Perhaps the biggest key to success with financial investing during a recession is the amount of highly leveraged consumer debt you’re carrying. Crushing, high-interest credit card debt can cripple you financially, as can a mortgage (that turns into a foreclosure) taken out with unsustainable terms based on your salary. Greed, indiscretion, and the desire to live a lifestyle you can’t afford is the trifecta bringing many Americans to their knees. The sucker punch of inflation only adds to the misery.
Year: 2010
Proverbs 21:17 – The Easy Way To Get Rich
This just in, the brain trust at Solomon Success has cracked the poverty code and figured out how we can all be rich – stop spending so much. Proverbs 21:17 reminds us in these words: “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.†If only we in America would take these words to heart. In general, we spend way too much of our money indulging in activities that do nothing except drain the bank account.
Bible Business Not A Soulless, Rapacious Endeavor
It only seems appropriate, in light of Oliver Stone’s recent release of the sequel to his 1980’s smash hit Wall Street, that we take a short detour into the twin theories that “Greed is good,†and “Nice guys finish last.†While the Wall Street raider character, Gordon Gekko – played by Michael Douglas – would have you believe that a complete lack of morals and ethics is the only way to truly get ahead in business, we at Solomon Success are not drinking that Kool-Aid.
The Patient Way To Prosperity By The Bible
If ever there was an investment strategy espoused by the Bible, it would have to be “buy and hold.†Psalms 37:7 speaks obliquely to this issue: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way.†The point here is that everyone is not on the same time table and it is a useless expenditure of energy wondering when God will see fit to throw financial success your way. Even worse is to allow that tiny, itty, bitty measure of resentment to creep into your thoughts at the success of others.
King Solomon Says Get Thee Some Excellent Counsel
In Proverbs 15:22, King Solomon reminds us of the value of retaining good counsel. We’re not talking about in anticipation of an ambush lawsuit – not that kind of counsel – but rather the wisdom of investment advisers and financial planners. Oh, and don’t leave out your spouse when it comes to seeking advice. They have a way of getting snippy about being excluded. Reminder the proverb we’re talking about? Essentially it goes like this:
Game Off – Financial Investing With Ethics
Are you one of the harried parents who have given up on controlling the video games your children play? We hope not but in case you’re feeling rather out of the loop when it comes to the younger generations gaming habits, here’s a guide to the worst offenders in the industry regarding sexual content, alternative lifestyles, and violence. We’re hoping you decide not only to limit your child’s exposure to this sort of “entertainment†but exclude it from your financial investing as well. By that we mean don’t invest in these companies or mutual funds that do. They don’t deserve your financial support. Wonder if God plays Grand Theft Auto?
Lending By The Bible – Slaves And Masters
At first glance it seems the Bible tells us that lending makes the borrower a slave to the lender (Prov. 22:7). Actually, there’s no first glance about it; it directly conveys the sentiments. Well, that was easy. Open and shut case. Never borrow or lend. Whoops. Not so fast. Was that the sound of brakes screeching in the background because we’re pretty sure that several Bible references expound on the virtue of generosity, such as:
With The Bible And Money, It’s All About The Budget
One of the most important money skills to develop in this life is how to budget. When it comes to the Bible and money, we shouldn’t have to remind you that God isn’t fond of those who lose control of their spending. Do you reach for these reliable excuses when the prospect of personal budgeting rears it’s ugly head?
“I don’t know enough.â€
Best Biblical Investing – Real Estate vs. Stock Market
When it comes to choosing an investment asset – real estate or the stock market – it sometimes seems like an episode of MTV’s Celebrity Death Match with proponents in each corner vociferously extolling the virtues of their hero. At Solomon Success, we don’t need a death match to know which is the best choice for biblical investing.
Christian Investors Watch Out For Backsliding
Is God in favor of backsliding Christian investors? After reading Proverbs 14:14 we’re guessing not. He’s not in favor of backsliding at all. In case you need you need a memory refreshment, here’s how it reads:
“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.â€