caused us to live beyond our means! Our forefathers, not too long ago, knew nothing of debt. You paid for what you bought or you bartered for your needs.

The “buy now and pay later” scheme has caught up with many, even Christians. To be a Christian we should be separated from this world’s philosophies, including money and debt; however, we have left the Lord out of our views and beliefs about money!

According to Scriptures we will give an account of the way we use, spend, give and invest money! (Matthew 25:14-30)

A. Identify the Enemy
According to Dave Ramsey, “the key to winning any battle is to identify the enemy”. For the Christian and finances, debt is the enemy. We must become passionate about getting out of debt.

B. Get on Board
Now is the time to get on board, to eliminate debt and live free from the bondage that debt brings. Getting on board requires commitment. For a family, it requires the commitment of both husband and wife. No family ever gets out of debt without a lot of effort on the part of both. To build a financially secure future for your family, it is absolutely necessary to regain control of your income.

C. Set a Budget
We will study more on setting a budget, however, for now you must know where your money is going and only a budget will guide you to discover the sometimes ugly truth! Make a simple budget to begin with and make it your financial guide to live by.

D. You must have a plan.
The plan endorsed by Mr. Thom Kimmel is the best, most effective plan to get out of debt. The plan is simple. List all your debt by balance due with the smallest balance at the top. I recommend that you do not list your primary home mortgage on this list at this time. You pay the monthly due amount on all debt, then you pay extra (all the extra) you can on the smallest balance until it is paid off. Then you tackle the second debt and add all the money you were paying on debt #1 to debt #2 plus your regular money payment. Most everyone, according to Thom Kimmel, can be out of debt - including the primary home mortgage in 7 years.!

If it is more blessed to give than to receive - and it is, then with debt reduced and then eliminated we can give and give and be blessed and blessed! “God tends to pour blessings on people going in a direction He wants them to go.” - Dave Ramsey

“What’s in your wallet?” You presently may have to say plastic, but with a proven plan, one day you can answer MONEY!!!

Quick Thought: Ways To Waste Your Money. Carry a balance on a credit card. If you have a $1000 balance on a credit card charging 18%, you blow $180 away every year on interest! You can support a National missionary in India for six months for $180. You answer the question, “In what way is the Lord honored?” Giving to missions is more honorable than giving it to Capital One!