I’m financially solvent because I am Christian

Some people have asked with all the horrible things going on in the world what good does it do me to be a Christen. At times I have a hard time trying not to laugh. The Tim of a little over a decade ago may have responded “being a Christian keeps me from being you. Someone with a broken marriage, substance abuse issues, poor health, and little understanding of what the future holds.” I guess I’ve matured a little.
With all the gloom and doom that goes about in the world many people have become concerned about their personal solvency. Like many others I have seen my investment portfolio lose well over 50% of its value in the past few months. I am concerned but not scared. Below I have listed the principles I’ve learned from the scriptures to help me stay financially solvent.
Tithing: Malachi 3:8-10 Gen 14: 17-20
I pay 10% of what God blesses me with back to Him. I have seen him open the windows of heaven for my family as we have lived this law. It truly is amazing when you have scholarships almost fall in your lap while attending college or you’re able to find a job during a rough economy. If we look at the Book of Genesis we see that Abraham paid his tithes and he prospered in land. Because the Laws of God are eternal just as Abraham was blessed for paying tithing we will be too.
Financial planning: Luke 24:28, Genesis 41:30
The Bible has also taught us that before we invest it is wise to sit down and make a plan. If we are going to buy a house, car, education etc. we need to sit down and check our finances and make sure we can afford the purchase and make sure it will not place undue burden on us in the future. We are also taught in Genesis that during the times of prosperity we should put resources away for the future. By putting resources away for the future we are prepared if the economy crashes or if an investment opportunity comes our way.
Word of Wisdom
Some of the most devastating expenses a family can face directly relate to medical expenses. Since the beginning of history Heavenly Father has directed his children on how to care for their bodies. He told Adam and Eve which plants to eat (Gen 2:16-17), and gave them work to perform to keep his body strong and his mind active (Gen 2:15 Gen 3:19.)
To Moses, God revealed divine laws instructing what the children of Israel should eat, and what they should not drink (Lev 10:9.) Later we hear of Daniel and others who stayed true to the Law of Moses and were found to be healthier and more intelligent than their peers (Dan 1:8-17.)
Later to, Joseph Smith, God continued to reveal his laws of health instructing disciples to not take stimulants, alcohol, tobacco, or any other harmful substance. Disciples were further instructed to eat healthy foods, meat in moderation, and to get sufficient sleep. With these instructions came a promise of health in mind, body and spirit. Having lived this law my entire life I have been able to avoid sickness while those around me have suffered, I have had the energy to work long hours for extended periods of time, and I have a higher chance of survival should I contract an illness.
Eternal marriage
Another devastating experience some face is divorce. In my house this is considered worse than a four letter word. We’ll joke about a lot of things but the “d” word is not one of them. The social, economic, spiritual, and physical impacts of divorce are too great to enumerate. The number one reason for success in my family comes from a strong marriage. (It always helps when you have a rocking wife.)

Blessed be the Capitalists

I have typically been an outsider when it comes to making small talk with my peers. I found this especially true while attending college. During a lecture by an adjunct professor he made a reference to a popular TV show. As I looked around I saw eyes grow wide as students began to grasp the concept. I had to sheepishly raise my hand and ask, ”Who are we talking about and how do they relate to John Locke?” With the looks I received I might as well have asked “Who is John Gault?”

As I have tried to build relationships with work peers I have tried to use TV to build common ground. Well it turns out most of the people who work for my employer have never heard of Kudlow and Company or they just try to change the subject when I bring up Glen Beck. During my most recent relocation these were the two TV shows I regularly enjoyed while living in temporary housing. I particularly enjoy the Kudlow Creed which is “Free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity!”

President Bush made the following comments during a meeting with foreign leaders this past week, “At its most basic level, capitalism offers people the freedom to choose where they work and what they do … the dignity that comes with profiting from their talent and hard work. … The free-market system also provides the incentives that lead to prosperity — the incentive to work, to innovate, to save and invest wisely, and to create jobs for others.” Compare this to the remark made by another politician “The problem with the wealthy is that they believe they have the right to keep the money they earn.”

We have seen the departure from Free Market Principles this past month; over the course of the next few years we as a nation must decide whether we want a system that rewards on merit or if we’ll elect to abdicate our rights to prosperity for temporary feelings of security. To quote Kudlow one more time, “Either you believe in markets, or you believe in government.”

Introduction

A few years back after listening to too much politically correct speech I learned that I am very offensive. The more I listen to what the ultra liberals have to say the more I understand I am the embodiment of everything they see as wrong with the country. I am a Christian, Conservative, Capitalist, Caucasian male. These core elements harmonize to make me who I am. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the influence of the truths I have received through these elements.

Christian - I know it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that I am forgiven of my sins. As the Son of God, He came to earth, lived a perfect life and then paid for the sins of all humanity. After His crucifixion He rose from the dead thus satisfying the demands of justice and creating a way that we can return to our Father in Heaven and dwell in His presence. Through His Prophets and Apostles, God has prepared a way for us to return to Him and to be like Him.

Conservative - I currently live in the best country in the world. There is no other place I would choose to live other than the United States of America. Our Republic and Constitution were established by honorable men inspired by God. It seems that there are many people who would like to change our Constitution, just like they would like to change our Bible. If we desire to remain a free people we must support the ideas our country was founded upon.

Capitalist - “My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” (Rand) It is the productive life that brings the greatest happiness. Each person on Earth possesses some type of capital. For many of us our capital is “the strength of our backs” or “the cleverness of our minds.” We may not all have overflowing bank accounts but we do each possess something of value that we can put to work for our good. We must live heroic lives now more than ever.

Caucasian - "Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism ... [the notion] that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors" (Rand) Most of my professional life I have had to deal with the fact I am not a minority. I have been told by the PC crowd that I am where I am in life because of “White Privilege.” I just laugh and move on. While being a Caucasian Male places me in the realm of the "forgotten man" for people lining up to receive Government hand outs (for some reason there aren’t many scholarships for white guys who want to study engineering) it has helped me understand a key item from all those diversity classes I am required to attend. To truly understand your business partners you need to understand their culture. And contrary to what the PC crowd wants us to believe the “Caucasian Culture” has quite a few things to teach the world.